Direct Selling Establishments

Businesses and organizations in the Direct Selling Establishments industry (NAICS code 4543, part of the Retail Trade sector) received 40,727 PPP loans totaling $1.83B during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The average loan for this industry was $44,832 — below the national PPP average of approximately $67,000. This reflects the small business character of most participants in this industry, typically sole proprietors and micro-businesses with modest payroll obligations.

91.9% of loans in this industry were forgiven — totaling $1.76B. To qualify for forgiveness, borrowers had to demonstrate that they maintained headcount and compensation levels and used at least 60% of loan proceeds for payroll expenses.

Notable recipients in this industry include THIRTY-ONE GIFTS, LLC of NEW ALBANY, OH ($10,000,000); MORLEY COMPANIES, INCORPORATED of SAGINAW, MI ($10,000,000); and SOUTHWESTERN/GREAT AMERICAN, INC. of NASHVILLE, TN ($6,643,600).

The loan amount distribution for this industry shows a more even spread across loan sizes, suggesting a mix of small and mid-sized businesses. Because borrower names are withheld for loans under $150,000, a substantial portion of recipients in this industry may not appear by name in this dataset.

As part of the broader Retail Trade sector — sporting goods, hobby, book, music, general merchandise, and nonstore retailers. — businesses in NAICS 4543 were particularly reliant on PPP assistance to bridge the gap between declining revenues and fixed overhead obligations during the shutdown period.