[Vocabulary] Short and long distance trades

[Pepita]

Hi!

Could someone please explain, what "short distance trade"
and "long distance trade" mean? The terms probably aren't in use
any more, since I could not find definitions anywhere.
Do they simply mean trading more or less local and overseas products?
Or is short distance trade like retail trade?
I'm completely in the dark about this...

Kind regards & thanks in advance!

 

[SoothingDave]

Without any context, I would assume it referred to geography. Buying eggs from the farmer down the road is short distance trade. Buying a Toyota from Japan is long distance.

 

[freezeframe]

Hi!

Could someone please explain, what "short distance trade"
and "long distance trade" mean? The terms probably aren't in use
any more, since I could not find definitions anywhere.
Do they simply mean trading more or less local and overseas products?
Or is short distance trade like retail trade?
I'm completely in the dark about this...

Kind regards & thanks in advance!

It's a relative term. Short distance means exactly what it says. But it can be within the same community, or to the neighbouring village, or within a region... So, trade from France to England can be short distance trade.

Long distance is for longer distances, strangely enough. :-D

 

[Pepita]

Thank you SoothingDave!

I suspected the same - local and overseas trade -
but was far from sure about that.
The context is following:
"About 200 years ago there were many merchants in New York
making their money off of trades, short distance, long distance trades."

I was wandering if short distance trade meant something in particular
apart from geography. I guess not then :up:

Thank you for your answer and all the best!

 

[Pepita]

Thank you freezeframe!

Yes, short and long are relative concepts.
Thanks to you and SoothingDave I now quite believe there is nothing more to
short and long distance trades than endeed the distance over which the trading
is happening )

Many thanks & all the best to you too!