system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why do some wholesale businesses only sell to other businesses?

I recently tried to buy a large quantity of dill pickles for a BBQ, but was told by the supplier that unless I was a restaurant he was not able to sell to me.

Why would this be? I understand not wanting the overhead of a storefront operation, but if a customer contacts the business one would think they would seize an opportunity for an easy sale with 0 logistics.
gpt
Wholesale food distributor here. Your sale of one case of pickles is not something we are really all that interested in. Since food is a commodity in most instances, the margins are generally razor thin (especially on something as cheap as pickles). In addition to that, the effort of having an employee punch the order (as it will have to be picked) and having an employee go and pick your one case from the warehouse almost makes it a loss. The only way we even turn a profit is because of larger sales which is why volume is king in this business. However, if a normal customer comes in for a single case because they happen to run out, we will accommodate them as a courtesy.