Merchant

A merchant is an individual who sold goods or services to others in exchange for money or other goods. Such a person may also be called a trader. Such activity could occur in a place of business by a shopkeeper, or in any public place through direct transactions with potential customers.

Spock had the identity of a merchant imposed upon him by the Organian Ayelborne in order to protect him from invading Klingons in 2267. He noted that "Vulcan merchants are not uncommon."

Cyrano Jones was a trader of such items as Spican flame gems, Antarean glow water, and tribbles. The latter caused him much trouble when he distributed them on Deep Space Station K-7 in 2268. 

Rakhari merchants used to buy things like the shapeshifting locket from off-world traders. 

Sometimes, the profession of merchant was used as a cover by various individuals in order to conduct criminal activities. Retaya was a trader of perfumes who conducted business in places such as Deep Space 9. This activity, however, was also cover for his work as an assassin in the employ of the Tal Shiar. 

That was also the case with Arne Darvin who posed as the Human merchant Barry Waddle in order to gain access to the Orb of Time. 

Types of merchants

 * Arms merchant/weapons merchant
 * Clothing merchant
 * Refuge merchant/scrap-metal merchant