Word for small informal business in third world country
I am looking for a word that describes individual economic activity in third world countries that supports a person and his family's livelihood. Imagine a fisherman who sells his catches on the streets of Dar es Salaam, someone who sells bracelets to tourists on Cape Town beaches or a barber who cuts people's hair on sidewalks in Hanoi. Is there a term for this type of informal business?
Such a business is typically:
- very small in terms of income and expenses
- not registered or regulated
- often not in a permanent location
- run by poorer parts of society in third world countries
The word 'sole proprietorship' is not precise enough, because it does not convey the informalness of the business. I did not choose 'informal business' either, because that just means that income is generated off the books and would include large illegal gambling or drug business.
Solution 1:
How about peddler
one who offers merchandise (such as fresh produce) for sale along the street or from door to door (Websters)
A peddler is someone who goes from place to place in order to sell something. (Collins)
If that's too formal for you, then perhaps huckster
- a retailer of small articles, esp. a peddler of fruits and vegetables; hawker
- a person who employs showy methods to effect a sale, win votes, etc the crass methods of political hucksters
- a cheaply mercenary person (Collins)