小贩又称摊贩，是指在街道或露天地方一种历史久远的商业型态，可以说和人类的商业历史一样悠久。摊贩不靠广告推销，全靠人流，最原始的商业贩子。小贩是经济不景气的温度计，失业率高企之时，为生计所以意图自雇，成为小贩。这种销售方式又称摆档、摆摊子、摆摊儿或摆路边摊。

摊贩发展至今已呈现多种样貌。小贩分为流动小贩和固定小贩，前者可能是轻便货物放于地上摆地摊售卖，或者木头手推车盛载，流动叫卖，收档则推车仔回家。而固定小贩又名路边摊，通常申领有小贩牌照，固定在指定的街道上营业，货物收档后或者放在固定的路边摊内，加上锁，下一个工作日再开档。

A hawker is a vendor of merchandise that can be easily transported; the term is roughly synonymous with peddler or costermonger. In most places where the term is used, a hawker sells inexpensive items, handicrafts or food items. Whether stationary or mobile, hawkers often advertise by loud street cries or chants, and conduct banter with customers, so to attract attention and enhance sales.