Retailers in top deal peers mishandled (12)

I believe the answer is:

tradespeople

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'retailers' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are plural nouns.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I don't see?

'top deal peers mishandled' is the wordplay.
'mishandled' indicates an anagram.
'top'+'deal'+'peers'='topdealpeers'
'topdealpeers' with letters rearranged gives 'TRADESPEOPLE'.

'in' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for tradespeople that I've seen before include "folk in business" , "Skilled workers" , "Eg, shopkeepers" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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