marketing

1. Wholesaling
• Financing
• Risk bearing
• Market
information
• Management
services and
advice
• Selling and promoting
• Buying and assortment
building
• Bulk-breaking
• Warehousing
• Transportation
Functions performed by wholesalers:

2. Types of Wholesalers
• Merchant Wholesaler: an independently
owned wholesaler business that takes title
to the merchandise it handles.
 Largest group of wholesalers.
 Account for 50% of wholesaling.
 Two broad categories:
• Full-service wholesalers.
• Limited-service wholesalers.

3. Types of Wholesalers
• Brokers and agents:
 Do not take title to goods.
 Perform only a few functions.
 Specialize by product line or customer type.
• Brokers bring buyers and sellers together.
• Agents represent buyers on a more
permanent basis.
 Manufacturers’ agents are the most common
type of agent wholesaler.

4. Types of Wholesalers
• Manufacturers’ sales branches
and offices:
Involves wholesaling by sellers or
buyers themselves rather than through
independent wholesalers.

5. Trends in Wholesaling
• Need for ever greater efficiency.
• Demands for lower prices.
• Winnowing out of suppliers who are not
adding value based on cost and quality.
• Distinction between large retailers and
wholesalers continues to blur.
• Wholesalers will continue to increase the
services provided to retailers.
• Wholesalers are now going global.