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According to (Weedmark, 2019), marketing intermediaries do much more than simply take a slice of the pie with each transaction. Not only do they give customers easier access to products, they can also streamline a manufacturers processes. Four types of traditional intermediaries include agents and brokers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers. Unless customers are buying a product directly from the company that makes it, sales are always facilitated by one or more marketing intermediaries, also known as middlemen (Weedmark, 2019).

According to (Weedmark, 2019), these four types of intermediaries include:

Agents and Brokers

Agents and brokers are nearly synonymous in their roles as intermediaries. In fact, when it comes to real estate transactions, they are synonymous to any client, despite the differences in their roles in the industry. In most cases, however, agents serve as an intermediary on a permanent basis between buyers and sellers, while brokers do this on a temporary basis only. Both are paid in commission for each sale and do not take ownership of the goods being sold.

Merchant Wholesalers and Resellers

Merchant wholesalers, which are also simply called wholesalers, buy products from manufacturers in bulk and then resell them, usually to retailers or other businesses. Some carry an extensive range of different products, while others specialize in a few products but carry a large assortment. They may operate cash-and-carry outlets, warehouses, mail order businesses or online sales, or they may simply keep their inventories in trucks, and travel to their customers.

Distributors and Functional Wholesalers

Also called functional wholesalers, distributors do not buy products from the producers. Instead, they expedite sales between the manufacturer and retailers or other businesses. Like agents and brokers, they can be paid by commission, or they can be paid in fees from the manufacturer.

Traditional and Online Retailers

Whenever a consumer buys a product from anyone other than the company that makes it, the consumer is dealing with a retailer. This includes corner stores, shopping malls and e-commerce website. Retailers may buy directly from the producers or from another intermediary. In some markets, they may stock items and pay for them only after they make a sale, which is common for most bookstores today.

I believe that they are all beneficial, but the merchant wholesalers and resellers seem to be the best for large business. Since they usually buy things in bulk and then resell them to retailers or other businesses. I think the rest of them are more beneficial towards smaller businesses or at least both. Because agents and brokers can provide substantial amounts of help for small and large businesses. Distributors and functional wholesalers they seem to benefit more on small businesses. Agents and brokers would benefit in both categories but if they want to make the most money it would probably be best to be with a larger business. Traditional and online retailers benefit with larger businesses because they can source out inventory to companies such as amazon or eBay to help sale and advertise them.