Q.How does market information provided by the wholesalers benefit the manufacturers?

Because wholesalers deal directly with retailers, they know the pulse of the market and can advise manufacturers on:

• Customers' tastes and preferences and the features buyers prefer.
• Market conditions and demand trends.
• Competitors' activities. …

Why the wholesaler knows the market. Wholesalers sit between the manufacturer and the retailer. They are in direct and constant contact with retailers, who in turn deal with the final customers. This position gives wholesalers a clear reading of the market that the distant manufacturer simply cannot get on its own.

The information a wholesaler can supply:

• Customers' tastes and preferences — what buyers are currently favouring.
• The features buyers prefer in a product — colour, size, packaging, quality level.
• Market conditions — whether demand is rising or falling, and in which regions.
• Competitors' activities — what rival firms are launching, pricing and promoting.

How this benefits the manufacturer:

• Better production planning — knowing what and how much customers want, the manufacturer can decide the right quantity to produce and avoid piling up unsold, unwanted stock.
• Better product design — feedback on preferred features lets the manufacturer improve or redesign the product to match demand.
• Better marketing decisions — awareness of competitors' moves and market trends helps the manufacturer time launches, set prices and plan promotion. …