Sales branches are wholesale outlets, located away from the factory, that stock and sell products to nearby customers. Sales offices carry no inventory but serve as a base for sales reps who call on customers. Merchant wholesalers are independent businesses that provide channel functions. Merchant wholesalers that operate in organizational markets are known as industrial distributors. Limited merchant wholesalers perform only some functions of full-function wholesalers.
Drop shippers arrange for manufacturers to ship large quantities directly to retail customers.
They work in industries where customers buy in large quantity. Agents and Brokers a. Agents and brokers don't assume legal ownership of the products they buy for resale. They bring marketers together with customers downstream in the value chain. Manufacturer's representatives , also known as manufacturer's agents, are independent salespeople who market to customers in a specific geographic area. Reps market several related but noncompeting product lines.