Itinerant retailers are those who do not have a fixed shop or permanent place of business. They typically move from place to place to sell their goods, such as street hawkers, peddlers, and mobile vendors. This mobility allows them to reach customers in various locations, providing convenience and accessibility without the overhead costs associated with maintaining a permanent retail storefront.

Middlemen, or intermediaries, are entities that operate between the producer and the final consumer. Their primary function is to facilitate the flow of goods and services through the distribution channel, performing tasks such as breaking bulk, warehousing, and transportation to ensure products reach the end-user efficiently.

A general wholesaler acts as an intermediary between manufacturers and retailers. Their operational scope is typically defined by their ability to distribute goods across specific geographic territories, often covering regional and national markets to ensure efficient supply chain coverage and consistent product availability for various retail outlets within those areas.

Distribution agencies (intermediaries) facilitate the movement of goods from producers to consumers. Their functions include transportation, warehousing (inventorying), financing, and customer service. Manufacturing is the production process itself, which is the responsibility of the producer, not the distribution intermediary.

A retailer is a business entity that acts as the final link in the supply chain. They purchase goods in bulk from wholesalers or manufacturers and sell them in smaller, consumer-friendly quantities to the general public, providing convenience and accessibility to the end-user.

Wholesalers typically absorb the storage burden. If they were removed from the supply chain, the responsibility for warehousing would shift to the manufacturers, who would need to store finished goods, or to the retailers, who would need to maintain larger inventories, thereby increasing costs for both.

Wholesalers act as intermediaries in the supply chain by purchasing goods in large quantities directly from manufacturers. By buying in bulk, they achieve economies of scale, which they then distribute to retailers in smaller, more manageable quantities, facilitating the flow of goods from production to the final point of sale.

Marketing channels facilitate the transfer of title and possession from the producer to the final consumer. While financial and risk flows are also associated with distribution, the primary function of a marketing channel is to ensure the product reaches the consumer, thereby transferring possession and ownership.

Distribution channels vary based on the product and market. Both the long channel (Manufacturer to Agent to Wholesaler to Retailer to Consumer) and the shorter channel (Manufacturer to Agent to Retailer to Consumer) are standard practices in various industries.

An agent is a person employed to do any act for another or to represent another in dealings with third persons. In a commercial context, an agent acts on behalf of the principal (the merchant) to facilitate the sale of goods.