Which of the following is a typical intermediary in an indirect marketing channel?

• A. Retailer
• B. Manufacturer
• C. Customer
• D. Transportation firm

Answer: (A)

In indirect marketing channels, intermediaries sit between the producer and the consumer to move goods and create value. The retailer is the classic intermediary because it shops from producers (or wholesalers) and then sells directly to individual customers, making products conveniently accessible and providing services, information, and variety that help buyers complete their purchases. A manufacturer is the producer itself, not a middleman; a customer is the end buyer, not an intermediary; a transportation firm handles logistics, not the sales relationship between producer and consumer. So the retailer best fits the role of a typical intermediary in an indirect channel.