Intermediary customer

A customer who purchases the product for re-sale or who plays the major role in recommending the final product purchase. Examples of Intermediary customers would include wholesalers, distributors, retailers and consultants.

Example 1:

Mohawk recently launched a national advertising campaign to promote its brand. It offers its own alliance program called Mohawk MBA, targeted to the nation's largest retailers. The alliance offers market exclusivity for a specific product line, promotional support, sales and training seminars, and store management consulting.
(Year 1996-SIC 2273)

Explanation: Carpet retailers are Intermediary Customers for Mohawk in the carpet industry. Consumers are the Final Customers.

Example 2:

Fedders sells room air conditioners primarily to retailers. Fedders' orders have shifted away from distributors in recent years. Direct sales to retailers now account for upwards of 90% of its revenue, versus 64% in 1988 and 36% in 1984.
(Year 1992-SIC 3585)

Explanation: Retailers and distributors are both Intermediary Customers for Fedders.

Example 3:

Most sailboats, especially those over 40 feet long, are sold through brokers. Sailing magazines are full of listings.
(Year 1986-SIC 3732)

Explanation: Brokers are Intermediary Customers in this industry. The consumer is the Final Customer.

Example 4:

MBNA focuses on affinity groups. It makes Visas and MasterCards for 4,300 of them. MBNA's cardholders tend to have family incomes 20% above the national average and to carry balances of roughly $3,000, versus an industry average of $1,073.
(Year 1996-SIC 6141)

Explanation: The affinity groups are Intermediary Customers that direct the purchases of the Final Customers, the consumer members of the affinity groups. These affinity group programs enable MBNA to create a Large or Very Large Customer out of many Small and Medium Customers.

Example 5:

Many consumers go to branded hotel company websites first, but still end up buying from the travel websites because the prices are lower. Six Continents found that more than 50% of the customers who booked a Six Continents room through Hotels.com first checked the prices on one of the Six Continents branded sites.
(Year 2002-SIC 7011)

Explanation: Hotels.com is an Intermediary Customer for the large hotel companies.