The Role of Wholesaler-Distributors as Marketing Experts

Abstract

Wholesaler=distributors are important representatives of manufacturers in wine industry. Their role as experts in predicting consumer preference is tested in the context of this industry. An experiment is perofrmed using four wines and three prices. Consumers and wholesalers rate the wine quality and the wholesalers are asked to predict consumer quality perceptions. Consumers used price in making quality judgments even after tasting the wine. Wine wholesalers, as predicted, used taste and not price in making their quality judgments, but were unable to accurately predict consumer reactions. Further analysis shows that these marketing experts used different criteria in making quality judgments, which may account for their inability to predict consumer tastes.