Articles by 马金同

Middlemen: Dig Their Own Graves or Survive on Their Knees?

My family was once one of the largest distributors of a beer brand in the Yangtze River Delta, a true 'middleman'. On paper, we made 1.5 yuan per box sold, but to win customers, we often sold at cost or even at a loss, subsidizing 0.5 yuan per box. We relied on year-end rebates from the brand, which later turned into beer instead of cash... and then there was nothing. This article reflects the plight of many Chinese agents, wholesalers, and distributors in the internet era, and offers two strategies: shift from selling goods to selling services, or shift from selling goods to R&D.