1.0 INTRODUCTION

For centuries ago when the middlemen where not in existence

most organizations suffer a lot before products could reach to the

final consumers. Products get to consumers directly from

producers. And in that effect time is taken time is wasted goods

are destroyed and so many hazards affect the products either on

transit or time taken. Most producers experienced huge losses.

And on the other hand the consumers loose confidence in the

hands of most producers as they don’t get the required goods or

services and at the required time.

Out of necessity the producers decided to employed agents that

will keep their products after production normally in towns and

time customer wants to buy a particular products he or she will

directly locate those assign agents to get the product he or she

wants. This tend improve the sales of position of most producers.

The practice continues until when most companies decided to

handover the duty of agency to people that normally purchases

their products often.

It is in this way that organization organized and came up with

middlemen to assist them as well as assist consumers in supplying

with companies products and also extending their gestures to the

producers.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE ESSAY

A middlemen is an independent link between the producers and

ultimate consumers or industrial user. Middlemen renders services

that connotes with the purchasing and sales of products from

producers to the consumers middlemen either take title to the

merchandise as it moves from producers to consumers or actively

help in the transfer of ownership. The middlemen perform active

and prominent role negotiating pricing that involve the buying and

selling of goods. Their involvement in transfer of ownership is what

differentiate middlemen from other business institutions such as

banks and insurance houses. The mentioned institutions help in

marketing functions but they do not take title and are not actively

involved in purchasing and sales of goods and negotiations some

middlemen stores and transport merchandise while the other do

not physically handle it at all summarily middlemen balances

producers output with consumers want through the activities on

how to create time place possession and utility. Truly one may

eliminate middlemen but not their functions middlemen play a

significant role in our social and economic system. Producers and

wholesalers of consumer products must understand the retail

market before they can intelligently develop distribution strategies.

Hence there is good justification for undertaking the study on the

role of middlemen in the market of consumer products for this will

go along way in assessing the activities of marketing consumer

products by the middlemen.

2.2 OBJECTIVE OF THE ESSAY

The purpose of the study is to identify the role of middlemen in

marketing of consumer products. This is with a view to enhancing

business development in Nigeria. The objectives of this research

work are as follows:

1. To identify the role of middlemen in marketing of consumer

products

2. To determine the various types of middlemen that are

involved in marketing of consumer product.

3. To determine the role of middlemen under market situations.

4. To look in the physical handling of the consumer product.

5. To examine the activities of the middlemen.

1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ESSAY

Business organization are to know that the middlemen play a vital

role in the organization of reaching to the consumer at an expected

time and to also encourage some of the business organization who

do not have middlemen to adopt one so that their product can

easily reach the consumer at a given date and at a particular time

in order to enhance business development in our country Nigeria.

These essay will also serve as an opportunity for the reader

because it will draw more light and broaden the knowledge about

the practical aspect of the subject matter. Finally it will also be

beneficial to fellow students who may in future make reference to

any similar problems that this essay will provide answers to.

1.4 THE SCOPE OF THE ESSAY

The scope of this study is limited to the various roles which the

middlemen play in the marketing of consumer products such as

negotiating pricing transfer of ownership etc. The middlemen

also performs the activities of cocentralization equalization and

dispersion and by considerably creating time place and

possession utilities in Nigeria. The marketing use of consumer

goods which include the fast moving goods (FMG). The study also

establishes the proper use of middlemen in the marketing of

consumer products of Dangote Noddles December 2008.

1.5 LIMITATION OF THE ESSAY

The study suffered some major set back like the problem of time

and financial constraint that was not really explored. Find it difficult

to lay my hand on some material that relates to topics which could

have been very helpful and would have aided in explaining the role

played by many middlemen and how their participation affects

consumers directly or indirectly cost wise and time wise also.