It seems that wholesalers as an entity are diminishing. What are the disrupters in today's world which would cause this channel to decline, and what would u see as value add for these companies if they hope to survive?

Refer below for context:

CURRENT and FUTURE Wholesale Value Add activities

• Gather, process and utilize Information about all other players in channel stream (buyers, suppliers, products)
• Infrastructure efficiencies ie: Economies of scale and scope
• Time and place utility: Right product in right place at right time
• Risk absorption: decreases channel uncertainty, filters and balances forecasts to demand
• Collaborative Filtering leading to targeted marketing
• Regional placement and proximity to customer base
• Consolidation (inventory from multiple manufactures stored together for end customers)
• Sales representatives 3PL services Exporter / Importer activities