You visit a shoe store and find a shoe style you love, but the store doesnt have your size because you have very small feet. You speak with the manager and she says the manufacturer does make shoes in your size, but the store has never stocked that size before: She can special order a pair that will arrive at the store within two weeks and your pair will be the same price as the standard sizes. You wonder how this could be; surely the manufacturer isnt making a single pair of shoes just for you. They must make these shoes in large batches to keep the price reasonable. What advantage of intermediaries is most responsible for your ability to special order shoes at the same price as standard sizes?

a. Intermediaries provide efficiency and assortment

b. Intermediaries provide instant sales infrastructure

c. Intermediaries break bulk

d. Intermediaries provide valuable market information