[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2025\/12\/19\/the-comeback-of-traditional-wholesale\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2025\/12\/19\/the-comeback-of-traditional-wholesale\/","headline":"Age of opportunity: The comeback of traditional wholesale","name":"Age of opportunity: The comeback of traditional wholesale","description":"Through joint planning and forecasting, wholesalers can synchronize production, inventory, and replenishment decisions, reducing inefficiencies and mitigating the risk of stockouts or excess inventory.","datePublished":"2025-12-19","dateModified":"2025-12-19","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/werner-baumbach\/#Person","name":"Werner Baumbach","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/werner-baumbach\/","identifier":471,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/717a19fc16f4f94e7e42c5b9402c1ce62e203fba039cfbc24fada7c6d259b37c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/717a19fc16f4f94e7e42c5b9402c1ce62e203fba039cfbc24fada7c6d259b37c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Future of Commerce","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","width":172,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/unified-commerce-in-retail_FTR.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/unified-commerce-in-retail_FTR.jpg","height":375,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2025\/12\/19\/the-comeback-of-traditional-wholesale\/","about":["Industrial Manufacturing","Industries","Wholesale","Wholesale Distribution"],"wordCount":885,"keywords":["Wholesale Distribution"],"articleBody":"As we slowly get into the frantic time of the year between Black Friday and the holiday business rush, this year\u2019s holiday preparations by retail companies seem to be significantly more cautious than in previous years.\u00a0Walmart and Target are cutting back for the holidays, same as many other retailers, to protect themselves from being stuck with unsold inventory if spending slows further.Overall, US retailers are split on holiday prospects amid consumer caution.\u00a0Bain still predicts a modest, but below average growth for the 2025 holiday sales\u00a0while\u00a0PwC already predicts a decline in consumer spending.\u00a0Uncertainty in a continuously volatile market environment continues to be a major factor for decision makers who will do their best to come out on top. Retailers are shifting the risk away from themselves, but it will land somewhere.Looking down the supply chain, will it be wholesalers who catch the fall?Wholesale\u2019s traditional strengths experience a renaissanceWholesale distribution acts as an economic buffer by managing inventory, providing cost savings, and stabilizing markets. While a vital function within a supply chain, it has become less recognized and appreciated in a well-oiled, just-in-time economy. Not only with the emergence of trade-wars and tariffs, but we have also entered a new era of disruption in recent years. And with it, buffers and supply chain resilience have seen a massive comeback.Wholesaler companies that are always striving for ways to \u201cjustify\u201d their role as a valuable business partner suddenly see an additional avenue re-opened that until recently had seemed an outdated commodity.Complex challenges require agile planningWhile it\u2019s nice to be appreciated, it clearly also means that the main risk of overstock and subsequent price cuts is shifting backwards along the supply chain. Wholesale companies need to ensure that their planning, procurement, and sales remain profitable. Going from an initial forecast that considers as many influencing factors as possible, planners need to remain on their toes about any events that impact initial assumptions and plans, whether that\u2019s unexpected customer behavior or new tariffs. Agile planning means that certain scenarios have been prepared and that unexpected events are identified quickly, so that plans can be adapted quickly to the new situation.Tools such as SAP\u2019s Integrated Business Planning bring their full potential to the game in these scenarios. Not only by delivering advanced, AI-powered forecasting algorithms but equally importantly by being integrated into an enterprise-wide point of view.The full supply chain is taken into account, ensuring that forecast is connected to capacity and resource availability along the entire supply chain. This will be further enhanced with agentic AI concepts where interdependencies are recognized, both in planning but especially when reacting to unexpected events.Tariffs are more than just a price increaseOne such anticipated event could be a new tariff. Primarily, that means the price of certain products goes up. It also means that the demand for these products goes down, and that some of these available products will be shifted to other markets, creating a set of ripple effects across the complete supply chain. The price change that is heard across the world. The shifting demand is not the end of the ripples.Now, logistics, sales, and marketing have to be realigned to meet the new opportunity. Wholesalers need to ensure that they can shift transportation resources and people to fulfil new orders in different segments and regions. As in most situations, chance favors the prepared mind.Those companies that plan best, but, more importantly, are ready to react quickly and efficiently will come out as winners. Combining readiness and agility requires airtight operations where nothing slips through the cracks. Holistic solutions such as SAP Business Suite ensure an end-to-end point of view by integrating ERP, supply chain, and CX capabilities seamlessly.More change is always loomingIn times of volatility and uncertainty, wholesale companies would greatly benefit from deeper collaboration with both their suppliers and customers, but so would their business partners. Working closely together enables all parties to share real-time information, plan jointly, and collaboratively forecast demand and supply needs. This transparency helps prevent the bullwhip effect\u2014where small fluctuations in customer demand lead to amplified distortions up the supply chain\u2014by ensuring everyone operates from a common view of the market.Through joint planning and forecasting, wholesalers can synchronize production, inventory, and replenishment decisions, reducing inefficiencies and mitigating the risk of stockouts or excess inventory. Ultimately, this collaborative approach builds stronger, more resilient supply networks that can adapt quickly to disruptions and sustain performance even in unpredictable market conditions. So maybe we\u2019ll see a renewed focus on VMI, CPFR or a new approach to collaboration.\u00a0Working together is a win-win situation if we can move past traditional wariness between business partners who spend too much time on complex negotiations about fractions of percentage points.Retailers shifting their risk onto wholesalers may seem like a business hazard, but it opens new doors as well. As disruptions remain inevitable, the traditional strengths of wholesalers are experiencing a wave of relevance and appreciation. They\u2019re entering an age of opportunity to regain importance as valued business partners to their customers.  Wholesale distribution, leveled-up.Complexity untangled.Processes simplified.Revenue + new growth unlocked.Tech that works. It’s that simple. Discover the use cases\u00a0HERE."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2025","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2025\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"12","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2025\/\/12\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"19","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2025\/\/12\/\/19\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Age of opportunity: The comeback of traditional wholesale","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2025\/12\/19\/the-comeback-of-traditional-wholesale\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]