A finished product reaches a customer only after passing through a chain of distinct roles, each dependent on the ones around it. Raw material suppliers provide the components and raw materials needed for production, and manufacturers and producers convert them into finished or semi-finished products. Warehousing and distribution centers store those products before shipment and manage inventory, orders, and logistics, while transportation and logistics providers move goods by road, rail, air, and sea. Wholesalers and distributors buy in bulk and sell on to businesses; retailers sell directly to consumers through physical stores or online platforms; and customers and end users are the final recipients. Supporting all of it, reverse logistics manages returns, repairs, recycling, and disposal, and technology and service providers supply the software, tracking systems, and data analytics the chain runs on.
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