together, LDs and SDs became the first point of contact for existing and potential customers. LDs sensitised the market , created the demand and facilitated new product launches. The dealers served customers who visited their showrooms and conducted seasonal promotions. They also offered credit card and loan facilities, and thus expanded their royal customer based. The demand for mattresses was seasonal. However, the demand spiked significantly when the LDs provided steep discounts and conducted clearance sales. While the seasonal demand had a predictable pattern, for mattresses makers, the order volumes were unpredictable during the highly discounted sales periods