The article had good points, but it misses one opportunity for businesses that see value in this model: marketing exposure. If I were someone who wanted to try

The article had good points, but it misses one opportunity for businesses that see value in this model: marketing exposure. If I were someone who wanted to try a brand and do not want to pay big upfront, I will start here and then buy in bulk later if I am satisfied. Yes, some established brands sells their leftover inventory (brand impression as a side-benefit), but I have also seen some unknown, generic brands start over at dollar stores and then disappear off-shelf. My hypothesis is that they either failed, or were testing the market/demand (cheaper shelf space?) before selling to more traditional retailers, but I am not sure this is the case. Need an insider to understand the logistics. Aside from that, there are some really good deals that gets rid of branding/bs, that adds cost to the product's price - sometimes, without much added value or quality difference.