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I have a better understanding of your question now. And it's a good question. Walthers wears 3 "hats" in the indutry--"manufacturer"(or maybe more accurately these days "importer"), "wholesaler", and "retailer." It's a bit surprising they pull off all 3 roles so well, because they often find themselves in competition with their vendors (other manufacturers), their customers (local hobby shops) and their own operations (e.g., the wholesale operation vs. the mail order business vs. the retail showroom). Your original question might be rephrased: "Why would Walthers want to wholesale Brand X freight cars from another manufacturer (and get a wholesale price 40% below retail) when it is simultaneously selling the same item through its mail-order operation at full retail price?" The answer must be "volume." That and the avoidance of some operating costs attendant to the mail-order operation. When Walthers wholesales another manufcturer's product, it obviously is paying that manufacturer less than its wholesale price (let alone the retail price). If Walthers puts a "sale" price on somone else's product, they may be doing it to clear out their own excess inventory--or because the other manufacturer (for its own reasons) wants to give Walthers a price break.
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