Aren't there plenty of exceptions to this though? Microsoft's margins on Windows is higher than what the OEMs can get for their PCs.
(assuming "closer to the money" is a synonym for closer to the end user)
(assuming "closer to the money" is a synonym for closer to the end user)
I'm sure I don't know this well enough to try to explain it, but as a throw-away attempt at it, I'd say it means "having more decision-making power" or "being able to effect more change".
You can build the best product ever, if nobody wants to buy it you are not going to make anything out of it. That’s why companies try to influence people’s behaviors by spending (investing?) money in advertising and hire sales teams.