70 likes | 330 Views
7.01 Summarize the channels of distribution. What is distribution?. The moving of or transferring the ownership of goods and services from the producer to the consumer. What is a channel of distribution?.
E N D
What is distribution? • The moving of or transferring the ownership of goods and services from the producer to the consumer
What is a channel of distribution? • The path (channel) a product travels from the producer (manufacturer) to the ultimate consumer. This is the “place” element in the marketing mix.
Who is an intermediary (middleman)? • Channel members who assist the producer in getting the goods and services to the final user. There are three types.
The three types of intermediaries: • Wholesalers: Companies that purchase large quantities from manufacturers, store products in warehouses, and sell them to other businesses • Ex: Ingles’ buys soft drinks from Pepsi and Coca Cola manufacturers. Bi Lo buys their canned vegetables from Del Monte or Green Giant manufacturers • Retailers: businesses that sell products to the final user (consumer) • Brick-and-mortar retail: A physical store that sells their products directly to customers. • Ex: Dillard’s, Lowe’s, Ingles. • Non-store retail: Way to reach customers through vending machines, direct mail, catalog retailing, TV home shopping, and e-tailing. • Lance snack machines, Land’s End Catalogs and QVC. • Agents: An individual or business that connects the buyers and sellers. These do not own the products they sell. • Ex: Real estate agent links home buyers to the home seller.
What is a direct channel? • Distribution that occurs directly from the producer to the consumer • For example: A consumer buys apples from an apple farmer at his produce stand.
What is an indirect channel? • Distribution that occurs through one or more intermediaries before reaching the final user • For example: The apple farmer sells his apples to Harris Teeter and Harris Teeter sells them to the consumer. • Or the farmer sells them to Seneca who makes apple juice or applesauce out of them and then sells those to the grocery store who them sells them to the consumer.