Direct
Selling directly to the customer using channels such as personal selling, retail or ecommerce. For example, a fashion brand that has its own shops and ecommerce site.producer → customerRetail
Selling to retailers who sell to the end-customer. producer → retail → customerEcommerce
Selling to ecommerce partners who manage the relationship with customers.producer → ecommerce → customerValue Added Reseller
Selling to firms that add value to your products or services before selling them. For example, a firm that sells components that are used in mobile devices.producer → value added reseller → customerWholesale
Selling to wholesalers who distribute the product to retailers or ecommerce sellers.producer → wholesaler → retail → customerAgents
Using agents or brokers to manage your sales to wholesalers, retail and/or ecommerce sellers.producer → agent → wholesaler → retail → customerComplex
It is common for organizations to have many channel structures for different products and regions. For example, a fashion brand that sells direct in Germany but uses agents, wholesalers and retailers in other countries.Germanyproducer → customerFranceproducer → customerproducer → retail → customerJapanproducer → agent → retail → customerproducer → agent → value added reseller → customerUnited Statesproducer → wholesaler → ecommerce→ customerDetailed
Channel structures may include details such as the types of channel that are involved. For example, a direct producer → customer structure might be expanded out with more details:Germanydirect retail → flagship → customer direct retail → brand shops → customer direct retail → outlet shops → customer direct sales → customer direct ecommerce → customer| Overview: Channel Structure | ||
Type | ||
Definition | A high level description of the architecture of a firm's marketing channels. | |
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