Getting Multi-Channel Distribution Right

Getting Multi-Channel Distribution Right

by Kusum L. Ailawadi, Paul W. Farris
Released April 2020
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9781119632887

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Book description

Getting Multi-Channel Distribution Right provides a comprehensive treatment of modern distribution strategy that is analytically solid, clearly written, and relevant for managers as well as MBA and executive MBA students, and the professors who train them. It covers concepts, metrics, tools, and strategic frameworks for managing distribution in physical and digital channels.

Focusing on the challenges of managing multiple channels of distribution in an evolving marketplace—rather than the process of designing a distribution channel from scratch—it leans more heavily on metrics and tools and incorporates perspectives from academic research, as well as in-depth case studies from marketing and general management practice.

  • Introduces an organizing framework of pull and push marketing for how suppliers work together with their channel partners.
  • Integrates across physical and digital, independent and company-owned, routes to market.
  • Maps the functions of traditional and newer intermediaries in the channel ecosystem and identifies the root causes of conflict between them.
  • Provides tools and frameworks for how much distribution coverage is required and where.
  • Shows how product line, pricing, trade promotions, and other channel incentives can help to coordinate multiple channels and manage conflict.
  • Illustrates how push and pull metrics can be combined into valuable dashboards for identifying positive feedback opportunities and sustaining the channel partnership.

With the help of Getting Multi-Channel Distribution Right you’ll discover how to successfully develop, execute, and adapt distribution strategy to the evolving marketplace.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. About the Authors
  3. Acknowledgments
  4. Preface
  5. CHAPTER 1: Distribution Channels Today
    1. 1.1 INTRODUCTION
    2. 1.2 WHAT IS NEW: RADICAL CHANGES IN THE NAVIGATION OF DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS
    3. 1.3 THE ROAD AHEAD
    4. ENDNOTES
  6. PART I: THE BEDROCK OF CHANNEL FUNCTIONS, POWER, AND CONFLICT
    1. CHAPTER 2: Push, Pull, and Total Channel Performance
      1. 2.1 INTRODUCTION
      2. 2.2 AN ORGANIZING FRAMEWORK ILLUSTRATED WITH NATURA'S DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL
      3. 2.3 PUSH-PULL INPUTS AND DOWNSTREAM EFFECTS IN PEPSICO'S CHANNEL
      4. 2.4 PUSH AND PULL FOR SERVICES AND DIGITAL CHANNELS
      5. 2.5 BENEFICIAL AND HARMFUL FEEDBACK LOOPS IN THE PUSH-PULL SYSTEM
      6. 2.6 CONCLUSION
      7. ENDNOTE
    2. CHAPTER 3: Root Causes of Channel Conflict
      1. 3.1 INTRODUCTION
      2. 3.2 UNCOORDINATED PRICING AND SELLING EFFORT
      3. 3.3 OVER- AND UNDER-DISTRIBUTION
      4. 3.4 DIVISION OF WORK AND PAY: WHO SOLD THAT?
      5. 3.5 ADAPTING TO CHANGE: WHERE DOES THE FUTURE LIE?
      6. 3.6 CONCLUSION
      7. ENDNOTES
    3. CHAPTER 4: Middlemen in Today's Channel Ecosystem and Their Functions
      1. 4.1 INTRODUCTION
      2. 4.2 BRICK-AND-MORTAR INTERMEDIARIES
      3. 4.3 NEW DIGITAL INTERMEDIARIES
      4. 4.4 SUPPORT SERVICE PROVIDERS
      5. 4.5 WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT TODAY'S CHANNEL FUNCTIONS
      6. 4.6 CONCLUSION
      7. ENDNOTES
    4. CHAPTER 5: The Sources and Indicators of Power in the Channel
      1. 5.1 INTRODUCTION
      2. 5.2 POWER IN THE CHANNEL AND ITS SOURCES
      3. 5.3 CONSUMER SEARCH LOYALTY: THE ULTIMATE SOURCE OF POWER
      4. 5.4 ECONOMIC INDICATORS OF POWER
      5. 5.5 CONCLUSION
      6. ENDNOTES
    5. CHAPTER 6: Using Power Without Using It Up
      1. 6.1 INTRODUCTION
      2. 6.2 APPLYING POWER IN CHANNEL RELATIONSHIPS
      3. 6.3 INVESTMENTS AND SAFEGUARDS: EFFICIENT PARTNERSHIP OR POWER STRUGGLE?
      4. 6.4 THE CHALLENGE OF PRESERVING POWER
      5. 6.5 VERTICAL RESTRAINTS: WELFARE ENHANCING OR ANTICOMPETITIVE?
      6. 6.6 CONCLUSION
      7. APPENDIX
      8. ENDNOTES
  7. PART II: METRICS, TOOLS, AND FRAMEWORKS FOR GETTING THE RIGHT DISTRIBUTION
    1. CHAPTER 7: Metrics for Intensity and Depth of Distribution Coverage
      1. 7.1 INTRODUCTION
      2. 7.2 A FRAMEWORK FOR MEASURING DISTRIBUTION AND MATCHING IT TO DEMAND
      3. 7.3 MEASURING STOCKING OUTLET FINDABILITY: METRICS FOR INTENSITY OF DISTRIBUTION COVERAGE
      4. 7.4 METRICS FOR DISTRIBUTION DEPTH
      5. 7.5 CONCLUSION
      6. APPENDIX: AN EXAMPLE TO CALCULATE BASIC DISTRIBUTION METRICS
      7. ENDNOTES
    2. CHAPTER 8: What Are You Managing Towards?*
      1. 8.1 INTRODUCTION
      2. 8.2 A HIERARCHY OF PERFORMANCE METRICS
      3. 8.3. CONCLUSION
      4. ENDNOTES
    3. CHAPTER 9: The Challenge of Optimizing Distribution Breadth
      1. 9.1 INTRODUCTION
      2. 9.2 CLASSIC CATEGORIZATIONS OF PRODUCTS AND DISTRIBUTION COVERAGE
      3. 9.3 CONSUMER SEARCH LOYALTY AND DISTRIBUTION ELASTICITY
      4. 9.4 THE DIFFICULTIES OF OPTIMIZING DISTRIBUTION COVERAGE
      5. 9.5 CONCLUSION
      6. ENDNOTES
    4. CHAPTER 10: Using Velocity Graphs to Guide Sustainable Distribution Coverage
      1. 10.1 INTRODUCTION
      2. 10.2 THE CONCEPT OF A VELOCITY GRAPH
      3. 10.3 INSIGHTS FROM VELOCITY GRAPHS: AN ILLUSTRATION WITH LAUNDRY DETERGENTS
      4. 10.4 VELOCITY GRAPHS, STATE FRANCHISE LAWS, AND OVERDISTRIBUTION OF U.S. AUTO MAKERS
      5. ENDNOTES
    5. CHAPTER 11: Augmenting the Distribution Mix: Digital Channels and Own Bricks and Clicks
      1. 11.1 INTRODUCTION
      2. 11.2 A VARIETY OF OWN-STORES TO AUGMENT DISTRIBUTION BY INDEPENDENT RESELLERS
      3. 11.3 THE INEVITABILITY AND CHALLENGE OF ONLINE DISTRIBUTION
      4. 11.4 BE CLEAR ABOUT “WHY” TO DECIDE “HOW” TO DISTRIBUTE ONLINE
      5. ENDNOTES
    6. CHAPTER 12: Three Cases on Online Distribution
      1. 12.1 INTRODUCTION
      2. 12.2 THE SAGA OF BROOKS RUNNING AND AMAZON.COM
      3. 12.3 AGGREGATION: WORK WORTH THE PAY IN THE ONLINE TRAVEL CHANNEL?
      4. 12.4 BUILDING A VIABLE REVENUE MODEL ONLINE: NEWS, MUSIC, AND TV
      5. 12.5 CONCLUSION
      6. ENDNOTES
  8. PART III: ALIGNING THE MARKETING MIX TO MANAGE DISTRIBUTION
    1. CHAPTER 13: Using the Product Line to Manage Multiple Channels
      1. 13.1 INTRODUCTION
      2. 13.2 CHANNEL-MOTIVATED EXPANSION OF SKUS, BRANDS, AND CATEGORIES
      3. 13.3 PORTFOLIOS OF SKUS FOR A PORTFOLIO OF CHANNELS
      4. 13.4 PORTFOLIOS OF BRANDS TO PROTECT EQUITY AND MITIGATE CHANNEL CONFLICT
      5. 13.5 EXPANDING TO SUPPORT AN EXCLUSIVE OR DIRECT CHANNEL
      6. 13.6 CAUTIONS AT ALL THREE LEVELS OF PRODUCT LINE EXPANSION
      7. 13.7 CONCLUSION
      8. ENDNOTES
    2. CHAPTER 14: Harnessing the Power of Price and Price Promotions
      1. 14.1 INTRODUCTION
      2. 14.2 WHY ONE “EVERYDAY” PRICE TO RESELLERS IS USUALLY NOT A SMART IDEA
      3. 14.3 THE MANY VARIETIES OF TRADE PROMOTIONS
      4. 14.4 THE CHALLENGE OF ASSESSING THE COSTS AND PROFITABILITY OF TRADE PROMOTIONS
      5. APPENDIX: TRADE PROMOTION, RETAIL PRICE DISCRIMINATION, AND PROMOTION “COST”: A NUMERICAL EXAMPLE
      6. ENDNOTES
    3. CHAPTER 15: Managing Prices and Incentives Across Channels
      1. 15.1 INTRODUCTION
      2. 15.2 THE GOALS AND CHALLENGES OF CHANNEL INCENTIVES
      3. 15.3 HOW TO MAINTAIN RESELLER PRICES
      4. 15.4 DECIDE WHETHER TO DIFFERENTIATE OR HARMONIZE ACROSS MULTIPLE CHANNELS
      5. 15.5 CHALLENGES EVEN WHEN YOU CONTROL RETAIL PRICE DIRECTLY
      6. 15.6 CONCLUSION
      7. APPENDIX: EXCERPTS FROM MIZUNO’S MAP POLICY
      8. ENDNOTES
    4. CHAPTER 16: Summary: Dashboards and Principles for Managing New Directions in Distribution
      1. 16.1 PULLING (AND PUSHING) IT ALL TOGETHER
      2. 16.2 DISTRIBUTION DASHBOARDS
      3. 16.3 THE MAGICAL NUMBER SEVEN PLUS OR MINUS TWO NUGGETS OF WISDOM
      4. 16.4 CONCLUSION: WHO WILL BE THE MASTERS OF MULTI-CHANNEL DISTRIBUTION?
      5. ENDNOTES
  9. Author Index
  10. Subject Index
  11. End User License Agreement

Product information

  • Title: Getting Multi-Channel Distribution Right
  • Author(s): Kusum L. Ailawadi, Paul W. Farris
  • Release date: April 2020
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9781119632887