A marketing channel is a set of practices or activities necessary to transfer the

ownership of goods, and to move goods, from the point of production to the point of
consumption and, as such, which consists of all the institutions and all the marketing
activities in the marketing process. A marketing channel is a useful tool for management.
[1]

Roles of marketing channel in marketing strategies:

• Links producers to buyers.

• Performs sales, advertising and promotion.
• Influences the firm's pricing strategy.
• Affecting product strategy through branding, policies, willingness to stock and
customizes profits, install, maintain, offer credit, etc.

An example of this is Apple orchard: Apple orchard >Transport > Processing factory >
Packaging > > Final product to be sold > Apple pie eaten

An alternative term is distribution channel or 'route-to-market'. It is a 'path' or 'pipeline'

through which goods and services flow in one direction (from vendor to the consumer),
and the payments generated by them flow in the opposite direction (from consumer to the
vendor). A marketing channel can be as short as being direct from the vendor to the
consumer or may include several inter-connected (usually independent but mutually
dependent) intermediaries such as wholesalers, distributors, agents, retailers. Each
intermediary receives the item at one pricing point and moves it to the next higher pricing
point until it reaches the final buyer.

TYPES OF MARKETING
CHANNELS
Marketing channel:system of marketing
institutions that promotes the physical flow of
goods and services, along with ownership title,
from producers to consumer or business user;
also called a distribution channel
Marketing; Channels And Types
A channel of distribution can be described as being either short or long. Short channel mostly
involves few intermediaries and long channel distribution involves many intermediaries
working in siccession to move goods from producers to consumers. Channel of distribution of
service firms is promarily short because they mostly sell intagible products and need to
maintain personal relationships within their channels. Intermediaries in marketing helps in the
following;many producers lack financial resources to carry out direct marketing,in some cases
direct marketing simply is not feasible,makes/assists in efficiency making goods be widely
available and accessible to target market,they smoothen the flow of goods and services.

There are so many factors that a company should consider choice of distribution;product
consideratio which are;unit value,bulk and weight,technical nature,age of the product,product
line,etc. Market considerations which are nature and type of consumers is an important
consideration in choice of a channel of distribution. Companys channel of distribution directly
affect every other marketing decision . Sometimes distribution decisions can give a product a
distinct position in the market. The choice of retailers and other intermediaries is strongly tied
to the product itself.(Philiph,2002)

Understanding customer needs help marketers to manage the market and meet their
demands. Customer needs indetifications leads to customer retention whch is important. This
also helps in attracting lost customers. When all departments works together this industry will
definately improve and this results to integrated marketing. By producing goods which will suit
the market and meeting their needs and expectations will help in improving the industry.

Direct channel involves where producer distributes his goods or services to consumers directly
or by himself,by doing this the cost of distributing this products is cut short. Only one
middleman e.g in supermarket buys directly buys good from manufacturers and sell them to
consumers. It is the shortest and most direct,the channel is fast and economical . producer
has direct contact with his customers and has full control over contribution.Indirect channel of
distribution involves middlemen who assists in promotion,transporting,packaging and
grading,storage,selling and dispersing and financing.

Consumer behaviours may also affect the choice of channel of distribution,there is complex
buying behaviour where consumer engages in complex buying behaviour ,this is when the
product is highly expensive,it is infrequently bought,it is risky and is highly self expressive
onother type of buying behaviour that affects channel of distribution is reffered to as variety
seeking behaviour,this is when there is low consumer involvment in the purchase because the
product is inexpensive and frequently bought.(Irwin,1996)

The first step in selecting a marketing channel is determining which type of channel will best
meet both the seller’s objectives and the distribution needs of customers. choice of retailers
and other intermediaries is strongly tied to the product itself. Manufacturers select mass
merchandisers to sell mid-price-range products while they distribute top-of-the-line products
through high-end department and specialty stores. The firm’s sales force and communications
decisions depend on how much persuasion, training, motivation, and support its channel
partners need. Whether a company develops or acquires certain new products may depend on
how well those products fit the capabilities of its channel members.(Kevin,1994)

The best channel members to use in telamarketing industry is that one from producer to
retailer,this is because various marketing functions are performed by producers and retailers,
in this way the customer also are in a better position to ask questions about the services or
products being offered to them. There are many criterias of selecting members of channels of
distribution they are:Intensive distribution - Where the majority of resellers stock the 'product'
(with convenience products, for example, and particularly the brand leaders in consumer
goods marprice competition may be evident.Selective distribution - This is the normal pattern
where 'suitable' resellers stock the product.

Exclusive distribution - Only specially selected resellers or authorized dealers are allowed to
sell the 'product'. The most appropriate channel distributor to use in this industry is intensive
distributio because the market share is large.

A number of alternate 'channels' of distribution may be available in telemarketing industry,

this include;distributor who sells to retailers,retailer who in otherword is known as dealer or
reseller who normally sells to the end customer or consumer,advertisement which is typically
used for consumption goods.Distribution channels may not be restricted to physical products
alone. They may be just as important for moving a service from producer to consumer in
certain sectors, since both direct and indirect channels may be used.
A channel of distribution can be described as being either short or long. Short channel mostly
involves few intermediaries and long channel distribution involves many intermediaries
working in siccession to move goods from producers to consumers. Channel of distribution of
service firms is promarily short because they mostly sell intagible products and need to
maintain personal relationships within their channels. Intermediaries in marketing helps in the
following;many producers lack financial resources to carry out direct marketing,in some cases
direct marketing simply is not feasible,makes/assists in efficiency making goods be widely
available and accessible to target market,they smoothen the flow of goods and services.

There are so many factors that a company should consider choice of distribution;product
consideratio which are;unit value,bulk and weight,technical nature,age of the product,product
line,etc. Market considerations which are nature and type of consumers is an important
consideration in choice of a channel of distribution. Companys channel of distribution directly
affect every other marketing decision . Sometimes distribution decisions can give a product a
distinct position in the market. The choice of retailers and other intermediaries is strongly tied
to the product itself.(Philiph,2002)

Understanding customer needs help marketers to manage the market and meet their
demands. Customer needs indetifications leads to customer retention whch is important. This
also helps in attracting lost customers. When all departments works together this industry will
definately improve and this results to integrated marketing. By producing goods which will suit
the market and meeting their needs and expectations will help in improving the industry.

Direct channel involves where producer distributes his goods or services to consumers directly
or by himself,by doing this the cost of distributing this products is cut short. Only one
middleman e.g in supermarket buys directly buys good from manufacturers and sell them to
consumers. It is the shortest and most direct,the channel is fast and economical . producer
has direct contact with his customers and has full control over contribution.Indirect channel of
distribution involves middlemen who assists in promotion,transporting,packaging and
grading,storage,selling and dispersing and financing.

Consumer behaviours may also affect the choice of channel of distribution,there is complex
buying behaviour where consumer engages in complex buying behaviour ,this is when the
product is highly expensive,it is infrequently bought,it is risky and is highly self expressive
onother type of buying behaviour that affects channel of distribution is reffered to as variety
seeking behaviour,this is when there is low consumer involvment in the purchase because the
product is inexpensive and frequently bought.(Irwin,1996)

The first step in selecting a marketing channel is determining which type of channel will best
meet both the seller’s objectives and the distribution needs of customers. choice of retailers
and other intermediaries is strongly tied to the product itself. Manufacturers select mass
merchandisers to sell mid-price-range products while they distribute top-of-the-line products
through high-end department and specialty stores. The firm’s sales force and communications
decisions depend on how much persuasion, training, motivation, and support its channel
partners need. Whether a company develops or acquires certain new products may depend on
how well those products fit the capabilities of its channel members.(Kevin,1994)
The best channel members to use in telamarketing industry is that one from producer to
retailer,this is because various marketing functions are performed by producers and retailers,
in this way the customer also are in a better position to ask questions about the services or
products being offered to them. There are many criterias of selecting members of channels of
distribution they are:Intensive distribution - Where the majority of resellers stock the 'product'
(with convenience products, for example, and particularly the brand leaders in consumer
goods marprice competition may be evident.Selective distribution - This is the normal pattern
where 'suitable' resellers stock the product.

Exclusive distribution - Only specially selected resellers or authorized dealers are allowed to
sell the 'product'. The most appropriate channel distributor to use in this industry is intensive
distributio because the market share is large.

A number of alternate 'channels' of distribution may be available in telemarketing industry,

this include;distributor who sells to retailers,retailer who in otherword is known as dealer or
reseller who normally sells to the end customer or consumer,advertisement which is typically
used for consumption goods.Distribution channels may not be restricted to physical products
alone. They may be just as important for moving a service from producer to consumer in
certain sectors, since both direct and indirect channels may be used.