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Distribution Strategy

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Submitted By bharice
Words 3931
Pages 16
1.0 Introduction

The implementation of a distribution strategy without the coordination of other components of the marketing mix tends to produce a strategy without harmony. A disjointed marketing strategy will not reach the success levels that were expected. Organizations have come to realise the impact of distribution management as a source of competitive advantage with companies like Delta, Lobels and Bakers Inn employing distribution managers and personnel. This is because it has become more difficult to find a unique source of competitive advantage in an era where it is easy to copy strategies and products.

Marketing managers are now looking to coordinate the promotion strategy with the distribution strategy, specifically push or pull strategy in relation to distribution strategies that include, intensive, selective or exclusive. Now the combination of these strategies is most important in an environment where the retailer and other relevant intermediaries are faced with so many product options to stock on their floor space. It then becomes apparent that the marketing manger that is able to gain the best and most floor space using one strategy, and persuade end customers to seek out and purchase the organization’s products in another strategy, becomes successful in gaining market share and meeting their objectives.

This paper will define distribution management and its components. It will look at the impact of the Bullwhip Effect or the Forrester Effect, the push and pull strategies and the convergence thereof and then delve into the push or pull strategies in relation to intensive, selective or exclusive distribution.

2.0 Definition Of Terms

2.1 Distribution Management
Distribution management can be defined as the management of channel members and the method or strategy of delivery products to the final consumer through the channel

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