Q&A - What is the role of “place” in the marketing mix?

Place (or its more common name “distribution”) is about how a business gets its products to the customers.  The objective of distribution is clear.  It is to: to make products available in the right place at the right time in the right quantities.  Distribution matters for a business of any size – it is a crucial part of the marketing mix.

It is one thing having a great product, sold at an attractive price.  But what if:

• Customers are not near a retailer that is selling the product?
• A competing product is stocked by a much wider range of outlets?
• A competitor is winning because it has a team of trained distributors or sales agents who are out there meeting customers and closing the sale?

You can see from the above that getting distribution right is a key part of being competitive.

Distribution is achieved by using one or more distribution channels, including:

• Retailers
• Wholesalers
• Distributors / Sales Agents
• Direct (e.g. via e-commerce)

Revision Presentation - Marketing Mix: Introduction to Place [17 May 2012]
What’s going wrong at Superdry? [23 Apr 2012]
Revision Quiz - Marketing: Place [1 Nov 2011]
Location Location Location [28 Oct 2011]
Revision games - Marketing Basics (True / False) [16 Feb 2011]
Q&A - Describe the main kinds of intermediary involved in distribution channels [3 Jan 2011]
Q&A - Should a business avoid intermediaries and sell direct? [3 Jan 2011]
Q&A - What factors determine the type of distribution channel used by a business? [3 Jan 2011]
Q&A - How many stages does a distribution channel have? [3 Jan 2011]
Q&A - Outline the role of a distribution channel [3 Jan 2011]
Some amazing images to help teach economies of scale [14 Dec 2010]
Marketing strategy: North Face aims to become the “Nike of outdoors” [12 Dec 2010]
Snow disruption and distribution channels [5 Dec 2010]
Fashion retailing finds its home online [11 Sep 2010]
Online distribution channels - which retailers are still missing out? [1 Sep 2010]
Technology in action - behind the scenes at the Ocado warehouse [27 Jul 2010]
Tyrrells Entrepreneur Does it Again - with Vodka! [14 Jul 2010]
Revision Quiz - Marketing Mix (20 Questions) [12 Feb 2010]
Amazon to move onto the High Street? [8 Dec 2009]
Online retailing fluctuates [24 Sep 2009]
Q&A - What goes into the “marketing mix”? [1 May 2009]

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