Assignment Task: For this discussion, you will put yourself into the shoes of an entrepreneur with a new food product. You have set up a manufacturing operation in a small business incubator facility. Your output is limited but there is plenty of capacity to grow. You believe that consumers and full-service restaurants are potentially fruitful markets for you.
You need to decide the best way to distribute your product to these markets, either directly or indirectly. You will make this decision based on the five Channel Selection Factors identified in Chapter 8 of The Principles of Marketing textbook. Describe to your classmates how these factors are likely to affect your decision (You will need to use your imagination and draw some conclusions based on the limited information provided.). Decide if you will distribute directly or indirectly based on the Channel Selection Factors. Briefly explain your decision to your classmates.
Product:
- Provide a brief description of your product and the potential markets you envision for it.
Channel Selection Factors:
- The type of customer you are targeting
- The type of product you offer
- The capabilities of your channel partners
- The business environment and the state of technology
- The marketing channels of competing products
Conclusion:
- Will you distribute your product directly or indirectly?