Supplier Control of Distribution Channels

Abstract

Decisions concerning channels and the physical distribution of goods have received a minimal amount of attention from marketing writers. Drucker once referred to distribution as the “dark continent of the economy”; he found the lack of concern with the subject surprising in view of the very substantial amount of value added that the distribution function accounted for. Marketing decision makers also seem to rate distribution decisions as being relatively unimportant. Udell found in a sample of 200 firms that distribution was only the eighth most important marketing decision. Casual observation might confuse a neutral observer: some industries are integrated forwards into agents, wholesalers, and retailers, whilst other similar industries are not.

Citation

Lowe, J.F. (1975), "Supplier Control of Distribution Channels", International Journal of Physical Distribution, Vol. 5 No. 5, pp. 267-272. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb014349