what is channel marketing

A channel to market is the method of getting your product into the customer¡¯s (the end user¡¯s) hand. This can either be through direct sales, or through a reseller. Direct sales can occur in person, via the phone, the web or mail. Indirect, or channel sales typically refers to sales through a reseller. A reseller can order from you direct (one tier between you and the end user), or from a wholesale distributor--you would sell to a wholesale distributor and they in turn would sell to multiple resellers (two tiers between you and the end user (hence the common term ¡°two-tier¡± distribution)).

Note: some companies or divisions (i.e., Motorola semiconductor, etc.) call the reseller the distributor (or disty)--this is correct, but not in the typical and more common two-tier distribution model. Hence, it is important to get the channel terminology down whenever talking about the channel--or you could be in violent agreement, and not know it.

There are six modules:

Branding, Consumerism, Channel Distribution and Channel Management
The Internet and Branding
Distribution Models
Web Distribution Models
Selecting Distribution Channels
Channel Conflict.