Chapter 15 Designing and Managing Value Networks and Channels 15-1 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Key Points for Chapter 15 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Push strategy and Pull strategy Value network Marketing channel member functions Five service outputs Exclusive, Selective, Intensive Distribution Trade-relations mix between producer & its channel members 7. Motivating channel members 15-2 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Key Points for Chapter 15 8. Vertical marketing system 9. Horizontal Marketing system 10. Channel conflicts; Vertical, Horizontal, Multichannel 11. Managing channel conflict 12. Legal and ethical issues in channel relations 15-3 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Marketing Channels and Value Networks Marketing Channels Sets of independent organizations involved in the process of making a product or service available for use or consumption Types of Intermediaries Merchants Agents Facilitators 15-4 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Marketing Channels and Value Networks The Importance of Channels Channel Development Hybrid Channels Understanding Customer Needs Value Networks 15-5 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. The Importance of Channels Represent a substantial opportunity cost. 30 to 50% of the final selling price. Not only serve markets, but also make markets by converting potential buyers into actual buyers Affect all other marketing decisions: Product, Price, and Promotion Involve relatively long-term commitments to other firms 15-6 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Push versus Pull Marketing Push strategy The producer uses its sales force and trade promotion money to induce intermediaries to carry, promote, and sell the products to end users Used for items of low brand loyalty, brand choice made in the store, impulse purchase, and product benefits well understood Pull strategy The producer uses advertising and sales promotion to induce consumers to ask intermediaries for the product Items of high brand loyalty, brand choice made before going to the store, and high perceived difference between brands Both Pull and Push strategies: Top marketing companies 15-7 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Channel Development A new firm typically starts as a local operation using existing intermediaries If the firm is successful, it might branch into new markets and use different channels in different markets 15-8 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Hybrid Channels Multiple channels used in any one market area Companies using hybrid channels must make sure these channels work well as one team Channel Integration expected by customers Ability to order a product online, and pick it up at a convenient retail location Ability to return an online-ordered product to a nearby store. U.S. mail order firms’ facilities in Japan to receive customers’ returned goods Right to receive discounts based on the total of online and off-line purchases 15-9 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Understanding Customer Needs Factors for choosing the channel by consumers Price Product assortment Convenience Shopping goals: economic, social, or experiential goals 15-10 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Value Networks Demand Chain Planning Company should first thinks of the target market Design the supply chain backward from that point Sense-and-respond view of the market Replace the out-dated Supply Chain Concept (Make & Sell) A company is still at the center of a value network- a system of partnerships and alliances of a firm 15-11 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Value Networks Value Network A system of partnerships and alliances that a firm creates to source, augment, and deliver its offerings The firm needs to orchestrate these parties to enable them to deliver superior value to the target market. It requires increasing investments in information technology (IT) and software like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system 15-12 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. The Role of Marketing Channels? Channel Functions and Flows Channel Levels Service Sector Channels 15-13 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Why Are Marketing Intermediaries Used? Many producers lack the financial resources to carry out direct marketing In some cases direct marketing simply is not feasible Intermediaries usually offer the producer more than it can achieve on its own through their contacts, experience, specialization, and scale of operation Smooth the flow of goods and services Reduce the number of contacts and the work. 15-14 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Channel Functions and Flows Key Functions include: Table 15.1 Gather information Stimulate purchasing Reach agreements on price & other terms Place orders Finance inventories Assume risk Successive storage and movement of physical products Provide for buyers’ payment Oversee actual transfer of ownership 15-15 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Figure 15.2: Five Marketing Flows in the Marketing Channel for Forklift Trucks 15-16 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Channel Functions and Flows Types of Channels required by a manufacturer Sales channel Delivery channel Service channel All channels have scarce resources and they can often perform better through specialization 15-17 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Channel Levels Fig. 15.3 Zero-level channel (a.k.a. direct-marketing channel) One-level channel Two-level channel Three-level channel 15-18 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Service Sector Channels Producers of services also face the problem of making their output available and accessible to target customers Internet advances service industries’ ability to reach target customers: Banking, insurance, travel, education, and stock trading 15-19 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Channel-Design Decisions Four(4) Steps Analyze Customers’ Desired Service Output Levels Establish Objectives and Constraints Identifying Major Channel Alternatives Evaluate the Major Alternatives 15-20 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Analyze Customers’ Desired Service Output Levels Lot size The number of units purchased on one occasion Waiting and delivery time The average time waiting for the receipt of goods Spatial convenience The degree of easiness to purchase the product. The more retailers, the easier for customers to shop Product variety The assortment breadth. Prefer a greater assortment Service backup: Add-on services Credit, delivery, installation, and repairs 15-21 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Analyze Customers’ Desired Service Output Levels Providing greater service outputs means Increased channel costs Higher prices for customers The success of discount stores indicates that many customers are willing to accept smaller service outputs if they can save money. 15-22 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Establish Channel Objectives and Constraints Companies should state their marketing channel objectives in terms of targeted service output levels Identify several market segments that desire different levels of service Decide which market segments to serve and the best channels to use in each case In each segment, minimize the total channel cost of meeting customer service requirements 15-23 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Identify Major Channel Alternatives Types of Intermediaries Channel Alternatives for Cellular Car Phones. Table 15.2 OEM market Auto-dealer market Retail auto part Stores Car phone specialist dealers Mail-order market 15-24 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Identify Major Channel Alternatives Exclusive distribution One or a select few number of intermediaries Includes exclusive dealing arrangements Requires greater partnership New prestige automobiles (Bently) , some major appliances, prestige women’s apparel brands Selective distribution More than one but fewer than all of intermediaries who are willing to carry a company’s products Television, furniture, small appliance brands-Kitchen Aid, Maytag, Whirlpool, GE Intensive distribution Placing goods or services in as many outlets as possible Most convenience goods-Tobacco, soap, gum, snack foods 15-25 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Identify Major Channel Alternatives Terms and Responsibilities of Channel Members: trade-relations mix Price policy A price list and schedule of discounts and allowances that intermediaries see as equitable and sufficient Conditions of sale Payment terms and producer guarantee against defective goods or price declines Distributors’ territorial rights Define the distributors’ territories and the terms under which the producer will enfranchise other distributors Mutual services and responsibilities Define what services are provided to the distributors and their responsibilities to the producer, or the seller. 15-26 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Evaluate the Major Alternatives Economic Criteria Each channel alternative produces a different level of sales and costs. Fig. 15.4 Selling an industrial product costing $2,000-$5,000 $500 by field sales, $200 by distributors, $50 by telesales and $10 by Internet per contact Selling a retail banking service: cost per transaction At a branch $4.07, Phone $0.54, ATM $0.27, Web-based $0.01 Switching customers to lower-cost channels without a loss of sales and deterioration in service quality 15-27 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Figure 15.4: The Value-Adds versus Costs of Different Channels 15-28 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Evaluate the Major Alternatives Cost comparison between a company sales force and manufacturers’ sales agency. Fig. 15.5 At the beginning, manufacturers’ sales agency costs less but costs more later on after the breakeven sales level Sales agencies tend to be used by smaller firms or by large firms in smaller territories where the volume is low 15-29 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Figure 15.5: Break-even Cost Chart 15-30 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Evaluate the Major Alternatives Control and Adaptive Criteria Using a sales agency poses a control problem, since it is an independent firm seeking to maximize its own profit A sales agency may concentrate on the customers who buy the most, not necessarily those who buy the manufacturer’s goods Might not master technical details or handle promotions effectively Must make some degree of commitment to each other but In rapidly changing, volatile, uncertain markets, the producer needs channel structures and policies that provide high adaptability 15-31 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Channel-Management Decisions Selecting Channel Members Training Channel Members Motivating Channel Members Evaluating Channel Members Modifying Channel Design & Arrangements 15-32 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Channel-Management Decisions Channel power producers can use: Coercive power Threaten to withdraw a resource or terminate a relationship if intermediaries fail to cooperate Reward power Offer intermediaries an extra benefit for performing specific acts or functions Legitimate power Request a behavior that is warranted under the contract Expert power Have a special knowledge that the intermediaries value Referent power Are so highly respected that intermediaries are proud to be associated with. IBM, Caterpillar, Microsoft 15-33 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Channel Integration and Systems Vertical Marketing Systems Horizontal Marketing Systems Multichannel Marketing Systems 15-34 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Vertical Marketing Systems (VMS) Conventional Marketing Channel Consists of an independent producer, wholesalers and retailers Each seeks to maximize its own profits No channel member has complete or substantial control over other members Vertical Marketing System Consists of the producer, wholesaler(s) and retailer(s) acting as a unified system. One channel member (channel captain) owns others or franchise them or has so much power that they all cooperate. 70% to 80% of the total U.S. markets 15-35 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Vertical Marketing System (VMS) Corporate VMS Production and distribution under single ownership Sears obtains over 50% of goods from partially or wholly owned firms Sherwin-Williams: produces paint and also owns and operates 2,000 retail stores Administered VMS One member emerges as dominant in channel through size and power Manufacturers of dominant brands: Kodak, Gillette, Proctor & Gamble, Campbell Soup, GE Manufacturers identify distributor needs and build up merchandise programs to help each distributor operate as efficiently as possible 15-36 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Vertical Marketing System (VMS) Contractual VMS Wholesaler-sponsored voluntary chains A wholesaler organizes a voluntary chain of retailers. Certified Grocers Retailer cooperatives Retailers organize a new business entity to carry on wholesaling and possible some production. Independent Grocers Alliance Franchise organizations Manufacturer-sponsored retailer franchise Auto makers and dealers Manufacturer-sponsored wholesaler franchise Soft drink producers and bottlers Service-firm-sponsored retailer franchise Auto Rental, Hotels, Fast Foods 15-37 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Vertical Marketing System(VMS) The New Competition in Retailing Increased competition between VMS and large independent retailers New competition is between whole systems of centrally programmed networks to achieve the best cost economies and customer response 15-38 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Horizontal Marketing Systems Two or more unrelated firms put together resources or programs Each firm lacks the capital, technology, marketing resources, or other resources to take on the venture alone 15-39 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Multichannel Marketing Systems A single firm uses two or more marketing channels to reach one or more customer segments Advantages Increased market coverage Lower channel costs More customized selling Disadvantages Channel conflict problem Channel control problem 15-40 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Multichannel Marketing Systems Planning Channel Architecture Using only one channel is not efficient Fig. 15.6: The Hybrid Grid Lead generation through telemarketing, direct mail, advertising, and trade shows Closing the sale or account management by sales force Should use different channels for selling to differentsize customers 15-41 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Conflict, Cooperation, and Competition Types of Conflict and Competition Causes of Channel Conflict Managing Channel Conflict Dilution and Cannibalization Legal and Ethical Issues in Channel Relations 15-42 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Types of Conflict and Competition Vertical channel conflict Conflict between different levels within the same channel Horizontal channel conflict Conflict between members at the same level within the channel Multichannel conflict Conflict between one channel with other channels 15-43 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Causes of Channel Conflict Goal incompatibility Producers want rapid market penetration with a low price, while dealers prefer high margins Unclear roles and rights Company sales force and authorized dealers go after the same large customers Differences in perception Producers are optimistic and want dealers to carry higher inventory, while dealers are pessimistic Intermediaries’ dependence on the manufacturer Fortunes of dealers are profoundly affected by the producer’s product and pricing decisions. Creates a high potential for conflict. 15-44 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Causes of Channel Conflict By adding new channels, a company faces the possibility of channel conflict which may include: Conflict between the national account managers and field sales force Conflict between the field sales force and the telemarketers Conflict between the field sales force and the dealers 15-45 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Managing Channel Conflict The challenge is not to eliminate conflict but to manage it better. Table 15.3 Adoption of superordinate goals Channel members agree on the fundamental goals they are jointly seeking. Easily agreed when the channel faces an outside threat Exchange personnel between channel levels Co-optation Appoint the leaders of other organizations or other channel levels on advisory council or board of directors Joint membership in and between trade associations Universal product code (UPC) jointly developed by Grocery Manufacturers Association and Food Marketing Institute 15-46 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Managing Channel Conflict Diplomacy Each side sends a person to meet with its counterpart to resolve the conflict Mediation Resorting to a third party to conciliate two parties’ interests as a consultant or an advisor Arbitration Resorting to a third party for a final resolution of the conflict Litigation Best way is to avoid the litigation Costs a lot and takes a long time Bad publicity for both parties, whether one party wins or loses 15-47 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Legal and Ethical Issues in Channel Relations Exclusive dealing (distribution) Seller requires its exclusive dealers not to handle competitors’ products Legal as long as it does not substantially lessen competition nor tend to create monopoly and both parties enter into the agreement voluntarily Exclusive territories Producer agrees not to sell to other dealers in a given area and dealer agrees to sell only in its own territory. The first practice is perfectly legal The second practice, whereby producer keeps dealers from selling outside their territories, has become a major legal issue 15-48 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Legal and Ethical Issues in Channel Relations Exclusive Territories (Continued) A law suit by GT Bicycles against Price-Costco Chain which sold 2,600 high-priced mountain bikes at a huge discount. Originally sold to middleman to export to Russia (L.A. Times, March 30, 1997). GT Bicycles lost in its lawsuit. Tying agreements Full-line forcing Producer sells to dealers only if the dealers take some or all of the rest of the line Legal if it does not substantially lessen competition Dealers’ Right Producers are free to select their dealers but their right terminate dealers is somewhat restricted. Can drop dealers only for cause in the contract 15-49 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. E-Commerce Marketing Practices E-business E-commerce E-purchasing E-marketing 15-50 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. E-Commerce Marketing Practices Business-to-Consumer (B2C) ECommerce Business-to-Business (B2B) E-Commerce Brick-and-Click Companies M-Commerce 15-51 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Business-to-Consumer (B2C) ECommerce Commerce sites (E-tailers): Sell products and services directly to final buyers via the Internet: Amzon.com. Expedia.com, Buy.com Search engines and portals: Yahoo, Google, Excite Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Provide Internet and email connections for a fee or free: AOL, Earthlink Transaction sites: Auction sites E-bay Contents sites: N.Y.Times, Encarta, ESPN, Encyclopedia Britannica Online 15-52 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Business-to-Consumer (B2C) ECommerce The Internet is most useful for products and services whose buyers seek greater ordering convenience (books, music) or lower cost (stock trading, news reading, banking) whose buyers seek information to compare product features and prices among vendors (automobiles, computers) The Internet is less useful for products that must be touched or examined in advance. But exceptions to this are growing as confidence in vendor’s quality or performance is increasing. 15-53 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Business-to-Business (B2B) ECommerce B2B sales far exceed B2C sales Provides product information, customer purchasing, & customer support services online Online buyers can get necessary information from Suppliers’ Websites Infomediaries: Market makers Customer communities 15-54 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Brick-and Click Companies Strategies for Acceptance of a firm’s online sales by Intermediaries Offer different brands or products on the Internet Offer the off-line channel members higher commissions to cushion the negative impact on sales Take orders on the website but have retailers deliver and collect payment Share commissions of online sales with intermediaries Provide online benefits to intermediaries: Virtual Dealership It costs auto companies and their dealers much less than the present dealership system where cars sit in inventory for 70 days and ad & promotion cost 10% of the car price 15-55 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. M-Commerce Using a cell phone, personal digital assistance (PDA) or any other mobile communication device in conducting business 15-56 Copyright © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc.