RETAILOBSERVER.COM JULY 2023
6
Moe Lastfogel
moe@retailobserver.com
Moe's Musings Views
Happy Retailing,
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Product Distribution—An organization or set of organizations involved in the process of
making a product or service available for use or consumption by a consumer or business
user. Distribution is also a very important component of Logistics & Supply chain
management. Distribution in supply chain management refers to the distribution of a good
from one business to another. It can be factory to supplier, supplier to retailer, or retailer to
end customer. It is defined as a chain of intermediaries; each passing the product down the
chain to the next organization, before it finally reaches the consumer or end-user.
O
k, so with that definition, what does your distribution channel have to offer
you? My guess is the world. Many distributors today, like you, are looking for
new sources of revenue. As the old saying goes, "Change Happens." Do we
stay stagnant and keep selling the same items that we always have in the past? As
independent dealers, the sky's the limit for you. As members of buying groups, it can get
even better.
As I travel the trade show route and buy fairs, my eyes are constantly open to new
products and opportunities that you, the retailers, have available but sometimes don't know
exist. Distributors are always looking for new ways to get their products into new markets.
What products are displayed in your showroom that you and your staff can also be selling?
Over the past six months, I have been to a large number of trade shows, and I have met
with hundreds of manufacturers and distributors. I am very impressed with the diverse
product mix that is at your fingertips in this expansive world of retail. At the Inspired Home
Show, I had the privilege of walking the floor with a few retailers, and we found distributors
of products to fulfill all of anyone's small appliance and houseware needs. At the HPBE, we
found distributors covering all facets of the outdoor world. The Hardware Show, IBS and
KBIS had the most diverse distribution networks with a surprising crossover into the
distribution world of CES.
Many of the distributors I meet today carry products in numerous categories, and the
shows we cover have distribution offerings that are priceless opportunities waiting to
happen. The world of distribution is vast and full of new products. Visit with the distributors
at these shows to see what they can offer you to grow their business and yours.
tribgroup.com
DISTRIBUTION
CHANNELS:
WHAT CAN ONE
DO FOR YOU?