DISCUSSION QUESTIONS - Essay Example

Discussion Questions Question According to Kapoor and Kansal (2003, p. 4). a distribution channel "Comprises of a set of people and firms involved in the flow of a product as it moves from producer to ultimate consumer". Geographical location affects the location of a distribution channel in terms of logistics. The distribution channel must be located strategically for easier communication between the distributor and retailers (Kapoor and Kansal, 2003). Question 2 Though logistics and distribution may have similar characteristics, there are clear differences.

Logistics covers supplementary aspects relating to preparations, scheduling, and tracking of information( Kapoor and Kansal, 2003). For instance, logistics involves activities such as customer service, storage, inventory control, packaging, and recycling. Distribution, as stipulated by Kapoor and Kansal (2003) entails physical transportation of commodities from one place to another or from the producers to the consumers. Question 3 Pull and push strategies are the major marketing action plans used by many organizations.

Pull denotes advertising and promoting to ultimate consumers in a bid to create demand whereas push entails tantalizing by means of endorsements (Kapoor and Kansal, 2003). Both of these strategies involve public promotions as well as designing or creating new products to meet the needs of the consumer( Kapoor and Kansal, 2003). However, push marketing strategy involves promoting already available products while in pull strategy, promotions are done and consumers have to wait for the product to be produced (Kapoor and Kansal, 2003).

Discussion Question Response Ashleigh, I agree with your discussion that a distribution channel is the chain that a product goes through from production to consumers. Your example of how geographical location affects distribution channels is also spot-on. I agree that if a product is being produced in Mexico, then the distributors would best be placed at the border in order to improve accessibility of the goods from the producer to the consumer. In other words, geographical location affects communication in terms of how products reach the ultimate consumer.

ReferenceKapoor, S. K., & Kansal, P. (2003). Basics of Distribution Management: A Logistics Approach. New Delhi, India: Prentice Hall.