Global Perspective A Single Stick of Doublemint Today – 18 Billion Tomorrow A product must be made accessible to the target market at an affordable price Getting the product to the target market can be a costly process Forging an aggressive and reliable channel of distribution may be the most critical and challenging task facing the international marketer Competitive advantage will reside with the marketer best able to build the most efficient channel from among the alternatives available

Channel-of-Distribution Structures All consumer and industrial products eventually go through a distribution process. Physical handling and distribution of goods Passage of ownership Buying and selling negotiations between producers and middlemen Buying and selling negotiations between middlemen and customers Each country market has a distribution structure through which goods pass from producer to user.

Import-Oriented Distribution Structure Demand exceeds supply The customer seeks the supply from a limited number of middlemen Distribution systems are local Few countries fit the import-oriented model today In an import-oriented or traditional distribution structure, an importer controls a fixed supply of goods and the marketing system develops around the philosophy of selling a limited supply of goods at high prices to a small number of affluent customers.

Japanese Distribution Structure A structure dominated by many small middlemen dealing with many small retailers Channel control by manufacturers A business philosophy shaped by a unique culture Laws that protect the foundation of the system

Comparison of Distribution Channels between the United States and Japan Insert Exhibit 14.1

High Density of Middlemen Not unusual for consumer goods to go through three or four intermediaries before reaching the consumer In Japan, small stores account for 57.7 percent of retail food sales In the U.S., small stores generate 19.2 percent of food sales Japan has a large number of independent groceries and bakers, unlike America with an emphasis on supermarkets, discount food stores, and department stores

Business Philosophy Emphasizes loyalty, harmony, and friendship Supports long-term dealer-supplier relationships The cost of Japanese consumer goods are among the highest in the world Japanese law gives the small retailer enormous advantage over the development of larger stores

Large-Scale Retail Store Law and Its Successor Daitenho – the Large-Scale Retail Store Law Large stores must have approval from the prefecture government All proposals first judged by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) Then, if all local retailers unanimously agreed, the plan was approved Could be a lengthy process Applied to both domestic and foreign companies Replaced by the Large-Scale Retail Store Location Act of June 2000 MITI out of the process Relaxed restrictions

Changes in the Japanese Distribution System Structural Impediments Initiative Deregulation Wal-Mart “New” retailers The Internet

Alternative Middleman Choices Seller must exert influence over two sets of channels: One in the home country One in the foreign-market country Agent middlemen – represent the principal rather than themselves Merchant middlemen – take title to the goods and buy and sell on their own account

Foreign-Country Middlemen Manufacturer’s representatives Distributors Foreign-country brokers Managing agents and compradors Dealers Import jobbers, wholesalers, and retailers

Government-Affiliated Middlemen Marketers must deal with governments in every country of the world Products, services, and commodities for the government’s own use are always procured through government purchasing offices at federal, regional, and local levels Efficiency of public sector versus the private sector

Factors Affecting Choice of Channels Cost Capital requirements Control Coverage Character Continuity

Locating, Selecting, and Motivating Channel Members Locating middlemen Selecting middlemen Screening The agreement Motivating middlemen Terminating middlemen Controlling middlemen

Summary The international marketer has a broad range of alternatives for developing a distribution system. Three primary alternatives for using agent middlemen: Agent middlemen Merchant middlemen Government-affiliated middlemen Channel structure may vary from nation to nation or from continent to continent. Information and advice are available relative to the structuring of international distribution systems. Traditional channels are being challenged by the Internet, which is offering an ever-wider range of possibilities for entering foreign markets.