These are your routes to market, usually associated with the sales of a product. In basic terms it defines how you will sell your product e.g. through a dealer network, mail order or online.
There are 3 main areas to consider when marketing the chosen sales channels:
Structure
E.G. Does your company need a dealer network, e-commerce, or both?
Relationship
The channel participants need a reason to add value. Their relationship with the brand, and therefore the product, will be determined by exactly what they can bring to the mix.
Partners
The selection of channel partners should be based on customer needs. Market coverage and sales capabilities are just two variables considered in the selection of a channel partner - whether one is looking at a joint venture or localized retail coverage.
The panacea for a business is to manage the channels in such a way that do not create the dreaded channel conflict