BETTER PRODUCT STRATEGY THROUGH ALERT CHANNEL MANAGEMENT

Getting product strategies to work out as planned is a tough job. One of the most frequently overlooked factors needed for effective product strategy implementation is channel member support at the wholesale and/or retail levels. Without strong support and follow‐through by these channel members, product strategies are much less likely to be successfully implemented. This article discusses five product strategies commonly used by consumer goods manufacturers, and discusses the channel management implications associated with each. By being alert to these product management/channel management interfaces, many of the problems of poor channel member support and follow‐through can be avoided.