30/01/2025
The brutal truth? It’s not always the best product that wins......
Once upon a time, brands decided where and how you could buy. Today, you decide
There was a time when if a product wasn’t available in your local store, you had no choice but to look elsewhere or settle for an alternative.
Brands controlled distribution, availability, and access. But today, thanks to e-commerce, digital marketplaces, and hyper-local deliveries, the power has shifted to the customer.
Marketing lesson 12 : Types of Placement Strategies
1️⃣ Intensive Distribution – The product is available everywhere, from large retailers to small shops.
✅ Example: Parle-G biscuits are in supermarkets, kirana stores, and even roadside tea stalls.
❌ Failure: When premium brands try mass distribution, it can dilute exclusivity (e.g., if Rolex started selling in supermarkets).
2️⃣ Selective Distribution – The product is available in chosen retail outlets, ensuring brand positioning.
✅ Example: Apple products are sold only in select premium stores to maintain exclusivity.
❌ Failure: Sony lost relevance in India when it limited PlayStation availability to very few stores, reducing accessibility.
3️⃣ Exclusive Distribution – The product is sold only through specific channels or brand-owned stores.
✅ Example: Tesla only sells through its own showrooms and website, ensuring full control over the buying experience.
❌ Failure: Blackberry’s decision to stick to offline, business-centric distribution while competitors expanded online hurt its growth.
4️⃣ Digital-First & Omni-Channel Distribution – The product is available both online and offline, ensuring convenience.
✅ Example: Nykaa thrives by being available both on its website and through offline retail stores, giving customers multiple options.
❌ Failure: Big Bazaar failed to adapt to online retail fast enough, losing customers to e-commerce giants like Amazon and Flipkart.