Marketing channel

The set of interdependent organizations involved in the process of making a product or service available to customers. To reach the target market, the marketer has three types of marketing channels: communication channels, deliver and receive messages from target buyers and include newspapers, magazines, radio, television, mail, telephone, billboards, posters, CDs, audio tapes and the Internet; distribution channels, display, sell or deliver the physical product or service to the buyer or user. They include, distributors, wholesalers, retailers and agents; service channels, carry out transactions with potential buyers. These include warehouses, transportation companies, banks and insurance companies that facilitate transactions. Marketers face a design problem in choosing the best mix of marketing channels.