Channel Strategy Fundamentals

1. On Channel Strategy Fundamentals a. At the core of marketing channel strategy is making a product or service available for use of consumption. Let’s take everyone’s favorite company, Starbucks. Explain in detail the many interdependent channels required to create a final Starbucks product at a retail store in Riverside. Be sure to include the various channel member intermediaries from natural resources to the final cup.b. Among the nine key functions that marketing channels perform, what two are likely best to be vertically integrated and what two are likely best to be horizontally integrated. Shape your analysis from producer to wholesaler to retailer to the consumer.My target company is Apple 2. On Channel Analysis  a. From our readings on service outputs, we know that end-users typically prefer a channel to provide effective service among the various intermediaries. Using your team company as the point of reference, identify the following: i. Identify two important segments and provide a narrative that explains their service output of demand. Beyond high, medium, low, use descriptive language to support your analysis. ii. Now interpret your team’s efficiency template into a narrative explaining the rationale for your weights and performance. iii. Lastly, interpret your team’s service gap analysis template into a narrative explaining the rationale for the service demanded versus the service supplied. 3. On Designing Channel Structures  a. Summarizing our readings, we know that before designing effective channel strategies, by segmenting end-users according to their service needs we can then better audit the existing channels to strengthen value creation within the channel flow. Moving to channel design, address the following: i. Define and discuss the level of channel intensity from upstream and then downstream identifying the signature intermediaries reliance on saturation to/or exclusive distribution. b. Pertaining to your team company, from the point of view of the manufacturer, identify and discuss the importance of each of the eight generic factors considered for making channel selectivity decisions. They include: channel competition; product category; brand strategy; channel influence; dependence balancing; opportunity cost; transaction cost; other manufacturer’s strategies. 4. On Retailing Structures and Strategies a. This is a broad question on defining your team company’s retailing structure and strategy. Develop the following in your discussion:  i. What type best describes your team company and identify the specific cost-side and demand-side characteristics that best strengthens its competitiveness.  ii. Evaluate three of your team company’s multi-channel strategies on the basis of how they best maximize value for both your firm and your customer’s satisfaction.  iii. Lastly, what are the central risks impacting the current position of each channel. Explain in detail. Recommendations on excellence – ten pages is your minimum target; dig deep into the readings and lectures; provide unique insight; reach for high-level analysis, presentation and formatting; use 12-point, Times New Roman font; double-space; use endnotes to cite your sources using full APA bibliographic formatting including page numbers; pay attention to details; put some time into this assignment; teach me something new.