REACHING THE CONSUMER THROUGH EFFECTIVE DISTRIBUTION

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CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Distribution is the process of planning, implementing and controlling the physical flow of materials, final goods and related information from point of origin to point of consumption to meet customer requirements at a profit (Phillip Kotler and Amstrong 2001). It is the marketing function responsible for movement of products to the final users. It could be said that production is not complete until the goods reach the final users and for this to be accomplished, manufactured goods have to pass through distribution channels. The key point of this research work as concerns any business set up or organization especially one in a stiff Competitive economy like the case under consideration in this research work in respect of A-Z Petroleum Products Ltd needs to examine how it can effectively develop its distribution strategies. Distribution strategies on its own, is a broad conception of how resources are to be deployed to build a channel (or channels) linking the producer to the consumer to insuring that the product and associated services are made available to the target segment of the market. It concerned with efficient channel arrangements that may be used to make goods and services available to customers/users by deciding on which intermediaries and marketing channel structures to be selected to move products in the most competitive and efficient manner to satisfy customer’s needs and wants. However, it is very important to position the channel of distribution of lubricating products in strategic places where users can get them and at the right time probably by using more effective, efficient and strategic physical distribution pattern including well positioning of field salesmen, institutional distribution system of products etc. The level of the economy has put distribution into a less important position and scarcity or short supply of products. Most management today are interested on profit maximization without due attention to the effect of distribution on the company and economy as a whole. This call for the need for this research work to research intensively on the assessment of the effectiveness of the distribution strategies of A-Z Petroleum Products Ltd. A-Z Petroleum Products Ltd. has made considerable progress in the area of products development to meet international standard and effective marketing of lubricating oil to meet customers taste satisfactorily at reasonable profit. The company is using the distribution channel below:

Factory→ Depot→ Mega Distributors → Sub Distributors → Final Consumers

The distribution channel is a set of firms or individual that takes title in transferring title to a particular goods as it moves from point of production to the point of consumption. The distribution channel of the company need to cover areas/markets not yet served and under served by current efforts (current level of distribution) with the aim of improving market potentials and market share. In fact, marketing channel decisions are among the most important decisions that management faces. A company’s channels decisions are linked with every other marketing decision. The company’s pricing depends on whether it uses mass merchandisers or high quality specialty stores. The firm’s sales force and advertising decisions depend on how much persuasion, training, motivation and support the dealers need. Companies often pay too little attention to their distribution channels, however, sometimes with damaging results. In contrast, many companies have used imaginative distribution systems to gain a competitive advantage. Therefore, management must design its channels carefully with an eye on tomorrow’s likely selling environment as well as today’s. The importance of distribution cannot be over-emphasized no matter how the economic position of the country looks like. One major raw material used in the production of A-Z lubricant is base oil. This requires smooth transportation facilities and arrangement from the point of origin to where they will be used for production of A-Z lubricants. This calls for a lot of logistics especially in the transportation of the necessary raw materials and distribution of finished products to the company’s major distributors as at when needed. Transportation is then the pivot of the successful operation of any physical distribution system. Choice and type of transportation therefore becomes very important since the objective is to make the products available to consumers as at the right time. The poor road network has hampered the effectiveness of distribution and railway mode of transportation which would have provided an alternative transportation, has not been functional for sometime now which contributes to the high transportation cost. Therefore, this research work is to “Assess the effectiveness of distribution strategies of A-Z Petroleum Products Ltd. Distribution enables the right goods or raw materials to be available at the right place.

It goes a long way in determining not only the price of goods but also the market activities. Therefore, effective planning of distribution is sine quanon to marketing.

The meaning of consumer behavior having gained an understanding of the birth of consumer behavior . It is necessary to understand and have an insight into what constitute consumer behavior.

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