The retail channel definition has been a part of marketing for many years. In fact, it is an extremely complex area to understand. The retail channel simply means that the retail or outlet store is the only place where goods are sold. It does not include the mall, garage, or anything else.
Defining The Retail Channel
The retail channel definition defines the retail industry as the exchange of products and services for a specific monetary value. This means both the consumer and the retailer have to be in direct contact with each other in order for the economy to define retail as a valuable entity both to the consumer and the business. Nowadays, even platforms such as YouTube are being used as a means to connect consumers and retailers. In fact, websites such as YouTubeStorm are being used to enhance that connection by improving marketing results.
The retail channel also includes the sales cycle, which is the activity required in carrying out the purchase. This is generally addressed by the commerce runtime or application layer.
The retail channel definition involves the identification of the merchant and the identities of the consumer. There is a common practice referred to as retail channel differentiation where the merchant submits certain data or information which is sent back to the identity provider solution. This information includes product information and the transaction history. The identity provider solution then creates a unique reference ID that is assigned to the transaction.
This retail channel definition may be complex when you consider the fact that there are multiple ways that data can be shared between the merchant and the identity provider solution. This is usually referred to as interchange data or ICD. As a result, there are numerous rules and regulations that govern the sharing of this data throughout the supply chain.
Consumer-Merchant Relationship
Another aspect of the retail channel definition is the definition of the relationship between the consumer and the merchant. One of the major differences between the retail and omnichannel systems is that the retail channel system focuses on selling and buying and does not include any type of customer relationship management (CRM) function. Therefore, it has little to do with the sales and purchasing behavior of customers. The retail channel definition also refers to salespeople who are employed by the retailer. Many times these people are located in an area of the store that is physically separate from the point of sale (POS).
Components Of The Retail Channel Definition
The retail channel definition also requires the term relationship to include a number of different components. These components include both parties to the transaction as well as the relationships that arise between the parties. For example, the parties may come into a business relationship where they sell each other goods or services and become exclusive dealers. In an omnichannel system, this relationship occurs electronically and becomes a part of an electronic commerce platform or E-business system.
The retail sales channel is also considered a definition of the retail environment. The definition refers to the physical environment in which the sale of a product occurs. This includes the retail space, fixtures, and equipment. It also includes the marketing techniques used to bring a product to the market. There are two distinctions between the two systems. The first is that while an omnichannel system is composed of physical items, it may only include salespersons who are located within the store and not necessarily located on the same site as the sales staff.
The second distinction is that a store-based channel consists of a store itself with all of its interior and exterior store locations, and the related services provided by the store including the sale of products, inventory control, billing and ordering solutions using a credit card, debit card, or e-check. The third distinction is that a storefront solution using an omnichannel strategy has the capability to provide multiple storefronts in different locations in the same physical location. The definition then states that an e-commerce storefront system provides storefront solutions using a block of memory, a server, a personal computer, and a wireless network for storing client data. The fourth difference is that an omnichannel system can be deployed without any client-side software while a storefront system must contain some client-side software to provide inventory control, billing, and other basic needs.
