(Re)thinking distribution strategy

On first glance, distribution strategy seems to be the staidest of all the marketing functions, yet it is fundamental to business success. This chapter shows how consumers have created new strategies for dealing with those goods and services that they no longer need or for reclaiming those goods that may to the untrained eye appear to be worthless (broken, disfigured, out of style, for example). It presents The Inverted Pyramid of Sustainability and discusses specific marketing strategies that relate to each section. The chapter looks at examples of these redistribution channels to see how consumers in these markets are using these channels to enact values of sustainability. It considers how corporations have been tackling these issues, oftentimes in response to grassroots consumer actions. The chapter presents exercises designed to open up student debate around sustainable distribution and the role consumers play therein.