Each channel requires a different customer approach, team skills, and sales activities.
This discussion is divided into General Trade, Modern Trade, and Marketplaces. Brand principles remain consistent, while network development, purchasing service, and evaluation reflect each channel.
General Trade / GT
Distributors and Retail
General Trade is discussed in two groups: distributors and retail. Distributors develop distribution reach, while retailers serve end buyers. Sales may go through distributors or directly to outlets, according to territory arrangements.
Distributors
Role and coverage
Distribute products to outlets in an agreed territory. Network fit, outlet types, service capability, and stock management need assessment.
Establishing the relationship
Map prospective distributors, discuss product and territory fit, and align responsibilities for distribution, supply, reporting, and outlet service.
Sales activities
Plan outlet coverage and visit routes, introduce products, monitor inventory, follow up orders, and evaluate both outlet and consumer sales.
Retail
Icon Stores
The best-known stores in each city, as classified in this channel plan.
Execution: Understand the store customer base, develop relationships with management, prepare product information and demonstrations, and evaluate merchandising and shopper response.
Medium and Small Stores
Retail outlets whose assortment, availability, and service needs should be mapped by territory.
Execution: Schedule regular visits, tailor the assortment, monitor stock, and support product introduction and repeat ordering.
Salons
A channel involving product use, demonstrations, recommendations, and the sale of suitable care products.
Execution: Provide owners and salon staff with product knowledge and usage guidance; support trial experiences and follow up product requirements.
GT Team Skills
Territory mapping, outlet development, trade negotiation, product knowledge, staff training, merchandising, visit planning, stock and order management, and customer follow-up.
GT Evaluation
Active outlets, visit coverage, availability, consumer sales, repeat orders, service reliability, and issues at individual outlets.
Modern Trade / MT
Nationwide and Local Modern Trade
Modern Trade is grouped by network reach. Sales planning needs to consider purchasing processes, product approval, supplier requirements, and execution at the branches of each network.
Nationwide Modern Trade
Networks with national coverage. Account management needs to connect network agreements with readiness for execution across territories and branches.
Execution: Map decision makers, prepare supplier profiles and product information, discuss product listing, and align supply, promotions, merchandising, and branch reporting.
Local Modern Trade
Networks with local or regional coverage. The example used in this discussion is Palapa in Surabaya.
Execution: Understand branch coverage and local consumers, build relationships with purchasing teams, tailor the assortment, and monitor execution at each branch.
Readiness before entering a network
Prepare product information and supplier documents, category fit, supply capability, merchandising requirements, educational materials, and clear responsibilities.
Branch execution
Approved products need to be available and easy to find. Monitor deliveries, stock, merchandising, staff information, promotional execution, and replenishment.
Active branches, on-shelf availability, supply reliability, merchandising compliance, promotional execution, consumer sales, and repeat orders.
Marketplace
Digital Store and Sales Management
Marketplaces connect product search, information assessment, communication, and transactions. Stores, marketing materials, inventory, and service need to be prepared together.
Store readiness
Prepare catalogues, images, benefits, usage instructions, variant information, authentic reviews, answers to questions, stock, and order fulfilment.
Platform management
Assess the needs of each platform, such as Shopee and TikTok Shop. Define store ownership, activity schedules, account access, information updates, and order follow-up.
Digital Marketing Tools
Social Media and Video
Introduce product benefits and usage through education and demonstrations suited to target consumers.
Execution: Prepare messages, scripts, images, and videos; test responses and maintain consistency with the brand identity.
Creators and Affiliates
Creators help explain product experiences and usage; affiliates direct buyers through platform tracking mechanisms.
Execution: Select partners for audience fit, provide content briefs, monitor information accuracy, and evaluate actions leading to purchases.
Digital Advertising
Distribute messages and offers to a defined audience.
Execution: Test creative materials and audiences, ensure destination pages are ready, and track the connection between visits and transactions.
Live Selling
Provide demonstrations and live answers while prospective buyers consider the product.
Execution: Prepare hosts, operators, product knowledge, schedules, availability, and follow-up for enquiries.
Search and Websites
Help prospective buyers find and check brand and product information.
Execution: Provide clear information, usage guidance, answers to common needs, and easily found purchase locations.
Customer Communication
Support pre-purchase decisions and the experience after products arrive.
Execution: Manage conversations, usage education, reviews, complaints, and feedback to improve products and service.
Marketplace Team Skills
Store operations, content production, creator and affiliate management, advertising, live presentation, live operations, data analysis, service, and order fulfilment.
Marketplace Evaluation
Product visits, buyer conversion, order accuracy, cancellations, returns, reviews, complaint resolution, and repeat purchases.
02
The Buyer Journey in Every Channel
The principle is shared, but execution reflects where consumers interact and buy.
DiscoverOutlet introductions, content, creators, or promotional materials.
ConsiderInformation, demonstrations, trials, and answers to questions.
PurchaseAvailability, clear information, and transaction service.
Repeat PurchaseUser experience, service, and ease of finding the product.
03
Building Team Capabilities in Stages
Roles reflect the work and channel readiness. A digital team structure does not automatically suit GT or MT.
Preparation
Define responsibility, product knowledge, outlet or digital store data, availability, and activity records.
Consistent execution
Carry out visits, account service, marketing content, or live selling for the channel. Ensure results and follow-up can be recorded.
Strengthening capacity
Add capability according to observed bottlenecks: territory coverage, branch service, content production, store management, or order fulfilment.
Improvement
Use sales results, availability, questions, complaints, and repeat purchases to improve subsequent work.
04
Cross-Channel Coordination and Evaluation
Brand identity, product information, service, and availability should remain consistent across channels.
Sales into the network and to consumers
Products delivered to distributors or stores should be distinguished from products bought by consumers. Monitor both alongside stock and replenishment.
Activity coordination
Align product introductions, promotions, information, and stock readiness. Digital marketing can support demand in physical stores as well as marketplace transactions.
Customer learning
Combine feedback from outlets, salon staff, network managers, and digital buyers to improve information, products, and service.
The content framework, customer journey, and digital capability development are adapted from YourMarketingTeam material. GT and MT categories follow the channel structure defined for this proposal.