Under direct channel of distribution, the manufacturer can adopt one of the following methods of selling:
1. Selling at manufacturer’s plant:
This is otherwise known as direct selling. It is one of the earliest, easiest and cheapest methods of distribution of goods. Under this system, the goods are sold by the producers directly to the consumers. Direct selling is generally preferred in case of perishable products like bread, milk, ice cream, fish, meat, egg, vegetables and agricultural products, etc. These products are directly sold to the consumers because they lose their value or become unfit for use if they are stored or*- transacted for long.
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2. Door-to-door selling:
Under this method, the manufacturer employs a number of salesmen who approach the prospective buyers in person and try to sell their products. These salesmen usually move from door-to-door and try to sell their products by canvassing with the prospects. The products offered for sale are brought to the doorstep of the prospects.
For example, items like ladies garments, cooking utensils, detergent powders, soaps, hosiery products, cosmetics, toiletries, etc. are sold by this method. Usually this method is adopted to promote new products and to popularise existing products.
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3. Mail order houses:
Mail order houses receive orders from the customers through post and goods are also despatched through post. Thus, it avoids personal shopping by the consumers. Usually, such type of shopping is known as ‘shopping by post’ or teleshopping by the customers and the sellers regard it as ‘retail selling by post’.
4. Multiple shops:
Producers open their own retail shops for selling their products to the customers directly. The multiple shops is a network of a number of branches situated at different localities in the city or spread in different towns and cities in a country. These shops are usually owned and managed by the manufacturers themselves.