Ch. 14 - Marketing Channels and Retailing

Nowadays, it is important for businesses to gain name recognition and make their products available for sale from multiple channels. Therefore, creating partnerships with retailers may be crucial when a company's marketing efforts are meant to maximize profits. Companies like SheaMoisture understand the importance of having firms that sell directly to consumers as their primary function. This is why they've created partnerships with many retail chains. Select SheaMoisture products are sold at places like Bed Bath & Beyond, Christmas Tree Shops, CVS, drugstore.com, Duane Reade, Face Values, Giant, Kroger, Meijer, Rite Aid, Sally Beauty Supply, Shop Rite, Stop & Shop,  Target, Ulta Beauty, Walgreens, and even Walmart, the largest existing chains. 

African Black Soap, one of SheaMoisture's signature products, is sold at majority of the company's partnered retail stores. The products that are sold at these retail stores depends on the retailer's demographic. This demonstrates the need for some of SheaMoisture's products- considering it is sold at many major retailers. On average, African Black Soap is sold for $5 dollars a bar. In popular chains like Duane Reade, customers may be able to find the soap on promotion or pick up a second bar of soap for half off. 

Like many other companies, SheaMoisture has made it possible for fans-or new consumers- to access their products by shopping online. On SheaMoisture.Com, customers are able to access a wide variety of the products sold by SheaMoisture. 


Considering majority of a company's sales are made through their retail stores, it is important to understand how retailing works and why its so crucial for producers of products to be able to create relationships with other companies.