In the current time, there is no area in life that is not subject to
change. Even within the distribution, changes have taken place in the
course of the years. One significant factor of change in the
distribution is the introduction of multiple distribution channels - the
multi-channel management. The term multi-channel is not new, but for all
that it has gained of importance for companies. This statement is valid
for companies in the national as well as in the international fields. It
has, more or less, substituted the meaning of a single-channel
distribution, which was more practiced in the past. Multi-channel
management has become a significant issue when coming to the
distribution of goods and the market development. Thereby, factors such
as the attitude of the competition, the internal development of the
company and especially the consumer behavior have determined the
enhancement of its importance. Moreover, the development of information
and communication technology has led to the introduction of new
distribution channels, as e.g. the internet, next to the traditional
channels which are the mail order business or the stationary
distribution channels among others. The demand for companies offering
different purchasing ways respectively channels has been increasing. The
reason for this development is the fact that consumers have recognized
the variety of ways they are able to choose in order to acquire a
product. This involves that consumers set high value on the distribution
channels offered by the companies. The increased consumer demand cannot
be only noticed in Germany but also in the international context. As a
consequence companies have been forced to modify their distribution
strategies in order to be able to fulfill the consumer needs and thus
assuring the customer retention further on. But the multi-channel
distribution is not only a necessity. On the other hand it is linked
with additional possibilities for companies. For instance, they can
achieve cost advantages such as the increase of the total revenue. The
management of parallel running channels is not as easy as one might
think and in addition, a multi-channel management bears some risks.
These two aspects lead to the necessity that the companies have to be
engaged in the involvement of distribution channels, in the arrangement
of the channel mix as well as in the coordination of the multi-channel
system. It always has to be stressed that the multi-channel management
is not only important for the domestic market, but also for the
international one. The distribution in the international context is more
complex and different from the domestic one. Since the distribution
system differs from country to country, it is not possible to apply the
same distribution system as in the home country. Therefore, this diploma
thesis does not only illustrate the multi-channel management in general
but also the international marketing within the scope of the
multi-channel management.
