NEW DISTRIBUTION RESEARCH TOPIC
How can distributors keep growing across fragmented channels?
Front-line analysis of product selection, organization, channel strategy, profit models, and business transformation for FMCG distributors.
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4637 articles · Page 6 of 194
Distributors Who Don't Understand Product Mix Can't Make Money Even with the Best Brands!
The market is changing, retail is changing, and distributors' businesses are getting harder. One of the key strategies for large and medium-sized trading companies to break through is product mix and management, which involves rationally combining products from different brand tiers: first-tier brands can cover basic operating costs, ensure normal survival, and bundle with second- and third-tier brands to improve their trading terms, help them quickly cover sales networks, and spread distribution costs; second-tier brands can become the main profit contributors after first-tier brands cover basic costs, enhancing distributors' resilience to risk and providing terminal market maintenance teams for third-tier brands; third-tier brands can further increase profit margins with the backing of first- and second-tier brands.
高级研究员 海游293 Prefecture-Level Cities: How Many B2B Platforms Are There in China?
In March 2024, Retail Link announced adjustments and gradually suspended related businesses, leading some in the industry to declare that winter had arrived for B2B. As industry observers, our judgment at the time was that the retreat of giants precisely proved the complexity of FMCG channels, which cannot be easily flattened by burning money or subsidies. The exit of Retail Link actually returned the space once occupied by giants to local markets. Looking back from 2026, our judgment has been confirmed. We see a large number of regional B2B platforms, transformed from major distributors or evolved from unified warehousing and distribution, quietly rising.
New DistributionDistributors: Grab Share, Grab Terminals, Don't Get Left Behind!
At a manufacturer's meeting, a business manager said, 'Local consumers have a special attachment to competing products and only buy them.' The leader retorted, 'If that's the case, we might as well give up on this market.' The reality is that consumer loyalty is not as high as we think. If they only buy competitors' products, it's because your competitive strategy is flawed. Strategically, companies should avoid homogeneous competition, create new categories, and pursue differentiation, especially for SMEs.
金名Distributors: Don't Bet Your Life on a Single Channel
Distributors' sales and profits largely stem from channel strength, making channels not just a means to sell but a core competitive advantage for survival and growth. A diversified channel strategy helps mitigate risks, ensuring business stability when one channel falters. This article discusses how distributors should plan their channel layout for 2026, covering offline and online channels.
高级研究员 海游Dialogue with Chen Liping: 'De-intermediation' Is a False Proposition!
In the winter of 2025-2026, China's FMCG and retail industry seems to be in a collective 'confusion'. On one hand, there is visible involution: e-commerce platforms compare prices, livestream e-commerce breaks prices, and hard discount stores slash prices. On the other hand, there is a panic spreading deep in the channels—de-intermediation. Platforms shout 'direct sourcing from the source', various new retail models shout 'direct supply from manufacturers', and brands ponder DTC (Direct to Consumer). It seems that overnight, distributors, agents, and wholesalers who have been struggling in this industry for decades have become redundant roles hindering efficiency.
任文青AndySpring Festival Gift Boxes: Should Distributors Stock Up More?
Spring Festival has always been a key window for observing trends in China's consumer market. For the FMCG industry, Spring Festival gift boxes not only carry holiday consumption demand but also represent the most important concentrated sales period of the year. With less than a month to go before the 2026 Year of the Horse Spring Festival, the question for distributors and retailers has shifted from 'whether to stock up' to 'how to stock, what to choose, and how much to control'—the outcome of this battle will directly affect the operating rhythm for the entire coming year.
simbaFarewell to Blind Distribution: How to Make Consumers 'Choose You' in an Era of Oversupply?
The 11th China FMCG Conference will be held in Chengdu from March 16-18, 2026, under the theme 'Advance Toward the C-End.' As the market shifts from incremental growth to an era of oversupply, the industry must redefine the role of intermediaries and build a unified supply-demand loop centered on consumers, making it the key to the next round of growth.
New DistributionSales Are Hard, 90% of the Problem Isn't the Salesperson
At a distributor's internal review meeting, salespeople were blamed for poor B2b performance, but the real issues lie in organizational structure, management, and product assortment. To succeed, distributors must clarify responsibilities, train thoroughly, and pilot with small teams.
葛畅In 2026, the Underlying Logic of the FMCG Industry Has Completely Changed!
The 11th China FMCG Conference is set to address the industry's shift from incremental growth to an era of surplus, where the key to success lies in reaching consumers' decision-making radius. Brands, distributors, and retailers must all focus on the C-end, building a unified supply-demand loop around consumer needs, scenarios, and fulfillment methods. The conference, themed 'Advance Toward the C-End!', will explore this transformation and the new competitive rules for the next decade.
New DistributionHow Should Distributors Survive in 2026?
If asked about their biggest feeling in 2025, most distributors would likely say anxiety. The traditional agency model—the 'brand → distribution → retail' chain—is being replaced by new models. Distributors' value comes from the industry ecosystem, with upstream and downstream defining their role. Over the past 40 years, China's consumer boom has created unprecedented prosperity for distributors, but today, giants are entering the market, and new retail models are emerging, encroaching on traditional retail's territory.
赵波Disintermediation Is a False Proposition; the Real Battlefield Is the C-End
The 11th China FMCG Conference, themed 'Advancing Toward the C-End,' will be held in Chengdu from March 16-18, 2026. As the FMCG market enters an era of surplus, the industry must shift focus to the consumer side, redefining the role of intermediaries rather than eliminating them.
New DistributionStop Competing on Channels—The Battle Will Be Won or Lost at the Consumer End
The 11th China FMCG Conference, themed 'Advance Toward the Consumer End (C-End)', will be held from March 16-18, 2026 in Chengdu, China. As the FMCG market shifts from incremental growth to an era of oversupply, the industry must pivot from channel-centric strategies to understanding and serving consumer demand directly, making the consumer the core of the supply-demand loop.
New DistributionOnly 'Category Management' Is the Real Moat for Distributors!
As the year-end approaches, distributor conferences are underway. After visiting many distributors, the consensus is that business is tough, but growth comes from expanding channels and store counts. The key insight is shifting from brand agency to category management, which is what downstream retailers truly need.
袁来Major Release | Essential for New-Quality Distributors: 2025 New Alcoholic Beverage Industry Development Report
China's alcoholic beverage industry is entering an unprecedented structural cycle. While traditional alcohol faces overall pressure, new alcoholic beverages are surging with a compound annual growth rate of 37.18%, expected to reach 135.1 billion yuan by 2025. This dramatic contrast is not a simple category shift but a migration in the logic of alcohol consumption.
周群JD.com Establishes 'Chameleon Business Unit'! New Move in AI Commercialization Layout
On January 8, according to the Science and Technology Board Daily, JD.com established the 'Chameleon Business Unit' to fully undertake the development and commercialization of core AI products such as JoyAI App, JoyInside, and digital humans. Previously, JD.com's self-developed AI plush toys launched at the end of 2025 sold out immediately upon initial release and have undergone multiple restocks. JD.com stated that the second batch of AI toys is planned to fully launch in mid-January, covering users of all ages. Within just one month, JD.com has made continuous moves in the AI track, with its standalone app 'JD AI Shopping' also starting internal testing in late December 2025.
New DistributionThe Manufacturer-Dealer Cooperation Model Based on Forcing Inventory Has Reached Its End!
Dealers are increasingly frustrated with manufacturers' practices of forcing inventory and shifting risks, leading to broken trust and unhealthy relationships. To improve, manufacturers must shift from a 'pushing' model to an 'empowering' one, focusing on protecting dealer profits, co-creating value, and establishing equal communication platforms.
金名Heavyweight | First Batch of TOP Daily Chemical Flash Warehouse Distributors Inventory
In 2025, instant retail competition shifted from consumer traffic to supply chain restructuring, making flash warehouses the new terminal. Brands must partner with professional flash warehouse distributors who possess product assortment, warehousing, distribution, and operational capabilities. This article profiles the first batch of TOP daily chemical flash warehouse distributors, highlighting their regional concentration, scale, and evolving role, and advises brands on how to leverage them.
袁来In 2026, Companies and Distributors Must First Think About How to 'Survive'
A sobering fact: for many beverage companies and distributors, 2026 is not about whether they can thrive, but how to survive. This is not alarmism but a conclusion based on real market feedback. From January to October 2025, the offline market, the most critical for beverages, saw a -5.6% growth compared to the same period last year, with nine consecutive months of negative growth from February to October.
AaronPackaged Drinking Water 2025: Nongfu Leads, Wahaha Rises, C'estbon Defends...
Domestic consumption upgrading has accelerated the packaged drinking water market into an era of stock competition characterized by 'one rising, another falling.' However, under high-pressure competition, higher demands are placed on companies' market execution. As the 'water war' continues, the market landscape is quietly shifting. According to a research report by Zhongtai Securities, as of September 2025, Nongfu Spring leads the industry with a 33% market share, Wahaha ranks second with a 2% year-on-year increase, while C'estbon's share dropped 3%. Meanwhile, regional brands like Quanyangquan and 5100 have achieved rapid growth in their key regions thanks to solid distributor relationships, local cultural ties, and shorter transportation radii.
让消费更纯粹的Covering 10,000+ Stores with Annual Sales Over 500 Million: How Did Chongqing Jiecang Wanggou Stand Out?
Recently, we visited Zhong Xiaoping, founder of Jiecang Wanggou in Chongqing, to discuss his insights on regional B2b. He emphasized that the company has been profitable since its inception, avoiding the common path of heavy investment for scale. Instead, it focuses on saving store owners' time through centralized replenishment, mandatory online ordering, and reliable delivery, turning supply chain into a replicable system.
周群Caught Every Time? How Distributors Can Spend Less and Reduce Risk Under Golden Tax Phase IV
A distributor client recently complained about receiving frequent warnings about mismatched cash flows and data discrepancies, despite not evading taxes. Under Golden Tax Phase IV, tax authorities now rely on system comparisons rather than manual checks, making it crucial for distributors to understand how they are being monitored and to maintain clear, compliant records across income, costs, expenses, and funds.
崔人文、张雨薇People's Daily Online '2025 Craftsmanship Product' Certification Unveiled: Why Kunlun Mountain Mineral Water?
As public health awareness continues to rise, discussions about the science of drinking water are heating up on social platforms, reflecting a growing consensus that drinking water is a top priority in daily life. However, water's uniqueness lies in its difficulty to distinguish quality by taste, leaving consumers overwhelmed by choices. Kunlun Mountain Mineral Water was recently awarded the '2025 Craftsmanship Product' by People's Daily Online, recognizing its exceptional quality and craftsmanship.
葛畅If You Only Deliver Goods, You're a 'Mover'! Without Category Management, Distributors Have No Competitive Moat
Recent exchanges with distributor friends have made one thing increasingly clear: the most critical lesson distributors need to learn today is not transformation or people management, but category management. On the surface, the biggest changes in the industry over the past two years have been at the retail end—supermarket overhauls, accelerated discounting, the rise of instant retail, chain convenience store expansion, and the explosion of private labels—but ultimately, these changes all converge on one point: the rules of the shelf are being rewritten. All retail changes are doing the same thing: re-screening SKUs, re-aligning price bands, and re-matching assortments based on demand.
周群The Self-Deceiving Manufacturer-Dealer Relationship Can No Longer Be Sustained
After extensive discussions with brand owners and distributors, the author concludes that the manufacturer-dealer relationship must change or collapse. The past year has seen unprecedented inventory pressure, sluggish sell-through, disputed expense reimbursements, price erosion, and widespread channel conflict. The old growth model of pushing inventory is no longer viable in an era of oversupply, and the future requires a shift from a 'upstream-downstream' dynamic to a 'left hand-right hand' partnership focused on matching supply with demand and moving toward the consumer.
任文青Andy