Effects Of Channel Distribution Strategy On Customer Satisfaction Among The Alcoholic Beverages Distributors In Mombasa County, Kenya

With the globalization and technological advancement rapidly engulfing the developing economies a lot of changes are taking place in business circles. Local industries are slowly being marginalized by multinational companies and franchised sectors. These trends have not spared local alcoholic beverages manufacturers and distributors. Giant distributors are slowly edging out smaller and medium enterprises because of their bargaining power, product line dominance, price control and their ability to perfect their marketing mix strategies. However, giant companies lackeconomic gripe of geographical and demographical trends in their areas of operations. Customers are so much sophisticated that they mostly dictate what customized products they want and want it delivered at the door-steps. Alcoholic beverage distributors in Mombasa county have not been spared either by these economic surges and thus this study wish to address how they can go round this common denominator-competition, by addressing distribution strategies as means of addressing customer dissatisfaction. The general objective of this study was to analyze the effects of channel distribution strategy on customer satisfaction among the alcoholic beverages distributors in Mombasa County. Specifically, the study sought to:determine the effect of retail distribution strategy on customer satisfaction among the alcoholic beverages distributors in Mombasa County, determine the effect of depot distribution strategy on customer satisfaction among the alcoholic beverages distributors in Mombasa County, establish the effect of online distribution strategy on customer satisfaction among the alcoholic beverages distributors in Mombasa County and to determine the effect of direct distribution strategy on customer satisfaction among the alcoholic beverages distributors in Mombasa County. The study was guided by Theory of distribution channel, Depot theory and System theory. The target population was545 distributors, retailers, wholesalers and bars owners in MombasaCounty who were also the respondents.