Direct, distributor, dealer, modern trade, D2C or marketplace? Decide on economics, not habit.
Direct, distributor, modern trade, D2C or marketplace? Score each route on margin retained, speed to scale, control, capital need and product fit — weighted by what your business needs most right now.
Each route is scored 0–5 per criterion; your weights reflect current priorities (a cash-tight year weights capital; a premium brand weights control).
Scores normalise to 0–100 and rank. Test sensitivity: if the winner flips on a small weight change, the routes are genuinely close — pilot both, don't debate.
The winner is your primary route for 18 months. Two half-built routes lose to one route done properly.
Illustrative figures, not a client outcome.
Most brands do — sequentially. Earn the right to a second channel by making the first one profitable and repeatable.
Whether the channel can actually sell your product: cold chain, demo-dependence, pack sizes, service needs. A heavy, installed product scores D2C low for a reason.
Version 1.0 · Reviewed 2026-10 · Methodology is fixed and version-controlled; results depend on your inputs.
Channel decisions compound for years. Make this one with evidence.
BLEZZINGS runs this analysis inside a focused engagement — with your data, your market and a plan to act on it.