MAPS Intelligence

Distribution Focus

Where it sells. And how to get in.

The category’s channels and their weight, the players that matter, the private labels. Then, channel by channel, the trade dynamics: margins, payment terms, what it takes to get listed. Down to the individual retailer.

The overview

The map of channels.
And who the gatekeepers are.

What the category is worth, how it splits across channels, which players you have to reckon with. The example is men’s luxury in the United Kingdom: department stores, multi-brand stores, online, outlets.

Category value and growth
The main market players with channel and strategic notes
The players in the UK market. When a share isn’t public, MAPS says so.
In B2B

Distributors, networks, wholesalers.
And their own brands.

In B2B projects the module is called Go-to-Market Focus and reads the supply chain: distributors, networks, wholesalers, agents. Including something that weighs on manufacturers’ margins: which distributors have their own brand, and in which categories.

Distributors’ private labels in the aftermarket
An automotive aftermarket parts manufacturer, with a fictional name. The distributors and brands are the market’s real ones.
A channel deep dive

One channel,
seen from the inside.

Choose a channel — or write your own — and MAPS analyzes it: how it’s structured, what role the category plays, who the players are, the trade dynamics — barriers to entry, margins, payment terms, promotional pressure — and the opportunities for the brand. The example: independent multi-brand boutiques for men’s tailoring in Italy.

The category in the channel, with its indicators
The channel’s players
The channel’s trade dynamics
Barriers, margins, payments, shelf space: what you need to know before you go out and sell.
Down to the retailer

And then, one retailer at a time.

A deep dive on each player: profile, market position, private label, how to become its supplier, digital presence, and the partnership SWOT — whether it’s a potential partner, a competitor, or both. The example: a large luxury e-commerce player, seen from a tailoring brand.

The player’s role: market leader, intermediary and competitor
MAPS establishes the role: here it is both a sales channel and a competitor, with its own private label.
How to become its supplier: payments, who decides, requirements, listing
The partnership SWOT
The brand has a fictional name; the player is the real one.

Here too, a chat to query, the Synthesis and the PDF.

You know where to sell.
And how to get in.