Key External Factors
Manufacturers must support their brands through advertising campaigns and by delivering the right product in an appropriate retail setting. They also must establish and maintain good relationships with retailers and help them to effectively present and sell their goods. Some manufacturers supply retailers with an in-store shop—from concept to display, including fixtures—which allow the retailer to create an environment consistent with the brand’s image. It also increases consumer product recognition and loyalty as customers become familiar with a product’s in-store presentation and location. (Neuman, 2003)
A manufacturer’s merchandising team usually utilizes consumer focus groups to provide customer feedback on the company’s products or to generate new product ideas. This information is shared with designers and the production staff. The merchandising team also will educate the retailer on the company’s new products and servicing of customers. Increasingly, manufacturers will open a few retail stores as a way to test their products and gain direct feedback from their end customers. An example is NEXT Plc., which has opened The North Face stores in several cities, partly to gauge customer reaction to new products for this brand of outdoor apparel and gear.
关键的外部因素
透过广告活动及提供合适的产品在合适的零售环境，制造商必须支持自己的品牌。他们还必须建立和保持良好的合作关系，与零售商，帮助他们有效地展示和销售自己的商品。一些制造商提供的零售商店中店从概念到显示，包括灯具，让零售商创造一种环境，符合品牌的形象。这也增加了消费者对产品的认可度和忠诚度，成为客户熟悉产品的店内展示和位置。 （纽曼，2003年）
制造商的销售团队通常利用消费者关注的焦点小组，对本公司的产品或产生新的产品理念，提供客户反馈。此信息共享与设计师和生产人员。采购团队也将教育零售商对公司的新产品和服务的客户。制造商将越来越多，开了几个零售店作为一种方法来测试他们的产品，并获得他们的最终客户的直接反馈。一个例子是一个PLC，其中已开业的The North Face商店在一些城市，部分客户反应来衡量这个品牌的户外服装及用品的新产品。
