Which of the following is NOT a product distribution channel option?

• A. Corporate office
• B. Customer
• C. Wholesaler
• D. Manufacturer

Answer: (B)

Distribution channels are the paths goods take from the producer to the end user, involving the entities that move and sell the product along the way. A manufacturer can act as a channel by selling directly or by using intermediaries. A wholesaler is a common channel intermediary that buys in bulk and resells to retailers or other buyers. The corporate office is an organizational unit within a company that may oversee distribution activities, but it isn’t itself a route in the channel through which products flow. The customer, on the other hand, is the endpoint of the channel—the final recipient of the product rather than a participant that moves goods along the path. Because of that, the customer isn’t a distribution channel option.