Retail channels are how businesses sell their products or services to end consumers. These include physical stores, online shops and marketplaces, mobile apps, social media platforms—all of which are means of connecting sellers with buyers. There is different expectation as well as service differentiation in the channels in which products are sold.
Two great examples of this are : Pricing – a 20 oz coke product the discount grocery store cost 1.49, the same product at a service gas station could cost 2.49 or higher, this same 20 oz coke could cost 5.00 at LAX airport. Truly different pricing for different channels. Service differentiation could be similar, most customer do not think they should have to wait in line at a grocery store for more than one person, the same customer is more comfortable waiting in line in their car at the coffee shop, 5 cars deep. The same customer has no problem waiting in line at the Ryder Cup 200 deep to buy a T Shirt.
Different channels different expectation. Your examples prove this to be true. Gun Broker customer has very different expectation not only in price but service. The example of a H&K SBE selling for $2000,00, I have sold nicer ones for under $1,000.00. You are correct as well about changes to the gun through the evolution of the product, most of these for the better. I do think however you prefer to bring these changes together because of timing of importation.
There have been changes to SBE throughout the years, some folks are willing to pay a premium for a H&K Benelli. From your posts you are not one of these customers.
I sell Benelli new and used, work on Benelli’s, closing in on 2 thousand of them, love the brand. I do not price H&K Benelli higher than USA imported Benelli’s. I get the nostalgia. There are customers who shop Gun Broker who will pay extra for these guns, as well as many others.
These customers are great example of differentiation – different expectations for different channels, not necessarily the product.