Understand what drives the trade

Trade insights research can help you understand:

• Distributor, wholesaler and retailer needs and motivations.
• Channel structures and route-to-market dynamics.
• Margins, trade terms, incentives and commercial expectations.
• Ordering, delivery, payment and service requirements.
• Distribution, stocking and recommendation barriers.
• Trade promotion and merchandising effectiveness.
• Competitor strengths and weaknesses within the trade.
• Opportunities to improve channel relationships and execution.

Understanding how distributors, wholesalers and retailers make decisions is essential to building an effective route-to-market strategy. Cimigo trade insights research explores how the trade operates, what motivates channel partners and what helps or prevents brands from achieving stronger distribution, visibility and sales.

Cimigo conducts in-depth interviews with distributors, wholesalers, retailers, store owners, store managers and other channel partners. Research can cover traditional trade, modern trade, specialist retail, on-trade and off-trade channels, depending on the category and the client’s commercial objectives. We explore the realities of doing business within each channel rather than relying solely on consumer behaviour or sales data.

Research can examine retailer and distributor needs, margins and trade terms, ordering and payment practices, delivery and service expectations, incentives, promotional programmes, merchandising support and relationships with suppliers and sales representatives. It can also identify barriers to stocking or recommending a brand, reasons for switching suppliers, unmet service needs and differences between stronger and weaker competitors.

For brands entering a market or expanding distribution, Cimigo can investigate channel structures, distributor capabilities, retailer requirements and the commercial practices needed to compete effectively. For established brands, trade research can identify gaps in distribution, service and execution and reveal opportunities to strengthen relationships with channel partners.

Findings can be analysed by channel, outlet type, geography and other relevant trade segments. Where appropriate, trade insights can be combined with retail audits, retail censuses, sales force effectiveness studies and quantitative research to provide a broader understanding of route-to-market performance.

The result is a practical understanding of what happens between the brand and the shopper. Cimigo helps clients use these insights to refine trade terms, strengthen distributor and retailer propositions, improve trade marketing programmes, prioritise channels and develop more effective route-to-market strategies.