The Evolution of Marketing Channels: Trends and Research Directions

• Article reviews and synthesizes marketing channels research from 1980 to 2014.
• Covers key theories, strategies, units of analysis, and substantive topics.
• Shows trends and evolution of channels research through dynamic content analysis.
• Identifies developing channel disruptions for directions for future research.

Despite the vast increase in marketing channels research published in the past decade, few contemporary analyses review or synthesize the domain. This article provides a comprehensive review of marketing channels research from 1980 to 2014. To present a multidimensional view of marketing channels, the authors evaluate extant literature from four perspectives: (1) key theories and constructs, (2) marketing channel strategies, (3) units of analyses, and (4) substantive topics in channels research. A content analysis of the relevant topics within each perspective that have had the greatest impact on channel research provides insights into research trends. This multidimensional analysis offers an integrated guide to extant literature, as well as an outline of promising directions for research, in light of the most significant trends.