eDistribution

In order to distribute digital or material goods, the distribution channel must be selected and the distribution logistics specified. Section 6.1 describes the components of a distribution system. As well as online distribution, there are also offline and hybrid forms of distribution (Sect. 6.2), which have their own advantages and disadvantages. Distribution is just one part of a comprehensive sales chain or supply chain (Sect. 6.3) that involves customer, dealer, distributor, manufacturer, and supplier. The SCOR (supply chain operations reference) model describes the information flow relating to orders such as material flows in which on-demand production constitutes a special challenge. Section 6.4 illustrates electronic software distribution. Section 6.5 deals with digital watermarks for protecting the copyright of digital products. Several literary references are given in Sect. 6.6.