Crafting a Winning Channel Strategy Across Retail & E-Commerce

Jamie Gunter is a CPG marketing leader passionate about crafting holistic brand experiences across categories, channels, and business scales. With experience at Anheuser-Busch, Spectrum Brands, and BarkBox, she has successfully led multimillion dollar product portfolios, driven brand turnarounds, and optimized distribution strategies. Jamie thrives at the intersection of startup culture and large-scale operations, leveraging omnichannel marketing to drive growth in the pet, beverage, and beer industries across retail, e-commerce, and direct-to-consumer models. As Director of Retail Marketing at Golden Hippo, she oversees go-to-market strategies for a $60M+ pet product portfolio.

Through this article, Gunter emphasizes the importance of a balanced channel strategy in a go-to-market plan, highlighting the unique opportunities and trade-offs of specialty retail, mass retail, and e-commerce while stressing the need for strategic decision-making to optimize growth and efficiency.

Channel strategy is a critical yet often overlooked component of a go-to-market plan. In an ideal world, you’d launch a streamlined assortment, offer the same products across all channels, and scale effortlessly-meeting shoppers wherever they prefer, all at a consistent price.

But reality isn’t that simple. Retailers across all channels, specialty, mass, or e-commerce, have unique needs and expectations. Specialty retailers fight for exclusive assortments and strong margins to justify in-store experiences. Mass retailers demand competitive pricing, high volume, and proven performance. E-commerce platforms, while offering speed and reach, come with competition, logistics, and brand dilution challenges.

Many brands I’ve worked with ask: where do we start? Some are drawn to the ease of listing on

Amazon struggles with visibility in an oversaturated marketplace. Others look to specialty stores for credibility, curated shelf space, and a highly engaged audience. On the other hand, mass retailers offer unparalleled scale but require operational efficiency and pricing strategies to succeed.

Regardless of your chosen path, understanding the trade-offs is key. Here’s what you need to know about building a balanced channel strategy.

The Opportunity & The Trade-Offs Across Channels

Each channel comes with unique advantages and challenges. Trying to please all of them at once will stretch your resources and triple your assortment. So, before you decide who to start calling on, take some time to evaluate your options.

Common Retailer Requests:

Specialty Retailers: Higher per-unit margins, exclusive assortments, and marketing support.

Mass Retailers: Competitive pricing, volume commitments, and supply chain reliability.

E-Commerce: SEO-optimized listings, strong customer reviews, and fast fulfillment options.

While specialty retailers can elevate brand credibility, mass retail provides scale, and e-commerce delivers accessibility. The key is finding the right balance.

Specialty Stores As A Testing Ground

One significant advantage of specialty retail is the ability to test new products and marketing strategies in a controlled environment. Limited-edition items or exclusive colorways provide valuable consumer insights before a broader launch into mass or e-commerce.

E-Commerce: The Digital Growth Engine

Online marketplaces like Amazon and DTC sites allow brands to reach consumers directly. E-commerce enables fast iteration, data-driven decision-making, and the ability to test product demand before committing to large retail partnerships. However, standing out in an overcrowded space requires strong branding, customer engagement, and operational excellence.

Mass Retail: The Scale Play

Mass retailers like Target, Walmart, and Costco offer significant revenue potential but require brands to have solid distribution, competitive pricing, and a clear promotional strategy. Success in this channel demands a different level of logistical preparedness and marketing investment.

Real-World Examples Of Multi-Channel Success:

Yeti Coolers: Built its premium brand image through specialty retailers before expanding to mass and e-commerce.

Big Green Egg: Leveraged specialty partnerships before branching into broader retail channels.

Nike: Drove innovation through specialty and fashion-forward retailers while scaling through mass distribution.

Furbo & Whistle: PetSmart’s specialty positioning was used before expanding into DTC and Amazon.

Kosas & Fenty Beauty: Maximized reaches through Sephora’s specialty strategy before scaling into mass retail.

Mrs. Meyers: Struck a balance offering limited-edition seasonal scents in specialty stores while maintaining year-round core products in mass and e-commerce.

Key Strategies for A Balanced Channel Strategy

Know Your Customer: Understand how different segments shop across specialty, mass, and online channels. Curate Your Assortment: Align your product offerings with each channel’s unique positioning.

Balance Margins & Scale: Ensure that pricing and profitability work across all retail partners.

Leverage Data: Use sales analytics to refine your approach and avoid overextending. Build Relationships: Foster strong partnerships with buyers in each channel. Plan for Expansion & Sunset Strategies: Define the lifecycle of exclusive and channel-specific products. If they succeed, what’s next? If they don’t, what’s your exit strategy? Establish clear metrics to guide distribution shifts.

By strategically managing specialty, mass, and e-commerce partnerships, brands can unlock meaningful growth while maintaining operational efficiency. The key? A thoughtful, balanced approach to multi-channel distribution.