The marketing manager for a producer of mattresses and box springs distributes its products through discount stores (like Costco), department stores, furniture stores, and specialty bedding stores. To avoid conflict with channel members, the manager
a. should offer purchase discounts based on the quantity of mattresses that the retailer sells.
b. assume that all channel members have a common commitment to target consumers at the end of the channel.
c. trust retailers to emphasize sales of his brand rather than the brand of some other manufacturer.
d. develop different brands or product lines for different channels.
e. expect one of the large retail chains to step up to the responsibilities of being the channel captain.
Answer: d. develop different brands or product lines for different channels.