Direct markets Internet selling

It is possible to sell directly to the consumer (via farm shops, farmers markets, mail order and internet), or to restaurants and institutional buyers, or to brokers, distributors, wholesalers, processors, food manufacturers, millers, abattoirs, butchers, farm shops, co-operatives, local retail stores, speciality stores and large supermarket chains. If one outlet does not work, it is possible to switch to another. Some farmers use multiple outlets, selling directly to consumers as well as commercially to middlemen. In this way, the farmer is not reliant on just one outlet. Some farmers also take the decision to have their own processing facility, such as milk processing or cheese-making. 

One response has been the emergence of alternative supply chains that focus on the extended product. Dell sells direct over the telephone or through its Internet site. Dell has also lowered overhead and improved cash flow by using supplier capital to finance its business. In the recent downturn, Dell fine-tuned its pricing to match the markets it serves. So, a laptop for the small business user, healthcare customers, and state and local governments had three different prices — 2307, 2228, and 2072, respectively. Also, these prices change frequently based on overall demand and changes in supplier prices for components. 

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