RESEARCH

The Chair of Marketing and Commerce Management is concerned with the design of marketing channels, in particular with the role of actors at the interface to the consumer. These include, on the one hand, traditional (independent) retailers and, on the other, various forms of direct (hierarchical) distribution, with so-called hybrid forms in between. In all cases, a fundamental understanding of customer preferences and behaviour is essential for the success of individual players, but also of entire marketing channels. We are particularly interested in the acceptance and use of new marketing concepts, the use of new technologies and the role of sustainability. Our theoretical considerations are usually tested in empirical studies using appropriate statistical methods. On the basis of the findings, strategic and societal implications are derived.