According to Investopedia, a distribution channel is a chain of businesses or intermediaries through which a good or service passes until it reaches the final buyer or the end consumer. Distribution channels can include wholesalers, retailers, distributors, and even the Internet. (cite https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/distribution-channel.asp)
Every business owner is looking to develop additional distribution channels to expand reach and grow revenue. IMS’ tens of thousands of clients are a natural distribution channel as our clients are actively looking to purchase from other IMS clients. With this captive audience of ready and willing buyers waiting for to buy your product or service, your business benefits from additional exposure to non-IMS clients, increasing your reach and growing your revenue.
"At the Wine Road, we have been working with IMS Barter for over a year now. They were recommended to us by a current winery member, who has worked with them for years - quite successfully! We already have some winery and lodging members that use this program to fill their rooms and sell wine. Every poster, postcard, sign we have printed for the past year, we have bartered for with our event tickets. We have also used tickets for advertising and some supplies. With our current budget constraints, we would NOT be able to print these items if we were paying for them - it would just not be in the budget. "