The marketing mix is the balance of marketing techniques required for selling the product. Place - this part of the marketing mix is all about how the product is distributed.
Current trends are towards shortening the chain of distribution.
In the past many firms have been what could have been described as product-oriented . They produced a product and spent their energies marketing this product. There was little flexibility for individual customers or segments of the market. Firms now tend to be market-oriented . This means that they are flexible and adaptable to the demands of the market.