Ralph Lauren sells clothes both online via company website and through retail outlets such as department stores. Recently, department stores have noticed that clothing is arriving to their warehouses damaged. This causes a delay in sales because the damaged items have to be returned and new inventory has to be shipped. As a result, department stores are losing sales to Ralph Lauren's online store because customers are able to get items faster. The department stores are angry. This is an example of what kind of channel conflict?

Select one:

a.

Indirect

b.

Direct

c.

Vertical

d.

Non-channel specific

e.

Horizontal