Physical Distribution Strategies and the Marketing Performance of Bottled Water Companies in Calabar, Nigeria

This research examined the effect of physical distribution strategies on the marketing performance of bottled water companies in Calabar. It employed a cross-sectional survey approach. Primary data were collected from 276 operational personnel of bottled water companies in Calabar through a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were applied to analyze and interpret the data, while multiple linear regression was utilized to test the hypotheses. The results unveiled significant positive impacts of order processing, transportation, inventory, and warehousing management on the marketing performance of bottled water companies in Calabar, Nigeria. Therefore, the study recommends the following, among others: bottled water companies should integrate innovative technologies into their order processing systems, such as automated order placement, and order sorting software to ensure the delivery of accurate and personalized orders to customers at all times; a robust transportation management system characterized by timely carrier scheduling, clear route planning and automated carrier tracking should be in place to enable bottled water companies achieve effective distribution of products to customers when needed; and bottled water companies should prioritize inventory management through strategic inventory planning, automated inventory control and prompt inventory replacement to ensure that inventory resources required for production and customer service are consistently available in appropriate quantities and quality.