Channels: Distribution Channels

Guides product distribution via third-party marketplaces and app stores. Distinct from

directory-submission

(curated lists, Product Hunt, Taaft)—marketplaces are storefronts where customers discover and purchase apps, plugins, or integrations. Hyperscaler marketplaces (AWS, Azure, GCP) alone are projected to process $85B+ in software sales by 2028.

When invoking

On

first use

, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On

subsequent use

or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

Channel Types

Type

Definition

Examples

Direct

Company sells via own assets

Website, eCommerce, sales team

Indirect

Third parties sell on your behalf

Marketplaces, app stores, resellers

Marketplaces

= Digital storefronts where customers discover and buy; often pre-approved budgets (cloud spend), consolidated billing, faster procurement.

Marketplace Categories

Category

Platforms

Product fit

Design & collaboration

Figma Community, Canva Apps, Adobe Exchange

Design tools, templates

Browser extensions

Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons

Extensions, dev tools

Cloud & enterprise

AWS Marketplace, Google Cloud Marketplace, Azure Marketplace

SaaS, data, infra

Mobile

App Store, Google Play, Microsoft Store

Mobile apps, cross-platform

Vertical

Shopify App Store, Slack App Directory, Salesforce AppExchange, Zoom Marketplace

E-commerce, collaboration, CRM

Developer

GitHub Marketplace, WordPress Plugins

Dev tools, integrations

AI

GPTs (OpenAI), emerging AI app stores

AI apps, agents

Social commerce

Pinterest Product Pins

E-commerce, design tools, templates; Product Schema or Pinterest Catalog

Pinterest Product Pins

Configure product links; shopping tags; link to site. Requires Product Schema or Pinterest Catalog. See

pinterest-posts

.

Listing Optimization

Practice

Guideline

Reduce procurement friction

Vendor Insights, standard contracts; streamline enterprise buying

Pricing models

Free trials, pay-as-you-go, private offers for enterprise

Trust signals

Verified reviews, partner badges, clear taxonomy

Discoverability

Optimize for marketplace search; clear descriptions, tags

Co-sell

Partner with platform field teams when available

Listing as asset

Your marketplace page is both storefront and onboarding tool; prospects validate, customers discover integrations. Platform Selection by Product Type Product type Prioritize Design / collaboration Figma, Canva, Adobe Browser extension Chrome, Firefox Cloud / enterprise SaaS AWS, GCP, Azure Mobile app App Store, Google Play, Microsoft Store E-commerce Shopify Collaboration Slack, Zoom Developer tools GitHub, WordPress AI application GPTs, emerging AI stores E-commerce / templates Pinterest Product Pins