IMPLEMENTING MULTI-CHANNEL DISTRIBUTION AS AN ALTERNATIVE FOR FISH MARKETING TO INCREASE FISHERMAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IN SOUTH SULAWESI
This research aims to provide fishermen, as producers of marine fish commodities, and marketing institutions with an understanding of which marketing channels provide higher profit margins than others. Furthermore, this research also aims to increase producers' knowledge about product diversification to increase added value. With product diversification, producers will naturally expand their business partners, ultimately increasing sales volume and increasing business profits. This product diversification step demonstrates a shift in producer behavior from catch-and-sell (TLJ) to pick-and-sell (POL). This research found that the income received by marketing institutions involved in the fresh marine fish trade is influenced by the marketing functions they perform. The behavior of marketing institutions in each channel, where the selling price of fish reaches consumers, increased by an average of 17.50% to 30.67%. The increase in selling prices for each institution was due to the implementation of marketing functions, including transportation, packaging, cleaning, maintenance, preservation, and so on. The existence of alternative fish distribution channels as a marketing activity, from fishermen to end consumers, aims to achieve higher economic value. Collectors selling fish to retailers incur costs for several marketing functions, as do other marketing institutions, resulting in higher prices paid by end consumers. In conclusion, longer fish distribution channels tend to result in higher prices than shorter channels. However, it is important to note that the implementation of both long and short marketing channels is influenced by the characteristics of the product being marketed.