What Is Distribution Mapping (and Why Overlap Matters More Than Any Single Sighting)
Before manufacturing a new product, understanding who already distributes your competitors is real market intelligence. Any single sighting of a seller carrying a competitor's product is a data point — but a seller who shows up across multiple competing brands is a signal worth paying attention to, since they're likely a bigger, more established distributor already active in exactly the market you're considering.
Why Cross-Competitor Overlap Is the Real Insight
This extension lets you log sellers you spot distributing each competitor you track, then instantly flips that into a matrix showing exactly who overlaps across brands — the sellers worth prioritizing for your own outreach once you launch.
Key Brand Owner Pain Points and How This Extension Solves Them
| Pain Point | How the Distribution Mapper Solves It |
|---|---|
| You research competitors' listings but have no way to track patterns across them | Log sightings per competitor and build a running, structured record |
| A seller might distribute for several competitors, but you'd never notice by browsing alone | The matrix instantly surfaces sellers who overlap across multiple tracked competitors |
| You want to know which sellers are worth prioritizing before you launch outreach | Overlap badges flag the biggest, most-established distributors first |
| You need a record of your competitive research for later reference | Pro: export the full matrix to CSV |
How the Competitive Distribution Mapper Works
Step 1 — Add the Competitors You're Researching
Track each competing brand you're evaluating before entering a category. Free tier tracks up to 3 competitors.
Step 2 — Log Sellers as You Browse
Each time you spot a seller distributing one of your tracked competitors, log it under that competitor.
Step 3 — Read the Overlap Matrix
Sellers appearing under multiple competitors are flagged with an overlap badge and sorted to the top — your strongest candidates for future outreach.
Worked Example — Finding the Biggest Distributor
Tracking three competitors in a category you're considering entering.
Sightings logged: "Northgate Distribution" appears under all three. "Summit Wholesale" appears under two. "QuickShip Direct" appears under just one.
The matrix result: Northgate Distribution ranks first with a "3x" overlap badge — clearly the most established player already active across this entire competitive set, and the first name worth reaching out to once you launch.
Try It: Live Overlap Matrix Demo
Add a few sightings below to see the same overlap matrix the extension builds.
Where Brands Actually Use This
Pre-Launch Market Research
Before committing to a production run, understanding the existing distribution landscape shows whether the market is dominated by a few big players or fragmented across many small sellers.
Preparing Your Own Distribution Outreach
Once you're ready to recruit resellers for your own product, the overlap matrix gives you a prioritized starting list of sellers already active in the space.
A Note on Accuracy
The matrix is built from simple, transparent grouping logic — seller names are matched case-insensitively across the competitors you've logged them under. Accuracy depends entirely on the completeness of your own observations. All data stays local to your browser except an optional license check for Pro features.
Common Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
Fix: Case doesn't matter, but genuinely different spellings won't merge — try to log the same seller consistently.
Fix: The overlap signal gets more reliable the more you log — a thin sample can make a single-sighting seller look more or less significant than they really are.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this detect sellers on Amazon automatically?
No — you browse yourself and log what you observe. There's no automated detection or Amazon connection of any kind.
How many competitors can I track?
Free tier tracks up to 3 competitors. Pro unlocks unlimited tracked competitors.
What does the overlap badge mean?
It shows how many of your tracked competitors that specific seller distributes for — a "3x" badge means they appeared under all three competitors you're tracking.
What happens after the 14-day trial?
Logging sightings and viewing the matrix keep working for free indefinitely, capped at 3 tracked competitors. Pro unlocks unlimited competitors and CSV export.
