One of the fundamental approaches to the study of negotiations between marketing members is an examination of the distinctions between the distributive and integrative orientation. Application of this paradigm would be facilitated if channel members were better able to size up a future negotiation to determine which orientation would be appropriate under the current situational factors faced. This article presents the concept of adaptive negotiation as a method to help negotiators select their style given the circumstances faced with channel partners and compares this concept to adaptive selling to provide both academicians and practitioners a more well-established point of reference.