Pick a product and describe its consumer product type and the associated market mix considerations - Essay Example

Running head: marketing Pick a product and describe its consumer product type and the associated market mix considerations. Product offerings are categorized into convenience, shopping, luxury and unsought products depending upon consumers’ preference, buying pattern, costs etc. For instance, consumer’s preference for television would involve careful planning, seeking alternative options, checking price and quality, information search etc. Hence, a television would be categorized as a shopping product.

Shopping products are those that are less frequently purchased consumer products and services that customers compare carefully on suitability, quality, price and style (Kotler & Armstrong, 2008; p.207). For such products, consumers usually look for special features, quality, brand etc. Televisions usually have higher price and are available from selective distribution outlets. Marketers of television products provide efficient sales support and opportunity to compare different products of the same line.

Promotion and awareness of televisions are through various types of advertisements through television, news papers, brochures, memorandum, invitation, etc. The associated market mix considerations for shopping products such as television would include branding, style, size options, guarantee/warranty, and special features. The brand name of the original manufacturer usually sets pace for sales of televisions. Most consumers of television seek well-known manufacturers. Branding becomes important because of other competing products in same group with similar features and different pricing options and vice versa.

Secondly, style and size options relative to pricing are also critical marketing mix considerations. Consumers seeking minimum price for optimum size and features give higher preference to price than brand. To create customer interest, marketing television products opt for advertising through mass media; providing special selling propositions; exhibitions and goodwill initiatives etc. To maintain price competitiveness or to set up value status, these products can have price differentiation like wholesale price, retail price, distributors’ price, etc.

Economic initiatives such as discounts, grants, credit policies play a major role in attracting consumers to go for high-quality and/or bigger television sets. Accessibility of television products can lead to increased sales. For instance, selling television products in foreign countries because of the brand image is easier than selling the same numbers in home location, especially with tough competition. Other marketing options include direct selling through authorized dealer and indirect selling through merchandizing.

Providing good and/or safe warehousing as well as transportation also helps in increasing marketing and sales of television sets. In conclusion, shopping product types are seldom bought by consumers; but these product types are given optimum time and attention before selection and are highly priced. Consumers seek quality, size and features options, pricing options, brand image, quality etc in such product types. Marketing mix approaches for different product types would be effective only if adopted according to the product type.

These approaches revolve around product type, place, price, and promotion. References Kotler, P and Armstrong, G. (2008). Principles of Marketing. Ed 12. Pearson Education Inc: New York.