Teaching Notes for this Marketing Activity
Preferred format: This teaching activity is designed for small groups of students to discuss the marketing mix implications of the consumer products classification scheme.
Student audience: This exercise is more suitable for students of introductory marketing.
Exercise time: The group discussion time should be around 10-15 minutes, plus any additional time for an overall class discussion.
Activity variations: Please note that there are other related discussion exercises also available on this website. (First activity, second activity, third activity).
Additional resources: A page of solutions is available on another website.
Student Task
For this discussion activity, you need to consider the consumer products classification scheme – convenience products, shopping products, specialty products and unsought products.
You need to outline how they are impacted across a range of marketing considerations.
The consumer product classification system is usually outlined is an old and established marketing model (since the 1920’s).
Despite its age, this model is still included in textbooks today as it helps marketers with the design of their marketing mix.
For each of these for product classes – briefly outline the implications for each of the following marketing considerations:
- Level of purchase involvement
- Extent of customer loyalty
- Importance of product
- Importance of brand
- Value of product line extensions
- Price sensitivity
- Responsiveness to sales promotions and discounts
- Importance of the place mix
- Role of logistics
- Role of retailer relationships
- Responsiveness to promotion and advertising
- Examples of the product
