Answer to Question 1
D
Answer to Question 2
The four types of consumer products are:
Convenience Products-Inexpensive, routinely purchased products that consumers spend little time and effort acquiring. Examples include soft drinks, candy, and gasoline.
Shopping Products-Products that consumers will spend time and effort to obtain. Consumers shop among different options to compare prices, features, and service. Examples include appliances, furniture, and clothing.
Specialty Products-Unique, one-of-a-kind products that consumers will spend considerable time, effort, and money to acquire. Examples include sports memorabilia, antiques, and luxury products.
Unsought Products-Products that consumers are unaware of or a product that consumers do not consider purchasing until a need arises. Examples include repair services, emergency medicine, and insurance.
Although the distinction among these four categories may seem simplistic, it is important in a strategic sense because the type of product in question can influence its pricing, distribution, or promotion. For example, marketing strategy for consumer convenience products must maximize availability and ease of purchase-both important distribution considerations. The strategy associated with consumer shopping products often focuses more on differentiation through image and symbolic attributes-both important branding and promotion issues. Strategy for specialty products deals more with outstanding service and customer awareness that the product or provider exists-important service and IMC issues. Finally, strategy for unsought products must clearly educate customers on why they need the product and the best way of obtaining it-important advertising and personal selling issues.