There is a certain food stuff manufacturing firm from which I always purchase snacks. The firm produces different types of cakes, biscuits, and on the other hand processes milk into different final products like yoghurt, cheese, butter, fresh milk etc. I am a constant buyer of this business as I purchase almost daily. I consider this business as a one stop shop for my breakfast. Before I made my decision of choosing that business to be my source of snacks, I took relatively much time considering some factors like prices, freshness of the products, distance etc.
I had a duty as a customer to consider the different prices of the products which I desired to purchase. Pricing is a concept in session 4. Price is the compared value of the product especially by the customers. In marketing the price of the product demonstrates a lot about the quality of that product. Cheap priced goods and services are associated with poor quality and vice versa (Saunders, et al, 2008).
As a new customer I had to take my time to compare prices and to evaluate the differences in prices in different businesses. That business from which I used to purchase, there were different products which were sold. The business owner used product line pricing, whereby he linked sales of some products to other products. Some products were lowered prices so as to encourage the sales of the other products (Saunders, et al, 2008). This method of pricing leads to increased sales at the end of the day.
On the other hand, I had to apply the consumer buying behaviors which is a concept in session 3. The consumer buying behavior is defined as the buying characteristics of the people who buy goods and services for their own personal uses. Before I made any decision of purchasing I had to develop the belief about the product, out of that a positive attitude about those products would be realized, and finally a decision to purchase the goods (Sandhusen, 2000). Due to the fact that, there so many brands of cakes and biscuits from different companies I had to investigate the important differences among the many brands in the market. In my buying behavior, I practiced variety seeking as there were significant perceived brand differences. In the same business I made a lot of brand switching until I came up with the best brand which I felt it was desirable for my taste.
Before I started purchasing these types of snacks, I realized I have a need which could be solved through making some purchases (Chervaton, 2004). I then searched for the relevant information especially from my friends and advertisements so as to get some alternatives. From the different alternatives which I got, I compared all of them to be left with the best. I then made a step of starting to purchase, and later assessed the level of satisfaction which I got from the products. The satisfaction which I got confirmed to me that I should continue purchasing from that business.
In customer relations there are some of unethical issues which are associated with it. In most cases customers are not allowed to enter into purchase agreements out of their own free will. In the business where I used to purchase the snacks I did not encounter any of the unethical practices. I was given a chance to ensure that the products which I purchase meet my requirements. In such businesses of the food stuffs most of the customers have less knowledge than the producers themselves to determine the quality of the products, and the safety standards (Chervaton, 2004). It’s the duty of the producers to reveal such information to the consumers to ensure that they purchase the products which are safe for their consumptions.
In pricing there are several unethical implications which are associated with it. There are some businesses in the market that sells the products at a lower price than the costs (Bradley, 2005). This practice is meant to win many customers in the business and to eliminate competitors from the market. In such a case customers benefit for a very short time and as the businesses later charge the appropriate prices (Chervaton, 2004). There are regulatory approaches which prevent such behaviors and a certain mark up is ordered for specific industries. Price discrimination is another unethical tactic where the businesses practice different prices for different customers. This is illegal and should be avoided under all circumstances. In that snack business, the owner did not apply any of the unethical practices related with the pricing, although some firms producers of food stuffs practice price discrimination.
For any marketer of food stuffs, there are a lot to be learned from the above. As far as the food stuffs are concerned the marketer should always target a certain group of people (Sandhusen, 2000). The production of these snacks should be in variety like in the business where I was purchasing. People have got different taste and preferences. He should make sure he satisfies the customers taste through provision of all possible products. The business should be strategically placed to serve the customers effectively. A marketer should not wait for the interested customers to come into the business premises to inquire for the prices and brand varieties. By the use of brochures he can easily distribute such information to the customers.
In pricing of the products, marketers should provide customers with goods which are pocket friendly. Lowering the price of a certain type of product will on the other hand increase the sales of the other products. The price of the products should favor both the buyer and the seller. Fresh snacks always attract and retain the existing customers in the business (Tinson, 2004). A marketer should ensure that when customers are comparing different alternatives there are unique factors in the business which will leave his business outstanding. Good business ethics is another way of ensuring that one is serving his customers effectively. Any customer who is served well in any business will always desire those services. Unethical business practices are against the laws and will lead the business into losses through government follow ups.
Reference list
Bradley, F, (2005), International Marketing Strategy, (5th ed), ISBN0273686887 9780273686880, Financial Times/Prentice Hall.
Chervaton, P, (2004), Key marketing skills: strategies, tools, and techniques for Marketing success, (2nd ed), ISBN0749442980, 9780749442989, Kogan Page Publishers.
Sandhusen, R, (2000), marketing, (3rd ed), ISBN0764112775, 9780764112775, Barron’s Educational Series.
Saunders, et al, (2008), Principles of marketing, (5th ed), ISBN0273711563, 9780273711568, Financial Times Prentice Hall.
Tinson, J, (2004), Marketing Strategies: A Twenty-First Century Approach, ISBN0273651927, 9780273651925, FT/Prentice Hall.