Creating Offerings
Think about why you purchase things. In this section you will read material on offerings and distinguish between the three major components of an offering: product, price, and service. Summarize the points for both sides of a product-dominant and a service-dominant approach, Review how each component composes different types of offerings. Then distinguish between technology platforms and product lines.
Discussion Questions and Activities
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- How is marketing capital equipment different from marketing MRO offerings?
- What are the marketing implications for your company if buyers stop viewing your primary offering as a shopping good and begin considering it a convenience good? How would you respond to the change?
- Can you market unsought goods? If so, how?
- How does packaging add value for consumers and retailers?
- If consumers find the most value in the services of your offering rather than the tangible product, how will perishability, intangibility, variability, and inseparability influence your marketing? Be specific for each characteristic.
- Choose two of the different marketing jobs or positions described and compare and contrast the challenges associated with each. One position should be one you would want while the other is one you would not. Why did you pick one over the other?
- Describe three decisions that would be made differently from a product-dominant approach when compared to a service-dominant approach. What is each decision and how would it be different?
- When would a product orientation be useful? Why?
- Describe an example of a core product where there are many different augmented products and the augmented products are considered very different by the consumer or user.
- The text says that branding is much more than labeling or packaging. Provide some examples where you believe the product did not live up to the brand. Using examples to illustrate how consistency works, discuss how the offering and the desired brand image have to be consistent.