Investigate the prices of the following products at least three different distribution outlets (and don’t forget the Internet):   ·           An MP3 player ·           A cup of coffee ·           A car ·           A washing machine ·            A hamburger ·            A pair of Levi’s 501 blue jeans ·            A book             What patterns do you notice? Do different distribution outlets include different levels of service with the product? Do you see a relationship between the brand name and the price? Which distribution outlet represents the best value for each product? Explain your answers.

choose a product that you have purchased recently. Research and investigate this product on the Internet and in the marketplace. Evaluate the marketing mix (product strategy, pricing strategy, distribution strategy, and promotion strategy) used by the manufacturer of this product. At a minimum, consider the following questions in your investigation: Product Strategy : In what category of consumer products (convenience, shopping, or specialty) does this product fall? Why? At what stage is this product in the product life cycle (introductory, growth, maturity, decline)? Why? What role, if any, did branding (brand name, symbol, slogan, etc.) play in your selection of this product? Why? What role, if any, did packaging play in your selection of this product? Why? Evaluate the quality of the product in terms of quality level and product consistency. Promotion Strategy : Identify the various media used to promote/advertise the product. Did other promotional tools (sales promotion,…

Describe your phone using the Marketing Mix (Product, Price, Place, Promotion). What is the product brand and features? How is the product priced and how does the price compare on the market? Where did you purchase your phone and what are the different place available for purchase (online, in-store)? How is the company promoting the product?

What is the purpose of charging different groups of customers different prices? Supplement the three broad examples in the Last Word with two additional examples of your own. Hint: Think of price discounts based on group characteristic or time of purchase.

Explain what a wholesaler does. How does this benefit the retailer? How does this benefit the manufacture?

There are services and products involved when buying or renting a car, and in both cases, the customer drives away in a car.  But buying a car focuses more on the product, whereas renting involves the service.  Explain four ways in which marketing for a rental car company differs from marketing for an automobile dealership.

Describe how you would market a Chevy Malibu car?

Give an example of a brand that is most likely being hurt by a big retailer's private label brand. Give suggestions on how this brand can survive the competition.

Explain who sets / drives prices in restaurants? Is it the the customers and/or suppliers?

One of the easiest places to see the impact of the Internet on marketing is by looking at its effect on pricing decisions and consumer's perceptions of prices. Since its inception, the World Wide Web (WWW) has developed the reputation as being the place to shop to get the lowest prices. Why has this reputation developed? Why might it be possible to charge lower prices online? Are products really cheaper? To answer this last question, choose two products and find them for sale online (books, CD's, and software work very well). Calculate the total price that would be charged to your credit card, then go to a "brick and mortar" retailer and find prices for the same product there. Make your comparisons. Where is the cheapest place to buy the products that you have selected? What costs go into determining which place you buy your product? Are there any non-financial costs to shopping online? To off-line shopping?