MKT 300 Exam 3
1. As a new product grows and matures, ______ gains in importance relative to other promotional tools. 2. A product in early decline will typically experience reductions in ________ . 3. When newly introduced, a product can benefit from both personal selling and _______ types of promotion.
1. advertising 2. advertising and sales promotion 3. non personal
1. Many online retailers, such as Amazon, use ________ distribution centers that accept large, consolidated shipments to be divided into smaller ones. 2. Logistics managers must control the movement of goods _______ plants, warehouses, and transportation terminals. 3. ________ involves combining as many packages as possible into each load moved within a facility. 4. ________ is the process of combining several unitized loads into a single well-protected load for shipment
1. break-bulk 2. inside 3. Unitizing 4. Containerization
1. Personal selling would be the better choice if the company decides to pursue _______ markets. 2. Advertising would be the better choice if the company's products are ________ standardized and_______ in unit value. 3. Personal selling would be the better choice if the company's products are or
1. business 2. highly, low 3. customized, complex
1. A marketing channel, also called a " _______ channel," is one critical component of a distribution strategy. 2. Marketing channels provide the means by which goods and services flow from the _________ to the consumer or business user. 3. Most marketing channels involve at least one _______ or middleman, but the simplest marketing channel is a direct channel. 4. Reverse channels involve the return of goods to their producers, for example, by ________ or recall.
1. distribution 2. producer 3. intermediary 4. recycling
1. You have reviewed quarterly sales figures and are preparing a report on performance. This involves ______. 2. You are involved in the decision to make payouts based on the combination of salary and commission. This involves _______. 3. As part of your ______ function, you are determining specified sales or profit targets that the firm expects your division salespeople to achieve. 4. As part of your ________ function, you are speaking to a group of college graduates about the opportunity for advancement, personal satisfaction, and independence afforded by sales. 5. You are part of a managerial meeting to decide the number of retail account representatives who report to first-level sales managers. This involves _______ . 6. You are assigning sales teams to the company's major accounts, one of the tasks you perform as part of your ________ function. 7. You are allowing a new salesperson to shadow you daily for one week, fulfilling your ________ function. 8. You are careful to create a positive work environment for your sales team and inspire confidence in them. This involves _______ . 9. You are a part of the interview team that follows the application screening process. This involves _________
1. evaluation and control 2. compensation 3. evaluation and control 4. recruitment and selection 5. supervision 6. organization 7. training 8. motivation 9. recruitment and selection
1. There are _______ generally accepted bases for categorizing retailers. 2. Chain stores are differentiated from independent stores on the basis of _______ . 3. Specialty and convenience retailers differ based on _________ . 4. Supermarkets fit into a unique retail category that combines _________ and ________ merchandise.
1. four 2. form of ownership 3. shopping effort 4. specialty, general
1. The best retailer would have pricing _____ that are a good fit for your firm's value image. 2. The best retailer would offer a homey-looking interior, soft lights, and comfortable customer seating. These ________ elements would complement the brand. 3. The availability of home delivery is important to your customers. Any retailer must offer this element as a part of its ________ strategy.
1. objectives 2. atmospheric 3. customer service
1. Warehousing is the location of stock and the number of warehouses the firm maintains, while inventory control is the quantity of stock the firm maintains at each _______ . 2. Using ________ is a component of handling materials appropriately in the factory, in the warehouse, and in the transport terminals. 3. Activities for moving products within plants, warehouses, and transportation terminals comprise the ________ system.
1. site 2. protective packaging 3. materials handling
1. The typical firm spends more on _______ sales promotion than on advertising and other sales promotion combined. 2. Local businesses, such as realtors or coffee shops, often give away T-shirts or mugs with their logo at community events. This is known as ______, a type of _________ sales promotion. 3. The focus of sales promotion was originally on _______ incentives but has now shifted to ________ objectives.
1. trade-oriented 2. specialty advertising/ consumer-oriented 3. short-term/ long-term
Your temporary placement service needs to place personal selling personnel who use different communication channels according to the products they are contracted to sell. You presently have several positions to fill that require personnel experienced in various communication channels. You want to categorize the type of experience needed before you start calling your employees. Choose the statement that inaccurately categorizes its job description to the type of personal selling communication channel it utilizes. a. A soft drink distributor needs bilingual representatives to take product orders when customers call. This involves field selling. b. Sales representatives are needed to support technicians and purchasers on a continuous basis by phone, mail, and e-mail. They will utilize inside selling. c. An insurance company needs sales representatives to place phone calls to prospective clients to sell renters' insurance over the phone. These sales representatives will use telemarketing. d. A retail outlet needs someone to sell auto repair supplies and parts to businesses and directly to customers. This outlet uses over-the-counter selling
a. A soft drink distributor needs bilingual representatives to take product orders when customers call. This involves field selling.
Public relations refers to a firm's communications and relationships with its various publics, including customers, suppliers, the government, employees, and stakeholders. The publicity that a company garners involves unpaid placement of significant news about the company in a published medium or through favorable presentations on the radio, Internet, or television. Why are consumers more likely to believe information that stems from the marketing aspect of public relations than they are to believe claims in advertising? a. Because many consumers consider news more credible when it comes from a media organization than when it comes directly from a marketer. b. Because many consumers appreciate when news comes directly from marketers instead of being filtered through a media organization. c. Because this information tends to be nonelectronic. d. Because published information typically reflects bad news about companies, products, executives, and ideas.
a. Because many consumers consider news more credible when it comes from a media organization than when it comes directly from a marketer.
You work for a food-processing plant that manufactures corn tortillas. You have been asked to review the activities of upstream management to determine if costs can be cut in that area. Which activities listed below will be your concern? Select all that apply. a. Contacting the farming cooperative to negotiate the price of corn for your upcoming contract. b. Checking the feasibility of raising the price at which corn tortillas are sold to your business customers. c. Investigating the possibility of diversifying into producing not only corn tortillas but flour tortillas as well. d. Decreasing the cost resulting from returns due to improper handling and packaging of corn tortillas.
a. Contacting the farming cooperative to negotiate the price of corn for your upcoming contract.
Marketers are concerned with distribution intensity, which is how many intermediaries will distribute the goods in a particular market. Select the description of the general categories of market coverage that is incorrect. a. In controlled distribution, the manufacturer is forced by law to sell its own products. b. In selective distribution, the manufacturer will often provide training and assistance to the limited number of dealers it chooses to distribute its product. c. In intensive distribution, items with wide appeal are distributed through as many channels as are available in a trade area. d. In exclusive distribution, a single wholesaler or retailer is granted the right to sell a product in a given area.
a. In controlled distribution, the manufacturer is forced by law to sell its own products.
For the last ten years, you have been the leading sales representative in your firm. Most of the other sales reps are in awe of you because they say you make personal selling look so easy. You know better, however, because it has not always been easy nor have you always been so successful. You have learned over the years that there are some key rules of personal selling that must be followed consistently for success. One of the rookie sales reps just asked you for some tips on success in personal selling. You told him or her to give you a list of his or her thoughts on what it takes to be successful in personal selling and you will start the discussion there. Select the true statement made by the rookie sales rep about successful personal selling tactics and approaches. a. It's important to make sales presentations relevant and meaningful for the prospect. b. All this talk about pre-call planning is misguided. It's pointless to spend much time on it because it doesn't contribute much to sales success. c. Instead of wasting time trying to get referrals, you should work on becoming a cold calling expert. d. It's impossible to anticipate a prospect's objections, so you should expect to address them on the fly.
a. It's important to make sales presentations relevant and meaningful for the prospect.
You work for a local politician who has allegedly been linked to a local scandal. As the head of the politician's communications team, you are strategizing ways to address this issue, especially since it is an election year, and he or she wants to run for national office. You think that the best approach in addressing this problem is employing media marketing, but you still have to figure out which medium is best. You want to use a medium that is credible, flexible, and reaches wide audiences. You are not particularly concerned about cost because you believe that the expense is worth it. Which of the following media can best help you accomplish your goal? a. Television b. Radio c. Billboards d. Newspaper e. Magazines
a. Television
As a member of the marketing team for a manufacturing company, you need to be familiar with methods that are available to your company to facilitate communication about and movement of your products and goods. Your company is facing some logistics and supply chain challenges and you have been asked to help find solutions for them. Choose the statement that does not accurately identify the best management approach to deal with each management challenge. a. The manufacturing company for which you work wants to consolidate the data from among all the firm's business units. RFID is the best approach. b. The manufacturing company for which you work wants to consolidate the data from among all the firm's business units. An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is the best approach. c. The business is growing so quickly that your company needs to reduce the human effort and error involved in tracking inventory and assets. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is the best approach. d. Your company wants to improve and streamline transportation and warehousing functions, but does not yet possess the specialized knowledge and expertise needed to do that. It should consider outsourcing some of these functions to a specialist firm.
a. The manufacturing company for which you work wants to consolidate the data from among all the firm's business units. RFID is the best approach.
You work for an organization that wants to use a celebrity spokesperson to advertise its new smoking cessation programs. The company enlists the support of a local music celebrity who is well known and well liked. The celebrity has previously endorsed a local restaurant, is supporting the campaign of a local politician, and is known to partner with a local music program that works with blind children. This celebrity also is known to support awareness for lung cancer initiatives because his or her brother was a pack-a-day smoker for three decades and died of Stage IV lung cancer. Which of the following might be a drawback of working with this particular celebrity on promoting your organization's cause? a. There is marketplace confusion surrounding this celebrity. b. The celebrity's body of professional work is not impressive. c. This celebrity spokesperson is expensive and probably behaves badly. d. The celebrity is not a credible source of information.
a. There is marketplace confusion surrounding this celebrity.
t does not have a lot of funds to invest in marketing efforts but wants to create a name for the company. As a muralist, you have considerable experience beautifying schoolyards and alleys with your paintings, and suggest to your executives that you use graffiti to spread the company's name in certain neighborhoods. Because your company specializes in art, you think this would be the perfect way to market the company and its long-term social mission to fill abandoned park walls with community art and develop community gardens. Your company agrees with the idea, so you partner with other muralists and paint the company's logo in creative ways on abandoned city walls. At first, your company receives bad publicity for the stunt, but it generates a lot of inquiries about your artwork because potential customers are intrigued by your company's level of creativity and innovation. Which of the following statements is true about the scenario described above? a. This marketing strategy is usually effective because competitors are less likely to be using the same approach. b. Buzz marketing like the type described in the scenario is a cheap way to promote a company, but it is usually ineffective because it can offend some people. c. Guerilla marketing enhanced the credibility of the organization and increased its sales. d. This form of advertising is likely to cost about the same as more traditional advertising.
a. This marketing strategy is usually effective because competitors are less likely to be using the same approach.
Mr. Cohen wants to open a hair salon and has to decide on the geographic location of the shop. He is targeting girls and young women aged 13 and older who get their hair done frequently. What sets his shop apart from other beauty salons is that all his beauticians have been trained to employ the most modern techniques and were all in the top 5 percent of their classes in their respective cosmetology schools. He wants to locate the salon within a group of similarly distinctive, upscale retailers, service providers, and department stores with high visibility in the same region. Mr. Cohen's location will be in which of the following types of shopping center? a. planned b. showroom c. multiple d. designed e. regional
a. planned
You want the salespeople on your staff to perform at their best, thus you want to make sure they are properly supervised. In determining span of control—the optimal ratio of sales representatives to sales managers—you will consider all of the following factors except: a. size of bonuses b. extent of training c. each manager's ability d. complexity of work
a. size of bonuses
You have noticed that the most profitable diners at your restaurant are repeat customers, so you've developed a program to reward their loyalty. On every fifth visit, they will receive a free dessert and specialty coffee. Which of the following statements about this reward program is accurate? a. It is likely to stimulate primary demand. b. Advertising could be used to further the same promotional objective. c. Advertising could not be used to further the same promotional objective. d. Its promotional objective is to create awareness of your restaurant.
b. Advertising could be used to further the same promotional objective.
You work for a small tech company that has recently introduced a new mobile application called "Streamline" into the market. The mobile application is aimed at helping individuals keep track of all their social media accounts in one place and streamlining the flow of information from one program to the next. For instance, if you update your Facebook page, your Twitter and Instagram accounts will also update. After identifying the target market and conducting market research, the marketing team decides that its first set of ad campaigns should be Web-based in order to draw appropriate audiences. When Alexa signs into her Facebook page, a banner pops up in the center of her browser advertising Streamline, the new mobile application. After clicking on the ad, Alexa learns that she can control all of her 11 social media accounts from one place. Which of the marketing communications steps is next? a. Decoding b. Feedback c. Encoding d. Channeling
b. Feedback
Paul Lindsay is a logistics manager for a farm equipment manufacturer; he needs to move several tractor-trailers of farm equipment from the Midwest manufacturing plant to the East Coast distribution centers. This heavy equipment must travel a long distance—across country—and then over land to the various wholesalers that distribute them. What intermodal operation will allow Paul to combine long-hauling capacity with overland flexibility? a. Birdyback b. Piggyback c. Run-through d. Fishyback
b. Piggyback
Luca's company is a manufacturer of desk calendars and other office supplies. In the past, he has sold only through his own website; however, as his business has grown, he has decided to add a retail partner. Which of the following is not among the questions Luca should ask when he chooses a partner? a. Should his products be sold in an office supply specialty store? b. Should his products be sold via direct mail that provides tips about how to run an office? c. Which retailers attract buyers for home and commercial offices? d. Which retailers offer the most appropriate atmospherics for selling office supplies?
b. Should his products be sold via direct mail that provides tips about how to run an office?
You work for a multinational food corporation that specializes in breakfast foods. For the last ten years, your breakfast bars have dominated the market and been found on the tables of 65 percent of the families in the United States. In the last three quarters, however, your product has not been performing as well; you think the younger generation of parents perceives your bars, incorrectly, as high in sugar and fat and is unaware of their healthy ingredients. Your company develops a series of buy-one-get-one-free promotions and arranges for retailers to hand out samples at their stores. Despite all the resources you invest in this promotional campaign, the product's performance does not improve over time. Why is the approach to marketing described in the scenario ineffective? a. The prices for the product were too high for young families. b. The company's promotional objective was inappropriate given its marketing needs. c. The company chose the wrong target market. d. The goals for the promotional campaign were too broad.
b. The company's promotional objective was inappropriate given its marketing needs.
Your uncle is a highly successful Ford dealer. Unlike some other dealers, he trains his salespeople to strongly encourage prospects to test drive his cars. In terms of the AIDA concept, your uncle emphasizes: a. handling objections b. generating interest and desire c. initiating action d. securing attention and interest
b. generating interest and desire
As an industry, retail accounts for how much private-sector employment in the United States? a. less than the direct selling industry b. more than any other industry c. more than the US government d. less than the advertising industry
b. more than any other industry
Marisol's online jewelry store originally sold only earrings and necklaces for women. After adding men's rings and cuff links, profits doubled. Given that success, Marisol may soon expand her product line to include unisex watches. Which of the following is a dimension of merchandising strategy that Marisol should consider? a. when to open a brick-and-mortar outlet b. the profitability of unisex watches c. how to advertise the store d. what type of repair service to offer
b. the profitability of unisex watches
You work for a weight loss company that is advertising a new weight loss smoothie. Here is a transcript of the first commercial to be aired on a local food network channel: "Do you have tenor more pounds of excess weight to shed? If so, you should be drinking Blast Berry before every meal! Blast Berry is a weight-loss supplement, and the first of its kind to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. In a random controlled study, 75 percent of the research participants who used Blast Berry along with exercise dropped an average of 23 pounds within two months of following the program. Blast Berry costs $19.99 for a month's supply and works for those who stick to the plan. Drink one serving before each of the three major meals of the day, and see the weight come off!" Which of the following basic tasks of effective messaging does this message fail to accomplish? a. Achieving understanding by both the receiver and sender b. Gaining the receiver's attention c. Communicating competitive advantage and positioning d. Stimulating the receiver's needs and suggesting an appropriate way to satisfy those needs
c. Communicating competitive advantage and positioning
Your sales work is more of a lifestyle than a job. It often involves complex customer situations and weeks of preparation and problem solving to help find workable solutions for those situations. You enjoy it because it enables you to travel to many places and interact with people continuously. However, much of your work involves careful follow-up after your customer visits. Which personal sales channel have you chosen as a career? a. Inside selling b. Over-the-counter selling c. Field selling d. Telemarketing
c. Field selling
You are contemplating adding direct selling activities to your existing bricks-and-mortar retail business to increase sales. You are concerned, however, that the negative aspects of direct selling outweigh the positive. Which of the following is a negative aspect of direct selling that you must mitigate in some way to be successful? a. Direct selling is a less expensive form of retailing. b. Products are presented at convenient locations for customers. c. It may be more expensive and time-consuming than using an intermediary. d. Products are presented at convenient times for customers. e. Customers get personal attention.
c. It may be more expensive and time-consuming than using an intermediary.
For what main reason is personal selling the single biggest promotion expense in many firms? a. Advertising has become cheaper than personal selling over time. b. The new technologies of personal selling require big investments in software. c. Personal selling depends on direct contact with customers, which is costly as well as time consuming. d. Personal selling is only effective as a follow-up to expensive advertising.
c. Personal selling depends on direct contact with customers, which is costly as well as time consuming.
The consumer sales promotions your company is offering has increased demand slightly, but you have come to realize that another way of putting your products in front of consumers is to incentivize resellers. You decide to investigate types of trade-oriented promotions to appeal to resellers and other market intermediaries. While these promotions will cost your company money, you believe the additional incentives to resellers will convince them to continue pushing your products. Choose the trade-oriented promotion technique below with the incorrect description. a. You believe that you can showcase your new product line by displaying it and demonstrating it to industry associates, so you plan to use trade shows. b. You believe that retailers will stock more of your products if you offer them one free case for every dozen cases they order. This is a type of trade allowance. c. You believe that offering free samples to consumers in the flagship stores of your major resellers will convince these resellers to give your products extra shelf space. d. You believe that if resellers are willing to feature your products prominently at the ends of shopping aisles, they would have a better chance of reaching their target market. You decide to provide resellers with special displays to stimulate sales of the promoted items. This illustrates POP advertising.
c. You believe that offering free samples to consumers in the flagship stores of your major resellers will convince these resellers to give your products extra shelf space.
Your family owns a commercial bakery that has always partnered with large food distributors that sell and deliver to supermarkets around the United States. You and your sister have recently taken over from the older generation and may consider other distribution options. Your sister is especially interested in shortening the distribution channel. Having more channel strategy experience than her, you explain that moving in this direction could involve all of the following actions except: a. hiring a sales force experienced in selling baked goods b. buying delivery trucks with cooling systems to retard spoilage c. choosing a logistics company experienced in cross-country shipping d. planning a direct selling program to demonstrate the special characteristics of your packaging
c. choosing a logistics company experienced in cross-country shipping
Your sister recently opened a swanky three-floor cheese market, Fromagerie, which is quickly gaining attention from locals, the press, and restaurateurs in the area. Located near a college town, Fromagerie specializes in rare international cheeses; and on the top floor, there is a bistro where patrons can take cooking lessons, meet new people, dine, and sample some of the world's most savory cheeses before they make a purchase decision. The bistro element of the Fromagerie is primarily an example of your sister's retail strategy in the area of: a. atmospherics b. location c. customer service d. merchandising e. promotion
c. customer service
A customer comes into your rental/retail outlet because he or she wants to purchase a 26-ton hydraulic log splitter. You have some models available for daily rental but they are not the latest model that your customer is looking for. There is a 26-ton model on the floor, but it would be most beneficial to show him or her firsthand the difference between your product and other cheaper models that are on the market. What demonstration options can you consider for your customer? Select the viable demonstration option. a. Describe the splitter's major features and give the customer printed specs to take home with him or her. b. Let the customer know that there is no delivery charge on the log splitter. c. Tell the customer about your in-house financing option, whereby he or she can complete payment in six months with no interest. d. Allow the customer to rent a comparable unit for a day and waive the rental fee upon the return of the splitter on time and in good condition.
d. Allow the customer to rent a comparable unit for a day and waive the rental fee upon the return of the splitter on time and in good condition.
You are a sales manager for a luxury automobile dealership where you have been employed since graduating from college. Your neighbor, who teaches a community college course on marketing, has asked you to make a presentation to his or her class as a guest speaker. After your lively presentation, you ask the students what they think is the main focus of personal selling. Which of the student answers below demonstrates an understanding of the goals of this promotional tool relative to others? a. Making a profit for the company. b. Being the face of the company's brand. c. Providing entry-level jobs to college graduates who will move on to other marketing jobs. d. Building relationships with customers that encourage them to come back.
d. Building relationships with customers that encourage them to come back
Ellie's media company will be introducing a new series of films on nutrition and exercise for adolescent health. Prior to introducing the films into the market, her company executives want to generate a buzz about the new products. So far, two of the five films have won prestigious awards at national film festivals. Ellie's superiors want to target youth-serving organizations in the Pacific Northwestern region of the United States as potential consumers of these films. They are searching for a quick way to distribute information about the products to potential customers, yet they do not want to sacrifice the personalized experiences that customers have come to associate with the company. Ellie's superiors would also like to be able to measure the performance response of whichever marketing strategy they implement. Which of the following should Ellie suggest that her superiors use to market their new products? a. Direct-response retailing b. Direct retailing c. Direct marketing d. Direct mail
d. Direct mail
The seven steps in the personal selling process should be aligned with the AIDA concept, which describes the consumer's buying decision process. Which of the following steps is misaligned with this concept? a. The closing of a sale brings action. b. The presentation step generates interest and desire. c. The demonstration step generates interest and desire. d. Getting a prospect's attention is the goal of handling objections.
d. Getting a prospect's attention is the goal of handling objections.
You are one member of the marketing team for a wine distributor who sells exclusively through your own chain of high-volume shops. Your team wants to explore other available marketing channels, including sales over the Internet and product placement in specialty retailers. In order to come to a consensus, you want to outline some basic questions regarding distribution channels and present them to the team for discussion. The discussion should include all of the following questions except which one? a. How many intermediaries are necessary for adequate market coverage? b. What restrictions exist for shipping to communities that ban the sale of alcohol? c. Will selling at other retail outlets diminish control over marketing the product? d. How will exploring new distribution channels affect relationships with current intermediaries?
d. How will exploring new distribution channels affect relationships with current intermediaries?
Integrated marketing communication (IMC) requires a big-picture view of promotional planning; a total strategy that includes all marketing messages. You work for a multinational beverage company headquartered in Singapore. You have been put in charge of developing comprehensive marketing communication packages and want to ensure that you maximize the benefits for your company. To reach this goal, you work with department heads around the world to ensure that marketing and communications objectives support the corporate mission and strategies, and keep all staff informed about new developments. You also work with external partners, including advertising and PR agencies, to achieve a cohesive message for your brand and products. Which of the following statements is most likely to be true about your IMC effort? a. Developing multinational integrated marketing communication is likely to contribute to the duplication of communication efforts. b. Your target market will be identified after the company has established an IMC strategy. c. Sending a unified positive message about your company is often not a priority. d. IMC challenges the notion that your advertising, personal selling, direct marketing, and other components of the worldwide promotion mix must stand alone.
d. IMC challenges the notion that your advertising, personal selling, direct marketing, and other components of the worldwide promotion mix must stand alone.
Which of the following statements about cross-promotion is inaccurate? a. It may utilize a mix of promotional tools. b. The partners share promotional costs. c. Its importance in the marketing world is likely to increase over time. d. Its effectiveness is limited to complementary products.
d. Its effectiveness is limited to complementary products.
According to the Ad Age article "PennWell acquires Oil & Gas Pipeline Conference" (March 21, 2013), "The pipeline and transportation sectors of the industry are experiencing phenomenal growth due to the resurgence of exploration and drilling in North America" (retrieved from http://adage.com/article/btob/pennwell-acquires-oil-gas-pipeline-conference/288678/). Pipelines rank third after railroads and motor carriers in ton-miles transported, but most people do not recognize pipelines as a major mode of transportation. Nevertheless, pipelines are the preferred method used for transporting crude oil, diesel fuel, kerosene, and gasoline in the United States. What are some drawbacks to transporting via pipeline? a. Pipelines are undependable methods of transportation over time. b. Pipelines cannot be carried across the entire United States. c. Pipelines move products quickly through a long network. d. Pipelines can only carry liquids
d. Pipelines can only carry liquids
According to the Ad Age article "PennWell acquires Oil & Gas Pipeline Conference" (March 21, 2013), "The pipeline and transportation sectors of the industry are experiencing phenomenal growth due to the resurgence of exploration and drilling in North America" (retrieved from http://adage.com/article/btob/pennwell-acquires-oil-gas-pipeline-conference/288678/). Pipelines rank third after railroads and motor carriers in ton-miles transported, but most people do not recognize pipelines as a major mode of transportation. Nevertheless, pipelines are the preferred method used for transporting crude oil, diesel fuel, kerosene, and gasoline in the United States. Why are pipelines an advantageous method of transport? a. Pipelines provide jobs for consumers because of the resurgence of exploration and drilling in North America. b. Pipelines are versatile, carrying more ton-miles than any other mode of transport over more than 2 million miles of pipeline. c. Pipelines have more locations than water carriers. d. Pipelines offer low maintenance and dependable transportation for a narrow but important range of products.
d. Pipelines offer low maintenance and dependable transportation for a narrow but important range of products.
Ads based on fear, humor, or sex can be effective, but also face distinctive challenges. All of the following accurately describe these challenges except: a. Humor in an ad may distract consumers' attention from the brand. b. Sex-based ads are tricky when used in culturally diverse markets. c. People may tune out fear-based ads that seem implausible. d. Selective perception may be a problem for humorous ads.
d. Selective perception may be a problem for humorous ads.
The Ash brothers operate an online retailer that specializes in herbal teas from remote villages across the globe. A direct-response retailer, the Ash brothers' company allows customers to purchase their teas by phone, mail, or via the company's website, and then they ship the order directly to the client. The Ash brothers serve as an intermediary between product manufacturers and customers. Which of the following is an advantage that the Ash brothers have in running this online direct-response retailer? a. They completely bypass retailers and wholesalers. b. They sell the teas to customers at prices that are marked down. c. They generate a large number of inquiries from customers making purchase decisions. d. They are able to reach a wide base of customers and special niche markets because of the Internet. e. Most of their purchase orders come directly through the company's website.
d. They are able to reach a wide base of customers and special niche markets because of the Internet.
Read the following excerpt from the article, "Lines separating sales channels blur: Manufacturers, direct sellers, retailers, invade each other's turf" by Tom Collinger in Ad Age (March 30, 1998) and then choose the best answer to the question posed below. Conflict in the channels has produced a total blurring of the lines that once separated them. First, there's the blur between manufacturers and retailers. Then, there's the explosion of discount outlet malls, which proudly expose the highest image-oriented brand names to the consumer—direct from the manufacturers.... In addition, because of the proliferation of these malls as legitimate channels, sales for the brands in this channel are in the multimillion-dollar range. Finally, there is the manufacturer and direct-seller blur caused by those manufacturers that recognize the need to gain back some of the control they have lost to retailers.... Some manufacturers have mined niches in the market where they believe direct selling is somehow less objectionable to their retail partners.... Access to the consumer through the Internet will only continue to blur the manufacturer/direct-seller lines, altering the fundamental selling proposition for manufacturers forever (retrieved from http://adage.com/article/news/lines-separating-sales-channels-blur-manufacturers-direct-sellers-retailers-invade-s-turf/66410/). What type of marketing channel conflict is being discussed in the above excerpt? a. Horizontal conflict b. Channel cooperation c. Strategic conflict d. Vertical conflict
d. Vertical conflict
You are the brand manager of a major grocery store chain and have a meeting planned with your boss. You want to convince him or her to allow you to run a coupon campaign to drive sales across the soup brands you manage. Your boss is not enthusiastic about coupon campaigns, but is willing to listen to a formal presentation from you explaining how and why your coupon campaign should be approved. Select the talking point that you will use in your presentation. a. High-value coupons can overcome the poor image of some of your soup brands. b. As a form of trade promotion, your campaign will help build your relationships with soup wholesalers. c. Your coupons will encourage long-term purchases of larger quantities of soup. d. Your coupons will encourage short-term purchases of larger quantities of soup.
d. Your coupons will encourage short-term purchases of larger quantities of soup.
All of the following are categories used to classify retailers except: a. shopping effort b. form of ownership c. product lines d. form of financing e. services provided
d. form of financing
You are the head of sales for an industrial machinery company. The approach you use to organizing your sales force is similar to that of many other B2B firms. This approach is: a. geographic specialization b. territory specialization c. channel specialization d. product category specialization
d. product category specialization
You and a coworker, Liam, are discussing the merits of different media options for placement of your firm's advertising. The options include TV, radio, direct mail, magazines, and outdoor. "I'm concerned about people's limited attention spans," says Liam. "However, its low cost is a big advantage because of our tight budget." "The short lead time for placing ads will be especially helpful, since we often change prices on short notice," you comment. "And it's great for targeting our local market." Which of the following media options are you and Liam discussing? a. magazines b. outdoor c. direct mail d. radio e. TV
d. radio
You own a mattress store called "Dream Better." Since people routinely compare your products to those offered by Sleepy's and other major competitors before making a purchase, you invest heavily in skilled salespeople and attractive displays. "Dream Better" is best classified as a: a. showroom store b. self-service retailer c. sales store d. shopping store e. convenience retailer
d. shopping store
Janice works as a consultant for a tech company. In the past, the company has relied heavily on its toll-free line to sell new products, as well as its numerous distribution channels. When customers are polled via a customer satisfaction survey, 93 percent of them report that one of the primary reasons they have continued to support the company is because of its quality customer service. Janice has been asked to brainstorm strategies to increase company sales. She suggests that the company employs automatic merchandising to cut costs and boost profits. Why might automatic merchandising be a bad idea for this company? a. It is difficult to develop effective marketing strategies for automatic merchandising. b. Distribution for automatic merchandising is limited. c. It is too costly to maintain automatic merchandising around the clock. d. Automatic merchandising is archaic. e. Automatic merchandising sales are impersonal.
e. Automatic merchandising sales are impersonal.
Unlike wholesalers and manufacturers, retailers represent the distribution channel to most consumers. Which of the following is not a reason for this consumer perception? a. Retailers determine merchandise selections. b. Consumers have little contact with wholesalers and manufacturers. c. Retailers determine shopping hours and locations. d. Consumers rely on retailers to obtain a wide array of merchandise. e. Retailers have little contact with wholesalers and manufacturers.
e. Retailers have little contact with wholesalers and manufacturers.
After working in retail for about a decade, Lynette decided to open her own shop. For years, she had been interested in learning about handbags and collected vintage purses. Naturally, Lynette was going to open a handbag shop. Because she knows just how expensive designer bags could be, she also decided to find ways to cut the costs associated with running a store so she could increase customer bargains. Lynette's store is open five days a week from 12 noon to 6 p.m. Which of the following types of retailers accurately reflect Lynette's store? a. Chain store b. Mass merchandiser c. Department store d. Convenience retailer e. Specialty store
e. Specialty store
Sue runs a high-end jewelry boutique. In the past, she provided complementary gift wrapping, but there has been so much demand for this service that she has decided to start charging for it and limiting it to only one wrapped item per customer. Which of the following elements of retailing strategy is Sue about to change? a. merchandising b. pricing c. store atmospherics d. customer amenities e. customer service
e. customer service
The director of marketing at your company has asked you to evaluate the cost-cutting potential of using marketing intermediaries. You point out to his or her that intermediaries will save money in some, but not all, of your marketing activities. In which of the following activities would marketing intermediaries be ineffective in saving money? a. selling to multiple customers b. warehousing product c. maintaining inventory d. delivering product e. manufacturing product
e. manufacturing product
