chapter 14
d. Anya claims that test marketing in a few select cities will provide the most realistic information on
actual purchases.
106. The owner of BargainSmartphones.com is determined to drive competitors such as CheapPhones.com out
of business. He has plenty of money to invest in building his business, so he has instructed his marketing
manager to slash prices by 25% to 50% on nearly every product until there aren’t any other online cell phone
retailers left. Which of the following statements is true about this situation?
a. This business owner is probably guilty of tax evasion.
b. This business owner could be using illegal loss-leader pricing tactics.
c. This business owner is most likely guilty of price discrimination.
d. This business owner is probably violating the Robinson–Patman Act.
107. As the marketing director for a chain of mid-priced hotels, you’ve been directly involved in the
development of a new hotel in the organization. This new Boston location will be quite different, with more
amenities, better furnishings, and bigger rooms. Your boss, the CEO, has asked you to review several different
pricing options and pick the one that sends a clear message to consumers. Which one do you choose?
a. A skimming strategy to communicate the prestigious, high-end image of the hotel
b. A penetration strategy to convince consumers to try the new hotel
c. A competitive strategy that is comparable to similar high-end hotels in the area
d. A penetration strategy to attract attention, followed by a competitive strategy with comparable hotels
108. As the chief marketing officer for one of the most successful candy manufacturers in the country, you know
how important Valentine’s Day sales are to your organization. You are somewhat concerned about next year’s
sales, however, because one of your major competitors launched a new candy last year that’s been tremendously
popular, and you suspect they’re going to roll out a bite-size version just in time for this candy lover‘s holiday. Is
trend analysis still a good technique for you to use in forecasting sales for next year?
a. Yes, because at this point there’s no reason to assume that next year’s sales will be affected by the
competition.
b. Yes, but you should be prepared for your forecast to be inaccurate because a major change in the
marketplace could occur.
c. No, because it’s a given that your competitor is going to take a huge bite out of your sales, making it
impossible to accurately forecast using trend analysis.
d. No, because this has always been a deeply flawed technique that produces inaccurate results.
109. Your friend Claire has just shared that she dreams of owning a world-famous Hermes Birkin handbag
someday. When you inform her that there is a waiting list for these exclusive handbags, which usually sell for
$12,000 and up, she says she’s waiting for them to go on sale. What do you know about pricing that would
influence how you respond?
a. High-end, exclusive brands are always expensive, even when they’re on sale, so you would discourage
her from spending that much money on a handbag.
b. The high price of this product indicates exceptional quality and prestige, so you would encourage Claire
to pay full price for the handbag.
c. Prices usually drop when demand drops, so you should encourage Claire to wait for those conditions.
d. Manufacturers of high-end, exclusive brands usually do not allow discounting to protect the prestige of
the brand, so you should tell Claire that she probably won’t ever see a sale.