978-0134292663 Chapter 10 Lecture Notes Part 1

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subject Authors Elnora W. Stuart, Greg W. Marshall, Michael R. Solomon

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Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
Chapter 10
Price: What Is the Value Proposition Worth?
I. CHAPTER OVERVIEW
The chapter begins by asking the question, “What is price?” At first glance, students may think
the question has an obvious answer—the number printed on the price sticker. However, as
students explore this chapter, they will discover that price is a whole lot more. Price is a
function of demand, costs, revenue, and the environment. Pricing can be monetary or
non-monetary. Pricing decisions lead to specific pricing strategies and tactics, discussed in the
chapter. Students also learn about the psychological aspect of pricing, as well as legal, and
ethical aspects of pricing.
II. CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
1. Explain the importance of pricing and how marketers set objectives for their pricing
strategies.
2. Describe how marketers use costs, demands, revenue and the pricing environment to
make pricing decisions.
3. Understand key pricing strategies and tactics.
4. Understand the opportunities for Internet pricing strategies.
5. Describe the psychological, legal, and ethical aspects of pricing.
III. CHAPTER OUTLINE
►MARKETING MOMENT INTRODUCTION
Tell students their job is to buy the “best” Oriental rug. One rug is priced at $800 while another is
priced at $1000. Which one is the best? How did they make that decision? This is an excellent
time to introduce the concept of price as an extrinsic cue and the price/quality relationship.
p. 289 REAL PEOPLE, REAL CHOICES—
HERE’S MY PROBLEM AT CONVERSE COLLEGE
In 2013, the administration of Converse College, a private
master’s university located in South Carolina, realized that
escalating tuition costs were creating serious problems for current
and potential students. Betsy and her staff decided to take a
serious look at the College’s pricing model. Their objective was
threefold: (1) address the affordability concerns of private higher
education within the marketplace, (2) recapture a greater portion
of the middle class market that was feeling priced out of the
private college experience, and (3) develop a more sustainable
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
and transparent operating model for the college. Betsy launched a
strategic enrollment planning process that involved extensive
research to guide data-driven decisions. The working group
identified possible solutions to the high-tuition dilemma.
1. Reset tuition to a significantly lower price for traditional
undergraduate students.
2. Freeze tuition for each incoming student from the time she
matriculated until she graduated.
3. Provide students with a Loan Repayment Program (LRP).
The vignette ends by asking the student which option he/she
would choose.
Betsy chose Option #1
p. 292
p. 292
1. “YES, BUT WHAT DOES IT COST?”
The question of what to charge for a product is a central part of
marketing decision making.
1.1 What Is Price?
Price is the assignment of value, or the amount the consumer
must exchange to receive the offering or product. Payment may
be in the form of money, goods, services, favors, votes, or
anything else that has value to the other party. Bitcoin is the most
popular and fastest-growing digital currency.
Other non-monetary costs often are important to marketers. It is
also important to consider an opportunity cost, or the value of
something that is given up to obtain something else.
Exhibit: Digital
Currencies:
Bitcoin
Figure 10.1
Process:
Elements of Price
Planning
p. 293 1.2 Step 1: Develop Pricing Objectives
The first crucial step in price planning is to develop pricing
objectives. These must support the broader objectives of the firm,
such as maximizing shareholder value, as well as its overall
marketing objectives, such as increasing market share.
p. 293
p. 294
1.2.1 Profit Objectives
Often a firm’s overall objectives relate to a certain level of profit
it hopes to realize. This is usually the case in B2B marketing.
When pricing strategies are determined by profit objectives, the
focus is on a target level of profit growth or a desired net profit
margin. A profit objective is important to firms that believe profit
is what motivates shareholders and bankers to invest in a
company.
1.2.2 Sales or Market Share Objectives
However, lowering prices is not always necessary to increase
market share. If a company’s product has a competitive
advantage, keeping the price at the same level as other firms may
Figure 10.2
Process: Pricing
Objectives
Exhibit: Virgin
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
satisfy sales objectives.
1.2.3 Competitive Effect Objectives
Sometimes strategists design the pricing plan to dilute the
competition’s marketing efforts. In these cases, a firm may
deliberately try to preempt or reduce the impact of a rival’s
pricing changes.
Australia
p. 295 ►METRICS MOMENT
Market share is the percentage of a market (defined in terms of
either sales units or revenue) accounted for by a specific firm,
product lines, or brands. Market share is quoted within the context
of a particular set of competitors.
Applying the Metrics
Pick any industry and identify the main competitors—
this can be any type of product or service line of your choice
as long as there are several easily identified competing brands
(Hint: Publicly traded firms are easier to research then
privately held firms.) Do a little research to find out how their
market shares stack up.
Then, for the same firms, take a look at their most recent
reported profits. Based on your findings, does a higher market
share translate into a better profit picture?
Exhibit:
Autoslash
p. 295 1.2.4 Customer Satisfaction Objectives
Many quality-focused firms believe that profits result from
making customer satisfaction the primary objective. These firms
believe that by focusing solely on short-term profits, a company
loses sight of keeping customers for the long term.
p. 295 1.2.5 Image Enhancement Objectives
Consumers often use price to make inferences about the quality of
a product. In fact, marketers know that price is often an important
means of communicating not only quality but also image to
prospective customers. The image enhancement function of
pricing is particularly important with prestige products (or
luxury products), which have a high price and appeal to
status-conscious consumers.
p. 296
p. 296
2. COSTS, DEMAND, REVENUE, AND THE PRICING
ENVIRONMENT
2.1 Step 2: Estimate Demand
The second step in price planning is to estimate demand. Demand
refers to customers’ desires for a product: How much of a product
are they willing to buy as the price of the product goes up or
down?
Figure 10.3
Process: Factors
in Price Setting
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Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
p. 296 2.1.1 Demand Curves
Economists use a graph of a demand curve to illustrate the effect
of price on the quantity demanded of a product. The demand
curve, which can be a curved or straight line, shows the quantity
of a product that customers will buy in a market during a period at
various prices if all other factors remain the same.
The demand curve for most goods (Left side of Figure 10.2)
slopes downward and to the right. As the price of the product goes
up (P1 to P2), the number of units that customers are willing to
buy goes down (Q1 to Q2). If prices decrease, customers will buy
more. This is the law of demand. For example, if the price of
bananas goes up, customers will probably buy fewer of them.
There are, however, exceptions to this typical price–quantity
relationship. In fact, there are situations in which (otherwise sane)
people desire a product more as it increases in price. For prestige
products such as luxury cars or jewelry, a price hike may actually
result in an increase in the quantity consumers demand because
they see the product as more valuable. In such cases, the demand
curve slopes upward. The higher-price/higher-demand
relationship has its limits. If the firm increases the price too much,
(say from P2 to P1) making the product unaffordable for all but a
few buyers, demand will begin to decrease.
Figure 10.4
Snapshot:
Demand Curves
for Normal and
Prestige Products
p. 297
p. 298
2.1.2 Shifts in Demand
The demand curves we have shown assume that all factors other
than price stay the same. However, what if they do not? What if
the company improves the product? What happens when there is a
glitzy new advertising campaign that turns a product into a
“must-have” for many people? What if stealthy paparazzi catch
Brad Pitt using the product at home? Any of these things could
cause an upward shift of the demand curve. An upward shift in the
demand curve means that at any given price, demand is greater
than before the shift occurs.
Demand curves may also shift downward.
Figure 10.5
Snapshot: Shift
in the Demand
Curve
Table 10.1
Estimating
Demand for
Pizza
p. 298 2.1.3 Estimate Demand
Marketers predict total demand first by identifying the number of
buyers or potential buyers for their product and then multiplying
that estimate times the average amount each member of the target
market is likely to purchase.
Once the marketer estimates total demand, the next step is to
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
predict what the company’s market share is likely to be. The
company’s estimated demand is then its share of the whole
market. Such projections need to take into consideration other
factors that might affect demand, such as new competitors
entering the market, the state of the economy, and changing
customer tastes.
p. 298
p. 298
p. 299
p. 299
p. 299
2.1.4 Price Elasticity of Demand
Marketers also need to know how their customers are likely to
react to a price change. In particular, it is critical to understand
whether a change in price will have a large or a small impact on
demand.
Price elasticity of demand is a measure of the sensitivity of
customers to changes in price. The word elasticity indicates that
changes in price usually cause demand to stretch or retract like a
rubber band. Some customers are very sensitive to changes in
price, and a change in price results in a substantial change in the
quantity demanded. In such instances, we have a case of elastic
demand. In other situations, we describe a change in price that
has little or no effect on the quantity that consumers are willing to
buy as inelastic demand.
When demand is elastic, changes in price and in total revenues
work in opposite directions. If the price is increased, revenues
decrease. If the price is decreased, total revenues increase.
In some instances, demand is inelastic so that a change in price
results in little or no change in demand. When demand is
inelastic, price and revenue changes are in the same direction; that
is, increases in price result in increases in total revenue, while
decreases in price result in decreases in total revenue.
Elasticity of demand for a product often differs for different price
levels and with different percentages of change.
As a rule, businesses can determine the actual price elasticity only
after they have tested a pricing decision and calculated the
resulting demand. To estimate what demand is likely to be at
different prices for new or existing products, marketers often do
research.
Other factors can affect price elasticity and sales. Consider the
availability of substitute goods or services. If a product has a
close substitute, its demand will be elastic; that is, a change in
price will result in a change in demand, as consumers move to
buy the substitute product. Marketers of products with close
Figure 10.6
Snapshot: Price
Elasticity of
Demand
Figure 10.7
Snapshot:
Price-Elastic and
Price-Inelastic
Demand
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Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
p. 300
substitutes are less likely to compete on price because they
recognize that doing so could result in less profit as consumers
switch from one brand to another.
Changes in prices of other products also affect the demand for an
item, a phenomenon we label cross-elasticity of demand. When
products are substitutes for each other, an increase in the price of
one will increase the demand for the other. For example, if the
price of bananas goes up, consumers may instead buy more
strawberries, blueberries, or apples. However, when products are
complements—that is, when one product is essential to the use of
a second—an increase in the price of one decreases the demand
for the second.
p. 300
2.2 Step 3: Determine Costs
Estimating demand helps marketers determine possible prices to
charge for a product. It tells them how much of the product they
think they will be able to sell at different prices. Knowing this
brings them to the third step in determining a product’s price:
making sure the price will cover costs. Before marketers can
determine price, they must understand the relationship of cost,
demand, and revenue for their product.
p. 300
p. 301
p. 302
2.2.1 Variable and Fixed Costs
First, a firm incurs variable costs—the per-unit costs of
production that will fluctuate depending on how many units or
individual products a firm produces. Variable costs can go down
with higher levels of production but do not always do so.
Fixed costs are costs that do not vary with the number of units
produced—the costs that remain the same whether the firm
produces 1,000 bookcases this month or only 10. Fixed costs
include rent or the cost of owning and maintaining the factory,
utilities to heat or cool the factory, and the costs of equipment
such as hammers, saws, and paint sprayers used in the production
of the product.
Average fixed cost is the fixed cost per unit produced, that is, the
total fixed costs divided by the number of units produced.
Although total fixed costs remain the same no matter how many
units are produced, the average fixed cost will decrease as the
number of units produced increases. As we produce more and
more units, average fixed costs go down, and so does the price we
must charge to cover fixed costs.
In the long term, total fixed costs may change.
Figure 10.8
Snapshot:
Variable Costs at
Different Levels
of Production
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Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
p. 302 Combining variable costs and fixed costs yields total costs for a
given level of production. As a company produces more and more
of a product, both average fixed costs and average variable costs
may decrease. Average total costs may decrease, too, up to a
point. As output continues to increase, average variable costs may
start to increase. These variable costs ultimately rise faster than
average fixed costs decline, resulting in an increase to average
total cost. As total cost fluctuates with differing levels of
production, the price that producers have to charge to cover those
costs changes accordingly. Therefore, marketers need to calculate
the minimum price necessary to cover all costs—the break-even
price.
p. 302
p. 302
p. 302
p. 303
2.2.2 Break-Even Analysis
Break-even analysis is a technique marketers use to examine the
relationship between cost and price and to determine what sales
volume must be reached at a given price before the company will
completely cover its total cost and past which it will begin making
a profit. Simply put, the break-even point is the point at with the
company does not lose any money and does not make any profit.
A break-even analysis allows marketers to identify how many
units of a product they will have to sell at a given price to be
profitable.
To determine the break-even point, the firm first needs to
calculate the contribution per unit, or the difference between the
prices the firm charges for a product (the revenue per unit) and the
variable costs. This figure is the amount the firm has after paying
for the goods that contribute to meeting the fixed costs of
production.
Often a firm will set a profit goal, which is the dollar profit figure
it desires to earn. The break-even point may be calculated with
that dollar goal included in the figures.
Sometimes the target return or profit goal is expressed as a
percentage of sales. For example, a firm may say that it wants to
make a profit of at least 10 percent on sales. In such cases, this
profit is added to the variable cost in calculating the break-even
point.
Break-even analysis does not provide an easy answer for pricing
decisions. It provides answers about how many units the firm
must sell to break even and to make a profit, but without knowing
whether demand will equal the quantity at that price, companies
can make big mistakes. It is, therefore, useful for marketers to
estimate the demand for their product and then perform a
Figure 10.9
Snapshot:
Break-Even
Analysis
Assuming a Price
of $100
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Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
marginal analysis.
p. 304 2.2.3 Markups and Margins: Pricing through the Channel
So far, we have talked about costs simply from the manufacturer’s
perspective. However, in reality, most products are not sold
directly to the consumers or business buyers of the product.
Instead, a manufacturer sells to a wholesaler, distributor, or jobber
who in turn sells to a retailer who finally sells the product to the
ultimate consumer. Setting prices means considering all of these
steps.
Each member of the channel of distribution buys a product for a
certain amount and adds a markup amount to create the price at
which they will sell a product. This markup amount is the gross
margin, also referred to as the retailer margin or the wholesaler
margin. The margin must be great enough to cover the fixed costs
of the retailer or wholesaler and leave an amount for a profit.
When a manufacturer sets a price, he or she must consider these
margins. Many times, a manufacturer builds its pricing structure
around list prices. A list price, which we also refer to as a
manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP), is the price that
the manufacturer sets as the appropriate price for the end
consumer to pay.
Vertical integration is the combining of manufacturing
operations with channels of distribution under a single ownership
to reduce costs and increase profits.
Figure 10.10
Snapshot:
Markups through
the Channel
Exhibit:
Progressive
p. 305 2.3 Step 4: Evaluate The Pricing Environment
Marketers look at factors in the firm’s external environment when
they make pricing decisions. The fourth step in developing pricing
strategies is to examine and evaluate the pricing environment.
Only then can marketers set a price that not only covers costs but
also provides a competitive advantage—a price that meets the
needs of customers better than the competition.
p. 305
p. 306
2.3.1 The Economy
Broad economic trends tend to direct pricing strategies. The
business cycle, inflation, economic growth, and consumer
confidence all help to determine whether one pricing strategy or
another will succeed.
During recessions, consumers grow more price sensitive. Many
firms find it necessary to cut prices to levels at which costs are
covered but the company does not make a profit to keep factories
in operation.
Inflation may give marketers cause to either increase or decrease
Exhibit:
ForceFlex
Garbage Bag ad
Exhibit: P&G
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
prices. First, inflation gets customers used to price increases. They
may remain insensitive to price increases, even when inflation
goes away, allowing marketers to make real price increases. In
periods of recession, inflation may cause marketers to lower
prices and temporarily sacrifice profits in order to maintain sales
levels.
Pampers
ad
p. 306 2.3.2 The Competition
Marketers try to anticipate how the competition will respond to
their pricing actions. It is not always a good idea to fight the
competition with lower prices. Pricing wars can change
consumers’ perceptions of what is a “fair” price, leaving them
unwilling to buy at previous price levels.
Generally, firms that do business in an oligopoly (in which the
market has few sellers and many buyers) are more likely to adopt
status quo pricing objectives in which the pricing of all
competitors is similar. Avoiding price competition allows all
players in the industry to remain profitable.
Firms in a purely competitive market have little opportunity to
raise or lower prices. Price is directly influenced by supply and
demand.
p. 306
p. 307
p. 307
2.3.3 Government Regulation
Governments in the United States and other countries develop two
different types of regulations, which have an effect on pricing.
First, a large number of regulations increase the costs of
production. Regulations for health care, environmental protection,
occupational safety, and highway safety, just to mention a few,
cause the costs of producing many products to increase. Other
regulations of specific industries such as those imposed by the
Food and Drug Administration (FD) on the production of food
and pharmaceuticals increase the costs of developing and
producing those products. In addition, some regulations directly
address prices.
2.3.4 Consumer Trends
Consumer trends also can strongly influence prices. Culture and
demographics determine how consumers think and behave and so
these factors have a large impact on all marketing decisions.
2.3.5 The International Environment
The marketing environment often varies widely from country to
country. This can have important consequences in developing
pricing strategies.
p. 308 3. IDENTIFY STRATEGIES AND TACTICS TO PRICE
THE PRODUCT
Figure 10.11
Snapshot: Pricing
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Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
p. 308
p. 308
In modern business, there seldom is any one-and-only,
now-and-forever, and best pricing strategy. Like playing a game
of chess, making pricing moves and countermoves requires
thinking two and three moves ahead.
3.1 Step 5: Choose a Pricing Strategy
The next step in price planning is to choose a pricing strategy.
3.2 Pricing Strategies Based on Cost
Marketing planners often choose cost-based strategies because
they are simple to calculate and relatively risk free. They promise
that the price will at least cover the costs the company incurs in
producing and marketing the product.
Cost-based pricing methods have drawbacks, however. They do
not consider such factors as the nature of the target market,
demand, competition, the product life cycle, and the product’s
image. The calculations for setting the price may be simple and
straightforward but accurate cost estimating may prove difficult.
The most common cost-based approach to pricing a product is
cost-plus pricing in which the marketer totals all the costs for the
product and then adds an amount (or marks up the cost of the
item) to arrive at the selling price. Many marketers use cost-plus
pricing because of its simplicity—users need only estimate the
unit cost and add the markup. To calculate cost-plus pricing,
marketers usually calculate either a markup on cost or a markup
on selling price. Keystoning is a retail pricing strategy in which the
retailer doubles the cost of the item (100 percent markup) to determine
the price.
Strategies and
Tactics
p. 309
p. 309
3.2.1 Pricing Strategies Based on Demand
Demand-based pricing</keyterm> means that the firm bases the
selling price on an estimate of volume or quantity that it can sell
in different markets at different prices. Firms must determine how
much product they can sell in each market and at what price.
Today, firms find that they can be more successful if they match
price with demand using a <keyterm id="ch11term19"
linkend="gloss11_019" preference="0" role="strong">target
costing</keyterm> process. <endnoteref label="9"
olinkend="ch11endnoteset09"/> They first determine the price at
which customers would be willing to buy the product and then
works backward to design the product in such a way that it can
produce and sell the product at a profit.
Figure 10.12
Snapshot: Target
Costing Using a
Jeans Example
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Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
p. 309
With target costing, firms first use marketing research to identify
the quality and functionality needed to satisfy attractive market
segments and what price they are willing to pay before the
product is designed. The next step is to determine what margin
retailers and dealers require as well as the profit margin the
company requires. Based on this information, managers can
calculate the target cost—the maximum it will cost the firm to
manufacture the product. If the firm can meet customer quality
and functionality requirements and control costs to meet the
required price, it will manufacture the product.
Yield management pricing, another type of demand-based
pricing, is a pricing strategy used by airlines, hotels, and cruise
lines. Firms charge different prices to different customers in order
to manage capacity while maximizing revenue. This strategy
works because different customers have different sensitivities to
price. The goal of yield management pricing is to accurately
predict the proportion of customers who fall into each category
and allocate the percentage of the airline or hotel’s capacity
accordingly so that no product goes unsold.
p. 310 3.2.2 Pricing Strategies Based on the Competition
Sometimes a firm’s pricing strategy involves pricing its wares
near, at, above, or below the competition. A price leadership
strategy, which usually is the rule in an industry dominated by few
firms and called an oligopoly, may be in the best interest of all
firms because it minimizes price competition. Price leadership
strategies are popular because they provide an acceptable and
legal way for firms to agree on prices without ever talking with
each other.
p. 311
p. 311
3.2.3 Pricing Strategies Based on Customers’ Needs
When firms develop pricing strategies that cater to customers,
they are less concerned with short-term results than with keeping
customers for the long term.
Firms that practice value pricing or everyday low pricing
(EDLP), develop a pricing strategy that promises ultimate value
to consumers. What this means is that, in the customer’s eyes, the
price is justified by what they receive.
When firms base price strategies solely or mainly on cost, they
are operating under the old production orientation and not a
customer orientation. Value-based pricing begins with customer,
then considers the competition, and then determines the best
pricing strategy.
Exhibit: Priceline
p. 311 3.2.4 New Product Pricing
When a product is new to the market or when there is no
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
p. 311
p. 312
p. 312
established industry price norm, marketers may use a skimming
price strategy, a penetration pricing strategy, or trial pricing when
they first introduce the item to the market.
Setting a skimming price means that the firm charges a high,
premium price for its new product with the intention of reducing
it in future response to market pressure.
If a product is highly desirable and it offers unique benefits,
demand is price inelastic during the introductory stage of the
product life cycle, allowing a company to recover
research-and-development and promotion costs. When rival
products enter the market, the price is lowered in order for the
firm to remain competitive. Firms focusing on profit objectives in
developing their pricing strategies often set skimming prices for
new products.
A skimming price is more likely to succeed if the product
provides some important benefits to the target market that make
customers feel they must have it no matter what the cost.
For a skimming price to be successful there should also be little
chance that competition can get into the market quickly. In
addition, the market should consist of several customer segments
with different levels of price sensitivity.
Penetration pricing</keyterm> is the opposite of skimming
pricing. In this situation, the company prices a new product very
low to sell more in a short time and gain market share early on.
One reason marketers use penetration pricing is to discourage
competitors from entering the market. The firm first out with a
new product has an important advantage. Experience shows that a
pioneering brand often is able to maintain dominant market share
for long periods. Penetration pricing may act as a
<emphasis>barrier-to-entry</emphasis> for competitors if the
prices the market will bear are so low that the company will not
be able to recover development and manufacturing costs.
Trial pricing</keyterm> means that a new product carries a low
price for a limited time to generate a high level of customer
interest. Unlike penetration pricing, in which the company
maintains the low price, in this case it increases the trial price
after the introductory period. The idea is to win customer
acceptance first and make profits later.
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
p. 312 3.2.5 Price Segmentation
Price segmentation is the practice of charging different prices to
different market segments for the same product. Peak load
pricing is a pricing plan that sets prices higher during periods
with higher demand. Surge pricing is a pricing plan that raises
prices of a product as demand goes up and lowers it as demand
slides.
Bottom of the pyramid pricing is innovative pricing that will
appeal to consumers with the lowest incomes by brands that wish
to get a foothold in bottom of the pyramid countries.
p. 312 3.3 Step 6: Develop Pricing Tactics
Once marketers have developed pricing strategies, the last step in
price planning is to implement them. The methods companies use
to set their strategies in motion are their pricing tactics.
p. 313 3.3.1 Pricing for Individual Products
The way marketers present a product’s price to a market can make
a big difference. The following are examples:
Two-part pricing requires two separate types of payments to
purchase the product. Payment pricing makes the consumer think
the price is “do-able” by breaking up the total price into smaller
amounts payable over time. Decoy pricing is a pricing strategy
whereby a seller offers at least three similar products; two have
comparable but more expensive prices and one of these two is less
attractive to buyers, thus causing more buyers to buy the higher
priced more attractive item.
Exhibit: Dank
Furniture
ad
Marketing Moment In-Class Activity
Ask students to think of examples of products (besides cars) that use payment pricing. Who is the
target market (people who may not be able to afford the product)? Are there any ethical concerns
to this tactic? How would you advertise the price?
p. 313 3.3.2 Pricing for Multiple Products
A firm may sell several products that consumers typically buy at
one time. Price bundling means selling two or more goods or
services as a single package for one price—a price that is often
less than the total price of the items if bought individually.
Captive pricing is a pricing tactic a firm uses when it has two
products that work only when used together. The firm sells one
item at a very low price and then makes its profit on the second
high-margin item.
Marketing Moment In-Class Activity
Ask students to identify how fast food restaurants use product bundling? (Example: Happy Meal)
Are there any ethical concerns (i.e., people eating more because they ‘get a deal’)?
p. 314 3.3.3 Distribution-Based Pricing
Distribution-based pricing is a tactic that establishes how firms
Exhibit: The Art
of Shaving
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
p. 314
p. 314
p. 314
handle the cost of shipping products to customers near as well as
far.
F.O.B. pricing is a tactic used in business-to-business marketing.
<para>Often
a company states a price as <emphasis>F.O.B.
factory</emphasis> or <emphasis>F.O.B. delivered</emphasis>.
F.O.B. stands for “free on board,” which means the supplier pays
to have the product loaded onto a truck or some other carrier. Also
—and this is important—<emphasis>title passes to the
buyer</emphasis> at the F.O.B. location. F.O.B. factory or
<keyterm id="ch11term29" linkend="gloss11_028"
preference="0" role="strong">F.O.B. origin pricing</keyterm>
means that the cost of transporting the product from the factory to
the customer’s location is the responsibility of the customer.
<keyterm id="ch11term30" linkend="gloss11_029"
preference="0" role="strong">F.O.B. delivered
pricing</keyterm> means that the seller pays both the cost of
loading and the cost of transporting to the customer, amounts it
includes in the selling price.
International Delivery Pricing Terms of Sale
CIF (cost, insurance, freight) is used for ocean
shipments. It means the seller quotes a price for the
goods (including insurance), all transportation, and
miscellaneous charges to the point of debarkation from
the vessel.
CFR (cost and freight) means the quoted price covers
the goods and the cost of transportation to the named
point of debarkation but the buyer must pay the cost of
insurance. This term is typically used only for ocean
shipments.
CIP (carriage and insurance paid to) and CPT (carriage
paid to) include the same provisions as CIF and CFR.
However, they are used for shipment by modes other
than water.
When a firm uses <keyterm id="ch11term32"
linkend="gloss11_031" preference="0" role="strong">uniform
delivered pricing</keyterm>, it adds an average shipping cost to
the price, no matter what the distance from the manufacturer’s
plant—within reason.
Freight absorption pricing</keyterm> means the seller takes on
part or all of the cost of shipping. This policy works well for
high-ticket items, for which the cost of shipping is a negligible
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
part of the sales price and the profit margin.
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3.3.4 Discounting for Channel Members
A list price, also referred to as a suggested retail price, is the
price that the manufacturer sets as the appropriate price for the
end consumer to pay. In pricing for members of the channel,
marketers recognize that retailers and wholesalers have costs to
cover and profit targets to reach as well. They often begin with the
list price and then use a number of discounting tactics to
implement pricing to members of the channel of distribution.
Such tactics include the following:
Trade or functional
discounts:</title><para><inst> </inst>Because the
channel members perform selling, credit, storage, and
transportation services that the manufacturer would
otherwise have to provide, manufacturers normally
offer <keyterm id="ch11term35"
linkend="gloss11_034" preference="0"
role="strong">trade or functional
discounts</keyterm> to channel intermediaries. These
discounts are usually set percentage discounts off the
suggested retail or list price for each channel level.
Quantity discounts:</title><para><inst> </inst>To
encourage larger purchases from distribution channel
partners or from large organizational customers,
marketers may offer <keyterm id="ch11term36"
linkend="gloss11_035" preference="0"
role="strong">quantity discounts</keyterm>, or
reduced prices for purchases of larger quantities.
<emphasis>Cumulative quantity
discounts</emphasis> are based on a total quantity
bought within a specified time, often a year/. They
encourage a buyer to stick with a single seller instead
of moving from one supplier to another. Cumulative
quantity discounts often take the form of
<emphasis>rebates</emphasis>, in which case the
firm sends the buyer a rebate check at the end of the
discount period or, alternatively, gives the buyer credit
against future orders. <emphasis>Non-cumulative
quantity discounts</emphasis> are based only on the
quantity purchased with each individual order and
encourage larger single orders but do little to tie the
buyer and the seller together.
Cash discounts:</title><para><inst> </inst>Many
firms try to entice their customers to pay their bills
quickly by offering cash discounts.
Seasonal
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Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
discounts:</title><para><inst> </inst><emphasis>Season
al discounts</emphasis> are price reductions offered only
during certain times of the year.
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4. PRICING AND ELECTRONIC COMMERCE
Because sellers are connected to buyers around the globe as never
before through the Internet, corporate networks, wireless setups,
and marketers can offer deals tailored to a single person at a
single moment. Many experts suggest that technology is creating
a consumer revolution that might change pricing forever—and
perhaps create the most efficient market ever. The Internet also
enables firms that sell to other businesses (B2B firms) to change
their prices rapidly as they adapt to changing costs.
4.1 Dynamic Pricing Strategies
One of the most important opportunities the Internet offers is
<keyterm id="ch11term37" linkend="gloss11_036"
preference="0" role="strong">dynamic pricing</keyterm>, in
which the seller can easily adjust the price to meet changes in the
marketplace.
4.2 Internet Price Discrimination
Internet price discrimination is an Internet pricing strategy that
charges different prices to different customers for the same
product. Is price discrimination illegal? As long as the company
doesn’t charge different prices based on a demographic
characteristic such as gender or race, it is not. Whether it is
ethical, however, is debatable.
4.3 Online Auctions
Online auctions</keyterm> allow shoppers to bid on everything
from bobbleheads to health-and-fitness equipment to a Sammy
Sosa home-run ball. Auctions provide a second Internet pricing
strategy. Perhaps the most popular auctions are the C2C auctions
such as those on eBay. The eBay auction is an <emphasis>open
auction</emphasis>, meaning that all the buyers know the highest
price bid at any point in time. On many Internet auction sites, the
seller can set a <emphasis>reserve price</emphasis>, a price
below which the item will not be sold.<link linkend="ch11mn40"
preference="1"/></para>
<para>A <emphasis>reverse auction</emphasis> is a tool used
by firms to manage their costs in business-to-business buying.
While in a typical auction, buyers compete to purchase a product,
in reverse auctions; sellers compete for the right to provide a
product at, hopefully, a low price.
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
p. 317
4.4 Freemium Pricing Strategies
A freemium strategy is a business strategy in which a product in
its most basic version is provided free of charge but the company
charges money (the premium) for upgraded versions of the
product with more features, greater functionality, or greater. The
freemium pricing strategy has been most popular in digital
offerings such as software media, games, or web services where
the cost of one additional copy of the product is negligible.
4.5 Pricing Advantages for Online Shoppers
The Internet creates unique pricing challenges for marketers
because consumers and business customers are gaining more
control over the buying process. Consumers have become more
price sensitive.
Marketing Moment In-Class Activity
Ask if a student or someone the student knows participated in an e-bay auction. How is it
emotionally different from just going to the store and paying the price on the price tag (emotional
excitement)? How does this kind of consumer behavior exemplify the “experience economy?”
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5. PSYCHOLOGICAL, LEGAL AND ETHICAL ASPECTS
OF PRICING
5.1 Psychological Issues in Setting Prices
Much of what we’ve said about pricing depends on economists’
notion of a customer who evaluates price in a logical, rational
manner.
5.1.1 Buyers’ Pricing Expectation
Often consumers base their perceptions of price on what they
perceive to be the customary or fair price. When the price of a
product is above or sometimes even when it is below what
consumers expect they are less willing to purchase the product.
Figure 10.13
Snapshot:
Psychological,
Legal, and
Ethical Aspects
of Pricing
Marketing Moment In-Class Activity
Ask students to write down their “internal reference price” for products they are likely to
purchase (i.e., CD, can of pop, fast food dinner, computer, jeans, shoes). Compare prices between
students. Why are some internal reference prices consistent while others are different?
p. 318 5.1.2 Internal Reference Prices
Sometimes consumers’ perceptions of the customary price of a
product depend on their <keyterm id="ch11term40"
linkend="gloss11_039" preference="0" role="strong">internal
reference price</keyterm>. That is, based on experience,
consumers have a set price or a price range in mind that they refer
to in evaluating a product’s cost.
In some cases, marketers try to influence consumers’ expectations
of what a product should cost when they use reference-pricing
strategies. For example, manufacturers may compare their price to
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Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
competitors’ prices when they advertise. Similarly, a retailer may
display a product next to a higher-priced version of the same or a
different brand.
Two results are likely: On the one hand, if the prices (and other
characteristics) of the two products are close, the consumer will
probably feel the product quality is similar. This is an
<emphasis>assimilation effect</emphasis>. On the other hand, if
the prices of the two products are too far apart, a
<emphasis>contrast effect</emphasis> may result, in which the
customer equates the gap with a big difference in quality.
p. 319 5.1.3 Price–Quality Inferences
Consumers make price-quality inferences about a product when
they use price as a cue or an indicator of quality. If consumers are
unable to judge the quality of a product through examination or
prior experience, they usually will assume that the higher-price
product is the higher-quality product.
Brain scans show that—contrary to conventional wisdom—
consumers who buy something at a discount experience less
satisfaction than people who pay full price for the very same
thing. Researchers call this the <emphasis>price-placebo
effect</emphasis>.
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5.2 Psychological Pricing Strategies
Setting a price is part science, part art. Marketers must understand
psychological aspects of pricing when they decide what to charge
for their products or services.
5.2.1 Odd–Even Pricing
Marketers have assumed that there is a psychological response to
odd prices that differ from the responses to even prices. Habit
may also play a role. Research on the difference in perceptions of
odd versus even prices indeed supports the argument that prices
ending in 99 rather than 00 lead to increased sales.
Some prices are set at even numbers because of necessity. Lottery
tickets and admission to sporting events are two examples. Many
luxury items such as jewelry, golf course fees, and resort
accommodations use even dollar prices to set them apart. When
prices are given with dollar signs or even the word dollar,
customers spend less.
5.2.2 Price Lining
Marketers often apply their understanding of the psychological
aspects of pricing in a practice they call <keyterm
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Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
p. 320
id="ch11term41" linkend="gloss11_040" preference="0"
role="strong">price lining</keyterm>, whereby items in a
product line sell at different prices, or <emphasis>price
points</emphasis>. If you want to buy a new digital camera, you
will find that most manufacturers have one “stripped-down”
model for $100 or less. A better-quality but still moderately priced
model likely will be around $200, while a professional quality
camera with multiple lenses might set you back $1,000 or more.
Price lining provides the different ranges necessary to satisfy each
segment of the market.
For marketers this technique is a way to maximize profits. A firm
charges each customer the highest price the he is willing to pay.
5.2.3 Prestige Pricing
Sometimes luxury goods marketers use a <emphasis>prestige
pricing strategy</emphasis> that turns the typical assumption
about price-demand relationships on its head: Contrary to the
“rational” assumption that we value a product or service more as
the price goes down, in these cases, believe it or not, people tend
to buy more as the price goes up!
Use website here: www.landsend.com Lands’ End website
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5.3 Legal and Ethical Considerations in B2C Pricing
The free enterprise system is founded on the idea that the
marketplace will regulate itself. Unfortunately, the business world
includes the greedy and unscrupulous. Government has found it
necessary to enact legislation to protect consumers and to protect
businesses from predatory rivals.
5.3.1 Deceptive Pricing Practices
Unscrupulous businesses may advertise or promote prices in a
deceptive way. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), state
lawmakers, and private bodies such as the Better Business Bureau
have developed pricing rules and guidelines to meet the challenge.
Another deceptive pricing practice is the <keyterm
id="ch11term42" linkend="gloss11_041" preference="0"
role="strong">bait-and-switch</keyterm> tactic, whereby a
retailer will advertise an item at a very low price—the
<emphasis>bait</emphasis>—to lure customers into the store.
However, it is almost impossible to buy the advertised item—
salespeople like to say (privately) that the item is “nailed to the
floor.” The salespeople do everything possible to get the
unsuspecting customers to buy a different, more expensive, item
—the <emphasis>switch</emphasis>.
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Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
It is complicated to enforce laws against bait-and-switch tactics
because these practices are similar to the legal sales technique of
“trading up.” Simply encouraging consumers to purchase a
higher-priced item is acceptable, but it is illegal to advertise a
lower-priced item when it’s not a legitimate, <emphasis>bona
fide</emphasis> offer that is available if the customer demands it.
The FTC may determine if an ad is a bait-and-switch scheme or a
legitimate offer by checking to see if a firm refuses to show,
demonstrate, or sell the advertised product; disparages it; or
penalizes salespeople who do sell it.
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5.3.2 Loss-Leader Pricing and Unfair Sales Acts
Some retailers advertise items at very low prices or even below
cost and are glad to sell them at that price because they know that
once in the store, customers may buy other items at regular prices.
Marketers call this <keyterm id="ch11term43"
linkend="gloss11_042" preference="0" role="strong">loss leader
pricing</keyterm>; they do it to build store traffic and sales
volume.
Some states frown on loss leader practices so they have passed
legislation called <keyterm id="ch11term44"
linkend="gloss11_043" preference="0" role="strong">unfair
sales acts</keyterm> (also called <emphasis>unfair trade
practices acts</emphasis>). These laws or regulations prohibit
wholesalers and retailers from selling products below cost. These
laws aim to protect small wholesalers and retailers from larger
competitors because the “big fish” have the financial resources
that allow them to offer loss leaders or products at very low prices
—they know that the smaller firms can’t match these bargain
prices.
5.3.3 Misleading Merchandising
Sometimes, the merchandising activities in the retail store are
deceptive or at least suspicious. Consumers assume that items in
an end-aisle display are being sold at a discounted price. When
retailers display regularly priced merchandise in these displays,
they may be accused of taking advantage of consumers.
5.4 Legal Issues in B2B Pricing
Some of the more significant illegal B2B pricing activities include
price discrimination, price fixing, and predatory pricing.
5.4.1 Illegal Business-to-Business Price Discrimination
The Robinson-Patman Act includes regulations against price
discrimination in interstate commerce. Price discrimination
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Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
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regulations prevent firms from selling the same product to
different retailers and wholesalers at different prices if such
practices lessen competition.
5.4.2 Price-Fixing
Price fixing occurs when two or more companies conspire to
keep prices at a certain level. Horizontal price-fixing</emphasis>
occurs when competitors making the same product jointly
determine what price they each will charge. Sometimes
manufacturers or wholesalers attempt to force retailers to charge a
certain price for their product. When <emphasis>vertical
price-fixing</emphasis> occurs, the retailer that wants to carry the
product has to charge the “suggested” retail price.
5.4.3 Predatory Pricing
Predatory pricing</keyterm> means that a company sets a very
low price for the purpose of driving competitors out of business.
Later, when they have a monopoly, they turn around and increase
prices.
ETHICS CHECK
Find out what other students taking this course would do and why
at www.mymktlab.com
If you were advising Uber’s executives, would you encourage
them to end the service’s surge pricing strategy to prevent the
company from losing customers who are angry about such price
hikes?
Ripped from the
Headlines:
Ethical/
Sustainable
Decisions in the
Real World
Real People, Real Choices: Here’s My Choice at Converse
Betsy chose option #1.
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Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
IV. END-OF-CHAPTER ANSWER GUIDE
Chapter Review
CONCEPTS: TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
10-1 What is price, and why is it important to a firm? What is digital
currency, such as Bitcoin?
Price is the value that customers give up or exchange to obtain a desired
product. Price not only brings revenue into the firm but it also matches
competitive offerings and often establishes an image for the firm and its
products.
Bitcoin is a difital currency alternative. The Bitcoin units are generated
by open-source software; each additional Bitcoin can enter the system
only after a sophisticated computer solves an encryption problem. This
means there are only a very limited number of them around, so some
people are trying to snatch them up. This digital currency is bought on
Bitcoin exchanges, or purchased from mobile apps that store them in a
“virtual wallet.” Bitcoins are not controlled by the U.S. Treasury.
Transactions occur from person to person, so this opens the potential for
Bitcoins to show up in illegal transactions (such as laundering drug
money).
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Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
10-2 Describe and give examples of some of the following types of pricing
objectives: profit, market share, competitive effect, customer satisfaction,
and image enhancement.
When pricing strategies are determined by profit objectives, the focus is on a target
level of profit growth or a desired net profit margin. A profit objective is important to
firms that believe profit is what motivates shareholders and bankers to invest in a
company.
Market share involves having a pricing strategy to maximize sales (either
in dollars or in units) or to increase market share.
Competitive effect objectives mean that the pricing plan is intended to
have a certain effect on the competition’s marketing efforts.
Customer satisfaction means that quality-focused firms believe that
profits result from making customer satisfaction the primary objective.
These firms believe that by focusing solely on short-term profits, a
company loses sight of keeping customers for the long term.
Image enhancement is when the consumers use price to make inferences
about the quality of a product. Marketers know that price is often an
important means of communicating not only quality but also image to
prospective customers.
Explain how the demand curves for normal products and for prestige products
differ. What are demand shifts and why are they important to
marketers? How do firms go about estimating demand? How can
marketers estimate the elasticity of demand?
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For normal products the demand curve slopes downward and to the right—as price
goes up, demand goes down. For prestige products such as luxury cars or jewelry, the
demand curve slopes upward—an increase in price may actually result in an increase
in the quantity demanded because consumers see the products as more valuable.
Demand shifts mean the quantity demanded a given price is greater (an upward shift)
or less (a downward shift). Marketing activities such as a great ad campaign can
cause an upward shift. Downward shifts may occur if a new technology is developed
or other external factors.
Marketers estimate demand by identifying the number of buyers or
potential buyers for their product and then multiplying that estimate
times the average amount each member of the target market is likely to
purchase.
Marketers often do research to determine demand at different prices,
thus estimating demand. One type of research is to ask consumers how
much they would buy at different prices. Alternatively, marketers may
conduct field studies in which they vary the price of a product in different
stores and measure how much is actually purchased.
Explain variable costs, fixed costs, average variable costs, average fixed
costs, and average total costs.
Variable costs are the costs of production tied to and vary depending
on the number of units produced. Variable costs typically include
raw materials, processed materials, component parts, and labor.
Fixed costs are the costs of production that do not change with the
number of units produced. A CEOs salary is a fixed cost.
Average variable costs are the total spent on raw materials, labor, and
so on divided by the number of items produced.
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Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
Average fixed costs (fixed costs remain the same no matter the level of
production) will decrease as the number of units produced
increases. To calculate, divide fixed costs by the number produced.
Average total costs are the total costs (the total of the fixed costs and
the variable costs for a set number of units produced) divided by
the number of units produced.
10-5 What is break-even analysis?
Break-even analysis is a method for determining the number of units that
will have to be produced and sold at a given price to break even—that is,
to neither make a profit nor suffer a loss. Marketers use break-even
analysis to help them in establishing and deciding on the price for a
product. For details on calculations, see the chapter material.
10-6 What are trade margins? How do they relate to the pricing for a
producer of goods?
So far, we have talked about costs simply from the manufacturer’s
perspective. However, in reality, most products are not sold directly to the
consumers or business buyers of the product. Instead, a manufacturer
sells to a wholesaler, distributor, or jobber who in turn sells to a retailer
who finally sells the product to the ultimate consumer. Channels of
distribution often vary in both the types and sizes of available
intermediaries and in the availability of an infrastructure to facilitate
product distribution. Often these differences can mean that trade
margins will be higher as will the cost of getting the products to
consumers.
10-7 Give an example of how the competitive environment influences prices.
What about government regulation and consumer trends? What are some
ways the global environment can influence a firm’s pricing strategies?
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Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
Marketers try to anticipate how the competition will respond to their
pricing actions. They know that consumers’ expectations of what
constitutes a fair price largely depend on what the competition charges.
However, it is not always a good idea to fight the competition with lower
and lower prices. Pricing wars such as those in the fast-food industry can
change consumers’ perceptions of what is a “fair” price, leaving them
unwilling to buy at previous price levels.
Governments in the U.S. and other countries develop two different types
of regulations, which have an effect on pricing. First, a large number of
regulations increase the costs of production. Regulations for health care,
environmental protection, occupational safety, and highway safety, just to
mention a few, cause the costs of producing many products to increase.
Other regulations of specific industries such as those imposed by the Food
and Drug Administration (FD) on the production of food and
pharmaceuticals increase the costs of developing and producing those
products.
Consumer trends also can strongly influence prices. Culture and
demographics determine how consumers think and behave and so these
factors have a large impact on all marketing decisions. For example, an
important trend is that even well off people no longer consider it
shameful to hunt for bargains—in fact, it is becoming fashionable to
boast that you found one. As a marketing executive for a chain of
shopping malls observed, “Everybody loves to save money. It’s a badge of
honor today.” Luxury consumers are looking for prestigious brands at
low prices, though they are still willing to splurge for some high-ticket
items.
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Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
The marketing environment often varies widely from country to country.
This can have important consequences in developing pricing strategies.
Can prices be standardized for all global markets or must there be
localization in pricing? For products including most consumer goods,
unique environmental factors in different countries mean marketers
must adapt their pricing strategies.
10-8 Explain and give an example of cost-plus pricing, target costing, and yield
management pricing.
Cost-plus pricing means marketers total all the costs for the product
then add an amount to arrive at the selling price.
Target costing occurs when a firm first determines the price at which
customers would be willing to buy the product and then works
backward to design the product in such a way that it can produce
and sell the product at a profit.
Yield management pricing is a pricing strategy used by airlines, hotels,
and cruise lines. Firms charge different prices to different
customers in order to manage capacity while maximizing revenues.
For new products, when is skimming pricing more appropriate, and when is
penetration pricing the best strategy? When would trial pricing be an
effective pricing strategy?
Skimming price works best when a product is highly desirable and offers
unique benefits, demand is price inelastic during the introductory stage
of the product life cycle and if the product provides some important
benefits to the target market that make customers feel they must have the
product no matter what it costs. In addition, there must be little chance
that competitors can get into the market quickly.
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
Penetration pricing is used to discourage competitors from entering the
market and because of the low price may actually be a barrier to entry
for competitors.
With trial pricing a new product carries a low price for a limited period
to attract the customer. The idea is to win customer acceptance first and
make profits later.
10-10 How do marketers customize pricing with pricing segmentation, peak
load pricing, and surge pricing? How can marketers price to meet
the need of bottom of the pyramid consumers?
Price segmentation is the practice of charging different prices to
different market segments for the same product. Peak load pricing is a
pricing plan that sets prices higher during periods with higher demand.
Surge pricing is a pricing plan that raises prices of a product as
demand goes up and lowers it as demand slides. Bottom of the pyramid
pricing is innovative pricing that will appeal to consumers with the
lowest incomes by brands that wish to get a foothold in bottom of the
pyramid countries. Marketers often use sachets to sell a small quantity
of a product such as laundry detergent which is sold at a far lower
price than an entire box. This strategy allows poor countries to buy
high quality products at affordable prices.
10-11 Explain decoy pricing. Is decoy pricing ethical?
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
Decoy pricing is a strategy where a seller offers at least three similar
products. Two of them have comparable but more expensive prices
than the third, and one of these two is less attractive to buyers than
the other. The result is that people will more often choose the more
attractive of the two higher priced items. As an example, think about
an electronics retailer who would like for his customers to buy a
specific, higher-priced laptop with a higher margin that will mean
more profits for him. With decoy pricing, he will offer three different
laptops—we’ll call them models A, B, and C. Model A is a
stripped-down, no-name brand laptop, much lower priced than either
model B or model C, and unlikely to attract many sales. One of the
two higher priced items, say model B, has a larger hard drive,
superior screen resolution and more RAM than model C. In this case,
model C is the decoy. When consumers compare it to model B, they
will naturally buy model B, just as the retailer wanted them to do.
Students can discuss whether this marketing strategy that leads
customer to a higher-priced item is ethical. Some could argue that
customers are free to buy the model they can afford. Others could
argue that customers are being duped into spending more money.
10-12 Explain two-part pricing, payment pricing, price bundling, captive
pricing, and distribution-based pricing tactics.
Two-part pricing requires two separate types of payments to purchase
the product. An example would be a cellular phone company that offers
customers a set number of minutes’ usage plus a per-minute rate for
extra minutes used. Two-part pricing makes sense when consumption
differs among consumers but the firm must have a base income to cover
fixed costs.
Payment pricing breaks up the total price into smaller amounts payable
over time, thus making the consumer think the price is “do-able.”
Payment pricing makes sense for a product that is high priced, that
consumers think as important, and that lasts a long time. An example
would be a car.
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Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
Price bundling means selling two or more goods or services as a single
package for one price. From a marketing standpoint, price bundling
makes sense. If products are priced separately, then it is likely that
customer will buy some but not all the items. An example would be a
phone company now offering cable services for TV and an Internet
connection in one bill.
Captive pricing is a pricing tactic a firm uses when it has two products
that work only when used together. The firm sells one item at a very low
price and then makes its profit on the second high-margin item. An
example would be a razor and blade, neither individually is useful, but
together they have great value. Captive pricing makes sense for a
consumer necessity that can be individualized and still meet the needs of
the mass market.
Distribution-based pricing is a tactic that establishes how firms handle
the cost of shipping products to customers near as well as far. FOB
delivered pricing means the seller pay for the cost of loading and the cost
of transporting the item to the customer.
10-13 Why do marketers use trade or functional discounts, quantity
discounts, cash discounts, and seasonal discounts in pricing to
members of the channel?
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
In pricing for members of the channel, marketers recognize that retailers
and wholesalers have costs to cover and profit targets to reach. Thus,
they often begin with the list price and then use a number of trade or
functional discounts to implement pricing to members of the channels of
distribution. Quantity discounts are used to encourage buyers to buy
larger quantities from a single seller. Cash discounts encourage
customers to pay quickly, thus lowering the seller firm’s need for cash.
Season discounts either encourages purchase off-season to lessen the
manufacturer’s need to warehouse product or encourage purchase
in-season to counter competitive products.
10-14 What is dynamic pricing? What is discriminatory pricing? What is the
difference between the two?
Dynamic pricing can occur when the price can easily be adjusted to meet
changes in the marketplace. Internet price discrimination is an Internet
pricing strategy that charges different prices to different customers for
the same product. The Internet allows consumers to quickly comparison
shop for the very lowest price, Marketers maximize profits if they charge
each customer the most that person is willing to pay. Placing customers
into groups based on where they live, how close they are to the retailer or
a competitor, the cost of doing business in the area, or their Internet
browsing history can greatly increase profits. Some sites even offer
customers a discount if they use a mobile device.
10-15 Explain these psychological aspects of pricing: price-quality inferences,
odd-even pricing, internal reference price, price lining, and prestige
pricing.
Consumers make price-quality inferences about a product when they use
price as a cue or an indicator of quality. If consumers are unable to judge
the quality of a product through examination or prior experience, they
usually will assume that the higher-priced product is the higher-quality
product.
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Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
Marketers use odd-even pricing when they assume that there is a
psychological response to odd prices that differs from the responses to
even prices. Research on the difference in perceptions of odd versus even
prices supports the argument that prices ending in 99 rather than 00 lead
to increased sales. Habit may play a role.
Internal reference price means, based on experience, consumers have a
set price or a price range in their mind that they refer to in evaluating a
product’s cost. The reference price may be the last price paid. It may also
be the average of all the prices they know of similar products.
Price-lining is a practice where items in a product line sell at different
prices called price points.
Sometimes luxury goods marketers use a <emphasis>prestige pricing
strategy</emphasis> that turns the typical assumption about
price-demand relationships on its head: Contrary to the “rational”
assumption that we value a product or service more as the price goes
down, in these cases, believe it or not, people tend to buy more as the
price goes up!
10-16 Explain how unethical marketers might use bait-and-switch tactics,
price-fixing, and predatory pricing. What is surge pricing?
Bait-and switch is an illegal marketing practice in which an advertised
price special is used as bait to get customers into the store when the
intention of switching them to a higher priced item.
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Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
Price fixing occurs when two or more companies conspire to keep prices
at a certain level.
Predatory pricing means the company sets a very low price for a purpose
of driving the competition out of business. This tactic could lead to
monopoly in the future.
Surge pricing occurs when a company raises the price of its product as
demand for that product goes up and then lowers it as demand goes back
down. So in times of greatest need, it costs more.
ACTIVITIES: APPLY WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED
10-17 Creative Homework/Short Project Assume that you are an entrepreneur who
runs a bakery that sells gluten-free breads and cakes. You believe that the
current economic conditions merit an increase in the price of your baked
goods. You are concerned, however, that increasing the price might not be
profitable because you are unsure of the price elasticity of demand for
your products. Develop a plan for the measurement of price elasticity of
demand for your products. What findings would lead you to increase the
price? What findings would cause you to rethink the decision to increase
prices? Develop a presentation for your class outlining: (1) the concept of
elasticity of demand, (2) why raising prices without understanding the
elasticity would be a bad move, (3) your recommendations for
measurement, and (4) the potential impact on profits for elastic and
inelastic demand.
MyMarketingLab for answers to Assisted Graded Questions
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
10-18 In Class, 10–25 Minutes for Teams For each of the following
products, determine at least three different prices that might be charged.
Then survey each of the individuals within your group to find out how
much of each product they would buy at each price point for each of the
products. For each product, calculate the price elasticity of demand to
determine whether the demand is elastic or inelastic.
Cheese pizzas per month
Movie tickets per month
Concert tickets per year
Students must think about whether or not these products have unique
benefits, are highly desirable, and are price inelastic. In addition, the
target market must feel that these products have important benefits
that they must have no matter the cost. Students must research the
market and determine if competitors are poised to enter this market.
If these conditions are met, students will recommend a skimming
strategy.
If, on the other hand, students want to gain early market share and set
a low price prohibiting competition, they might consider penetration
pricing. Students may also consider a trial pricing strategy.
10-19 Creative Homework/Short Project Assume that you have been hired as
the assistant manager of a local store that sells fresh fruits and
vegetables. As you look over the store, you notice that there are two
different displays of tomatoes. In one display, the tomatoes are priced
at $2.39 per pound, and in the other, the tomatoes are priced at $1.69
per pound. The tomatoes look very much alike. You notice that many
people are buying the $2.39 tomatoes. Write a report explaining what
is happening and give your recommendations for the store’s pricing
strategy.
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Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
Students need to review the chapter section of psychological issues in
pricing, paying particular attention to sections on internal reference
prices including the assimilation and contrast effects and price-quality
inferences. You might also want to ask the students about their buying
experience and the occasion for which they are purchasing. If students
regularly purchase tomatoes and are confident in their decisions, then
they will most likely buy the lower-priced tomatoes. However, if they
do not frequently purchase tomatoes and are not confident of their
knowledge, they may buy the higher-priced tomatoes, especially if
they are trying to impress someone. In this case, the concept of
price-quality kicks in.
10-20 For Further Research (Individual) Assume you are the owner of a local
Mexican restaurant. You are seeking ways to increase your business.
You believe that bundling items on the menu will increase the
average ticket per customer. A suggested bundle offer would include
the items below:
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Item
Menu
p
r
i
c
e
Chips, Salsa, and Guacamole $4.00
Chicken Burrito with rice and
beans $10.50
Flan $3.00
Non-alcoholic beverage $2.50
Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
You are considering three different prices that you might charge for the
bundle: $14.00, $16.00, and $18.50. Design and conduct research to
determine which price will maximize profits.
Students can conduct research online to see how other restaurants bundle
products. Then they can suggest bundling strategies for the local
Mexican restaurant.
10-21 For Further research (Individual) In this chapter, we talked about how
airlines use yield management pricing to ensure that every seat is
filled on every flight, thus maximizing profits. Go to the websites of at
least two different airlines. Check the prices of a flight for each airline
approximately three weeks from “now.” Then check the prices for the
same flights in less than a week, in two months, and in six months.
Write a report on your findings and what they tell you about airline
pricing.
Yield management pricing is a pricing strategy used by airlines, hotels,
and cruise lines. Firms charge different prices to different customers
in order to manage capacity while maximizing revenues. Students can
research airline pricing by using websites like Trivago.com or
Bookbuddy.com to compare flights on several airlines.
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
10-22 For Further Research (Groups) Select one of the product categories
below. Identify two different firms that offer consumers a line of
product offerings in the category. For example, Dell, HP, and Apple
each market a line of laptop computers, while Hoover, Dyson, and
Bissell offer lines of vacuum cleaners. Using the Internet or by visiting
a retailer who sells your selected product, research the product lines
and pricing of the two firms. Based on your research, develop a
presentation on the price lining strategies of the two firms. Your
presentation should discuss (1) the specific price points of the product
offerings of each firm and how the price lining strategy maximizes
revenue, (2) your ideas for why the specific price points were selected,
(3) how the price lining strategies of the two firms are alike and how
they are different, and (4) possible reasons for differences in the
strategies.
Laptop computers
Vacuum cleaners
Smart T.Vs
Smartphones
The main reason for price lining is that different customers are willing
to pay different prices for the same item. For example, you may only
be willing to spend up to $500 for a new computer, whereas I am
willing to pay up to $1500 for a new computer. Therefore, a computer
brand is likely to satisfy our different desires to spend money on a
computer to the extent that a product line of computers has various
price points that match our perception of the maximum amount we
are each willing to pay.
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
One key analysis for each of the different types of products in this
activity is for students to estimate the variability of desired price
points in each type—for example, how many different price points are
required to satisfy different types of consumers in the smart phone
category? Should smart phone brands offer a wide or narrow variety
of price points? Should smart phone brands offer even more price
points?
APPLY MARKETING METRICS
Contribution analysis and break-even analysis are very popular and often
used marketing metrics. These analyses are essential to determine if
a firm’s marketing opportunity will mean a financial loss or profit.
As explained in the chapter, contribution is the difference between the
selling price per unit and the variable cost per unit. Break-even
analysis that includes contribution tells marketers how much must
be sold to break even or to earn a desired amount of profit.
Touch of Beirut Brands is a Los Angeles–based specialty manufacturer of
Lebanese specialty foods and ingredients. In the past, the firm has marketed
primarily through restaurant distributors to small mom-and-pop Lebanese
cuisine restaurants around the United States. But they’ve developed a
marketing plan to sell a combination hummus and pita slices packaged
product that is ready to eat—sort of like the famous boxed Oscar Meyer
Lunchables. They’ve branded the new product “Happy Hummus.” Outlets
will be Whole Foods and other new-age supermarkets.
The company plans to use social media to gain buzz around the new
product but will also be spending money on advertising and sales promotion
through coupons to consumers and price incentives to distributors and
retailers. Whole Foods would like to be able to sell the boxes at retail for $5.
Because the retailer typically requires a 30 percent markup, Touch of
Beirut’s price to the supermarkets will be $3.50 per box. The unit variable
costs for the product including packaging will be $1.25. The company
estimates its advertising and promotion expenses for the first year will be
$2,500,000.
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
10-23 What is the contribution per unit for Happy Hummus?
MyMarketingLab for answers to Assisted Graded Questions
10-24 What is the break-even volume for the first year that will cover the
planned advertising and promotion (1) in units and (2) in dollars?
MyMarketingLab for answers to Assisted Graded Questions
10-25 How many units of Happy Hummus must Touch of Beirut sell to earn a
profit of $1,000,000?
MyMarketingLab for answers to Assisted Graded Questions
10-26 Does this seem like a good business venture to you? Why or why not?
MyMarketingLab for answers to Assisted Graded Questions
CHOICES: WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
10-27 Critical Thinking Governments sometimes provide price subsidies to
specific industries; that is, they reduce a domestic firm’s costs so that it
can sell products on the international market at a lower price. What
reasons do governments (and politicians) use for these government
subsidies? What are the benefits and disadvantages to domestic
industries in the long run? To international customers? Who would
benefit and who would lose if all price subsidies were eliminated? Do you
feel that the U.S. government should or should not use price subsidies for
some U.S. industries? Why do you feel that way?
MyMarketingLab for answers to Assisted Graded Questions
10-28 Ethics Several online stores now sell products to consumers at
different prices based on the user’s information, such as geographical
location—which determines your proximity to competitors and your
area’s average income. Although this practice, known as Internet price
discrimination, is not illegal, some would say it is unethical. Do you
believe this practice is unethical? Should this practice be illegal? If you
think the practice should be legal, should retailers be required to put a
disclaimer on their site? Explain your reasoning.
Internet price discrimination is an Internet pricing strategy that charges
different prices to different customers for the same product. However, the
Internet does allow consumers to quickly comparison shop for the very
lowest price, While marketers maximize profits by placing customers into
groups based on where they live, how close they are to the retailer or a
competitor, the cost of doing business in the area, or their Internet
browsing history, customers can find a lower prices if they wish to surf
the net. Students can debate whether price discrimination should be
illegal or it they think it is unethical.
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
10-29 Critical Thinking In many oligopolistic industries, firms follow a price
leadership strategy, in which an accepted industry leader sets, raises, or
lowers prices and the other firms follow. In what ways is this policy good
and bad for the industry? In what ways is this good or bad for
consumers? What is the difference between price leadership and price
fixing? Should governments allow industries to use price leadership
strategies? If not, how can they prevent it?
Oligopolistic firms can avoid price competition, which allows all players in the
industry to remain profitable. A price leadership strategy, which usually is the rule in
an oligopolistic industry dominated by a few firms, may be in the best interest of all
players because it minimizes price competition. Price leadership strategies are
popular because they provide an acceptable and legal way for firms to agree on prices
without ever talking with each others. From a consumer standpoint there are limited
firms to work with which might be viewed as good, but the negative side would be
that there are limited opportunties for cost savings since the oligoploy has a large
share of the market. Price-fixing</keyterm> occurs when two or more companies
conspire to keep prices at a certain level (there’s a good reason to avoid explicitly
working together to set rates: that’s called <emphasis>collusion</emphasis> and it’s
illegal in most cases). As far as govenrment allowing price leadership, this could lead
to varying positions from the students.
10-30 Ethics Many very successful retailers use a loss leader pricing strategy, in
which they advertise an item at a price below their cost and sell the item
at that price to get customers into their store. They feel that these
customers will continue to shop with their company and that they will
make a profit in the long run. Do you consider this an unethical practice?
Who benefits and who is hurt by such practices? Do you think the
practice should be made illegal, as some states have done? How is this
different from bait-and-switch pricing?
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
Students will have varying opinions on this topic. For some, free
enterprise will be their main consideration. For others looking after the
underdog will be a priority and they will be concerned that smaller
retailers cannot afford to compete with loss-leader pricing. As different
states regulate this practice differently, no single opinion is particularly
wrong or right. The difference between loss-leader pricing and
bait-and-switch is that the latter seeks to bring customers in and sell
them a more expensive product, not the one advertised; the advertised
item is “nailed to the floor.”
10-31 Critical Thinking Some retailers have used decoy pricing to increase
the number of sales of a higher priced alternative. Describe decoy
pricing. What are some products that would be good choices for
decoy pricing? Is this practice ethical? Why or why not?
Decoy pricing is a strategy where a seller offers at least three similar
products. Two of them have comparable but more expensive prices
than the third, and one of these two is less attractive to buyers than
the other. The result is that people will more often choose the more
attractive of the two higher priced items. Computers are good
choices for decoy pricing because different models offer more
advanced benefits. The higher priced models have more memory and
are faster. This question should make for an interesting discussion, as
opinions should be plentiful as to whether decoy pricing is ethical.
Marketers know that customers can be led into purchasing
higher-priced items. On the other hand, adult consumers are not
forced into a purchase. They make purchase decisions independently
and are responsible for their decisions. Marketing to children is a
different issue.
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
10-32 Critical Thinking You work as a marketer for a large chain of upscale
boutique-like stores that sells all-natural and other fresh beauty products.
Your research tells you that the market won’t tolerate a price increase, so
to save money during tough times you have decided to use cheaper
ingredients from new suppliers. What, if anything, do you tell your
customers? What are some of the possible ramifications of this decision
for your business, your customers, and your suppliers? What will you do
when the market rebounds?
Students can debate the legal and ethical implications of substituting
cheaper ingredients from new suppliers in tough times. Companies build
trust with consumers and try to develop a long-standing relationship.
This is an integral part of CRM. What are the implications of changing
ingredients in cosmetics? What if customers develop allergies to the new
ingredients when they did not have any problems with the former
ingredients? What are the labeling requirements?
10-33 Critical Thinking Many firms wish to market their products to
consumers in bottom of the pyramid countries. Being successful now will
create consumer familiarity with the brand establishing a presence in the
countries for the future when the economy of the countries improves. In
addition to the ways we discussed in the chapter, what are some
innovative strategies that could be successful for firms wishing to sell one
of the following products?
1. Disposable diapers
2. Body wash
3. Toothpaste
Students can brainstorm in small groups and offer innovative ideas on
how to sell products to poor countries. One strategy is to use sachets,
individual packets that contain a small amount of a product such as
body wash or toothpaste. Diapers could be sold in smaller packages.
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
MINI-PROJECTS: LEARN BY DOING
The purpose of this mini-project is to help you become familiar with how
consumers respond to different prices by conducting a series of
pricing experiments. For this project, you should first select a
product category that students such as yourself normally purchase. It
should be a moderately expensive purchase such as athletic shoes, a
bookcase, or a piece of luggage. You should next obtain two
photographs of items in this product category or, if possible, two
actual items. The two items should not appear to be substantially
different in quality or in price.
Note: You will need to recruit separate research participants for each of the
activities listed in the next section.
10-34 Experiment 1: Reference Pricing
Place the two products together. Place a sign on one with a low price.
Place a sign on the other with a high price (about 50 percent higher
will do). Ask your research participants to evaluate the quality of
each of the items and to tell which one they would probably
purchase.
Reverse the signs and ask other research participants to evaluate the
quality of each of the items and to tell which one they would
probably purchase.
Place the two products together again. This time place a sign on one
with a moderate price. Place a sign on the other that is only a little
higher (less than 10 percent higher). Again, ask research
participants to evaluate the quality of each of the items and to tell
which one they would probably purchase.
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
Reverse the signs and ask other research participants to evaluate the
quality of each of the items and to tell which one they would
probably purchase.
10-35 Experiment 2: Odd–Even Pricing. For this experiment, you will only
need one of the items from experiment 1.
a. Place a sign on the item that ends in $.99 (e.g., $62.99). Ask
research participants to tell you if they think the price for the item
is very low, slightly low, moderate, slightly high, or very high. Also
ask them to evaluate the quality of the item and to tell you how
likely they would be to purchase the item.
b. This time place a sign on the item that ends in $.00 (e.g., $60.00).
Ask different research participants to tell you if they think the
price for the item is very low, slightly low, moderate, slightly high,
or very high. Also ask them to evaluate the quality of the item and
to tell you how likely they would be to purchase the item.
Develop a presentation for your class in which you discuss the results of
your experiments and what they tell you about how consumers view
prices.
This mini-project will help students understand the concepts of
psychological pricing. They will be able to test the concept of odd-even
pricing, and reference pricing; whether the concepts work or not. In
addition, they will be asked to think about pricing as it relates to quality.
The experimental nature of this project will aid in reinforcing many of
the concepts presented in the text.
V. MARKETING IN ACTION CASE: REAL CHOICES AT
DISNEY
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Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
Summary of Case
The Walt Disney Company is “reimagining” its pricing strategy. Responding
to the ever-increasing demand for theme park tickets, especially at
peak times, Disney has implemented “demand-based pricing”
Demand-based pricing has been in use by Disney competitor,
Universal Studios, and other theme parks. The idea is to redistribute
customer demand by lowering prices during times with less demand
to encourage more sales and increase prices at times when demand is
higher to encourage customers to switch some of their visits to
lower-priced times. Under demand-based pricing, there are three
prices. “Value” tickets for Mondays through Thursdays are $95, a
reduction of $4.00. “Regular” tickets for most week-ends and
summer months are $105. “Peak” tickets for visitors during
December, spring break weeks, and July weekends are $119. The new
demand-based pricing is only for single-day passes.
The unknown is how consumers will respond to this new pricing strategy
long term. Will they see it as a more equitable system in which you
pay more at the “best” times to travel and pay less at “off” times. Of
course, consumers may perceive the new strategy as a pricing
gimmick.
Although Disney stresses that it is using the new demand-based pricing to
more efficiently manage its customer experience, this policy can also
lead to greater profits. How will consumers think of Disney and its
theme parks long term?
Suggestions for Presentation
This case could be assigned for various out-of-class or in-class discussion
activities.
Out-of-Class
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
Search the Internet for companies that use demand-based pricing. Describe the
psychological, legal, and ethical aspects of pricing.
Do a literature review of the history of e-books/readers. Evaluate using what you have
learned on key pricing strategies.
In-Class
Discuss in class how Disney can build on the current consumer sentiment with a future
approach to pricing that assures long term success for the brand? Evaluate from both the
monetary and nonmonetary forms discussed in this chapter.
Describe how marketers use costs, demands, and revenue to make pricing decisions.
You Make the Call
10-36 What is the decision facing Disney?
Students may come up with a number of different decisions that Disney
might make such as:
Disney wants to remain “the Happiest Place on earth”? For this reason,
The Walt Disney Company is “reimagining” its pricing strategy.
Disney stresses that demand-based pricing will more efficiently
manage its customer experience; however, this policy also leads to
greater profits. How will consumers think of Disney and its theme
parks long term?
10-37 What factors are important in understanding this decision situation?
The following factors are important in understand this decision situation:
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
For many product categories, companies use a three-tier pricing system:
entry-level, mid-tier, and luxury.
Other theme parks and airlines use demand-based pricing.
Disney enjoys a reputation for providing fun and happiness.
People could seek other recreational experiences if prices are perceived to be
unfair.
Will consumers think of demand-based pricing as a gimmick?
10-38 What are the alternatives?
Students might recommend a variety of different alternatives. Some
possibilities are:
Disney can lower their prices to attract a wider market of consumers.
Disney can do focus-group research to assess how customers feel about
demand-based pricing.
Disney can implement demand-based pricing on a limited basis and evaluate
its success.
Disney should realize that competition in this market is expanding and do
extensive marketing research to determine the appropriate pricing
strategies.
10-39 What decision(s) do you recommend?
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 10: Price: What is the Value Proposition Worth?
Students may focus on one or more of the alternatives developed. They
should be
encouraged to discuss which alternative actions are more critical.
10-40 What are some ways to implement your recommendations?
Students may make a variety of suggestions for implementation
depending on their recommendations. These may include specific
promotion activities, specific pricing, research activities and many
others.
MYMARKETING LAB
Go to mymktlab.com for Auto-graded writing questions as well as the
following assisted-graded writing questions:
10-41 This chapter states, “Often consumers base their perception of price on
what they believe to be the customary or fair price.” Explain the meaning of
this statement and provide an example.
10-42 Some firms have profit as a pricing objective, while others set prices for
customer satisfaction. What are the major differences between these two?
Which is better?
WEB RESOURCES
Pearson Education, Inc.: www.mymktlab.com
Copyright © 2018 Pearson Education, Inc.
Part 3: Develop the Value Proposition for the Customer
Converse College: www.converse.edu
Saturn website: www.saturn.com
Walmart website: www.walmart.com
Priceline ticket sales: www.priceline.com
iTunes website: www.apple.com/itunes
Online tickets website: www.tickets.com
Consumer Reports website: www.consumerreports.org
Better Business Bureau website: www.welcome.bbb.org
Lands End website: www.landsend.com
National Association of Trade Exchanges website: www.nate.org
Bitcoin: https://bitcoin.org/en/
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