Q&A Hero

Q: A product characteristic known as __________ refers to the technical sophistication of the product and the amount of understanding required to use it. a. user friendliness b. risk c. complexity d. ancillary service e. accessibility

Q: With respect to a product's characteristics, complexity refers to a. the degree of service or support required after the sale. b. the assessment of financial risk, social risk, and physical risk. c. the number of component parts used in the construction of the original products: the more parts, the more complex the product. d. the number of distinct product attributes in terms of color, size, form, and function. e. the technical sophistication of the product and the amount of understanding required to use it.

Q: The proper blend of elements in the promotion mix depends on a product's characteristics. Personal selling would most likely be used to sell __________. a. dog dandruff shampoo b. an aircraft c. fresh produce d. a bottle of soda e. printer paper

Q: The proper blend of elements in the promotional mix depends on the type of product. The three specific characteristics to be considered are complexity, risk, and __________. a. size b. durability c. accessibility d. ancillary services e. acceptability

Q: The proper blend of elements in the promotional mix depends on the type of product. The three specific characteristics to be considered are complexity, __________, and ancillary services. a. durability b. adaptability c. risk d. accessibility e. acceptability

Q: The proper blend of elements in the promotional mix depends on the type of product. The three specific characteristics to be considered are __________, risk, and ancillary services. a. complexity b. adaptability c. durability d. accessibility e. acceptability

Q: Albert Searchware is a type of search engine used at company websites to handle customer questions. The firm is trying to determine what promotional strategy should be employed with its flagship product. It has determined that search engine software is in the growth stage of its product life cycle. Which of the following options should it employ? a. Devote 40 percent of the promotional budget to sales promotions that supply the public with demonstration CDs to prove the merits of Albert Searchware. b. Spend 30 percent of the budget in the effort to generate publicity for Albert Searchware. c. Use the majority of its promotional budget on advertising that focuses on brand differences. d. Use a balanced budget and spend equally for each of the four promotional choices in an attempt to even out sales growth. e. Encourage its tech support staff to emphasize the superiority of Albert Searchware and its after-sale support.

Q: There's a new prescription drug on the market that helps reduce common allergy symptoms. Ads for the medicine in magazines and in medical journals would be primarily used to a. remind customers that such a product exists. b. increase the level of customer awareness for the product. c. differentiate the product from all other allergy medications. d. support a product penetration pricing strategy. e. help in harvesting the product.

Q: Which stage of the product life cycle is usually a period of phase-out for the product, when little money is spent in the promotional mix? a. introduction b. growth c. maturity d. decline e. termination

Q: What stage of the product life cycle is a period when little money is spent in the promotional mix? a. decline b. maturity c. growth d. introduction e. incubation

Q: The promotional objective of the decline stage of the product life cycle is to __________. a. inform b. persuade c. compare d. remind e. phase out

Q: An unsatisfied customer who switches brands is hard to replace. Which stage of the product life cycle is focused on maintaining loyal buyers so that customers will not switch brands? a. introduction b. maturity c. growth d. incubation e. decline

Q: At which stage in the product life cycle are discounts and coupons offered to both consumers and intermediaries to maintain loyal buyers? a. introduction b. growth c. incubation d. maturity e. decline

Q: Reminding buyers of the product's existence is the promotional objective during which stage of the product life cycle? a. introduction b. growth c. maturity d. accelerated development e. early growth

Q: Persuading the consumer to buy the product rather than substitutes is the promotional objective during which stage of the product life cycle? a. introduction b. growth c. maturity d. accelerated development e. early growth

Q: Which promotional element would you most likely use during the growth stage of the product life cycle to solidify channels of distribution? a. advertising b. sales promotion c. publicity d. personal selling e. direct marketing

Q: The promotional objective of the maturity stage of the product life cycle is to __________. a. inform b. persuade c. remind d. sway e. convince

Q: The promotional objective of the growth stage of the product life cycle is to __________ consumers. a. inform b. remind c. update d. persuade e. hark back

Q: The promotional objective of the introduction stage of the product life cycle is to __________ consumers in order to increase their level of awareness of the product offering. a. inform b. persuade c. compare d. remind e. sway

Q: "To phase out" is the promotional objective of which stage of the product life cycle? a. decline b. growth c. decelerated development d. maturity e. introduction

Q: "To remind" is the promotional objective of which stage of the product life cycle? a. early growth b. growth c. accelerated development d. maturity e. introduction

Q: "To persuade" is the promotional objective of which stage of the product life cycle? a. early growth b. growth c. accelerated development d. maturity e. introduction

Q: "To inform" is the promotional objective of which stage of the product life cycle? a. early growth b. growth c. accelerated development d. maturity e. introduction

Q: All products go through a product life cycle of __________ stages: __________. a. two; new and improved b. two; growth and decline c. three; new, improved, and obsolete d. four; awareness, interest, involvement, and evaluation e. four; introduction, growth, maturity, and decline

Q: Many promotional efforts are focused towards __________, who help coordinate promotional campaigns sponsored by the manufacturer and provide marketing advice and expertise. a. sales personnel b. ultimate consumers c. intermediaries d. repeat buyers e. nonprospects

Q: Which promotional element is particularly important to business buyers? a. public relations b. publicity c. sales promotion d. rebates e. personal selling

Q: The practice of __________ is so common that researchers estimate a typical media day for Generation Y consumers is 31 hours. a. simultaneous media use b. media addiction c. extended multimedia ad campaigns d. the never sleeping Internet user e. the ability of telemarketers to call nonstop across time zones

Q: Marketers can communicate best with Generation Y consumers by __________. a. using cable TV ads since this generation watches TV more than any other medium b. adding mobile media to their IMC campaigns c. placing ads on Sirius XM radio d. using the 24/7 approach e. using radio ads since this generation listens to radio more than any other medium

Q: According to recent research, _________ consumers are most likely to respond to mobile marketing programs. a. baby boomers b. baby busters c. baby boomlets d. Generation Y e. Generation X

Q: Which of the following statements regarding the promotional mix is most accurate? a. For maximum impact, funding for promotions should be equally divided among the five elements of the promotional mix. b. The promotional mix can be influenced by the product's life cycle, characteristics of the product, purchase decision stage of the buyer, and the channel of distribution. c. Regardless of which other elements are selected, advertising must be included in every promotional decision in order for an IMC campaign to be successful. d. Decisions regarding the promotional mix should be left to each manager in the marketing department who knows best what to do for his or her own specialty. e. It is not necessary to have a coordinated goal for an IMC campaign provided each department has a goal of its own.

Q: All of the following factors are used to BALANCE the use of the promotional mix elements EXCEPT: a. the channel of distribution. b. the product's life cycle. c. the decision stage of the buyer. d. the different departments responsible for implementing the sales promotion strategy and tactics. e. the characteristics of the product.

Q: Direct marketing has the advantage of being __________ to match the needs of specific target markets. a. priced b. uniform c. customized d. engaged e. integrated

Q: The growing concern about __________ has led to a decline in direct marketing response rates among some customer groups. a. government regulation b. privacy c. landfill waste d. postal rates e. fraud

Q: Like personal selling, __________ has the advantage of being customized to match the needs of specific target markets. Messages can be developed and adapted quickly to facilitate one-to-one relationships with customers. a. advertising b. a sales promotion c. publicity d. direct marketing e. a public service announcement

Q: Like personal selling, __________ often consists of interactive communication. a. direct marketing b. advertising c. a sales promotion d. publicity e. a public service announcement

Q: Which of the following promotional elements requires expensive database management and often experiences declining response rates? a. advertising b. personal selling c. sales promotion d. publicity e. direct marketing

Q: Which of the following is an inherent weakness of direct marketing? a. high absolute costs b. declining customer response c. differing messages between salespeople d. difficult to get media cooperation e. easily duplicated and can easily lead to promotion wars

Q: Which of the following is an inherent weakness of direct marketing? a. It is a low cost means of reaching the target market. b. Its messages may differ between direct mailings, confusing the target market. c. It is expensive and time consuming to develop and maintain a database. d. It is difficult to get media cooperation. e. It can lead to promotion wars.

Q: Which of the following is an inherent strength of direct marketing? a. Direct marketing can be adapted quickly to facilitate customer relationships. b. Direct marketing is often the most credible source in the consumer's mind. c. Direct marketing can provide complex information. d. Direct marketing can quickly stimulate and maintain market share. e. Direct marketing is a low cost means of reaching the target market.

Q: All of the following are examples of direct marketing tools EXCEPT: a. e-mail solicitations b. telephone solicitations c. Groupon d. catalogs e. direct response ads on TV

Q: Direct marketing refers to a. individualized communications programs specifically designed with a single customer in mind because the item being sold is unique to that customer. b. a promotion alternative that uses direct communication with consumers to generate a response in the form of an order, a request for further information, or a visit to a retail outlet. c. communication between a seller and a prospective buyer that can include face-to-face, telephone, and interactive electronic communication. d. a sales strategy whereby the exchange takes place at the time of engagement, such as selling produce at a local farmer's market. e. a form of communication management that seeks to influence the feelings, opinions, or beliefs held by customers, prospective customers, stockholders, suppliers, employees, and other publics about a company and its products or services.

Q: A promotion alternative that uses direct communication with consumers to generate a response in the form of an order, a request for further information, or a visit to a retail outlet is referred to as __________. a. personal selling b. sales promotion c. publicity d. advertising e. direct marketing

Q: A food warehouse store got a very good buy on a brand of frozen orange juice and, rather than maintain it as extra inventory, needs to sell it quickly to consumers. Which promotional element should be used? a. advertising b. personal selling c. publicity d. sales promotion e. direct marketing

Q: Procter & Gamble introduced Old Spice High Endurance antiperspirant, targeted to teen-aged boys who don"t watch much TV. P&G did grassroots marketing, including handing out samples at skateboarding events and sponsoring a contest for high-school football player of the year. P&G emphasized which promotional element in this example? a. sales promotion b. advertising c. personal selling d. public relations e. word-of-mouth

Q: DLS Cosmetics is trying to create brand awareness by sending households free samples of its products as well as coupons. These free samples and coupons are examples of __________. a. free advertising b. personal selling c. sales promotions d. free publicity e. direct sales

Q: When you redeem a 50-cents-off coupon for Crest toothpaste at your local supermarket, you are being influenced primarily by __________. a. advertising b. sales promotion c. public relations d. publicity e. personal selling

Q: Which of the following weaknesses is associated with sales promotions? a. They have high absolute costs. b. Messages differ between the sales promotion tools. c. It is difficult to get media cooperation. d. They can easily lead to promotion wars. e. Their effectiveness diminishes when used continuously.

Q: If used continuously, which of the following promotional elements will most likely lose its effectiveness? a. advertising b. personal selling c. sales promotion d. publicity e. direct marketing

Q: Sales promotions cannot be the sole basis for a promotional campaign because a. all sales promotions have legal time limit restrictions to prevent unfair trade practices. b. gains from the sales promotion are often temporary and sales drop off when it ends. c. sales promotions are too costly and soon become a financial liability. d. sales promotions are traditionally handled by outside firms and not the manufacturer, which often results in a significant loss of profit. e. consumers obtain an inflated impression of a product's actual value or worth.

Q: All of the following are examples of sales promotion tools EXCEPT: a. samples b. sweepstakes c. BOGOs d. catalogs e. rebates

Q: Coupons, rebates, samples, and sweepstakes are all examples of __________. a. endorsements b. sponsorships c. free publicity d. purchase aids e. sales promotions

Q: Sales promotion refers to a. a short-term inducement of value offered to arouse interest in buying a product or service. b. a single-themed IMC campaign employing multiple advertising and personal selling strategies. c. individualized communications programs that are specifically designed with a single customer in mind because the item being sold is unique to that customer. d. a long-term inducement of value offered to build and sustain loyal customer relationships. e. a sequence of value inducements aimed at retaining channel members.

Q: A short-term inducement of value offered to arouse interest in buying a product or service is referred to as __________. a. customer incentive b. customer enticement c. free publicity d. sales promotion e. purchase incentive

Q: Research indicates that publicity followed by advertising with the same message a. undermines the credibility of the first message and therefore lessons its effect. b. increases the positive response to the message. c. increases the positive response to the message when it is delivered by a well-known spokesperson. d. is less effective than publicity followed by a sales promotion with a similar theme. e. is no more or less effective than when used alone.

Q: Although the lack of control means that it is rarely the main element of a promotional campaign, __________ is an important element of most promotional campaigns. a. publicity b. advertising c. personal selling d. sales promotion e. direct marketing

Q: Imagine a small agrichemical laboratory with a very small marketing budget develops a seed that produces grass that grows two inches high and no higher. Which promotional element should it use to communicate its discovery? a. advertising b. personal selling c. sales promotion d. publicity e. missionary sales

Q: A small film company is releasing a documentary about the efforts of a group dedicated to saving endangered species. However, the firm has little resources to promote the film. Which promotional element should it employ? a. Hire a salesperson to speak to environmental groups. b. Ask local radio and television stations to run a favorable story about the film. c. Advertise on billboards in each local market. d. Invite students to participate in a contest to win free tickets. e. Send postcards to all people within a 25-mile radius of a theater showing the movie

Q: The local radio station broadcast a story about a dry-cleaner that had requested coat donations. The company offered to clean the coats and deliver them to people in need. The various addresses of the dry-cleaner chain were also broadcast so that donations could be dropped off. Since this featured business did not pay for this exposure, it benefited from __________. a. advertising b. direct marketing c. personal selling d. publicity e. sales promotion

Q: Which of the following is an inherent weakness of publicity? a. high absolute costs b. difficult to receive good feedback c. easily duplicated d. a lack of user control over it e. can easily lead to promotion wars

Q: Which of the following is an inherent strength of publicity? a. It can receive immediate feedback. b. It can provide the target audience with complex information. c. It can prepare messages quickly. d. It is an efficient means for reaching large numbers of people. e. It is often the most credible source in the consumer's mind.

Q: A restaurant review published in the local newspaper is an example of __________. a. publicity b. sales promotion c. advertising d. direct marketing e. personal selling

Q: A financial indicator used to compare the increase in sales of stores that have been open for the same period of time is __________. a. return in investment b. percentage of markup c. gross profit d. sales per square foot e. same-store sales growth

Q: Retailing's economic value is represented by the people employed in retailing as well as by a. the price asked for any one item. b. the cost of goods sold. c. the net return on capital. d. annual sales of retailers. e. the elimination of global boundaries.

Q: Boston Pizza wants to determine how effective their retail format is compared to other pizza establishments in the local area. The calculation for this indicator is arrived at by determining the __________ for its store and comparing it against the same indicator for all of the other local pizza outlets. a. gross margin b. same-store sales growth c. sales per square foot d. net profit e. net present value

Q: The Sports Authority is a sporting goods superstore that provides year-round inventory of equipment for just about any sport you can name. Even during the "off season", equipment for seasonal sports is available at the Sports Authority. Which utility does the Sports Authority best provide? a. time b. convenience c. possession d. form e. performance

Q: Sales per square foot is calculated by a. dividing total sales by selling area in square feet. b. dividing profit margin by selling area in square feet. c. dividing gross profit by selling area in square feet. d. dividing return on investment by selling area in square feet. e. dividing net sales by selling area in square feet.

Q: At the Christmas Tree Shop, customers can shop for Christmas gifts at any time of year. What type of utility does this store primarily provide for its customers? a. place and conformance b. possession and form c. form d. performance e. time

Q: An indicator of how effectively retail space is used to generate revenue is called a. net sales. b. shareholders' equity. c. market share. d. sales per square foot. e. return on investment.

Q: The ability to shop over the Internet 24/7 provides consumers with __________ utility. a. form b. time c. convenience d. possession e. performance

Q: An indicator of how effectively retail space is used to generate revenue is called __________. a. sales per square foot b. return in investment c. percentage of markup d. gross profit e. same-store sales growth

Q: A restaurant that offers food made exactly to each customer's preference is providing its customers with __________ utility. a. time b. place c. possession d. form e. process

Q: A common financial indicator of how effectively retail space is used to generate revenue can be calculated by determining __________. a. net sales b. shareholders' equity c. market share d. sales per square foot e. return on investment

Q: Albertson's Supermarket accepts debit and credit cards as well as cash and checks for purchases. Its acceptance of various forms of payment provides its customers with __________ utility. a. time b. place c. possession d. form e. public

Q: The marketing metrics related to a retailer's finances include all of the following EXCEPT: a. the markdown percentage. b. the average length of a store visit. c. the return on sales. d. the gross margin. e. the sales per employee.

Q: CarMax dealers have adopted a "no-hassle, no-haggle" sales policy that eliminates the need for negotiating. Instead, all customers are offered the same price. Test drives, financing, trade-ins, and leasing are all offered to encourage customers to purchase a car. Which utility does CarMax best provide? a. product b. form c. convenience d. service e. possession

Q: The marketing metrics related to a retailer's products or merchandise include all of the following EXCEPT: a. the cost of carrying inventory. b. the inventory turnover. c. the average number of items per transaction. d. the number of returns. e. the average length of a store visit.

Q: Enterprise car rental agency differentiates itself from other similar agencies by providing a delivery service. This delivery service is particularly valuable to someone who has been left stranded without transportation. By making it easy to rent temporary transportation, Enterprise is emphasizing which utility? a. form b. product c. service d. possession e. convenience

Q: The marketing metrics related to a retailer's customers include all of the following EXCEPT: a. the number of customers per day or per hour. b. the average length of a store visit. c. the turnover of inventory. d. the average transaction size per customer. e. the number of transactions per customer.

Q: Wells Fargo is one of the best-run banks in the United States. It reaches retail customers through 9,000 stores, a worldwide network of 12,000 ATMs, and its online banking service. Which utility does Wells Fargo best provide? a. time b. possession c. place d. form e. performance

Q: Managing the breadth and depth of merchandise available from many manufacturers requires retail buyers who are a. efficient and effective managers. b. familiar with the needs of the target market. c. experienced shoppers. d. familiar with retail inventory management. e. autocratic and intelligent.