Products, brands & their distribution

Products, Brands & Their Distribution The two product categories for section 3:-Jewelry and Auto repair. The two brands used: – Jewelry-1) E-Bay
Auto Repair:-Ford repair centre.
The two product categories chosen for section 4:-Tinned tomato and Jewelry.
Table of Contents
Question 1: 3
Question 2: 3
Question 3: 4
Question 4: 4
References5
Appendix6
Question 1:
According Susan Fournier consumers have a relationship with their brand. She indicates that customers and brands can be relationship partners. Customers prefer branded products because they want brands to listen as well as respond to them. Brands engage in a relationship with the customers that would benefit both of them. People prefer branded products because firstly these companies understand the customers’ requirements well and secondly they provide high quality products.
Question 2:
In case of Jewelry, consumers do have a good relationship with the jewelry brands. E-Bay has proved the point that consumers have relationship with their brand. E-Bay is an online market place built to enable local, national and international customers to buy jewelry online. The convenience provided by E-Bay to its customers has helped in building a strong brand image. Customer can shop for the jewelry online and receive the jewelry conveniently through courier. E-Bay has provided a convenient shopping technique for its customers and hence maintains a close relationship with its customers and communicates with them on a personal level. On the other hand customers of auto repair centre do not have a relationship with the branded auto repair centre. Example: a Ford repair centre does not maintain a close relationship with the customers. People prefer to repair their cars within a short period of time so they do not stick to a branded auto repair centre, rather they go to local auto centre where they can get their vehicles repaired within a short period of time.
Question 3:
According to Susan Fournier consumers have a relationship with their brands but this does not hold true in case of all products. In case of tinned tomatoes and auto repair, the customers do not have a relationship with its brand. When a customer brings his car for repair, he will prefer an auto centre where his car can be repaired within a short period of time. He is more inclined towards the time duration of the repair so he would prefer any auto repair centre. While the consumer of tinned tomato will prefer that brand that is easily available in the market. He will not develop a relationship with a particular brand.
Question 4:
The distribution strategy for Hunts is to provide their product through many distributors and to as many grocery shops as possible. This strategy is appropriate because Hunts deals with perishable goods which need to be delivered within a short period of time. The distribution strategy of E-Bay is to provide an online market place where a variety of products of various companies are available at a price which is lower than the market price. Their distribution strategy is to let the maximum number of people know about the products sold on their website. This strategy of E-Bay is appropriate as it can provide goods directly to its customers at a cheaper rate through direct selling. This helps to bring down the overall cost of selling the product. The distribution strategy of Hunts and E Bay are different because Hunts targets distributors and grocery shops to sell their products whereas the E-Bay goes for direct sales. Physical distribution of goods takes place in the case of Hunts because it deals with perishable goods while E-Bay provides the product through courier to its customers (Catterall, Maclaran & Stevens, 2000, p. 118).
References
Catterall, M., Maclaran, P., & Stevens, L. (2000). Marketing and Feminism: Current Issues and Research. London: Routledge.
Appendix
Questioning friends and colleagues
Rita, interview held on June 22nd 2011, addressing two different types of merchandise, said, “ I would prefer to buy jewelry on E-Bay because of its high quality and brand name. When I am spending money on buying jewelry I would prefer to buy from the best jewelry brand and according to me E-Bay is the best so I would prefer to buy jewelry from E-Bay and nowhere else; when I go to buy a tin of tomatoes I go with whatever brand is available in the market as I will not go miles just to find one just one branded bottle of tinned tomato.”