Strategic Marketing: Topic 9

A marketing ________ is a network of interdependent organisations called intermediaries that are involved in the process of making a product or services available to users.

• channel

• network

• structure

• chain

• complex

Marketing channel members perform many key functions. Which of the following is NOT normally a channel function?

• information gathering and distributing

• matching the offer to the buyer’s needs

• negotiating an agreement on price and other terms to facilitate transfer of ownership

• risk taking—assuming the risks of carrying out the channel work.

• sale of products or services to final end users

Intermediaries usually offer a firm more than it can achieve on its own. Which of the following is most likely an advantage of working with intermediaries?

• financial support

• fast service

• scale of operation

• working relationships with foreign distributors

• strategy development

Intermediaries play an important role in coordinating ________.

• dealer with customer

• supply and demand

• strategy and product

• manufacturer to product

• information and promotion

In marketing terms, we say that the number of intermediary levels indicates the ________ of a channel.

• depth

• complexity

• involvement

• length

• width

To a producer of goods, a greater number of channel levels means ________ and greater channel complexity.

• less distance between producer and end consumer

• less control

• more potential ideas

• higher taxes

• fewer channel members

A direct marketing channel consists of how many levels?

• zero

• one

• two

• three

• It is inappropriate to use levels when describing direct marketing.

When two Hungry Jacks restaurants have a disagreement over who should be able to sell in quantity at a discount to local athletic teams, it is called a ________ channel conflict.

• vertical

• disintermediation

• multichannel

• horizontal

• functional

Staples Office Supply opened an online store that created competition with many of its dealers. The corporate office created a(n) ________ conflict.

• vertical

• problematic

• functional

• horizontal

• intermediation

The customer engagement strategy development process starts by mapping the touchpoints that customers or prospects are likely to encounter. At the purchase step…

• Organisation’s salespeople, representatives of the organisation’s go-to-market partners, finance personnel, call centres, friends, business associates, social media, blogs, brand communities and a myriad of other sources.

• Starts from the moment a potential customer becomes aware of a product or brand.

• Customers will potentially come into contact with a variety of organisational personnel.

• Establish the targeted customers’ needs and expectations for each touchpoint stage

  and how each interaction adds or subtracts to perceptions of brand value.