Quantitative Data Collection

Research approach that is at the heart of scientific research where numbers are used to measure or evaluate variables being studied and enabling the use of statistical analysis to offer potentially more supportable conclusions.

Standard Price Adjustments

Changes to a company’s initial product pricing that are consistently part of the marketer’s pricing program and not adjustments that only arise as part of special promotions and include Quantity Discounts, Trade Allowances, Geographic Pricing and Special Segment Discounts.

Culture

A component of the external influences on consumer buying behavior that represents the behavior, beliefs and way people act learned through interaction and observation of other members of society.

Early Majority

The third category within the Diffusion of Innovation consisting of up to one-third of the overall market who represent the beginning of the mass market and who are primarily characterized as liking new products but prefer to wait until they have received positive opinions for other (e.g., Early Adopters) before purchasing.

Cold Call

A method for contacting sales prospects where a salesperson makes an unannounced first contact with the prospect with the intention of either scheduling a future appointment or giving a sales presentation during this first contact period.

Elastic Demand

Refers to market conditions where a certain percentage change (positive or negative) in the price of a product results in a larger and opposite percentage change in demand (i.e., purchases) for the product.

Label

Information imprinted on Final Customer Packaging and Distribution Packaging that serves many functions such as promotion, offering product details and product purchase information (e.g., contains Universal Product Code).

Mass Discounters

Retail format represented by general or specialty merchandisers whose main strategy is to offer discount pricing and whose outlets offer few services and generally lower quality product than is available at higher-end retailers.

Opinion Leaders

A concept in consumer buying behavior which relates to people or organizations within a group who a consumer looks to for advice or direction and, consequently, may hold influence on what a consumer purchases.

Price Lining

A market pricing method for setting a product’s initial price that is used when there are multiple products within a marketer’s product line and customers’ perception of difference is affected by the separation in prices for each item (e.g., low price, mid-price and premium price).