Develop written responses for the Application Exercise below outlining three buying situations.

Overview Assume the role of marketing manager for a large firm that produces stain resistant fabrics that are used by furniture companies to upholster chairs, sofas, and love seats. Similar fabrics are typically available to the furniture producers from several competing suppliers, including some larger and smaller firms. While some slight differences in patterns and colors may exist, all the suppliers produce fashionable fabrics that meet the quality and style standards set by the customers' production and marketing departments. In fact, most of the competing suppliers use the exact same method to treat fabrics so that they will resist stains. And, with few exceptions, the prices charged by all suppliers tend to be almost identical.

Recently, you learned from your sales force of three potential customers whose needs might be satisfied by the fabric you sell. Read each of the three buying situations described below, and then:

a) Determine which level of problem solving (new-task buying, straight rebuy, or modified rebuy) applies to each situation. Explain your position.

b) Discuss in detail the probable nature of the firm's buying behavior in each situation which of the six decision making steps (need awareness, information search, alternative identification, set criteria, evaluate alternatives, and purchase decision) would be most important in each situation? Why? How important would multiple buying influences in the situation?

c) Explain how the firm might vary its marketing mix to satisfy the potential customer's needs in each situation.

Situation 1 The potential customer has been selling a very successful line of upholstered furniture for several years. The company has not been using a stain-resistant fabric. But furniture retailers have recently complaining that the furniture gets soiled very easily. The potential customer thinks that your stain-resistant fabric could possibly be used instead of the fabric it gets from its supplier.

Situation 2 The customer has been purchasing a similar fabric from one of your firm's competitors for several years but is dissatisfied with its present supplier's delivery service and technical support.

Situation 3 The customer has been purchasing all its fabric from one of your competitors on a regular basis for several years. No change in this procedure is expected.