For each scenario below:

Indicate the consumer product class (see Exhibit 8-6 and related discussion) based on the characteristics of each group of customers, and explain why you placed the product in this class.

1. Ingrid Stevenson, a college student, was looking to buy her father a birthday present. Her dad was a big fan of the Denver Broncos football team and he also loved to wear baseball caps. While her father already owned a couple of Broncos hats, he was always in the market for something different. She also knew her father was quite particular about his hats. She knew he liked the hats to be made of cotton and to have a good feel. He also liked them to have something unique on the front of each hat. Ingrid ended up going to several different shops at a local mall and then a sporting goods store with a good selection before finding just the right hat. Her father loved the gift.
2. As he walked into a Walmart, Jeremy Bower was looking for a hat to wear on a hot sunny day. He saw a display of baseball style caps at the front of the store. He saw hats with names or logos of sports teams, a local college, and even sporting goods products. Other hats were blank or had weird sayings. Jeremy grabbed the least expensive hat and purchased it.

Consumer Product Class Marketing Mix Considerations Consumer Behavior Convenience products Staples Maximum exposure with widespread, low Routinized (habitual): low offort, frequent cost distribution; mass selling by producer: purchases; low involvement. usually low price; branding is important Impulse Widespread distribution with display at point Unplanned purchases bought quickly. of purchase. Emergency Need widespread distribution near probable Purchase made with time pressure when a need point of need: price sensitivity low.' is great Shopping products Homogeneous Need enough exposure to facilitate price Customers see little difference among comparison, price sensitivity high. alternatives and seek lowest price. Heterogeneous Need distribution near similar products, Extensive problem solving consumer may promotion (including personal selling) to need help in making a decision (salesperson, highlight product advantages; less price website, etc.). sensitivity. Specialty products Price sensitivity is likely to be low; limited Willing to expend effort to get specific product, distribution may be acceptable, but should even if not necessary; strong preferences make be treated as a convenience or shopping it an important purchase; Internet becoming im- product (in whichever category product portant information source. would typically be included) to reach persons not yet sold on its specialty product status. Unsought products Now unsought Must be available in places where similar Need for product not strongly felt, unaware of (or related products are sought; needs benefits or not yet gone through adoption attention-getting promotion process. Regularly unsought Requires very aggressive promotion, usually aware of product but not interested; attitude personal selling toward product may even be negative. Consumer Product Class Marketing Mix Considerations Consumer Behavior Convenience products Staples Maximum exposure with widespread, low Routinized (habitual): low offort, frequent cost distribution; mass selling by producer: purchases; low involvement. usually low price; branding is important Impulse Widespread distribution with display at point Unplanned purchases bought quickly. of purchase. Emergency Need widespread distribution near probable Purchase made with time pressure when a need point of need: price sensitivity low.' is great Shopping products Homogeneous Need enough exposure to facilitate price Customers see little difference among comparison, price sensitivity high. alternatives and seek lowest price. Heterogeneous Need distribution near similar products, Extensive problem solving consumer may promotion (including personal selling) to need help in making a decision (salesperson, highlight product advantages; less price website, etc.). sensitivity. Specialty products Price sensitivity is likely to be low; limited Willing to expend effort to get specific product, distribution may be acceptable, but should even if not necessary; strong preferences make be treated as a convenience or shopping it an important purchase; Internet becoming im- product (in whichever category product portant information source. would typically be included) to reach persons not yet sold on its specialty product status. Unsought products Now unsought Must be available in places where similar Need for product not strongly felt, unaware of (or related products are sought; needs benefits or not yet gone through adoption attention-getting promotion process. Regularly unsought Requires very aggressive promotion, usually aware of product but not interested; attitude personal selling toward product may even be negative