BRANDING, AFTER-SALES SERVICES & MERCHANDISING

Question 1

What is a Brand?

Answer 1

Is a name, term, symbol, sign, design, etc, which identifies a firm’s product and helps to differentiate it from those of its competitors.

Question 2

What is the aim of a Brand?

Answer 2

Brands create confidence in a firm’s products and assure consumers that they can rely on the product and thus encourage them to make repeated purchases and eventually develop ‘brand loyalty’.

Question 3

What is Branding?

Answer 3

Is a form of Trade Mark. The mark or symbol is placed on bottles, boxes, wrappers, etc,. Each brand mark must be registered by the Registrar of Trade Practices.

Question 4

What are the advantages of Branding?

Answer 4

1. Branded products can be identified from a distance.
2. It increases the rate of turnover.
3. Retailers are assisted in selling branded goods because of the ease in identifying the product. 4. Consumers are also assisted while shopping, since they can easily identify the goods that they are looking for.
4. Branding increases production cost, but it pays the producer to do so, since it also increases sales.
5. There is also the need to advertise branded goods.

Question 5

What is After-sales Services?

Answer 5

This is any service provided to a customer after the customer has purchased a product.

Question 6

What are examples of After-sales Services?

Answer 6

1. Offering warranty services
2. Free delivery of products to customers’ premises
3. Free installation of products
   packaging of goods at supermarkets
4. Training consumers on how to use the product
5. Providing online support so customers can refer to when required
6. Allowing customers to return faulty product in exchange for a replacement
7. Updating customers about the whereabouts of their goods while they are in transit.

Question 7

What is Merchandizing?

Answer 7

It refers to the display of goods so that potential customers can conveniently see them and be influenced to buy.

Question 8

What are the methods of Merchandizing?

Answer 8

1. Eye-catching window displays, including special offers.
2. Use of in-house displays to reduce the number of employees needed to sell the good
3. Careful layout of premises, allowing customers to get near to goods and move into other parts of the store
4. Packaging design that present goods attractively
5. Opportunity for customers to inspect goods carefully and perhaps touch them
6. Clear labelling and price marking to reduce the need for customers to ask questions
7. Eye-level shelf display for high priority goods