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| washroom accessories - Warranty and guarantee practices, in particular, have been closely examined. New legislation has generally defined and extended the manufacturer's responsibility for product performance. Environmental concerns have also affected product design and marketing, especially as the expense of product modification has increased the retail cost. Such forces, which have added to the friction between producer and consumer, must be understood by the marketer and integrated into a sound marketing program. Even the way a firm handles itself in public life that is, how it reacts to social and political issues has become significant. No longer may a corporation cloak its internal deci_sions as private affairs. The public's dissatisfaction with the actions and attitudes of a firm has sometimes led to a reduction in sal_es; conversely, consumer enthusiasm, generated by a firm's intentional establishment of a good public image or public relations, has led to increased sal_es. The success of specialized marketing developments has caused many older organizations to revise their operating methods. In recent years, for example, franchise distribution has become an important force in retailing. Under this plan, the retailer is given the right to sell, within a certain area, without competition from another retailer dealing in the same product. Many consumers now find it more desirable to rent products than to purchase them outright. For example, a homeowner may | find it preferable to rent an electric floor polisher when needed, rather than purchase the appliance at the list price, use it only infrequently, and then have to provide storage space within the home. Another item consumers have found easier and less expensive to rent is the automobile. The renting of equipment also figures in large industry. Corporations are finding it to their economic advantage to rent computers and office and industrial machinery, thereby assuring themselves of product servicing and repair and allowing a changeover, without great expense, to newer equipment models as they become available. Businesses must strive daily to outdo competitors. The methods available to businesses for distinguishing their commodity from others in the market are subject only to their ingenuity. Such methods may include product improvement, a unique promotional campaign, a new twist in servicing, a change in distribution channels, or an enticing price adjustment. As marketing has become increasingly more complex, a need has arisen for professional marketers trained in the social sciences who also possess statistical, mathematical, and computer backgrounds. Many colleges and universities now have programs designed to train marketing executives. Courses are offered at the undergraduate and the graduate level in such specialized fields as advertising, administrative practices, financial manag_ement, production, human relations, retailing, and personnel administration. |
