1. Chapter 19
Pricing Strategies

2. Chapter Objectives
Compare the alternative pricing strategies and explain when each strategy is most appropriate.
Describe how prices are quoted.
Identify the various pricing policy decisions that marketers must make.
Relate price to consumer perceptions of quality.
Contrast competitive bidding and negotiated prices.
Explain the importance of transfer pricing.
Compare the three alternative global pricing strategies.
Relate the concepts of cannibalization, bundle pricing, and bots to online pricing strategies.

3. Pricing Strategies
Skimming pricing strategy [Gouge pricing strategy]: involves the use of a high price relative to competitive offerings
Often used by marketers of high-end products
Also by firms introducing a distinctive good with little or no competition
Allows firms to control demand during the introductory stages of a products life cycle
Can be used as a tool for segmenting a product’s market on a price basis

4. Figure 19.1
Distinctive Flat-Screen TVs Marketed with a Skimming Pricing Strategy

5. Weber
Distinctive Grills Marketed through a Skimming Pricing Strategy

6. Lincoln Navigator
Maintaining a High Price in Periods of High Demand

7. Figure 19.3
Price Reductions to Increase Market Share

8. Penetration pricing strategy: involves the use of a relatively low entry price as compared with competitive offerings; based on the theory that this initial low price will help secure market acceptance
Designed to generate many trial purchases

9. Figure 19.4
Credit-Card Offers: Penetration Pricing

10. Everyday low pricing (EDLP): Pricing strategy of continuously offering low prices rather than relying on such short term price cuts as cents-off coupons, rebates, and special sales
Wal-Mart

11. Southwest Airlines, Known for It’s Low Prices, Often Enters New Markets with Incredibly Low Penetration Prices and Then Maintains Market Share With Everyday Low Pricing Strategy

12. Competitive Pricing Strategy: reduces emphasis on price as a competitive variable by pricing goods at the general level of competitors
Firms focus their own marketing efforts on the product, distribution and promotion elements of the marketing mix

13. Figure 19.6
American Airlines: Reducing the Emphasis on Price Competition

14. Price Quotations
List prices: Established prices normally quoted to potential buyers
Gasoline Prices: Where the Money Goes

15. Market price: Price that an intermediary or final consumer pays for a product after subtracting any discounts, rebates, or allowances from the list price
Kraft offering a rebate promotion

16. Reductions from List Price
Cash discount: price reduction offered to a consumer, industrial user, or marketing intermediary in return for prompt payment of a bill
2/10 net 30, a common cash discount notation, allows consumers to subtract 2 percent from the amount due if payment is made within 10 days

17. Trade Discounts: payment to a channel member or buyer for performing marketing functions; also known as a functional discount

18. Quantity discount: price reduction granted for a large-volume purchase
Justified on the grounds that large orders reduce selling expenses, storage, and transportation costs
Cumulative quantity discounts reduce prices in amounts determined by purchases over stated time periods
Non-cumulative quantity discounts provide one-time reductions in the list price

19. Allowances
Trade-in: credit allowance given for a used item when a new item is purchased
Promotional allowance: advertising or promotional funds provided by a manufacturer to other channel members in an attempt to integrate the promotional strategy within the channel
Rebates: refund for a portion of the purchase price, usually granted by the product’s manufacturer

20. Figure 19.9
Rebates for Computer-Related Goods

21. Geographic Considerations
FOB (free on board) plant or FOB origin: Price quotation that does not include shipping charges. Buyer pays all freight charges to transport the product from the manufacturer
Freight absorption: system for handling transportation costs under which the buyer may deduct shipping expenses from the costs of goods

22. Uniform-delivered price: system for handling transportation costs under which all buyers are quoted with the same price, including transportation expenses
Zone pricing: system for handling transportation costs under which the market is divided into geographic regions and a different price is set in each region
Basing-point system: system for handling transportation costs in which the buyer’s costs included the factory price plus freight charges from the basing-point city nearest the buyer. Seeks to equalize competition between distant marketers.

23. Pricing Policies
Pricing policy: general guidelines based on pricing objectives and intended for use in specific pricing decisions
Psychological pricing: pricing policy based on the belief that certain prices or price ranges make a good or service more appealing than others to buyers

24. Odd pricing: pricing policy based on the belief that a price ending with and odd number just below a round number is more appealing
John Deere at $1,999 instead of $2000

25. Unit pricing: pricing policy in which prices are stated in terms of a recognized unit of measurement or a standard numerical count
For example, a gallon of milk, or one dozen eggs

26. Price Flexibility: pricing policy that permits variable prices for goods and services
Car dealerships traditionally employ a flexible pricing strategy

27. Figure 19.10
Fractional Ownership of a Personal Jet: Example of Variable Pricing

28. Product-line pricing: practice of marketing different lines of merchandise at a limited number of prices
Hallmark has different prices for its card lines

29. Promotional pricing: pricing policy in which a lower than normal price is used as a temporary ingredient in the marketing strategy
“Buy one, get one free” is a common pricing promotion

30. Loss leader: product offered to consumers at less than cost to attract them to stores in the hope that they will buy other merchandise at regular prices
What are some loss leaders in a grocery store?

31. Price-Quality Relationships
Without other cues, price serves as an important indicator of a product’s quality to buyers
Customers often view price as an indicator of a product’s overall quality and may be willing to pay a higher price

32. Figure 19.11
Rolex Cellini Cellissima Watch: Example of the Price-Quality Relationship

33. Competitive Bidding and Negotiated Prices
Many purchases are made through competitive bidding, a process in which potential suppliers and manufacturers are invited to quote prices on proposed purchases or contracts
Negotiated Prices Online
Buyers and sellers can communicate and negotiate prices online

34. Online Auctions: Purest form of negotiated pricing

35. The Transfer Price Dilemma
Transfer price: cost assessed when a product is moved from one profit center to another
Profit center: any part of an organization to which revenue and controllable costs can be assigned

36. Global Considerations and Online Pricing
International markets are subject to external influences such as regulatory limitations, trade restrictions, competitor’s actions, economic events, and the global status of the industry
The effect the exchange rate can have on international trade can be significant. It is important that pricing of products take exchange rates into account.

37. Traditional Global Pricing Strategies
Standard Worldwide: Pricing strategy in which exporters set standard worldwide prices for products, regardless of their target markets
Dual Pricing: Pricing strategy that distinguishes between domestic and export sales, and maintains a distinct set of prices for each
Market Differentiated: Flexible pricing strategy that sets prices according to local marketplace and economic conditions

38. Characteristics Of Online Pricing
Cannibalization: Loss of sales of an existing product due to competition from a new product in the same line
Shopping Bots: Search engines which act as comparison shopping agents
Bundle pricing: Offering two or more complementary products and selling them for a single price

39. Figure 19.14
Cable TV Companies and Bundle Pricing

40. End of Chapter Nineteen