Buyer and Consumer Topic 8Q4

Some say that targeting any group of consumers who are willing and able to purchase a product is simply good marketing. Do you think this is ethical? Explain why and support your stance with specific reasons, facts, and examples. In replies to peers, agree or disagree with peers and justify your response using the topic Resources and specific examples.

ANSWER

Buyer and Consumer Topic 8 Question 4

Marketing is one of the crucial perspectives that guarantees a business’s success in the market. A firm must always integrate suitable marketing strategies to engage and reach potential consumers. Targeting customers who are willing and able to purchase an item or service portrays effective marketing practices. Unless a business targets the right people, it might fail to create viable and lasting relationships. Consumer-brand relationships are dependent on the brand effect, trust, and commitment. This shows that unless a brand targets the appropriate user segment, these aspects are unrealizable based on the lack of familiarization. Thus, there is a dire need for marketers to target people who are willing and ready to purchase goods and services. This is an ethical perspective because marketers are utilizing a form that ensures they meet the needs and interests of the consumers. Research indicates that target marketing is focused on user needs and wants (Camilleri, 2018). Thus, a customer-centric strategy ensures that companies serve the right market domain. For example, targeting persons who can purchase an item or service allows a business to realize if their specifications meet user expectations.

Thus, target marketing lies as the foundation for meeting consumer needs, wants, interests, and expectations. For example, a toy-manufacturer company can target children and parents with their range of items. This is because children act as a potential market while their parents are a key target audience. Children are likely to develop an interest in these products, and the parents willing to purchase toys for them. Targeting these segments will enable the business to assess if their products and prices meet children and parents’ needs and expectations. Another primary example is when a company targets the middle and higher-income classes with its premium products. This is not unethical because their products are designed to meet the needs and welfare of that specific market segment.

Reference

Camilleri, M. A. (2018). Market Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning. In Travel marketing, tourism economics and the airline product (pp. 69-83). Springer, Cham.