Marketing, its customers, distributors, and facilitators

The elements that play a role in the marketing process can be divided into three groups: customers, distributors, and facilitators. In order to understand customers, certain questions must be answered: Who constitutes the market segment? What do they buy and why? And how, when, and where do they buy? Thus, a remotely situated wholesale store may use discounted prices to lure customers away from the more conveniently located shops. Customers can be divided into two categories: consumer customers, who purchase goods and services for use by themselves and by those with whom they live; and business customers, who purchase goods and services for use by the organization for which they work. Four major types of factors influence consumer buying behaviour: cultural, social, personal, and psychological. Many producers do not sell products or services directly to consumers and instead use marketing intermediaries, such as middlemen (wholesalers, retailers, agents, and brokers) and distributors. Distributor is a company or person that makes wholesale purchases from the producers of finished products to become available for people to buy. It is quite a large company having its own warehouses and establishing active contractual relations with manufacturers. Because marketing functions require significant expertise, it is often both efficient and effective for an organization to use the assistance of independent marketing facilitators. These are organizations and consultants whose sole or primary responsibility is to handle marketing functions. There are four major types of marketing facilitators: advertising agencies, market research firms, transportation firms, and warehousing firms.

II. Restore the word order in the following statements.

1) Distributor supplies is a company that shops with goods. 2) Facilitator helps is someone who a process to take place effectively. 3) Middleman business deals for other helps to arrange people. 4) Agent represents is a person that another person in business. 5) Broker buys and sells is someone who shares for other people.

III. Agree or disagree with the following statements.

1) Facilitators play a leading role in the marketing process. 2) Consumer customers purchase goods and services for use by the organization for which they work. 3) Business customers purchase goods and services for use by themselves and by those with whom they live. 4) Cultural and social factors influence consumer buying behaviour. 5) Personal and psychological factors don’t influence consumer buying behaviour. 6) Many producers sell products or services directly to consumers. 7) Many producers use marketing intermediaries to sell products to consumers. 8) Wholesaler is someone who sells goods wholesale. 9) Retailer is someone who sells things in a shop. 10) Distributor is to establish active contractual relations with wholesalers. 11) Marketing facilitators are to handle marketing functions.

IV. Translate the following words and phrases from Russian into English.

Расположенный; оптовая торговля; склад; цена со скидкой; располагать в определенном месте; потребитель; покупать; товары и услуги; оказывать влияние; поведение; производитель; продавать; маркетинг; покупатель; дистрибьютор; способствовать; посредник; оптовый торговец; розничный торговец; знания, опыт; управлять; рекламное агентство; готовая продукция; устанавливать деятельные контрактные отношения с промышленниками; исследование рынков сбыта.

V. Complete the following statements. Retell the text “Marketing, its customers, distributors, and facilitators”.

1) The elements that play a role in the marketing process are … 2) Consumer customers purchase … for use by … 3) Business customers purchase … for use by … 4) Consumer buying behaviour is influenced by … factors. 5) Many producers do not sell … and instead use … 6) Middlemen are … 7) Distributor is … 8) It is effective for an organization to use … 9) Facilitators are … 10) Marketing facilitators include …