What It Is & Its Impact on Marketing Efforts

I was wandering the aisles of CVS the other day and picked up the same toothpaste I’ve bought for years.

I haven’t thought about it twice. I made the purchase on autopilot. I didn’t think about trying another brand or buying from another retailer.

Toothpaste, it turns out, is known as a “convenience product” that consumers typically buy without worrying too much about the brand or the hassle.

Understanding product classification is key to uncovering the reasons for the general buying behavior of your consumers and how it can help you market your products.

There are four types of product classification. Let’s dive into each type so you can determine where your product lies.

Product classification in marketing

When developing a marketing strategy, it is important to know the classification of a product. Why? Well, it shows you the mindset of most consumers and the behavior they display when interacting with your product.

With this knowledge, you can develop an effective marketing strategy that picks up your customers where they are. It will also help you set a realistic marketing budget.

For example, let’s say your products fall under the “unwanted goods” classification (more on this in this section). This means you will likely need to take a more aggressive approach to marketing in order to reach out to consumers who may not have considered your product or brand.

Think charities, life insurance companies, and funeral directors. As a rule, these are not in the foreground for consumers. Hence, these brands have to work a little harder to be visible to consumers and highlight the benefits of their goods or services.

Shopping goods, on the other hand, are very visible and very competitive. Consumers typically spend time comparing quality, cost, and value before making a purchase. Because of this, building brand loyalty is critical to this product classification.

As you can see, there are factors to be considered in any product classification. The more familiar you are with consumer habits and beliefs for that category, the better you will be able to market your product.

There are four types of products, each classified according to consumption habits, price and product characteristics: convenience goods, shopping goods, specialty products and unlikely goods.

Let’s dig deeper into each one.

1. Convenience goods

Convenience products, like Crest toothpaste, are products that consumers buy repeatedly and without much thought.

Once consumers have decided on their preferred brand, they usually stick with it unless they see a reason to switch, such as:

These products include chewing gum, toilet paper, soap, toothpaste, shampoo, milk, and other necessities that people buy on a regular basis.

In order to market a convenience product, you should keep in mind that most people buy these products on the fly. For these products, placing your products near the cash register in a store can be a good idea – this is why you can often find candy and chewing gum at the front of a store.

Since most convenience products are inexpensive, costs and discounts are not an important decision factor when making a purchase decision. I’m not going to change my brand of toilet paper just to save pennies.

Brand recognition is crucial for convenience products. With this in mind, you should carry out the broadest possible campaigns to make your company better known.

Charmin, the toilet paper brand, is a widely recognized brand in the United States, for example – likely due in part to the company’s consistent and long-term advertising strategy that dates back to the 1960s with the invention of the character “Mr. Whipple” featured on TV -, print and radio advertising appeared.

2. Buying goods

Purchased goods are goods that consumers usually spend more time researching and comparing before making a purchase.

They can range from affordable items like clothing and home accessories to high quality goods like cars and houses.

These are rather one-time purchases with a higher economic impact.

For example, while you keep buying toilet paper for the rest of your life, you will likely buy a house a few times at most. And since this is an expensive and important purchase, you will be spending a lot of time thinking about participating in different open houses and comparing the pros and cons of your final selection.

The same goes for smaller products. If there is an event coming up and you want to buy a nice pair of shoes, this does not fall under impulse buying.

Instead, try it on, see if it’s worth the price, and even get input from loved ones.

To market a purchase, invest in content that will convince your buyer of the value of your product. It is important that your marketing materials show how your product differs from the competition and what unique value it offers to consumers.

Price also plays a role with this type of product, so promoting discounts and sales can attract consumers to your brand.

3. Specialty goods

A specialty is that only Product of its kind on the market, which means that consumers usually don’t feel the need to compare and think as much as they would with purchased products.

A good example of this? iPhones.

I’ve been buying new iPhones for years and haven’t paused to consider other smartphone models because of Apple’s strong brand identity and the perception I have of the product quality.

When marketing a specialty product, you don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of time convincing consumers that your product is different from the competition. You already know.

Instead, focus on how your products are constantly innovating and improving. This is how your customers stay loyal to your brand.

For example, if Apple stops making impressive improvements to its iPhones and promoting new features, I might consider changing brands. But since they have impressed me over and over again over the years, I keep shopping with them.

4. Unsolicited goods

Finally, unsolicited products – goods that humans normally aren’t excited to buy. Good examples of unsolicited goods are fire extinguishers, batteries, and life insurance.

People usually buy an unsolicited good out of a sense of fear or danger. If you were looking for the “new and best” fire extinguisher, for example, you would not go to the market. You would only buy one because of a possible fire fear. Alternatively, some unsolicited goods, such as batteries, are bought simply because the old ones have expired or run out.

When marketing an unsolicited good, focus on reminding consumers of the existence of your product and convincing consumers that buying your product gives them a better sense of security.

Duracell’s Beach x Bear commercial encourages viewers to remember the importance of batteries in life-threatening situations, such as threatened bear attacks or the use of a metal detector.

Examples of product classification

1. Brown days

Browndages is a convenience brand that markets itself by highlighting its key feature: bandages for every skin tone.

Messages like “The Perfect Brown Skin Dressing” can be seen on the brand’s website, packaging, and social media platforms, differentiating them from competitors like Band-Aid, who typically focus on the medical benefits of theirs Product focus.

2. State farm insurance

Like many insurance companies, State Farm falls into the “undesirable goods” product classification.

Therefore, brand and product awareness is a priority in marketing.

In its marketing efforts, State Farm, formerly AllState, positions itself as a reliable and trustworthy partner to rely on when bad things happen in your life.

In this example, the brand highlights the fear of many car owners – a popular tactic used by unsolicited brands – while also mentioning why trusting that brand makes it run smoothly.

3. Energizer

When many consumers think of batteries, the first thing they think of is a pink rabbit holding a drum kit.

Similar to Charmin, Energizer has created a branded mascot that consumers can easily recognize and remember: the Energizer Bunny.

Image source

As a convenience product, Energizer needed to increase brand awareness to differentiate itself from the competition in the store.

Now the brand is widespread and it is likely due to this marketing tactic.

4. Oui the people

When it comes to purchasing products, it is important to find ways to stand out from your competitors.

Why? Because when buying these products, consumers compare everything: properties, costs, value. Therefore, you have to offer something that other brands don’t – be it in terms of your product features, brand values ​​or your mission.

For Oui The People, sustainability is at the heart of its brand.

Consumers who care about the environment will be drawn to the brand because of the use of recyclable materials in their products and packaging.

5. Pyer Moss

As mentioned earlier, when people buy specialty products, people don’t want to be convinced of their quality or value. It is already clear.

What consumers are looking for instead is a brand identity to identify with, a vision to identify with.

Luxury clothing company Pyer Moss draws consumers in with its refreshing and innovative take on fashion. The brand is not afraid to leave the norm and still remain rooted in its legacy.

Now that you know where your product belongs, use consumer behavior to inspire your next marketing campaign. Now is the time to find out how you can meet and exceed customer expectations for your product.

Editor’s note: This blog post was originally published in August 2020, but has been updated for completeness.