TERM PAPER

OF
FUNDAMANTAL OF MARKKTING

SUBMITTED BY:
ALOK KUMAR JHA
ROLL NO.: RQ1906B26
REG. NO.: 10905891

SUBMITTED TO:
Mrs. KULJEET K.MINHAS
SONY:

PRODUCTS OF SONY:
CONTENTS:
1. INTRODUCTION TO COMPANY.
2. PRODUCT OF SSONY.
3. INTRODUCTON TO PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE.
4. STAGES OF PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE AND
CHARACTERISTICS.
5. PARTICULAR ANALYSIS ABOUT PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE.
6. CONCLUSION OF PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE.
7. DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY OF SONY IN INDIA.
8. SUGGEST IMPROVEMENT ABOUT DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY.
9. CONCLUSION.

INTRODUCTION TO SONY:
Our company was established at 1983, based on carrier in development of motor
for audio and video equipment in the passed few decades, and has continued effort
to provide advanced high motor and peripheral technology with hard study to
technology, constantly. During this period, we express to all of our customers and
supporters, our gratitude and deepest appreciations for their continuous business
support.

It is Softronics commitment to manufacture the widely accepted products due to

mechanical technology and electronics technology combined together upon broad
sense of software for motor and peripheral technology. Now, it is an important
theme to see how, recording data accurately and high precision for computer,
audio, video, optical instrument area etc., and motor for ultra high-precision drive,
ultra high-precision measurement and ultra high-precision processing is needed to
realize this theme. The role that motors achieve is great as motive power of
intelligent motion is used in order to rationalize production.

In this like era, it is our wish to take in advance, customer's needs, gather wisdom
and total effort of our company's staff and respond to all of our customer's
expectations to provide new technology.
Their major products lists are:

Audio (home audio, portable, etc.)

Video (video camera, digital camera, DVD players/recorders, etc.)
Television (LCD, projection, CRT-based, etc.)
Information and Communication (PC, printers, monitors, etc.)
Semiconductors (LCD, CCD, etc.)
Electronic Components (optical pickups, batteries, data recording systems, etc.)
We would like to point out that gaming consoles is not mentioned anywhere in the
list and yet their console (Play Station 3) has made quite a few headline stories in
the news in the last year.

Some other interesting points about Sony is that they recently opened a Sony
Archives museum, which requires a reservation to visit and is located at their
headquarters in Japan. Entrance is free and their is no museum guide. They
recommend that you allow for about an hour to view the exhibit.

INTRODUCTION TO PRODUCT CYCLE:

Product life cycle

Like human beings, products also have their own life-cycle. From birth to death
human beings pass through various stages e.g. birth, growth, maturity, decline and
death. A similar life-cycle is seen in the case of products. The product life cycle
goes through multiple phases, involves many professional disciplines, and requires
many skills, tools and processes. Product life cycle (PLC) has to do with the life of
a product in the market with respect to business/commercial costs and sales
measures. To say that a product has a life cycle is to assert four things:

• that products have a limited life,

• product sales pass through distinct stages, each posing different challenges,
opportunities, and problems to the seller,
• profits rise and fall at different stages of product life cycle, and
 • products require different marketing, financial, manufacturing, purchasing,
and human resource strategies in each life cycle stage and human resource
strategies in each life cycle stage.

STAGES OF PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE:

The four main stages of a product's life cycle and the characteristics are:

Stage Characteristics
1. costs are high
2. slow sales volumes to start
1. Market 3. little or no competition
4. demand has to be created
introduction stage
5. customers have to be prompted to try the product
6. makes no money at this stage

1. costs reduced due to economies of scale

2. sales volume increases significantly
3. profitability begins to rise
4. public awareness increases
2. Growth stage
5. competition begins to increase with a few new players
in establishing market
6. increased competition leads to price decreases

1. costs are lowered as a result of production volumes

increasing and experience curve effects
2. sales volume peaks and market saturation is reached
3. increase in competitors entering the market
3. Maturity stage 4. prices tend to drop due to the proliferation of
competing products
5. brand differentiation and feature diversification is
emphasized to maintain or increase market share.
6. Industrial profits go down.

1. costs become counter-optimal

4. Saturation and
2. sales volume decline or stabilize
decline stage
3. prices, profitability diminish
 4. profit becomes more a challenge of
production/distribution efficiency than increased sales.

PARTICULAR ANALYSIS ABOUT PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE:

It is claimed that every product has a life period, it is launched, it grows, and at
some point, may die. A fair comment is that at least in the short term not all
products or services die. Jeans may die, but clothes probably will not. Legal
services or medical services may die, but depending on the social and political
climate, probably will not.

Even though its validity is questionable, it can offer a useful 'model' for managers
to keep at the back of their mind. Indeed, if their products are in the introductory or
growth phases, or in that of decline, it perhaps should be at the front of their mind;
for the predominant features of these phases may be those revolving around such
life and death. Between these two extremes, it is salutary for them to have that
vision of mortality in front of them.

However, the most important aspect of product life-cycles is that, even under
normal conditions, to all practical intents and purposes they often do not exist
hence, there needs to be more emphasis on model/reality mappings. In most
markets the majority of the major brands have held their position for at least two
decades. The dominant product life-cycle, that of the brand leaders which almost
monopolize many markets, is therefore one of continuity.

CONCLUSION OF THE PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE:

clearly, the PLC is a dependent variable which is determined by market actions; it

is not an independent variable to which companies should adapt their marketing
programs. Marketing management itself can alter the shape and duration of a
brand's life cycle.

Thus, the life cycle may be useful as a description, but not as a predictor; and
usually should be firmly under the control of the marketer. The important point is
that in many markets the product or brand life cycle is significantly longer than the
planning cycle of the organizations involved.
Thus, it offers little practical value for most marketers. Even if the PLC exists for
them, their plans will be based just upon that piece of the curve where they
currently reside (most probably in the 'mature' stage); and their view of that part of
it will almost certainly be 'linear' (and limited), and will not encompass the whole
range from growth to decline. Product life cycle means how a product run
throughout all of his life. It have four stages which are:

1. introduction stage.

2. growth stage.

3. maturity.

4. decline.

SONY INDIA’s DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY

Sony, which was ranked first among consumer electronic brands in the world, was
struggling to become the leading brand in India. It faced tough competition from
Indian rivals like Videocon and Onida, and multinationals like LG, Samsung and
Philips. To emphasize its brand name and image, Sony India introduced ‘lifestyle
concepts’ by launching spacious and aesthetically designed ‘Sony World’ stores. In
these stores, Sony displayed its entire product range in a single showroom and
targeted high-end customers in urban areas. Despite promoting its products through
advertisements which amounted to 4-5% of the company’s annual turnover, it was
only second in market share in its different product segments. Sony introduced four
different retail formats in order to differentiate their products, reinforce their brand
and serve different customer segments. It began retuning its retail format in 2006,
in order to reach the youth and the middle-class. To do so, the stores were launched
under three brand names Sony Digital Kiosks, Sony Walkman and Sony Ericsson. As
youth were more attracted towards small format stores in shopping malls, the
company hoped to find young consumers visiting their showrooms.

The case discusses whether the changes in retail strategy were only enough for
becoming the brand no.1 in India.
Pedagogical Objectives:

• Booming consumer electronics retail in India

• Marketing and Branding strategies of Sony in India
• Retail formats of Sony in India.

Keywords : Akio Morita; Sony Walkman; Sony World; Sony Proshop Sony
Exclusive; Sony Ericsson; Retailing; Samsung; LG; retail kiosks; Competitive
Strategies Case Study; differentiated retailing; Multi-brand outlet; discount stores;
dealer network.

SUGGEST IMPROVEMENT ABOUT DISTRIBUTION

STRATEGY:
For the improving the distribution system the company should be
following these steeps:
1. For the distribution purpose company can be take help to local agent and all
the local electronic whole sell and small shops and centre.
2. The company can be arrange a service enquiry center of a city and there are
arrange a small laptop shop center.
3. The company should be arranging distribution like mobile phone
distribution channel.
4. The company can be increase distribution center.
5. The company can be direct delivery product production centre to consumer
through the agent.

CONCLUSION:
Over all sony product life is good and looks model and price is reasonable
and distribution channel. For the lower middle class customer company will
be provide chef rate products. If company need the target market is big than
company wii be go to lower middle class customer.
Due to good customer segmenting, positioning and targeting company has a
good image in market. If company is follow the suggestion of distribution
the company will be make more profit and they can also increase product
demand in market.