4.3.2

Price Penetration

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Pricing Methods - Price Penetration

Price penetration is where a business tries to increase market share by offering a low initial price. Loss leaders work in a similar way to price penetration.

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Increase market share

  • When these goods or services enter the market, a business can attract customers from established competitors.
    • Price penetration was used by Apple when they entered the market for activity trackers by launching the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch competed with products by businesses like Fitbit.
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Lower short-term profits

  • In the short term, price penetration can lead to lower average profits than would be earned with a higher price.
  • However, market share may be more important for the long-term profitability of a business.
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Loss leaders

  • Loss leaders are products or services that are sold by a business at a price where the business makes a loss (average revenue < average cost).
  • Loss leaders can attract new customers or sell to existing customers, in the hope that they make extra (incidental) purchases.
    • Dollar Shave Club offered to deliver a razor and new razor blades to your house for $1 every month. This was loss making, but it attracted customers who bought extra products.

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1Business Activity & Influences on Business

2People in Business

3Business Finance

4Marketing

5Business Operations

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