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Market Analysis

Last Verified: 2005-10-17

Summary

Your Customers:

  • Who are they? Age, sex, income?
  • Where do they live, play, shop?
  • How often do they buy? seasonal?
  • Cash, credit or debit card?
  • Can you afford to carry accounts receivable?
  • How big in dollar terms is your market potential?

Your Products:

  • Are they unique, eye appealing?
  • Better designed, higher quality?
  • What sizes, any special packaging?
  • Is there a need for your products?
  • Must you offer a guarantee?
  • What will be your return policy?
  • Must you stock parts for service?

Buying:

  • How much of each will you buy? From whom?
  • Are you getting the best deal?
  • Is volume discount eaten up by slow turnover?
  • Can you return unsold merchandise?
  • Have you a stock control plan to avoid overstocks, understocks and out of stocks?
  • Have you established a line of credit with each supplier?
  • How must you pay? C.O.D.? 30 days? 60 days?

Your Competition:

  • How big, how old, how strong?
  • What percentage of the market do they have?
  • How far away?
  • What advantages do you have?
  • What advantages do they have?

Pricing:

  • Do you know what to charge to cover costs?
  • Are your prices competitive?
  • How important is low price?
  • Is service more important?
  • Must you give cash or volume discounts?
  • What will discounts do to your markup?
  • Must you include delivery cost in your price?

Advertising:

  • How much is normal for your products?
  • What media? How often? Seasonal?
  • Do you have a logo or trademark? Is it registered?
  • Is any free publicity available?
  • Will you need an advertising agency?
  • What is your product image?

Prepared by: Saskatchewan Industry and Resources, Business and Co-operative Services





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Last Modified: 2005-10-17 Important Notices