The two most commonly used methods of classifying products are: (1) Consumer goods versus industrial goods, and (2) goods products (i.e., durables and non-durables) versus service products.
Consumer Goods and Industrial Goods
The traditional classification of products is to dichotomize all products as being either consumer goods or industrial goods. When we purchase products for our own consumption with no intention of selling these products to others, we are referring to consumer goods . Conversely, industrial goods are purchased by an individual or an organization in order to modify them or simply distribute them to the ultimate consumer in order to make a profit or meet some other objective.
Olympus Camera
This Olympus camera is considered to be a consumer good.
Classification of Consumer Goods
A classification long used in marketing separates products targeted at consumers into three groups: (1) Convenience goods, (2) shopping goods and (3) specialty goods.
A convenience good is one that requires a minimum amount of effort on the part of the consumer. Extensive distribution is the primary marketing strategy. The product must be available in every conceivable outlet and must be easily accessible in these outlets. These products are usually of low unit value, they are highly standardized, and frequently they are nationally advertised.
Consumers desire to compare products categorized as shopping goods. Automobiles, appliances, furniture, and homes are in this group. Shoppers are willing to go to some lengths to compare values; therefore, these goods need not be distributed so widely. Although many shopping goods are nationally advertised, often it is the ability of the retailer to differentiate itself that creates the sale. Discounting, or promotional price-cutting, is a characteristic of many shopping goods because of retailers' desire to provide attractive shopping values.
Specialty goods represent the third product classification. From the consumer's perspective, these products are so unique that they will go to any lengths to seek out and purchase them. Almost without exception, price is not a principle factor affecting the sales of specialty goods.
Classification of Industrial Goods
Although consumer products are more familiar to most readers, industrial goods represent a very important product category. For some manufacturers, industrial goods are the only product sold. The methods of industrial marketing are somewhat more specialized. Industrial products can either be categorized from the perspective of the producer and how they shop for the product, or the perspective of the manufacturer and how they are produced and how much they cost. The latter criteria offers a more insightful classification for industrial products.
Forests, mines, and quarries provide extractive products to producers. Most extractive products require some processing before purchase by the consumer. Manufactured products are those that have undergone some processing. The demand for manufactured industrial goods are usually derived from the demand for ultimate consumer goods.
Goods Versus Services
Service products are reflected by a wide variety of industries—utilities, barbers, travel agencies, health spas, consulting firms, medical facilities and banks are but a few. They account for nearly 50 percent of the average consumer's total expenditures and 70 percent of jobs. Like goods products, service products are quite heterogeneous. Nevertheless, there are several characteristics that are generalized to service products.
Intangible: With the purchase of a good, one has something that can be seen, touched, tasted, worn or displayed. This is not true with a service. Although one pays money and consumes the service, there is nothing tangible to show for it.
Simultaneous Production and Consumption: Service products are characterized as those that are being consumed at the same time they are being produced. In contrast, goods products are produced, stored, and then consumed. A result of this characteristic is that the provider of the service is often present when consumption takes place.
Little Standardization: Because service products are so closely related to the people providing the service, ensuring the same level of satisfaction from time to time is quite difficult.
High Buyer Involvement: With many service products, the purchaser may provide a great deal of input into the final form of the product. For example, in the case of a cruise, a good travel agent would provide a large selection of brochures and pamphlets describing the various cruise locations, options provided in terms of cabin location and size, islands visited, food, entertainment, prices, and whether there are facilities for children.
It should be noted that these four characteristics associated with service products vary in intensity from product to product. In fact, service products are best viewed as being on a continuum in respect to these four characteristics.