What is the role off marketing in the business? How is value created in the marketing process? How can I develop a marketing plan? How do I conduct market research? Is the internet the best way to help me market my product or service, or are a multichannel approach the best solution as a distribution channel option?

This completely updated sixth edition of Introduction to marketing that started out in 1998 comprises twelve chapters that focuses on recent developments in the South African marketing environment. The business setting has changed drastically in the Post-Covid-19 environment. These changes are reflected in all the chapters of the textbook.

Of special interest are the new chapters that were introduced on sustainability, social responsibility and ethical decision-making in marketing, developing the marketing plan and how marketing is dealing with changes brought by Industry 4.0.

Marketing is not a function by itself or a task for just one person – its success depends on several activities in the marketing value chain.

Understanding this value chain is important for companies to stay relevant, and crucial for seeing a return on their investment in marketing. Companies employ and interact with many members of the marketing value chain, and therefore need to be familiar with the relationships between each link in this chain.

Marketing Value Chain is about understanding this value chain, where marketing fits into the chain, and what role marketers play within it.

Key concepts are:

• the nature of distribution and its role in the supply chain and marketing
• the concept of value chain marketing
• distribution channels in South Africa
• understanding channel design and channel selection
• functions in the value chain
• behavioural processes in the value chain
• trends in value chain development and online channels
• the supply chain and logistics industry in South Africa
• buyer -supplier relationships

Customer service is not a new topic in marketing. Although most marketing texts cover customer service in some form or another, the topic is generally not given the attention it deserves. In a society where customers are becoming more informed, more protected and more demanding than in the past, it makes good business sense to ensure that your customers receive a high level of customer service. After all, a happy customer is a satisfied customer, and a satisfied customer will remember the experience and purchase from you again and again.

Customer Service draws together the important issues regarding customer service. It addresses all the key elements which need to be considered when developing a service strategy for a business. The text is not only written with undergraduate students in mind, but also for the entire spectrum of businesses – both large and small – and for employees at all levels.

This book:

• Considers the topic of customer service within the context of its role in marketing strategy
• Stresses the importance and role of verbal and non-verbal communication
• Highlights the role that physical evidence plays in supporting a service strategy
• Addresses the causes of service failures and how to fix them
• Provides guidance on how to develop a service system
• Shows how technology can be used to enhance customer service
• Gives advice on how to develop and train staff to deliver exceptional customer service
• Addresses the important issues of quality, value, expectations and satisfaction and why they form the foundation of a service strategy
• Outlines the concept of customer experience management and how to apply it to a business

Consumer Behaviour 5e focuses on consumer needs, buying behaviour, and the art of customer satisfaction. It provides invaluable insight into the psychology behind consumer thinking, emotions, experiences and reasoning, as well as how choices between products/services, suppliers and product brands are made.

A unique South perspective on consumer information-processing, decision-making and buying patterns is emphasised through the lens of culture, family, media and values. This perspective will inform academics in the marketing field as well as industry practitioners on how customised marketing strategies can be developed to effectively reach each consumer. The significant impact of the growth of the millennial market segment, the use of digital technology, and access to shared experiences through social media and other online channels, is also explored.

This fifth edition of Consumer Behaviour covers traditional and contemporary issues such as:

• Consumer decision-making and influencing factors
• Why customers behave the way they do
• Market segmentation and how to target a specific market
• Consumer information-processing
• Brand loyalty and how to retain customers
• Customer relationship marketing
• Cross-cultural influences on consumer behaviour
• E-commerce and its effect on consumer behaviour.

All organisations - from modest start-ups to multinational corporations - can benefit from an effective marketing strategy, as it serves as a roadmap for the entire business. By formulating a coherent and well-considered marketing strategy, organisations can promote their business, cater to the right types of clients and allocate their resources correctly, all while safeguarding the reputation of the organisation. Strategic Marketing is structured around the four key questions facing organisations and top management when deciding on their strategic direction: Where are we now; where do we want to be; how will we get there; and did we get there?

This new edition of Contemporary Retail and Marketing Case Studies is a collection of 34 studies of retail and marketing operations as told by individual companies.

Small, medium and larger companies relate the challenges they have faced and how they overcame them, and share their successes and frustrations in a frank and open manner. Each case is unique in its own way and addresses issues which are pertinent and relevant to the South African retail and marketing environment.

The value of this collection is that:

• It provides a variety of cases that together offer insight into the marketing challenges faced by local businesses
• It offers a South African perspective on how to overcome these issues
• It is written from the viewpoint of the entrepreneur or business executive
• It provides practical insights which support work-integrated learning.

This book is a must-read for scholars, students and people concerned with the retail and marketing industry.

Understanding consumers and the way they behave is crucial to the success of any business. In these times of economic uncertainty and reduced customer expenditure, ensuring that the consumer's wants and needs are met, forms part of the strategic planning of all organisations - big or small. Consumers, by means of their buying behaviour, exert influence on businesses and compel them to act in certain ways. Understanding consumer behaviour is therefore imperative, as it provides information to businesses on how to plan their marketing activities and sustain themselves as commercially viable and useful entities.