First: We will learn about the traditional marketing mix, which is the 4PS

Marketing is defined as a comprehensive set of activities carried out by companies to promote the purchase or sale of a specific product or service. The 4PS marketing mix is considered an integral part of marketing activities, which consists of four basic elements: the product, the price, and the promotion. Promotion, Place, and in order for each of these four elements to achieve its goals, it must be in line with the strategies and goals set by the organization, and now we will learn about the tasks of each element of the 4PS:

1- Product

The product is considered the main variable in the marketing mix, as any business project’s first and basic condition is the product itself and its type. The product element includes both tangible products, such as food goods, and intangible products, such as services, in order to market a product or service effectively. It is necessary to determine what distinguishes this product or service compared to the products or services of competitors.

The product element includes a number of important sections to determine the form and quality of the product provided, including:

– Product design.

– Product mix.

– Product brand.

– Packaging and labeling of the product.

– After-sales service.

– Warranties on the product.

– Product revenues.

– Product life cycle.

2- Price

The price element is considered the source of income, unlike the other elements of the mix, it determines the level of profit achieved by the organization. The selling price of the product also reflects the willingness of consumers to pay in exchange for obtaining the goods or services provided by companies. The price is also considered part of the total cost related to research. development, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution, and this process is called “cost-based pricing.”

There are also various factors that affect the cost, such as:

– Product development cost.

– Manufacturing cost.

– Appropriate pricing policies for the product.

– Analyzing competitors’ strategies.

– The cost to the customer of switching to a new product or service.

– The cost of the customer not choosing a competitor’s product or service.

3- Promotion

The promotion element plays an important and decisive role in the market, as it includes a combination of efforts directed towards increasing sales of either products or services on an ongoing basis, by providing sufficient information about target customers, in order to exploit this information to push them to purchase the products or services provided by companies, and convert them to… Real customers. The focus of promotion is not only on increasing sales volume but on establishing long-term relationships with customers.

Promotion includes important elements, such as:

– Advertisements.

– Personal selling.

– direct sale.

-Sales promotion.

– Fame in the market.

4- Place

The place element is linked to physical distribution and distribution channels, because they are of great importance, because marketing objectives cannot be achieved unless the product, whatever its type, reaches the hands of consumers, and the importance of this element appears in making the product easily accessible to customers, and also available at any location. Place and time, in other words, the product must be provided to the customer at the correct place and time.

Decisions related to choosing a location and distribution channels include several points, including:

– Accurate identification of the geographical focus of target customers.

– Identify distribution channels and distributors correctly.

– The optimal choice of the distribution channel that the company will focus on.

– Comprehensive analysis of the various factors that influence decisions to choose the ideal distribution channel.

Second: What is the impact of e-marketing on 4PS elements and converting them into 4CS?

Now, with technological progress and its direct impact on the marketing process for products and services, the situation has completely changed and it has become imperative to develop marketing mix theories and update them to suit this development, as Professor Bob Lauterborn, professor of advertising and marketing at the University of North Carolina, conducted a study on the performance of new products in the American market in 1990, The study revealed that 80% of these products failed, and this was an important indicator that the elements of the traditional 4PS marketing mix needed to be developed due to the emergence of the Internet. Therefore, Professor Lauterborn created a theory of transformation from 4PS to 4CS, in order to be compatible with the needs and preferences of customers in The Internet era, and the new era of electronic marketing.

With the great openness in the market and the change in the nature of customers themselves as a result of the emergence of the Internet, this led to a change in their needs and desires, and therefore it became necessary for the elements of the marketing mix to also develop to be in line with this openness, and as a result the modern marketing mix 4CS appeared, and this development was as follows:

1- Product:

The name “Products” changed to the name “Consumer wants and needs”, meaning the desires and needs of the customer.

In the past, it was possible to promote your products or services through traditional marketing methods easily, but now this concept no longer exists, as it has become necessary to understand the needs and desires of customers first, and then provide a product or service that meets these requirements.

2- Price:

The name Price changed to the name Cost to satisfy, meaning the cost of satisfying the customer.

The price was simply a calculation of the cost of the product only, and this concept was before the emergence of the concept of electronic marketing, but now the price has become merely one of the factors aimed at satisfying the customer. For example, when opening a store that sells bags, the price will not be determined solely on The basis of what the customer pays for the bag only, but will also include the cost of going to the store, parking fees, ease of access to the store, and also the comfort that the customer feels while walking around the store to choose a bag that suits his taste. All of these aspects must be taken into consideration in order to Customer satisfaction, so it is no longer limited to the purchase price of the product only, but rather to the total cost that the customer bears to feel satisfied.

Satisfaction with you.

3- Publicity:

The name Promotion changed to the name Communication, meaning communications with the customer.

Previously, advertisements were one-sided, meaning that companies were the ones that communicated with the customer without a response from him, but now, with the advent of electronic marketing, advertising has become a two-party communication between companies and their customers, which led to the exchange of dialogue and discussions between them, and it has become necessary to obtain Customer opinions and comments, and measuring their satisfaction with the product, as well as with advertising and publicity methods.

4- Location:

The name “Place” became “Convenience to buy,” meaning customer comfort.

Currently, the effort to facilitate the access of the product to the customer at the time he wants, and in the form that suits him, has become available with the presence of the Internet. The customer is no longer obligated to visit the store location to make a purchase, and he also does not need to deal with cash transactions because online shopping provides… It has easy payment options, therefore, it is necessary to give priority to customer convenience instead of giving priority to searching for an available location for the store that is suitable for you from your point of view.