The difference between the core product, the actual product, and the augmented product

by | Apr 24, 2025 | Analysis

 

 

What is the difference between the core product, the actual product, and the augmented product?
What is a test market? What are some pros and cons of test markets?
Chapter 11

Why is quality such an important product strategy objective? What are the dimensions of product quality? How has E-commerce affected the need for quality product objectives?
What does it mean to license a product? What is co-branding?
Chapter 12

What are intangibles? How do basic marketing concepts apply to the marketing of intangibles?
Describe how the Internet is used to market services.
Chapter 13

Explain the role of distribution channels.
Explain intensive, selective, and exclusive forms of distribution.

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Chapter 11

What is the difference between the core product, the actual product, and the augmented product?

  • Core Product: This is the fundamental benefit or problem-solving service that the customer is really buying. It’s the need being fulfilled. For example, the core product of a car is transportation, and the core product of a smartphone is communication and access to information.
  • Actual Product: This is the tangible offering itself, including its features, design, brand name, quality level, and packaging. It’s what the customer physically receives and uses. For a car, the actual product includes the engine, seats, exterior design, and brand. For a smartphone, it includes the screen size, processing power,

Chapter 11

What is the difference between the core product, the actual product, and the augmented product?

  • Core Product: This is the fundamental benefit or problem-solving service that the customer is really buying. It’s the need being fulfilled. For example, the core product of a car is transportation, and the core product of a smartphone is communication and access to information.
  • Actual Product: This is the tangible offering itself, including its features, design, brand name, quality level, and packaging. It’s what the customer physically receives and uses. For a car, the actual product includes the engine, seats, exterior design, and brand. For a smartphone, it includes the screen size, processing power,
  • Augmented Product: This encompasses the additional services and benefits that enhance the actual product and often differentiate it from competitors. It includes things like warranties, customer support, delivery, installation, financing, and after-sales service. For a car, the augmented product might include a warranty, roadside assistance, and maintenance services. For a smartphone, it could include cloud storage, software updates, and technical support.

What is a test market? What are some pros and cons of test markets?

A test market is a limited introduction of a new product and its marketing mix in a specific geographic area or to a select group of consumers to gauge their reactions before a full-scale national or international launch. It allows a company to gather real-world feedback on various aspects of the product and marketing strategy.

Pros of Test Markets:

  • Reduced Risk: It’s far less expensive to fail in a limited test market than with a full-scale launch.
  • Gathering Feedback: Provides valuable insights into consumer acceptance, usage patterns, and potential problems with the product or marketing mix.
  • Refining the Marketing Mix: Allows for adjustments to pricing, promotion, distribution, and product features based on real consumer behavior.
  • Forecasting Sales: Offers a more realistic estimate of potential market share and sales volume.
  • Identifying Potential Problems: Can uncover unforeseen issues with the product, packaging, or marketing strategy before a costly wider rollout.
  • Creating a Promotional Buzz: Can generate initial excitement and awareness for the product.

Cons of Test Markets:

  • Costly and Time-Consuming: Even a limited test market requires significant investment of time and money.
  • Limited Reach: The results from a small test market may not accurately represent the entire target market.
  • Competitive Exposure: Competitors can observe the test market and potentially develop a counter-strategy or launch a similar product more quickly.
  • Customer Confusion: If the product or marketing changes significantly after the test market, early adopters might be confused.
  • Missed Opportunities: A lengthy test market can delay the full launch, potentially missing out on market opportunities.
  • Negative Impact on Brand Reputation (if the test fails): A poorly executed test market can create a negative perception of the brand in the test area.
  • Unconvincing Results: Small-scale success doesn’t guarantee large-scale success due to different market dynamics.

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