Benefits Or Advantages Of Market Segmentation
The main advantages of market segmentation can be highlighted as follows:
1. Market Identification
It is the process of dividing the market into different segments and grouping the potential customers on the basis of demography, psychography, geography and behavior. It helps the marketer to identify the proper market and the right group of customers.
2. Market Specialization
Market segmentation helps to understand the needs, wants and desire of the customers. Marketers try to offer suitable products and services by developing right products, right price, suitable promotional techniques and better distribution channel to satisfy targeted customers. So, it promotes market specialization.
3. Market Expansion
Market expansion is possible with the help of geographic segmentation. So, it provides an opportunity to break into new market.
4. Customer Retention
Products and services are designed as per the needs and interests of the customers. So, market segmentation leads to customers satisfaction. Satisfied customers become loyal to the company. Therefore, it promotes customer life cycle and customer retention.
5. Better Strategies
It helps the marketers to design better marketing strategies, proper utilization of resources and better allocation of budget to satisfy the needs of the market. Better marketing strategy also help to deal properly with the competitors also.
6. Suitable For
Market segmentation is suitable for small and newly established firms because they cannot compete with large companies in the entire market.
Disadvantages Of Market Segmentation
The main drawbacks or disadvantages of market segmentation can be highlighted as follows:
1. Increased Costs
It requires more efforts, time and money for research and development, promotion and distribution. Costs also increase because of different marketing strategies in different market segments. Inventory costs also increase because of larger inventory of goods. So, market segmentation increases overall costs of the company.
It works properly if right and relevant market segments are selected . There may exist a chance of selection of wrong, irrelevant and very small segments . In such situation, company fails to identify right group of customers and cannot sell its products or services properly.
3. Change In The Market
Characteristic of market changes according to the change in the behavior, buying habit and income of the customers. Marketers may face difficulties because of these changes in the market.
Merits Or Advantages Of Process Costing
The main advantages of process costing can be highlighted as follows:
1. Simple Method Of Costing
Process costing is very simple method of computing costs of each stage or process of production. Because of homogeneous products, average cost of product can be calculated easily in less time.
2. Periodic Calculation Of Cost
Cost of each process and per unit cost of finished products can be determined periodically at short intervals with less clerical and paper works.
3. Suitability
Process costing is suitable for standardized products, large scale production, identical or homogeneous products etc.
4. Better Managerial Control
Cost and performance of each process or department can be evaluated regularly at short intervals. With the help of standard costing, management can take appropriate steps to minimize unnecessary costs and wastage. So, process costing facilitates the management for better control.
Manufacturing firms can add or remove process as per their needs and requirements in order to control the cost of production. So, process costing facilitates flexibility in the production process.
Demerits Or Disadvantages Of Process Costing
The main disadvantages of process costing can be highlighted as follows:
1. Historical Value
This costing method uses historical or past cost data. So, it may not provide accurate cost information for better control.
Also Read:
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Activity Based Costing
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Job Order Costing
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Standard Costing
2. Inaccuracy
There exists a chance of inaccuracy or error while estimating the cost of work in progress or finished goods because it is based on average cost.
3. Unsuitability
Process costing is not suitable for diverse products. It is suitable only for identical products.
4. Difficulty In Average Cost
It is very difficult and complex to find out average cost if the company manufactures more than one type of products.