'The 4Cs marketing model is more useful for a retail business than the 4Ps marketing model.' Do you agree with this statement? Justify your view.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2016). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. Level 5: Effective evaluation of the statement vis a vis the 4Ps and 4Cs in context – reference should be made to agree/not agree with the statement and justification for that view (17-20 marks)
2. Level 4: Good analysis and limited evaluation of the statement vis a vis the 4P's and 4C's in context with some reference to agree/not agree with some justification of the view in order to reach 15–16 mark level (13-16 marks)
3. Level 3: Analysis of the statement vis a vis the 4Ps and 4Cs in context (11-12 marks)
4. Level 2: Limited analysis with application of the 4Ps and/or the 4Cs (5-10 marks)
5. Level 1: Understanding of the 4Cs and/or 4Ps (1-4 marks)
6. Level 0: No creditable content (0 marks)
7. Answers may include:
8. Both models provide an analytical framework for classifying the elements of a marketing plan/strategy – focus on asking specific questions to measure existing situation and ways to improve.
9. 4Ps (or 5, 6, 7 P's) seen as dated – the product of a physical external environment that has fundamentally changed – too product/organisation focused – seller-orientated – its focus is on internal controllable factors – customer is passive – ignores customer behaviour.
10. 4Cs an explicit customer approach – deals with perceptions of product by customers – the customer drives marketing decisions – asks what will the customer pay – how is the product valued by customers – how affordable is it? Given this, do our costs enable production at a profit? What is the degree and type of customer engagement – use social media to communicate with customers. What are the barriers to customer purchasing - convenience factors.
11. Customers do not now just receive products – they now participate with the production process.
12. 4Ps still valuable but dated? - 4Cs more relevant?
13. 4Cs: customer, cost, convenience, communication
14. 4Ps: product, price, place, promotion
15. Please accept and reward other relevant points.