Explain what is meant by a 'competitor-focused' sales technique.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2020). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [2] This technique focuses on the competition rather than the product itself. For example, the salesperson emphasises why their product is better than the competitor's product (e.g. a better price or better features). DelVecchio et al. (2003) identify features including: Assuming no individual differences between buyers, Salesperson already knows customer needs (no need to ask questions), Salesperson uses examples of other customers to persuade, As price is same as other stores, salespersons emphasises advantages of their store (guarantees, extras, after-sales service).
2. [2] First experiment – Field experiment – Overall, 54% of participants bought candy. In the disrupt-then-reframe (DTR) condition ('the price is now 100 eurocents (2s pause).... That's 1 euro. It's a bargain') 65% of participants bought candy compared to 44% in the reframe-only condition ('the price is now 1 euro. It's a bargain').
3. [2] Second experiment – Field experiment – Overall 22% of participants agreed to join the group. Those in the DTR condition ('You can now become a member for half a year for 300 eurocents (2s pause)....that's 3 euro. That's a really small investment!') 30% of participants wanted to join compared to 13% of the reframe-only condition ('You can now become a member for half a year for 3 euros. That's a really small investment!'). Disrupt-then-reframe (DTR) works for both sales of goods and getting people to purchase less tangible things like group membership.
4. [2] Third experiment – Lab experiment – When need for cognitive closure (NFCC) was low, the DTR manipulation had no effect on perceived ambiguity but when NFCC was high, DTR manipulation decreased ambiguity. When NFCC was high, more favourable attitudes towards rise in tuition costs were formed in the DTR than the reframe-only condition.
5. [varies] High control over the IV in order to find cause and effect.
6. [varies] Higher EV than lab experiment. The participants were genuine customers in experiments one and two – supermarket customers in the first and students on the campus of a university in the second. The third experiment was a lab experiment.
7. [varies] Reduction in demand characteristics for field experiment as participants were not selected specifically for the study but were an opportunity sample of genuine customers.
8. [varies] IMD means that participants do not get bored/knowledgeable about the study (so performing to demand characteristics). This can improve validity.