This document classifies consumer products and outlines their characteristics. It distinguishes between durable and non-durable consumer goods. Durable goods can be used repeatedly, like cars and furniture, while non-durable goods are consumed quickly, such as cigarettes and food. Services are also considered consumer goods. The document further categorizes consumer goods into convenience products that are readily available, shopping products that require more research, and specialty products with unique characteristics. Unsought goods are also discussed as products consumers may not actively seek but will purchase once made aware of through advertising.

1. Guruwo Paul T.
CLASSIFICATION OF CONSUMER
PRODUCTS IN BOTSWANA
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2. Product Differentiation
• Consumer goods are bought by end-users for
household or personal consumption.
• Industrial goods are bought by firms for resale
or as raw materials for further processing into
finished items.
• Some products however fall under both
consumer goods and industrial goods
classification e.g. a car bought and used for
private use is a consumer good but one used
for business is classified as an industrial good.
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3. CLASSIFICATION OF CONSUMER PRODUCTS
Consumer Products are BROADLY classified according to either their
tangibility or durability.
• Durable products are tangible products that can be used over and over
again, i.e. they survive a number of uses over time e.g. a car, furniture
etc.
• Non-durable products are products that are consumed in one or a few
uses. The satisfaction that one gains from nondurable products is
essentially short-term e.g. cigarettes, fuel, medication, etc.
• Services are acts or performances that one party can offer to another
that is essentially intangible and does not result in ownership of
anything e.g. watching a movie, a transport ride, massaging.
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4. Classification of Business Vs Consumer Goods
Business / Industrial Goods Consumer Goods/ markets
•Production goods
- Raw materials
- Manufacturing materials and component parts
- Process materials
•Installation and accessories
- Installations
- Accessory equipment
•Supplies and services
- Operating supplies
- Software packages
- Services such as machine maintenance,
professional services, consultants, etc.
 Convenience Products
- Staple
- Impulse
- Emergency
 Shopping Products
- Uniform
- Non-uniform
 Specialty Products
 Unsought Goods
- New unsought goods
- Regularly Unsought
goods 4

5. 1. Convenience goods
These are consumer goods and
services that end-users usually buy
frequently, immediately and with a
minimum comparison and buying
effort e.g. candies, chocolates,
newspapers, fast foods, bread,
condiments, etc.
These products are usually low priced
and marketers place them in many
locations to make them readily
available when customers need them.
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6. 2. Shopping goods
 They are less frequently purchased products
and services that customers compare
carefully on suitability, quality, price and
style.
 When buying shopping products, consumers
spend much time and effort in gathering
information and making comparisons e.g.
furniture, clothing, used cars, major
appliances, hotels and motels, etc..
 Marketers usually distribute these products
through fewer outlets but deeper sales
support is used to help customers in their
comparison efforts 6

7. 3. Specialty goods
Specialty goods have exceptional
characteristics or reputable brands which
buyers are willing to make an extra effort
looking for and can pay a premium price
e.g. special car brands/types, unique
photographic equipment, designer clothes,
specialists legal/medical services, jewellery
etc.
Buyers of specialty products are a specific
target market that’s is willing to invest
their time, effort and travel long distances
to buy such luxurious specialty products.
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8. 4. Unsought goods
• Unsought consumer goods are those that
the consumer either do not want to think
about or knows about but does not
normally think of buying, until a dormant
need is aroused e.g. life insurance, funeral
policies, etc.
• The major new innovations are unsought
until the consumer becomes aware of them
through advertising.
• By their nature, unsought products require
a lot of advertising, personal selling and
other marketing communications.
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9. Thank you
Paul T. Guruwo
Marketing Management Lecturer & PhD Candidate,
Department of Entrepreneurship,
BA ISAGO University,
P. Bag 149,
Gaborone, Botswana
guruwopt@gmail.com
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