4 As of Marketing

4 A’s of Marketing is customer-centric marketing that pays heed to the 4 values that matter most to the
customers- Acceptability, Affordability, Accessibility, and Awareness.

A’s of marketing are responsible for creating value for the customer(s).

It helps managers and business leaders see a business as per the perspectives of their target customers.
Customers are actually market seekers, selectors, payers, and users. Acceptability, affordability,
accessibility, and Awareness come into play around all these key roles of a customer life-cycle.

1. Acceptability

It is the extent to which an offered product or service either meets or exceeds the customer’s expectations
in target market. Are the customers satisfied? Did it fulfill their expectations or not? Sometimes, a product
may even exceed the customers’ expectorations. There are 2 dimensions of acceptability – functional
acceptability and psychological acceptability.

Functional Acceptability

Functional Acceptability is “objective” in nature. Free from the subjective nature, it talks about things like
facts, features, and performance. For example, were the customers expecting these features? Are they
actually useful for them even if they were not expecting them? Most importantly, will these features make
the product more distinctive and attractive?

If a company makes a bigger cereal box to give “more” in “less,” it seems a wonderful idea. However, if
the box is too big to fit in the regular cupboard shelves, it will be placed somewhere else where it might
be out of the customer’s sight, thus ignored.

Psychological Acceptability

Psychological Acceptability focus on the innate nature of a person. Subjective in nature, this feature is
mostly incorporated in luxury brands that appeal to society’s higher sections. Even if two products are
fundamentally similar in their function, one might belong to a brand psychologically satisfying to the
targeted set of customers. For instance, cars like BMW and Mercedes appeal to their customers through
their brand reputation. A Psychological position can be developed through the incorporation of changes
in imaging, packaging, and design.

2. Affordability

It adheres to the customers’ ability and willingness to pay the price for a particular product or service.
There are 2 types of affordability – economic and psychological affordability.

Economic Affordability

Economic Affordability focuses on the physical ability of customers to buy through sufficient economic
resources at their disposal. For instance, Walmart used private labels for various products (Products with
Walmart’s stamp) at lower prices to attract customers in place of those from big brands. This resulted in
billions of sales of private products against big brands out in their stores. Example discounts and sales
during festival time

Psychological Affordability

With a major focus on the customer’s understanding of products and their value against the cost,
Psychological Affordability talks about a person’s willingness to pay. An online rental start-up named
Airbnb looked forward to creating memorable and lasting experiences for their simple, crisp, and
economically viable users. An increased supply of travel accommodations has been concealed additions
to this company’s long list of benefits.

3. Accessibility

This dimension talks about the extent and ease to which products and services are accessible to their
customers.

Customer Availability

Availability checks whether the given company has enough stock to keep up with the demands of the
market. For instance, Walmart runs one of the most widely spread retail businesses around the world.
With more than 10,000 stores across 27 countries and an E-commerce platform in 10 others, it has proved
to be one of the most significant retail businesses. Some techniques that play a crucial role in product
replenishment include robotic technology, cross-docking, and amazing inventory technology. Indian
examples – grocery stores, reliance mart

Customer Convenience

Convenience talks about the ease of access for a potential customer in obtaining a product or service.
Human beings tend to go after the easiest option available to them, and the former chairman of Coca-
Cola emphasized the same. He stated that the company’s products must always be within “an arm’s length
of desire” for every potential customer.

4. Awareness

It focuses on both potential and existing customers of a particular product or service. It keeps in mind that
all customers are informed enough about the benefits and features a product has to offer, persuade
potential customers, and keep the trust of existing buyers. It is a crucial factor for brands since creating a
positive perception in the customers’ minds is necessary for them to buy their product.

Product Knowledge

Product Knowledge will ensure that potential consumers have adequate knowledge about products for
purchase. People have to be aware of anything, and everything that is on offer to go after a particular
product/service. For instance, GoPro buys rights to user-created videos to share through their means,
inspiring others to buy these products themselves.

Brand Awareness

Brand Awareness is the ability of consumers to recognize, recall, and remember a particular brand. Coca-
Cola is one of the best examples here, and the brand has always focused on staying relevant in the minds
of people through notable ad campaigns. Customer-value-perspective based on brand awareness is a key
step in promoting a new product or reviving any older brand.