The variety of goods that we deal with every day, confronts us with the need to classify them. This ultimately simplifies the process of acquiring and market research by specialists for the development and promotion of goods.
According to the principle of tactility, the following types of goods are distinguished:
- Material or physical:
- solid materials - wood, steel, coal;
- gaseous materials - helium, hydrogen, carbon dioxide;
- liquid materials - gasoline, oil, gas.
- Intangible or intangible:
- cash and non-cash money, securities, currency;
- information - a specific product that brings profit to its owner, provided that it is reliable, operational and complete;
- services of different properties - there is a place to be where the buyer gains utility from the services, and its provider - the benefits from their provision.
The classification of goods in marketing occurs on other grounds. Here, the product acts as an element of the marketing complex, standing in line with the price and methods of promotion and distribution of products. In order for goods to be bought, the seller is faced with the need to study the market and the level of consumer demand.
Depending on the type of market where the sale is taking place, the following types of goods can be distinguished.
- Consumer goods. That is, those products and services that are focused on the end user. They are usually used for personal or domestic purposes in everyday life. These are food, shoes and clothes, furniture, household goods and cars.
- Industrial goods. Intended for subsequent processing.
The main sign by which these types of goods differ from each other is the purpose for which they are acquired. For example, if a customer purchases a lawn mower and plans to do landscape design with it, then this item becomes an industrial product. But once he starts using it to mow his own lawn, the same tool goes into the category of consumer goods.
The listed types of goods have their subspecies. Industrial goods are divided into raw materials, components and materials, auxiliary materials, services, capital property.
- Raw materials - agricultural products (grain, meat, vegetables, fruits, etc.) and natural products (wood, iron ore, oil).
- Components and materials. Materials (iron, cement, yarn) often undergo additional processing, and components (tires, motors, etc.) are part of the final product unchanged.
- Supporting services and materials are either working materials (grease, paper, coal), or materials used for repairs or maintenance.
- Capital property - intended for use by the buyer in their production activities. These are entire buildings, and individual offices, as well as industrial equipment.
Consumer goods are divided by the behavior of customers at the time of purchase and by the nature of demand for several main subspecies.
- Impulsive acquisition. Goods purchased spontaneously under the influence of unplanned factors (books, sweets, chewing gum , etc.). Often bought in unexpected locations of similar goods.
- Emergency purchase. Goods that are bought according to a sudden need, such as medicines, spare parts, umbrellas, etc.
- Interchangeable goods. That is, similar products that satisfy the same needs. These are tea and coffee, margarine and butter.
- Complementary products - a CD player and disks for it, digital cameras and memory cards.
For the convenience of both buyers and suppliers and manufacturers, a single classifier of goods was released, in which each of them was assigned its own item code.