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Question

Marketers have traditionally classified products on the basis of three characteristics : __________ , tangibility and use.

This question was previously asked in
UGC NET 2015 Paper 1 Question Paper (27-Dec-2015)
The correct answer is

durability

Option 3 — durability is correct.

In classic marketing theory (Kotler), consumer products and industrial goods are first sorted using three product characteristics: durability, tangibility and use. These three dimensions frame how a product is bought, priced, promoted and serviced, so they form the base of the product-classification scheme.

On the durability–tangibility axis products fall into three groups:

CategoryMeaning
Non-durable goodsTangible goods consumed in one or a few uses (soap, food)
Durable goodsTangible goods that survive many uses (appliances, tools)
ServicesIntangible, inseparable, variable and perishable offerings

Why the other options are wrong: availability, affordability and necessity describe buyer perceptions or convenience factors, not the foundational classification triad. The examiner is testing the exact Kotler wording, where the missing term is durability.

Takeaway: Remember the trio — durability, tangibility and use — as the starting point for classifying any product.

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Similar Questions

  1. Which one of the following can be legally protected ?

  2. Match the items of List-I with the items of List-II and indicate the code of correct matching:

    List-IList-II
    a. Latent demandi. More consumers would like to buy the product than can be satisfied.
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Important Questions from Marketing: Concept and approaches

  1. Arrange the following stages in the marketing process of an enterprise:

    A. Marketing Mix

    B. Marketing program implementation

    C. Marketing planning

    D. Market research

    E. Control and evaluation of marketing programs

    Choose thecorrectanswer from the options given below:

  2. Which of the following is the characteristic of a product?

  3. Which of the following is an example of durable goods?

  4. Traditionally, marketing has been viewed as:

  5. _______ is making it more a challenge today than ever before, to upgrade customer services to get an edge over the competitiors.

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