Chapter 10 Product Concepts

An Audi product can be put into two categories . The first type of product it can be referred to as is a shopping product. It is more expensive than a convience product but also because it is a product that cnsumers will invest in. It fits their lifestyle compatibility, and desired benefits. It would be a heterogeneous shopping product, because the prices, quality, and, features (of cars) vary so much. This could be said for someone that is considering buying a Audi and might compare it to Honda, but to even compare a Audi to a Honda would be blasphemy.  It is also a specialty product because it is an expensive luxury car company and doesn't have as many stores as a convenience product does. A consumer will look to find a luxury model Audi and will not substitue a Audi with a Honda if their main priority is a luxury high end car.

With the way Audi has been marketed and branded consumers have this concept of an Audi car being a specialty product because of its price range and luxurious, prestigious look. Those who have an Audi A6 , S8 or any Audi model for that matter are very reluctant to accept substitutes to fill in for an Audi, which definitely has an exclusive image. Audi is "quality, luxurious, and truth in engineering" as informed by their commericals and spokesman. An Audi dealership helps create this image because they have this boutique, prestige feel as any exclusive product would. This is where Audi has achieved greatness and is the envy of many marketing professionals. Although some Audi models such as the A8 or S8 are more expensive and have this very stylish, elegant, and upscale feel, some of their other models such as the A6, or A4 are reachable and accessible to what one might call the "average" person who just might be looking for a lower end model. The models that have helped launch the brand into this status have definitely been the A8, S8, R8, A7 and S7 and TT RS which are all their top line models.
Audi's product mix consists of 33 automobiles. Within these 33, there are 5 different categories (The A line, S line, Q line, TT line, and R line), which we call the product mix width. Even within that, there is the product line depth, which are the different models under each line. With such a variety of cars, consumers have many options to choose from and which one of these models best suits their needs and desires.