Marketing Essentials: A Comparative Analysis of Sainsbury's and ASDA's Marketing Mix Strategies

This paper examines the marketing strategies employed by Sainsbury's and ASDA, two prominent supermarket chains in the UK. It analyzes their application of the 7Ps marketing mix, including price, product, place, promotion, people, process, and physical evidence, and evaluates how these strategies contribute to their business objectives. The paper also includes a comprehensive marketing plan for Sainsbury's, outlining its situational analysis, SWOT analysis, goals, objectives, and strategies for achieving sustainable growth and market dominance.

Marketing Essentials

Table of Contents
Part A...............................................................................................................................................3
Compare and evaluate how two organisations of your choice (in the same industry as your own
organisation) use the various elements of the 7Ps marketing mix and different tactics to achieve
business objectives...........................................................................................................................3
Part B...............................................................................................................................................6
Produce a marketing plan for your selected organisation to meet marketing goals and objectives.
.........................................................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................11

Part A
Compare and evaluate how two organisations of your choice (in the same industry as your own
organisation) use the various elements of the 7Ps marketing mix and different tactics to achieve
business objectives.
A general term that is used in a large scale in the market where business operations take place
across the globe is called a marketing mix. A set of tactics or elements in included in the
marketing mix that the department of marketing in a company uses in order to gain a profitable
edge and grow and develop the business. As the needs and requirements of the customers are
considered, there is an emergence of a best tool in order to help Sainsbury to enhance their
amount of sales since the previous decades. The seven elements included in the marketing mix
are Price, Product, Place, Promotion, People, Process and Physical evidence (Haynes, 2016). An
analysis has been done in details about the marketing mix of ASDA and Sainsbury in order to
compare both of them, both of them being in a similar sector in the British organization.The
analysis is laid down as follows:

Price: Price is the value that a consumer or a customer pays when he or she buys a
product or commodity. Sainsbury was able to carry out an appropriate research of the
prevailing market and determine the prices at which the product or commodity will be
offered at.It is important to set the price of any product or service in order to help the
company to survive as the company’s livelihood is brought about by its price as well as
determines the margin of profit (Chakraborty
et al., 2014). A fair price is maintained by
Sainsbury that is not too cheap or expensive and within the affordability of the majority
of the population. In this method, the company is able to keep up the quality of the
products along with the satisfaction of the customers. On the other hand, the company of
ASDA is constantly striving to reach the limits of Sainsbury related to the setting up of
prices.

Product: The way in which a company attracts its customers are through its products.
Unlike ASDA, Sainsbury has a huge variety of products for offering its customers. The
specialty of Sainsbury is in the maintenance of its wide range and varieties of groceries
and food items in the nation of UK (About.sainsburys.co.uk, 2018). They range from

continental crisps to tropical spices that are not available in ASDA frequently
(Asdafoundation.org, 2018). Initiatives must be taken by the management of the
companies in order to gain more base of customers (Dobson
et al., 2016). The product
quality also creates a sense of satisfaction for the customers and they tend to visit
Sainsbury more often in order to get provided with similar product and service quality.

Place:The company needs to set up the most appropriate location for the company in
order to attract more customers and serve the market targeted by the company. The aspect
of location for Sainsbury is very important and proved to be extremely useful for the
investments in the multi stores throughout United Kingdom. Both the companies of
ASDA and Sainsbury is extremely affordable along with being reachable. Both the
companies have different departmental stores across all the cities in United Kingdom in a
huge number. This helps the customers to avail the products and services quite easily.

Physical evidence:Sainsbury’s team of management has paid a lot of emphasis on the
aspect of physical evidence. The departmental store of Sainsbury is the one leading in the
United Kingdom. Along with the company being the leading, it is also one of the largest
chain of stores on the country. The departmental stores of Sainsbury is open for the whole
day that helps the customers in choosing their best suitable time in the day
(About.sainsburys.co.uk, 2018). It is also open every day in the open. However, ASDA
does that provide that kind of flexibility to the customers. The customers are able to visit
the store of Sainsbury in whatever time of the day they like and shop their desired
products. As a customer visits the store of Sainsbury’s, it is obvious that the person
would want to get the maximum comfort and pleasure while shopping as well as making
profitable deals and bargains (Lan
et al., 2017).

Promotion: For the marketing team, the aspect of promotion is probably the most
important in the company. The element of promotion is highly considered by the
marketing team and they work in order to promote the products of the company so that
they reach the maximum number of people in the market. Promotional activities involve a
number of networks including social media in order to promote the products of Sainsbury
that they offer their customers to avail. Both the companies of ASDA and Sainsbury
execute their promotional activities with the help of magazines, advertisements in

televisions and other such mediums. This is done in order to reach a higher number of
people in the market who can turn out to be potential customers for the company.

Process:The way in which the company provides services to the customers are known as
processes (Poturak
et al., 2014). In order to analyze the method in which they are
providing their products and commodities to the customers, Sainsbury puts in a lot of
effort. Along with the quality of goods that are liked by the customers, the aspect of
delivering the products to the customers as per their needs and requirements also affect
the level of satisfaction of the customers. The company Sainsbury across the nation of
United Kingdom, has built a large number of unit stores. Each of the cities in the nation
approximately has four to five unit stores that supply the goods and commodities door to
door of the customers (About.sainsburys.co.uk, 2018).The process of delivering goods
and services to the customers is analysed by the company with the help of these unit
stores. On the other hand, the company of ASDA is attempting to attain the same
processes as Sainsbury.

People;The people are responsible for bringing in success to any company. Along with
being one the basic aspects of marketing mix, the people are one of the most important
part of a company (Poturak
et al., 2014). The providers of goods and services are directly
linked with the people with the help of this element. It is the people who are the most
important driving forces in the market and the companies also earn profits due to people.
In order to fulfill the objectives as well as have a constant growth and development, a
company like that of Sainsbury must have a substantial amount of customer base. The
company has successfully created a huge market for themselves that is also user friendly.
It has helped Sainsbury in attaining profit and growth. Likewise, the company of ASDA
also has a good performance in getting the attention of the people in the market that has
brought in success to their company as well (Asdafoundation.org, 2018).
The seven elements incorporated in the marketing mix has been able to provide a huge
opportunity in the achievement of the objectives of any company. In the case of Sainsbury, the
achievement of continuous growth is extremely essential for the company with respect to all their
departments and units of function. With the help of marketing mix, the attainment of goals for
the company has been possible in order to provide the customers with proper service along with

the maintenance of their mission and vision of providing good quality service in order to satisfy
the needs and requirements of the customers.

Part B
Produce a marketing plan for your selected organisation to meet marketing goals and objectives.
One of the largest chains of supermarket in the world is Sainsbury. The company has its reaches
in the country of United States as well as other parts in Europe. The company has proved to be
one of the most dominant and influential chain of supermarkets. It is regarded as the topmost
retailer in the whole of United Kingdom along with maintaining an important presence in the
other countries as well within Asia and Europe. In order to maintain the strong performance and
success, the company must develop a plan for marketing that will provide the company the
ability to achieve a growth and development. Laid down below is a general marketing plan for
the company for Sainsbury.
1.
Situational Analysis: The situation analysis is the initial step that will include the
analysis of the situation of both the external as internal situations. The analysis of
internal aspects will involve the analysis for the values of the company, its
employees, the management team, finances and staff (Hollensen 2015). On the
other hand, the analysis of external aspects will involve the issues and threats that
generally come from the exterior of the company. The external situation analysis
might include customers and people along with other issues that require
appropriate mitigation.
2.
Overview of the market: The present scenario of the market is related to
overview the market as well as its evaluation. The company must start an
appropriate research in order to gain more knowledge about the potential
competitors that are already present in the present market scenario prior to
moving into the following ventures.
3.
Analysis of competition:Competition analysis includes the analysis of pressures
from the external aspects and are potential competition and rivals of the
company. Sainsbury is not the only supermarket retailer in the market.Its
potential competitors are Marks and Spencer, Lidl and other such retailer
companies. It is important for the company for being aware of its rivals present in
the market and can be a threat in order to create a wider customer base for the

company. Thus, the competitor analysis is important in order to evaluate the
competition from the exterior of the company and have a strategic plan to
progress further.
4.
Objectives and goals: The setting up of goals and objectives is probably one of
the most important work that needs to be planned and executed accordingly by
the different types of firms and companies. Sainsbury is efficient in managing the
different kinds of resources present in their vicinity for the customers in order to
enhance the effect for a lesser cost (About.sainsburys.co.uk, 2018). The setting
up of a plan for marketing will be helping the company for creating their aims
and objectives for the attainment of success in the topmost position possible. In
order to do that the company must first plan its aims and objectives. Following
that, the next concentration must be the accumulation of required capitals in order
to achieve the goals and objectives. The company must put to use these plans for
the long terms objectives and aims into the ones that are on the basis of weekly
and annual ones.
5.
SWOT analysis: The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are
incorporated in the SWOT analysis that the company might be associated with.
The proper strategies that assist a certain company in order to be different from
the others in the market that is extremely competitive is understood by the SWOT
analysis (Megits
et al., 2015). A SWOT analysis has been laid down below for
the company of Sainsbury. The SWOT analysis is going to provide more
enhanced knowledge in order to get a better understanding of the company and
identify its core strengths and weaknesses.Strengths  The company has a wide variety of
products.
 It has over 700 unit stores across the
whole of United Kingdom
(About.sainsburys.co.uk, 2018).
 The company offers attractive
products along with low prices.

Weaknesses  The company lacks the required
experience in order to sell some
specific products. For example,
smart phones.
 The company is weak in its
Information Technology and web
technologies.
 The profit of the company is
affected by bad debts.Opportunities  The company has the opportunity of
venturing and expanding in the
companies of digital entertainment
with the help of 80% of their
investment (About.sainsburys.co.uk,
2018).
 The company also has the scope of
expansion by venturing into
marketing via online sources.Threats  The biggest threat to Sainsbury is
the company of Wal-Mart that is
rapidly growing.
 The other potential companies that
provide high competition to
Sainsbury is LIDL, ASDA and other
such companies.
Table: SWOT analysis of Sainsbury
(Source: Created by author)
6. Identification of goals and objectives: Sainsbury, along with any other companies
in general should identify their main goal and aim at this step. The objectives and

goals will be reflection the actual target and aim of the company. In order to
serve the target market, the company must be determining their exact aim. The
company seta their objectives on an annual basis along with keeping a track of
the way they are going to reach their objectives. Due to the fact that the company
has a specialization in grocery items along with other merchandise, the objectives
of the company are fixed in order to provide satisfaction to the customers in more
than a single department. The company should also be striving for improvement
according to their brand along with their enhancement of their relationship with
their customers through the help of websites of social media for creating an
appropriate communication mode between the organization and the customers.
7. Description of services and products: The companyshould be able to pay
emphasis on the different kinds of product that the company provides. The
company must be attracting the attention of the people in order to make them
appreciatethe products of the company that are made for the customers. This is
going to improve e the relation between the company and its customers.
8. Budget of marketing: The basic aspect for any business is its finances that the
business is mostly concerned with. There must also be a presence of a financial
budget for the company that will provide an estimation of the prices that are
estimated by the company related to the aspects of promotional activities and
other such ventures in order to sell the products. For instance, there can be an
estimation of £60000 that involves a distribution of £20000 for the cost of
maintenance and other £10000 for the labour costs and the other works related to
marketing and promotion.
9. Strategies: A creative process is involved in the strategic planning for marketing
(Chaffey
et al., 2013). The organization and management of Sainsbury will be
working in a team in order to try the execution of the marketing strategies that are
laid down previously.
10. Timing:The amount of time required in providing the products and services to the
customers refers to timing. The company has already ventured into online
shopping along with supplying the products to the doorsteps of the people.

11. Evaluation:Evaluation is the final and last stage of the marketing plan and refers
to the appraisals in the measurement of outcomes of the marketing plan and its
execution in order to attain the objectives and goals set by the company.

Conclusion
The responsibilities and roles of marketing according to the environment of the market and the
responsibilities carried out by the manager have been discussed above. The strategic plan for
marketing and its design has been developed in order to reflect the objectives and aim of
Sainsbury.

References
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