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Abstract
A sales performance review of new soft drinks products introduced by Coca cola in Mount Kenya region,
established that only 15% have succeeded, 55% have performed poorly, 17.5% have failed completely and
another 12.5% have exhibited an abnormally high artificial growth. However, there is scanty and inconclusive
empirical data that would explain this trend of Coca cola products within Nyahururu town in Kenya. The
purpose of this study was to examine the effects of price as marketing mix variables of new Coca-Cola soft
drinks products on the company’s sales performance in Nyahururu town. The specific objectives included
examining the effects of pricing, of new Coca cola soft drinks products on sales performance of the company in
Nyahururu town. To achieve these objective, hypotheses was formulated and tested empirically. This study was
based on the marketing mix theory by Borden. The study adopted a descriptive research design that gathered
both quantitative and qualitative data. The target population comprised of 375 managers and owners of outlets
selling Coca cola soft drinks in Nyahururu town. The sample size was 75 which was 20% of the target
population as per postulations from Mugenda & Mugenda (2003), which was arrived at through stratified
random sampling. Out of this, 73 responded meaning the response rate was 97.3%. The study used a
questionnaire to obtain primary data whose validity was enhanced through discussions with the supervisors.
Test-retest method was used to achieve reliability during a pilot study conducted in Subukia town. Cronbach’s
alpha was used to test the reliability in which 0.789 values was obtained which was acceptable. Quantitative
data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 computer software and
presented in frequencies, percentages, and tables for clarity. Qualitative data was used to supplement
interpretation of quantitative data. The study established that pricing of new products had an influence on sales
performance of the existing Coca cola products. The, study recommends that the pricing of new products should
compare favorably with existing products so as to avoid cannibalization and intra-distribution channel
competition. The study has added to the body of knowledge that could benefit students, researchers and
academicians interested in this area of study.
Keywords: Market Mix Variable, Pricing, Coca Cola, Sales Performance, Products
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Journal of Marketing and Consumer Research www.iiste.org
ISSN 2422-8451 An International Peer-reviewed Journal
Vol.34, 2017
mergers and acquisitions. The company’s 4Ps is a combination of strategies and tactics that the firm uses to
implement its marketing plan. In cognizance of this, the company employs various strategies and tactics based
on its array of products and brands. It also considers the differences among markets that require variations in the
approaches it uses in its marketing mix. However, despite these variations, PepsiCo’s marketing mix has a
number of general characteristics that define the company’s general corporate approaches to its marketing plan
implementation. PepsiCo remains effective and globally successful in this aspect. PepsiCo’s pricing approaches
involves market-oriented pricing strategy and hybrid everyday value pricing strategy(Young, 2015).
Coca cola is the world’s largest beverages company which began more than a century ago and has more
than 500 sparkling and still brands. Every day, the company sells 162 million litres of Coca-Cola and 84 million
litres of other drinks such as Coca-Cola Light, Fanta, and Sprite. Coca-Cola brand is known to 78% of the
world’s population, and about 10 450 of its products are used every second. Two countries with the highest per
capita usage are Mexico and Iceland(Sengupta, 2013). It is also one of the world's most valuable and
recognizable brands. Furthermore, the Company's portfolio features 17 billion-dollar brands including Diet Coke,
Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitamin water, PowerAde, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle, which
are availed in different Stock Keeping Units(SKUs)(SAB Miller, 2014).The Company operates a worldwide
franchise system supplying syrups and concentrates to over 1,200 bottling operations, (there are more than 350
in the US and 7 in Kenya) which thus involves local companies and suppliers in the 200 countries in which
Coca-Cola is sold (Business Case studies UK, 2015).
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Journal of Marketing and Consumer Research www.iiste.org
ISSN 2422-8451 An International Peer-reviewed Journal
Vol.34, 2017
investment in chilling equipment ensures that the company is ahead of the competition by locking outlet space
and creating mutual partnerships with retailers. Local marketing programs such as shelf display competition and
sales incentives are used by the company to drive sales.(Mount Kenya Bottlers, 2015).
2 Literature Review
2.1 Marketing Mix Theory
This study was based on the 4Ps theory of marketing or the marketing mix as coined in the early 1950s by
Borden in his American Marketing Association presidential address. The term "marketing mix" became
popularized after he published his 1964 article-The Concept of the Marketing Mix. Borden began using the term
in his teaching in the late 1940's after Culliton had described the marketing manager as a "mixer of ingredients".
The ingredients in Borden's marketing mix included product, planning, pricing, branding, distribution channels,
personal selling, advertising, promotions, packaging, display, servicing, physical handling, and fact finding and
analysis. McCarthy (1964) grouped these ingredients into Product, Pricing, Place and Promotion, often referred
to as the “4Ps”and offered the “marketing mix”, as a means of translating marketing planning into practice
(Bennett, 1997).
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Journal of Marketing and Consumer Research www.iiste.org
ISSN 2422-8451 An International Peer-reviewed Journal
Vol.34, 2017
looks better, for example, $99.99 instead of $100.00 per unit. In determining price, firms should consider other
marketing mix elements, as any decision made pertaining to those elements would affect the price too (Ehmke,
C., Fulton, J., & Lusk, J. 2005).
Pricing is not primarily concerned with creating value. Rather, it could be said to be the marketing
activity involved with capturing, or “harvesting,” the value created by the other types of marketing activities. In
the words of Philip Kotler, “Price is the marketing-mix element that produces revenue; the others produce costs.”
Because it is a marketing activity fundamentally different from the others, it is important that the implications of
pricing’s uniqueness be fully understood by the marketing managers.
In most cases, whether they like it or not, companies have to set their price equal to market price. If it is
more than market price, the consumers would not buy from them and find other sellers instead. Meanwhile, if it
is less than market price, the company would receive many demands and would not be able to meet this
expectation as their stocks would be limited.
Williams and Goldsworthy argues that the demand for soft drinks is relatively price-elastic. This means
that as the price of soft drinks increases, the demand decreases to a greater degree, relative to the price change. In
addition, demand for soft drinks is also relatively income-elastic, meaning that as consumers’ incomes decrease,
the demand for soft drinks decreases to a greater degree, relative to the income change, and vice versa (Williams
& Goldsworthy, 2014)
3 Methodology
3.1 Research Design
This study used a Descriptive Survey Design that gathered both quantitative and qualitative data. Descriptive
surveys are used to describe the situation on the ground as it is. Descriptive research is a process of collecting
data in order to test the hypotheses or answer research questions concerning the current status of the subjects in a
study. According to Donald and Pamela (2003), a study concerned with finding out who, what, which and how
of a phenomenon is a descriptive study design. Mugenda and Mugenda (2003) argue that descriptive survey
seeks to obtain information that describes existing phenomenon by asking individuals about their perception,
attitudes, behavior or values. Descriptive research spans both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, it
brings the ability to describe events in greater or less depth as needed, to focus on various elements of different
research techniques, and to engage quantitative statistics to organize information in meaningful ways. The main
goal of this type of research is to describe the data and characteristics about what is being studied.. In the present
study, this descriptive approach was particularly useful and appropriate because it gave a fairly accurate and
authentic feedback of the problem under study
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Journal of Marketing and Consumer Research www.iiste.org
ISSN 2422-8451 An International Peer-reviewed Journal
Vol.34, 2017
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Journal of Marketing and Consumer Research www.iiste.org
ISSN 2422-8451 An International Peer-reviewed Journal
Vol.34, 2017
half coefficients(Cortina, 1993).The value of the alpha coefficient ranges from 0 to 1 and is used to describe the
reliability of factors extracted from questions with two possible answers, a higher value greater than 0.7 shows
that the questionnaire is more reliable(Mohsen & Reg, 2011). To enhance reliability, a pilot study was carried
out in Subukia town in the neighboring Nakuru County and Cronbach’s Alpha used to evaluate the consistency
or the average correlation of items in the survey instrument. The Cronbach’s Alpha value attained was 0.789
validating the reliability of the research instrument. The findings were not included in the final report.
4.0 Finding
4.1 Statistical Analysis for Pricing of New Products
The study did statistical analysis on pricing of new products. The results are presented in the section below.
Correlation of Pricing of New products
Table 4:1 Pearson Correlation of Pricing of New Product Against Sales Performance
Sales Performance
pricing of new Coca cola soft drinks Pearson Correlation .014
Sig. (2-tailed) .906
N 73
Table 4.1 shows that pricing of new Coca cola product has a positive relationship to the sale of other
Coca cola products. The r value is 0.014. This shows the pricing of new products has a marginal positive effect
on the performance of existing Coca cola products.
Table 4:2 Model Summarya
Model 1 R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate
.382a .146 .095 .895
a. Predictors: (Constant), the pricing of new Coca cola soft drinks
Table 4.2 provides the R and R2 value. The R value is 0.382, which represents the simple correlation. It
indicates a relatively low degree of correlation. The R2 value indicates how much of the dependent variable,
"sales performance", can be explained by the independent variable, "pricing of new products". In this case, 14.2%
can be explained, which is relatively significant.
Table 4:3 Coefficients of Determination of Pricing of New Products and Sales Performance
Model1 Unstandardized Standardized T Sig.
Coefficients Coefficients
B Std. Error Beta
(Constant) 2.159 .314 6.874 .000
Pricing of new coca cola soft drinks affects sales -
.208 .157 -.221 .190
of existing coca cola products. 1.323
Dependent Variable: sales of Coca cola soft drinks in my outlet has been growing
Table 4.3 provides the information needed to predict sales performance from pricing of new products.
Both the constant and pricing of new Coca cola products contribute significantly to the model. The regression
equation is presented as follows; Sales Performance = 2.159 +0.208 (pricing of new products)
5.0 Conclusion
The study concludes that pricing of new products has an influence on the existing Coca cola products and that
adjustment of prices of the new products has an effect on sales performances of Coca cola products, which can
be positive or negative depending on the direction of the price adjustment. It also concludes that to a significant
extent, customers do not consider price when buying new soft drink products and this phenomenon can be
attributed to the fact that consumers do not have a price reference point as the product is new. The study further
concludes that majority view prices of new Coca cola soft drink as matching with their quality and quantity.
6.0 Recommendation
The study established that pricing was very key when it came to a consumer making a buying decision.
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Journal of Marketing and Consumer Research www.iiste.org
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Vol.34, 2017
Therefore, the price should compare favorably with existing products to avoid intra-product competition.
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