Data Management   Advanced Analytics   Products and Services   Consumer Analyses   Consumer Choice Analytics   Forecasting   Market Architecture   Marketing ROI   NaviGATE   Pharma Market Analysis   Pricing and Promotion   In-Market Testing   Marketing Mix   Price Elasticity   Promotion Response   Projection Solutions   Retail Analytics   Survey Design   IT Systems and Services   INDUSTRIES SERVED   Beverages   Broadcast and Cable Media   CPG Manufacturing   Distribution and Retail   Education   Gaming   Law Enforcement   Life Sciences   Metals/ Manufacturing   Pharmaceutical   Publishing   Public Sector   Tobacco   Utilities/ Energy   Vending

MSA's approach to pricing analytics is to help our clients become leaders in managing their pricing operations for generating a sustainable, competitive advantage. MSA's approach follows 4 major key phases: There are a number of key pieces of information to be gathered in each of the phases: Assess current situation Are pricing research objectives in agreement with corporate and functional goals? What are the barriers to achieving these goals? What is the internal decision process with the organization? What marketing levers does the organization have control over? Do sufficient resources exist (i.e. sales force) to execute pricing strategy? Align infrastructure What kind of data do you have? POS Retail Sales data/Syndicated scanner data Manufacturer Shipment sales data Distributor Shipment sales data Retail or Distributor Pricing data Consumer level purchase data Can you get the data you need? What resources are required to analyze and synthesize the data? Can you execute the recommendations at a low level of geography? Build Intelligence MSA has a wealth of experience in applying pricing research methodologies across a wide spectrum of data to deliver value added pricing solutions to our clients. Some of the issues we've addressed include: Traditional Price and Price Gap/Cross-Price Elasticity Threshold pricing - absolute price and price gap/cross-price levels Non-linearity in price change - are price decreases more elastic than increases? Interaction between absolute price and price gap/cross price elasticity Segmentation based on Price and Price Gap/Cross-price findings Detailed analysis of State Excise tax issues Develop and execute strategy Segmentation (geographical clustering) Leverage price elasticity findings and provide actionable frame work for broader strategic initiatives Identify store/distributor groups with Manufacturer strengths, weaknesses, and interaction with different competitors The two elasticity charts would allow for a marketing manager to make more educated pricing decisions based on responsiveness to changes in price. This chart reminds us that not all elasticity relationships are linear, thus creating thresholds. Thresholds exist when dramatic shifts in volume or share materialize, given a marginal change in price or price gap.