20 extra multiple-choice questions for Recent Trends in Marketing (12th Standard Commerce, Samacheer Kalvi), beyond the ones printed in the textbook — each with the correct option highlighted and a clear, worked explanation. Free to read in English and Tamil.
Q1
Consider the following statements about E-commerce and E-business.
1. E-commerce simply refers to buying and selling of products and services online.
2. E-business goes beyond buying and selling to include supply chain management and customer relationship management.
3. E-business is narrower in scope than E-commerce.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 onlyCorrect
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Explanation. E-commerce is online buying and selling, while E-business covers a much wider range of processes such as supply chain management, electronic order processing and customer relationship management. So statement 3 is wrong.
Q2
Who defined E-marketing as the application of a broad range of information technology for creating more customer value through more effective segmentation, targeting, differentiation and positioning?
- A. Dr. K. Sundar
- B. Judy StraussCorrect
- C. R.S.N. Pillai
- D. Bagavathi
Explanation. The lesson quotes Judy Strauss for this definition of E-marketing. Dr. K. Sundar, R.S.N. Pillai and Bagavathi are authors listed in the chapter's references.
Q3
Which one of the following is NOT an objective of E-marketing?
- A. Expansion of market share
- B. Reduction of distribution and promotional expenses
- C. Achieving higher brand awareness
- D. Increasing the number of middlemenCorrect
Explanation. The objectives of E-marketing are expansion of market share, reduction of distribution and promotional expenses, higher brand awareness and a stronger database. E-marketing cuts intermediation, so adding middlemen is not an objective.
Q4
E-marketing is called an 'Any Time market' because it
- A. provides 24/7 service so consumers can shop anytime from anywhereCorrect
- B. is suitable only for small size businesses
- C. needs more manpower than traditional marketing
- D. sells goods only during office hours
Explanation. E-marketing provides 24 hours and 7 days (24/7) service to its users, so a consumer can shop or order a product at any time from anywhere.
Q5
Assertion (A): Products bought through E-marketing become cheaper.
Reason (R): Direct contact between the manufacturer and the end consumer cuts down intermediation cost.
- A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of ACorrect
- B. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
- C. A is true but R is false
- D. A is false but R is true
Explanation. Among the advantages of E-marketing, the lesson states that direct contact of the end consumer by manufacturers substantially cuts intermediation cost, and that is why products bought online become cheaper.
Q6
Which of the following are disadvantages of E-marketing?
1. High cost of website design, software, hardware and online advertising
2. Not suitable for small size business
3. Many buyers are suspicious about the security of the internet
4. Service is available only for a few hours a day
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1, 2 and 3 onlyCorrect
- C. 2, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Explanation. The lesson lists high cost, unsuitability for small business, websites that are hardly updated and buyers' fear of credit card misuse as disadvantages. Statement 4 is false, as E-marketing works 24/7.
Q7
Which one of the following is a feature of traditional marketing rather than E-marketing?
- A. Product can be sold or bought 24 x 7, round the year
- B. It is an economical and faster way to promote products
- C. It needs more manpowerCorrect
- D. Products can be promoted globally in a short time
Explanation. In the comparison table, E-business enterprises expand their operations with minimum manpower, whereas traditional marketing needs more manpower and is expensive and time consuming.
Q8
E-tailing is also called
- A. Online retailingCorrect
- B. Niche marketing
- C. Content marketing
- D. Referral marketing
Explanation. E-tailing, or electronic retailing, is selling goods and services to the ultimate consumer through a shopping website or virtual store. It is also called online retailing.
Q9
Green marketing is also known as
- A. Environmental marketingCorrect
- B. Viral marketing
- C. Guerrilla marketing
- D. Ambush marketing
Explanation. Green marketing means marketing environmentally friendly products without harming the environment. It is also known as environmental marketing and eco-friendly marketing.
Q10
Which one of the following is NOT an example of social marketing?
- A. Asking people not to smoke in public areas
- B. Persuading people to wear seat belts
- C. Campaigns against the use of plastic bags
- D. Selling goods through a shopping websiteCorrect
Explanation. Social marketing aims at social good, such as anti-tobacco, road safety, protection of the girl child and campaigns against plastic bags. Selling through a shopping website is E-tailing.
Q11
Rural marketing is now a ___________ marketing process.
- A. one-way
- B. two-wayCorrect
- C. three-way
- D. closed
Explanation. Rural marketing is a two-way process: products flow into rural markets for production or consumption, and rural products flow out to urban areas.
Q12
In rural marketing, which of the following represents the rural to urban flow of products?
- A. Agricultural inputs
- B. Soaps and detergents
- C. Agricultural produce such as rice, wheat, sugar and cottonCorrect
- D. Cosmetics and textiles
Explanation. The urban to rural flow consists of agricultural inputs and FMCG such as soaps, detergents, cosmetics and textiles. The rural to urban flow consists of agricultural produce such as rice, wheat, sugar and cotton.
Q13
Pick the odd one out regarding the characteristics of services.
- A. Intangible
- B. Inseparable from the service provider
- C. Perishable in quick time
- D. Can be easily standardised and storedCorrect
Explanation. Services are intangible, inseparable from the provider, variable with the provider's mood, perishable in quick time and unstandardisable. So easy standardisation and storage is the odd one out.
Q14
Niche marketing aims at being
- A. a small fish in a big pond
- B. a big fish in a small pondCorrect
- C. a big fish in a big pond
- D. a small fish in a small pond
Explanation. Niche marketing directs all marketing efforts towards one well defined segment. It aims at being a big fish in a small pond instead of being a small fish in a big pond.
Q15
Sports channels such as STAR Sports and ESPN, which target sports enthusiasts, are an example of
- A. Niche marketingCorrect
- B. Rural marketing
- C. Multilevel marketing
- D. Guerrilla marketing
Explanation. A niche market is a specific target audience with a specialised offering. The lesson cites sports channels like STAR Sports, ESPN and STAR Cricket, which serve the niche of sports enthusiasts.
Q16
Which marketing technique spreads messages quickly like a virus from person to person?
- A. Content marketing
- B. Viral marketingCorrect
- C. Niche marketing
- D. Social marketing
Explanation. Viral marketing impels users to pass a marketing message on to other users, so it spreads quickly like a virus from person to person and creates exponential growth in visibility.
Q17
Company X sponsors a football event. Whenever the camera zooms on the crowd, a group wearing shirts with company Y's brand name comes into focus, so Y promotes its brand at X's expense. This is an example of
- A. Referral marketing
- B. Ambush marketingCorrect
- C. Content marketing
- D. Niche marketing
Explanation. In ambush marketing an advertiser connects its product to an event in the minds of customers without paying sponsorship expenses. The lesson uses this football example.
Q18
Guerrilla marketing is an unconventional system of promotion that relies mainly on
- A. a big marketing budget
- B. time, energy and imaginationCorrect
- C. official event sponsorship
- D. a large network of distributors
Explanation. Guerrilla marketing relies on time, energy and imagination rather than a big budget, surprising people in public places. It suits small companies that cannot set apart a big advertisement budget.
Q19
Match List I with List II.
List I: (a) Viral marketing (b) Multilevel marketing (c) Niche marketing (d) Content marketing
List II: (1) Amway and Tupperware (2) Non-interruption marketing (3) Hotmail of Microsoft (4) Sports channels for sports enthusiasts
- A. a-3, b-1, c-4, d-2Correct
- B. a-1, b-3, c-2, d-4
- C. a-3, b-4, c-1, d-2
- D. a-2, b-1, c-4, d-3
Explanation. Hotmail, owned by Microsoft, is the viral marketing example; Amway and Tupperware use multilevel marketing; sports channels serve a niche; content marketing is called non-interruption marketing.
Q20
Consider the following statements.
1. In multilevel marketing, the new distributors recruited by a distributor are called his 'Downline'.
2. Referral marketing spreads the word about a product through existing customers rather than traditional advertising.
3. Content marketing is the art of communicating with customers through aggressive selling.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 onlyCorrect
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Explanation. Recruits in multilevel marketing form the distributor's downline, and referral marketing works through existing customers. Content marketing communicates with customers without selling, so statement 3 is wrong.
