Business Proposal: Disposable Diapers

1550 Words7 Pages
* * * * * * * * * Alexis Jarrett * Business Proposal: Disposable Diapers * ECO 561 * January 14, 2013 * * * * * * * * * * * * The average baby uses about eight to ten diapers a day for an average of two to three years. This fact alone opens up a huge market for the disposable diaper. The convenience of the product makes it extremely popular among consumers who are looking for a simple solution to an inevitable problem. There have been a number of advancements made to the product over the last sixty years or so, but there is always room for improvement. * Elasticity of Demand * The demand for disposable diapers should be considered as elastic. This is because a decrease in the price will lead to an increase in revenue. Even though a lesser price is received per unit, enough additional units are sold to more than make up for the lower price. When the prices are lower, people will be more inclined to stock up or to buy bigger packages at one time. They will also be more likely to buy the premium diapers that they do not usually purchase due to the higher price. If the price of diapers increases, total revenue will decline. Since there is a large volume of brand substitutability in this industry, if one brand increases their price, consumers can easily switch to another. * Market Structure * The disposable diaper industry would be classified under monopolistic competition. This is due to the relatively large amount of sellers, differentiated products, and easy entry and exit from the industry. The large number of sellers constitutes small market shares, the absence of collusion, and independent action between firms. Product differentiation tends to focus on product features, service, location, brand names and packaging, and
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