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Times of India Pricing Strategies PDF
Times of India Pricing Strategies PDF
BY
___________________
Sohong Chakraborty
-Sohong Chakraborty
CONTENT
Newspaper Pricing Model: Its impact on Readers Choice Page 3
Introduction.............5
Pricing Model..5
Company Details.....17
History....17
Hypothesis...21
Method.....22
Result....23
Data Analysis....23
Findings........44
Discussion.45
Conclusion47
Limitation and Future scope of study....48
References.....49
Appendix..50
Questionnaire ..50
INTRODUCTION
Newspaper Pricing Model: Its impact on Readers Choice Page 4
Pricing is a key strategic tool in the battle for any goods and services offered in the market. It
generates two items; revenue for the company and other is the cost. Different pricing strategies
are adopted around the world for different consumer goods and services to increase customer
loyalty and profitability.
Pricing Strategy can be done after analyzing such factors for any given goods or services:
Penetration Pricing:
This strategy is used for new products/services trying to penetrate the market, or existing
products/services entering new markets, by offering initial low prices. The price is deliberately
In other words, the initial low price that you offer may not even cover all associated costs, but
when you increase the price in the future, it will compensate for the loss you made or any profits
you missed out on.
For example, the first two or three editions of a monthly magazine may be offered at, say, Rs.50,
but after this the magazine price increases to, say, Rs.100. Because most people will have found
interest in the first editions of the magazine, they are likely to continue buying the magazine in
the future.
Products have lasting distinctiveness from competitor's product. Here we can assume
Contribution margin-based pricing maximizes the profit derived from an individual product,
based on the difference between the product's price and variable costs (the product's contribution
margin per unit), and on ones assumptions regarding the relationship between the products
price and the number of units that can be sold at that price. The product's contribution to total
firm profit (i.e., to operating income) is maximized when a price is chosen that maximizes the
following: (contribution margin per unit) X(number of units sold).
Target pricing
Pricing method whereby the selling price of a product is calculated to produce a particular rate
of return on investment for a specific volume of production. The target pricing method is used
most often by public utilities, like electric and gas companies, and companies whose capital
investment is high, like automobile manufacturers.
Target pricing is not useful for companies whose capital investment is low because, according to
this formula, the selling price will be understated. Also the target pricing method is not keyed to
the demand for the product, and if the entire volume is not sold, a company might sustain an
overall budgetary loss on the product.
Marginal-cost pricing
In business, the practice of setting the price of a product to equal the extra cost of producing an
extra unit of output. By this policy, a producer charges, for each product unit sold, only the
addition to total cost resulting from materials and direct labor. Businesses often set prices close
to marginal cost during periods of poor sales. If, for example, an item has a marginal cost of
$1.00 and a normal selling price is $2.00, the firm selling the item might wish to lower the price
to $1.10 if demand has waned. The business would choose this approach because the
incremental profit of 10 cents from the transaction is better than no sale at all.
Full Cost Pricing attempting to set price to cover both fixed and variable costs
Absorption Cost Pricing Price set to absorb some of the fixed costs of production
Value/Premium pricing
Premium pricing is the practice of keeping the price of a product or service artificially high in
order to encourage favorable perceptions among buyers, based solely on the price. The practice
is intended to exploit the (not necessarily justifiable) tendency for buyers to assume that
expensive items enjoy an exceptional reputation or represent exceptional quality and distinction.
Loss leader
Basic Concept In the majority of cases, this pricing strategy is illegal under EU and US
Competition rules. No market leader would wish to sell below cost unless this is part of its
overall strategy. The idea of selling at a loss may appear to be in the public interest and therefore
not often challenged. Only when the leader pushes up prices, it then becomes suspicious. Loss
leadership can be similar to predatory pricing or cross subsidization; both seen as anti-
competitive practices.
Your business may be considered as one of the more dominant within its market because you
offer a service or product that is unique or popular (through branding). As a result, you may
have the power to set the price in which your competitors will attempt to follow.
Tender Pricing
Firms (or firms) submit their price for carrying out the work.
This is because they know that their service is in high demand during peak time (around 8am -
6pm) as they are the business operating hours.
Another common discrimination is offering your service at higher prices during the weekend
(Saturday and particularly Sunday) as customers may find it hard to find other alternative
services during this time.
Newspaper Pricing Model: Its impact on Readers Choice Page 9
The above examples are all to do with timing, but the other price discrimination is aimed at the
different types of customer. In this case, the best example would be offering students a discount
of, say, 10% for using your service or buying your product, you may even offer your
service/product cheaper to loyal customers, say, those that have been trading with you for more
than a year.
Destroyer/Predatory Pricing:
This strategy is used as an attempt to eliminate competition. It involves lowering your prices to
an extent where competition cannot compete and consequently, they go out of business.
By just reading the last sentence, it sounds very threatening to not only the competition, but also
to yourself: this is what you find with all competition based pricing strategies.
It is therefore important that you recognize how threatening the competition is and research how
competitive they can be with their prices: they may be able to compete with your price cuts and
consequently you both, or even just yourself may go out of business.
Predatory pricing can be said as an aggressive pricing intended to drive out competitors from a
market. It is illegal in some places.
If your product/service is new or unfamiliar in the market, you can expect potential customers to
give it a low price. Alternatively, if your product/service is popular or unique in the market, you
can expect people to be more favorable toward its value.
If you adopt this strategy, you should review your research periodically, say, every six months
as customers may develop a different attitude toward your product/service. Consequently, in
time, customers may value your product/service differently and so you should change your price
to correspond with customer expectations, whether they are higher or lower.
Market-oriented pricing
Setting a price based upon analysis and research compiled from the targeted market. Also with
the cost price.
Dynamic pricing
A flexible pricing mechanism made possible by advances in information technology, and
employed mostly by Internet based companies. By responding to market fluctuations or large
amounts of data gathered from customers - ranging from where they live to what they buy to
how much they have spent on past purchases - dynamic pricing allows online companies to
adjust the prices of identical goods to correspond to a customers willingness to pay. The airline
industry is often cited as a dynamic pricing success story. In fact, it employs the technique so
artfully that most of the passengers on any given airplane have paid different ticket prices for the
same flight.
Cost of manufacturing a single product like newspaper depends on the cost of printing, cost of
buying rolls of paper sheets (raw material), transportation cost, electricity used, administrative
cost, cost of collecting of daily news and photographs by the press, machinery usage, labor
usage and various other indirect cost factors. The total cost of producing/publishing of
Newspaper Pricing Model: Its impact on Readers Choice Page 11
newspaper on a given month divided by the total products manufactured on that particular
month gives the per unit cost of the newspaper. Hence, the output of these factors results into a
price which cant be acceptable by daily consumers of newspaper, ie., the cost of manufacturing
a single news paper is much higher than its MRP (maximum retail price). To reduce the price,
space selling for advertisements is required as it acts as revenue for the newspaper business.
This effort makes the daily newspaper affordable for daily consumption by the consumers.
The pricing model followed by the newspaper business is known as dynamic pricing strategy.
Let us discuss what dynamic pricing is: A flexible pricing mechanism made possible by
advances in information technology, and employed mostly by Internet based companies. By
responding to market fluctuations or large amounts of data gathered from customers - ranging
from where they live to what they buy to how much they have spent on past purchases -
dynamic pricing allows online companies to adjust the prices of identical goods to correspond to
a customers willingness to pay. The airline industry is often cited as a dynamic pricing success
story. In fact, it employs the technique so artfully that most of the passengers on any given
airplane have paid different ticket prices for the same flight. News paper business also follows
the same pricing model where we see to different kind of pricing according to the day. If MRP
of a newspaper cost Rs.2/- on the weekdays then on the weekend we find the MRP of the same
newspaper around Rs.5/-.
This condition depends on the customer who is willing to pay the price for the final good.
Consumers like buying good quality material at low price. The expected price should match the
consumers confidence to afford the good and pay the price. For daily consumption of
newspaper the price should be always set to a reasonable rate.
Market condition depends upon economical factors of the geographic location such as inflation,
depression, post war affected areas, Oil price hick which ultimately increases the transportation
cost of most business, price increase of raw material, perfect competitors in the same business,
shortage of goods availability because of huge increase in demand due to popularity or affects of
any breaking news regarding political turmoil, massive accidents, fluctuations in share market,
etc
The strategic position of the company depends upon many factors and is a key issue in the
business environment. The companies are not isolated entities but operate in the context of an
external environment. It is therefore imperative to not only evaluate oneself on an absolute scale
but more so in relation with what is happening on the exterior. One of the foremost prerequisites
in defining an organization's strategic orientation is the knowledge of the organization's current
positioning. An organization operates within certain bounds that are created by its direct
competitors and industry of operations (the immediate neighborhood) as well as the macro-
environment. To estimate the current positioning, these elements have to be analyzed separately
and in unison to understand the possible effects and develop a clearer image of strategic
positioning.
Over the years, various frameworks have been provided by researchers to make the analysis
simpler. To begin stepwise, first we have to understand the macro environment and then the
industry and competitors. It is common understanding that a country's economic health is
inseparably conjoined with its political environment. We are aware of the repercussions of the
world wars, the current hyperinflation in Zimbabwe and many other such examples from the
history that have validated this notion. So without even going into the nuances of the political
impact, one can empirically claim that political environment should be necessarily studied to
assess the strategic position of the organization. In what ways it has a bearing is manifold and
specific to the industry; for the polity being both the legislative and executive body for the entire
nation.
As Darwin's theory suggests, the world is all about survival of the fittest. To remain strong in
today's competitive world, technological update is of prime relevance and organizations need to
be aware of it. All these factors when studied together, we gate a complete picture of the
strategic position of a company which can be denoted by a graphical representation.
Stand alone pricing is done after the stand alone cost is allocated with a minimal margin. Stand
alone pricing is generally done with bundle pack offers for a limited period. The limitations of
the period are fixed by the company itself and hence demand of the products increases for a
short period. For example, a 100 g soap, a 200g Shampoo and a 150g Talcum Powder, bundle
together (packed in a single package) comes at Rs.80/- whereas, if each of the single product
purchased adds up to Rs 100/-. Now it is up to the customers who get an option of buying the
product according to his will and requirement.
Subscription Pricing
Newspaper Pricing Model: Its impact on Readers Choice Page 14
This type of pricing is typically done for adding new customers without subsidizing existing
customers. Subscription of newspaper tends to be low priced then usual as customers pay the
price for a period of time on an upfront basis, ex., monthly or yearly or seasonal. It comes in a
package which ultimately becomes cheaper for new buyers while saving time and money for a
customer. The main issue in newspaper or magazine business is those subscriptions are paid up
front, and this might actually prevent some customers from signing up. But it also helps in
gaining new loyal customer too. Renewal of subscription is also done for the buyers who want
the subscription repeated after completion of the previous subscription contract. An agreement
of subscription has an added advantage for the organization as they can directly interact with the
customer avoiding the vendors. This helps the organization in increasing customer database
marketing as well as personalized marketing thus selling agreement of subscription in a
customized manner to different individuals with different needs. For example, an individual
agrees to subscribe Times of India on a daily basis for a year while the individuals neighbor
wants a subscription of Times of India to be delivered seven days a week as well as Economic
times to be delivered five days a week exceeding the weekends for a period of three years.
Invitation Pricing
Generally, for a new product launched in a given market is always set to a low price to attract
consumer and create a market share of the product. This helps in gaining new customer base as
well as levels over priced product of similar quality. After gaining popularity and creating a
customer base, the price is raised to an affordable rate to generate more profit for a company.
Now days, generally invitation pricing is not in use. An example of invitation pricing is The
Crescent weekly magazine from the Times of India group which has been introduced in the
eastern sector of India recently with a nominal price of Rs. 6/- per copy.
India's press in the 1840s was a motley collection of small-circulation daily or weekly sheets
printed on rickety presses. Few extended beyond their small communities and seldom tried to
unite the many castes, tribes, and regional subcultures of India. The Anglo-Indian papers
promoted purely British interests. Robert Knight (18251892) was the principal founder and the
first editor of the Times.
The son of a London bank clerk from the lower-middle-class, Knight proved a skilled writer and
passionate reformer. Knight helped create a vibrant national newspaper industry in British India.
When the Sepoy Mutiny erupted, Knight was acting editor of the Bombay Times and Standard.
He broke with the rest of the English language press (which focused on Indian savagery and
Newspaper Pricing Model: Its impact on Readers Choice Page 16
treachery) and instead blamed the violence on the lack of discipline and poor leadership in the
army. That angered the Anglo community, but attracted the Times's Indian shareholders, who
made him the permanent editor. Knight blasted the mismanagement and greed of the Raj,
attacking annexation policies that appropriated native lands and arbitrarily imposed taxes on
previously exempt land titles, ridiculing income taxes, and exposing school systems that
disregarded Indian customs and needs. Knight led the paper to national prominence. In 1860, he
bought out the Indian shareholders and merged with the rival Bombay Standard, and started
India's first news agency. It wired Times dispatches to papers across the country and became the
Indian agent for Reuters news service. In 1861, he changed the name from the Bombay Times
and Standard to the Times of India. Knight fought for a press free of prior restraint or
intimidation, frequently resisting the attempts by governments, business interests, and cultural
spokesmen.
The Times of India (TOI) is an English-language broadsheet newspaper that is widely read
throughout India. It has the largest circulation among all English-language newspapers in the
world, across all formats (broadsheet, tabloid, compact, Berliner and online). It is owned and
managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. which is owned by the Sahu Jain family. Indu
Jain belongs to the Sahu Jain family and is the current chairperson of India's largest media
group, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd., which owns the Times of India and other large
newspapers. Her net worth is said to be US$4.4 billion, making her the 17th richest Indian in the
world. She is widowed with two sons.
In 2008, the newspaper reported that (with a circulation of over 3.14 million) it was certified by
the Audit Bureau of Circulations as the world's largest selling English-language daily
newspaper, placing as the 8th largest selling newspaper in any language in the world. According
to the Indian Readership Survey (IRS) 2010, the Times of India is the most widely read English
newspaper in India with a readership of 13.4 million. This ranks the Times of India as the top
English newspaper in India by readership. According to Com-Score, TOI Online is the world's
most-visited newspaper website with 159 million page views in May 2009, ahead of the New
York Times, The Sun, Washington Post, Daily Mail and USA Today websites.
Navbharat Times, launched in 1950, is a widely read and influential Hindi daily. It is published
from Delhi and Mumbai, and has a combined circulation of over 430,000 copies and a
readership of over 1.7 million. (Website: www.navbharattimes.com)
Maharashtra Times
Filmfare
Filmfare has evolved as an entertainment medium in itself. The monthly magazine Filmfare
covers the gamut of happenings in show biz, including movies, music and television. The
magazine also sponsors the annual Filmfare awards for excellence in Indian cinema. (Website:
filmfare.indiatimes.com)
Femina
The No. 1 women's magazine in India, Femina caters to the woman of substance. Femina also
organizes and sponsors the Miss India pageant annually. The winners of these contests represent
India in the Miss Universe, Miss World, and Miss Asia-Pacific contests. (Website:
femina.indiatimes.com)
Indiatimes
Indiatimes.com is India's online nerve centre for new, information, entertainment, cricket,
shopping, services and much more. The USP is Content, Commerce and Community. And with
over a billion page views a month.
Hypotheses:
The hypotheses for the research are:
1) Readers with high satisfaction with the quality and service will be more likely to
continue with the current paper even at a moderate price increase.
2) Readers with a low satisfaction level with quality and service will be less likely to
continue with the current paper even at a moderate price increase.
3) In majority of cases where readers decide to drop newspaper, Bengali newspapers will be
retained.
I was mainly concerned about the consumer preferences while buying newspaper. So, according
to my objectives, the first thing, which I asked them which newspaper they buy.
2% of the consumer chooses any others mode/ways like buying from the street hawker or
vendors in the railway station
Are you satisfied with the quality of the newspaper you read?
After they buy the newspaper, are they really satisfied with the quality of the newspaper they
read.
Are you satisfied with the price you pay for the newspaper?
How much are you satisfied by the service provided by your newspaper
brand?
The next question was if they are satisfied by the service provided by the newspaper brand.
If the current price of your newspaper is increased by 25%, will you continue
reading your existing newspaper?
When I asked them, if they will continue reading their current newspaper if price is increased by
25%,
If the current price of your newspaper is increases by 50%, will you continue
reading your existing newspaper?
When I asked them, if they will continue reading their current newspaper if price is increased by
50%,
The perception of the consumer lot depends upon the income group they fall into. The Income
range is given in alphabets. There are 4 ranges: A(5000-25000), B(25100-45000),C(45100-
65000), D(65100 & above). Among the 50 samples the data collected shows the study of are as
follows:
Choice of Newspaper:
21 consumer preffer to read both english and bengali ,4people preffer only english and 1
in others in income group A.
9 people preffer English and bengali, 4 people preffer only english and 2 consumer
preffer others in income group B.
1 people preffer English and Bengali, 2 consumer preffer only english and 1consumer
preffer other in the income group C.
2 consumer preffer English and bengali both ,2 consumer preffer only english and 1
preffer others in income group D.
Choice of Mode:
19 consumer preffer subcription, 7 preffer stand-alone in the income group A.
11 consumer preffer subcription, 8 preffer stand-alone and 1 others in the income group
B.
Choice of Quality:
21 consumer are satisfied, 3 are nutral and 2 are very satisfied with the quality in the
Income group A.
3 consumer are satisfied, 1 are nutral with the quality in the Income group C.
7 consumers are satisfied, 4 are nutral, 3 are very satisfied and 1 consumer is dissatisfied
regarding the price they pay in the income group B.
3 consumers are satisfied and 1 are nutral regarding the price they pay in the income
group C.
4 consumers are satisfied, 1 are nutral, regarding the price they pay in the income group
D.
11 consumers are satisfied, 3 are nutral, 1 are very satisfied regarding the sevice in the
income group B.
3 consumers are satisfied and 1 is dissatisfied regarding the sevice in the income group
C.
14 consumer say yes and 1 consumer say no when the price is increased for the income
group B.
3 consumer say yes and 1 consumer say no when the price is increased for the income
group C.
Newspaper Pricing Model: Its impact on Readers Choice Page 29
5 consumer say yes when the price is increased for the income group D.
10 consumer say yes and 5 consumer say no when the price is increased for the income
group B.
1 consumer say yes and 3 consumer say no when the price is increased for the income
group C.
2 consumer say yes and 2 consumer say no when the price is increased for the income
group D.
Drop Newspaper:
15 consumers drop english, 11 will drop bengali in the income group A.
5 consumers drop english, 8 will drop bengali and 1 consumer have indifferent decission
in the income group B.
1 consumers drop english, 2 will drop bengali and 1 consumer have indifferent decission
in the income group C.
10 preffer English and bengali, 4 preffer only English and 2 female consumer preffer
other newspapers.
11 are satisfied, 4 are nutral and 1 is very satisfied with the quality of the newspaper.
10 are satisfied, 4 are nutral, 1 is very satisfied and 1 is dissatisfied with the price of the
newspaper.
15 consumer says yes and 1 say no with the 25% increase in price of newspaper they
read.
7 consumer says yes and 9 say no with the 50% increase in price of newspaper they read.
7 consumer says drop english and 9 say drop bengali if both the prices are increase in
price of newspaper they read.
23 preffer English and bengali, 8 preffer only English and 3 male consumer preffer other
newspapers.
29 are satisfied, 3 are nutral, 2 is very satisfied with the quality of the newspaper.
22 are satisfied, 7 are nutral, 4 is very satisfied and 1 is dissatisfied with the price of the
newspaper.
26 are satisfied, 2 are nutral, 4 is very satisfied and 2 are dissatisfied with the service
provided by the newspaper.
11 consumer says yes, 22 say no and 1 is indifferent with the 50% increase in price of
newspaper they read.
15 consumer says drop english, 17 say drop bengali and 2 are indifferent if both the
prices are increase in price of newspaper they read.
Model summary
a. Predictors: (Constant),SATS,SATQ
Anovab
Total 14.000 49
a. Predictors: : (Constant),SATS,SATQ
Coefficientsa
After multiple regression was done by SPSS, the result obtained is as follows:
Quality and Service satisfaction will not have any significant impact on consumer
decision, if the prices go up by 50%.
Variables Entered/Removedb
1 SEXa Enter
Model summary
a. Predictors: (Constant),SATS,SATQ
Anovab
Total 13.633 48
a. Predictors: : (Constant),SEX
Coefficientsa
Gender and buying decision are not significant according to SPSS analysis.
FINDINGS
Price plays a huge part while buying decisions are made by the consumer.
Most of the consumers are satisfied with the service provided by the newspaper
companies.
80% of the consumers are satisfied with the quality of the newspaper.
Discussion
In the income range B (25100-45000) category are middle level executives dont get
ample of time to spent at home due to work pressure. The middle level executives
generally read newspaper which is supplied in their own office desk or what they get in
the client places. News from internet can be a substitute for these middle level executives
to save time.
Quality and Service do not impress consumers discussion as they are assumed to be
good enough but depends upon the price they pay for the product. Reading a newspaper
is a kind of addiction of gaining knowledge and daily updates because of its quality of
news. Consumers generally get their newspaper by early morning which is supplied by
the newspaper vendors. They have a tendency to read it while having their morning tea
or breakfast. A consumer does not change his/her newspaper brand because of service.
Rather practically changes the vendor who supplies the daily newspaper due to lack of
service. If the price of the consumers newspaper brand goes beyond limit of afford, then
he/she might change the brand in this situation. Very negligible amount of consumers are
dissatisfied by the service provided.
Subscription based pricing model is much preferred by the consumers then stand alone
pricing. Subscription based pricing is much cheaper and affordable compared to
standalone based pricing model.
Consumers do not have language preferences while buying newspaper but more depends
on the quality of the news printed on the daily basis. The logic behind this goes back to
the reading habits and preferences which are already mentioned.
Gender differentiate the reading habits as female generally likes cookery section,
decoration, shopping information, short stories, zodiac columns and movie gossips etc.
while male are more prone to politics, stock market updates, major accidental news,
sports news etc. So the logic behind reading a newspaper brand is also dependent upon
topics covered by that particular newspaper.
At the end of the Summer Internship Project the ultimate understanding what I got during these
two months, that this has been a life time opportunity and a great learning experience for me.
Regarding the report after all the data analysis work I understood that the newspaper pricing
models which are discussed in the report has a steady impact on readers choices/preferences.
Consumers prefer buying newspaper in subscription mode as it becomes affordable, cheaper and
with good amount of discounted rate. Consumption pattern differs between male and female
Bias decision of consumers can have a hugely impact on the research work.
Consumers who are not interested to give their demographic details like income can have
a impact on the research work.
The collected samples are based on posh localities of South Kolkata who are well settled
but the consumers who live in the outskirts or suburbs can give a brighter view of
preferences.
In future the scope of the study can be done in a better way by exploiting the limitations to get a
better view.
References
Websites:
www.wikipedia.com
www.indiatimes.com
www.allstats.com
www.timesofindia.com
Appendix
Dear Sir/Madam,
Tick in the following according to your newspaper consumption and reading habits:
3) Are you satisfied with the quality of the newspaper you read?
4) Are you satisfied with the price you pay for the newspaper?
5) How much are you satisfied by the service provided by your newspaper brand?
Newspaper Pricing Model: Its impact on Readers Choice Page 46
1) Very dissatisfied 2) Dissatisfied 3) Neutral 4) Satisfied 5) Very satisfied
6) If the current price of your newspaper is increased by 25%, will you continue
reading your existing newspaper?
a) Yes b) No
7) If the current price of your newspaper is increases by 50%, will you continue
reading your existing newspaper?
a) Yes b) No
8) Suppose there is an increase in price on both of your favorite newspapers from the
current level, which one will you like to drop /stop taking the newspaper.
9) Customer Details:
Name:
Address: ................................
..Pin:...
Telephone:..Mobile No:.
Occupation:....Income:...
Age:Sex:.....