OxfordAQA A-Level Business: Marketing (9625/9725)

This guide covers Topic 2 Marketing, the second of five International AS topics in OxfordAQA International AS and A-level Business (9625), first teaching September 2018. It follows directly from Topic 1’s introduction to business objectives and the external environment, applying that context to how a business identifies and reaches its customers.

Where this fits in 9625

Topic 1 establishes why a business exists and who it is accountable to. Topic 2 turns to how it competes for customers – researching markets, choosing who to target, and building a marketing mix around that target. It sits alongside Operations, Human Resources and Finance as one of the four functional AS topics, before the course moves into whole-business strategy at A2.

Syllabus coverage

OXFORDAQA INTERNATIONAL AS AND A-LEVEL BUSINESS (9625) — TOPIC 2 MARKETING

• 3.1.2.1 Marketing objectives and plans — the importance of marketing and how marketing decisions influence competitiveness; marketing objectives such as sales volume and value, market share, customer retention and repeat sales; the value of and influences on marketing plans and budgets (objectives, strategy, tactics, budget); and external and internal influences on marketing planning, including resources, technology (digital marketing, social media, dynamic pricing, e-commerce and m-commerce), ethics, and market conditions
• 3.1.2.2 Marketing data — the value of primary and secondary marketing research, including qualitative and quantitative data, market mapping, sales forecasts, and sampling methods (random, stratified, quota); influences on choosing a research method (cost, time, reliability); and the interpretation and use of marketing data, including correlation, confidence levels and intervals, and big data and data mining
• 3.1.2.3 Segmentation, targeting and positioning — the process and value of segmentation by demographic, geographic, income, behavioural and psychographic methods; influences on choosing a target market and positioning, including niche and mass marketing; and the benefits and potential difficulties of targeting international markets
• 3.1.2.4 The marketing mix — the elements of the marketing mix (the 7Ps), considered across goods and services, B2B and B2C contexts, national and international markets, and e-commerce; product (new product development, the product life cycle and extension strategies, the Boston Matrix, and branding); pricing (influences on price, pricing strategies including skimming, penetration and discrimination, and price elasticity of demand); the promotional mix (advertising, sales promotions, the sales force, public relations, exhibitions); and distribution, including online and multi-channel distribution

How to approach it

The marketing mix (3.1.2.4) is the largest single section and the one most exam questions draw on, so build genuine fluency in all 7Ps rather than only the classic 4Ps (product, price, promotion, place) – OxfordAQA’s own specification explicitly extends the mix and expects students to apply it in e-commerce and international contexts, not just a domestic high-street example. Price elasticity of demand (within pricing) is a common source of calculation questions, so practise interpreting PED data and linking it to a pricing decision, not just defining the term. Segmentation, targeting and positioning should be revised as a connected three-step process – segment the market, choose a target segment, then position the product for that segment – since exam questions often expect all three steps applied to a single scenario rather than treated as separate topics.

Common mistakes

Describing the marketing mix using only the 4Ps, missing the additional elements the specification includes for services and international markets. Confusing market segmentation (dividing the market into groups) with targeting (choosing which group to serve). Treating marketing research methods as interchangeable rather than matching a method to the situation described in the question, using cost, time and reliability as the deciding factors. Quoting a stage of the product life cycle without connecting it to an appropriate strategy, such as an extension strategy at maturity or decline.

Worked example

A product’s price elasticity of demand (PED) is calculated at -0.4. What does this tell a business about a proposed price increase?

PED = -0.4 means demand is PRICE INELASTIC (the coefficient's
      magnitude is less than 1) -- quantity demanded changes
      proportionally less than price.

IMPLICATION: a price increase will reduce quantity demanded by a
             smaller percentage than the price rise itself, so total
             revenue (price x quantity) will RISE.

CAUTION: PED is not fixed -- it can change over time as competitors
         respond, substitutes emerge, or the product becomes less of
         a necessity, so a business should not treat one PED figure
         as permanent when setting long-term pricing strategy.

Students commonly lose marks by stating whether demand is elastic or inelastic correctly, but failing to link that to what actually happens to revenue – the connection between PED and revenue is what most exam questions are really testing.

Quick revision checklist

• State the difference between marketing objectives and a marketing plan, and give one example of each.
• Compare primary and secondary marketing research, and state one factor that influences which a business would choose.
• Explain segmentation, targeting and positioning as three connected steps, not separate topics.
• List all 7Ps of the marketing mix, not just the classic 4Ps.
• Interpret a price elasticity of demand figure and explain its effect on total revenue if price changes.
• Apply the Boston Matrix categories (cash cows, stars, dogs, problem children) to a product portfolio scenario.

Specification transition note

9625 remains current for students already on the course, with final AS exams in May/June 2026 and final A2 exams in May/June 2027, while students starting from September 2026 follow the revised 9725 specification instead. The core marketing content described above is expected to carry over in substance, but students should always confirm which specification code applies to their own cohort before relying on any single syllabus document.

Related resources

• Marketing revision notes
• Marketing practice questions

Official syllabus

Oxford AQA International AS and A-level Business (9625) specification, Version 1.0, section 3.1.2 Marketing — oxfordaqa.com.