AQA GCSE Business: Marketing (8132) – Practice Questions

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions, and they do not replicate the exam’s exact structure, question count or mark tariffs – examination boards hold copyright in their own papers. Use these alongside the official past papers from your board or school.

Here are twelve questions on 3.5 Marketing from the 8132 AQA GCSE Business specification (first teaching September 2017). Every business and figure is invented. Expect short answers, calculations and brief case studies.

Read the study guide and the revision notes first. Useful links: the course hub, the printable checklist and the free diagnostics.

Questions

1. State two reasons why a business should identify and satisfy customer needs. [2]

2. Plumtrey Fitness runs gyms in two towns. Explain how it could use segmentation by age and by income to target customers. [4]

3. Trebarwith Toys is a small family toy shop deciding whether to stock a new range of wooden puzzles.

(a) Identify one primary and one secondary method of market research it could use. [2] (b) Distinguish between qualitative and quantitative research. [2] (c) Recommend one method of research for Trebarwith Toys and justify your choice. [4]

4. Netherwick Sports sells running kit. The running kit market was worth £8.0 million in 2023 and £8.8 million in 2024. Netherwick’s sales revenue was £0.72 million in 2023 and £0.88 million in 2024.

(a) Calculate the growth in the market between 2023 and 2024, as a percentage. [2] (b) Calculate Netherwick’s market share in 2024. [2] (c) Netherwick’s market share in 2023 was 9%. Explain what the change in share suggests about its marketing. [2]

5. Plumtrey Planners makes diaries. Variable cost is £7.50 a diary and fixed costs are £90,000 a year. It expects to sell 30,000 diaries and uses cost-plus pricing with a 30% mark-up.

(a) Calculate the unit cost. [2] (b) Calculate the selling price. [2] (c) Explain one drawback of cost-plus pricing. [2]

6. Analyse why price penetration might be a suitable pricing method for a new brand of bottled iced tea entering a market with many well-known rivals. [5]

7. A small bakery sells a standard loaf for £2.40 as a loss leader. The loaf costs £3.00 to make. On one Saturday 5,000 loaves are sold.

(a) Calculate the total loss on the loaf that day. [2] (b) Explain why the bakery might still choose to do this. [2]

8. Plumtrey Planners sells a “Focus” planner. Its sales (thousands of planners) over six years were:

Year	1	2	3	4	5	6
Sales	12	31	52	53	41	29

(a) Identify the stage of the product life cycle reached in year 6. [1] (b) Evaluate whether Plumtrey Planners should use a price reduction as an extension strategy for the Focus planner. [6]

9. Trebarwith Toys sells four product lines.

Line	Market share	Market growth
Wooden trains	High	Low
Craft kits	Low	High
Plush animals	High	High
Board games	Low	Low

(a) Using the Boston Matrix, name the category of each line. [4] (b) Explain what Trebarwith Toys might do with the board games line. [2]

10. Netherwick Sports sells running shoes online for £15 a pair. A coupon gives 20% off. The shoes cost Netherwick Sports £9 to supply.

(a) Calculate the price paid and the profit per pair when a coupon is used. [2] (b) Netherwick has a small budget and aims at 16 to 25 year olds. Analyse which promotion methods suit it. [5]

11. Netherwick Sports made £560,000 of sales last year, of which £140,000 were online.

(a) Calculate the percentage of sales made online. [2] (b) State two channels of distribution it could use besides its own website. [2] (c) Analyse one benefit and one drawback of using m-commerce to reach international customers. [5]

12. Plumtrey Planners plans to launch a smart notebook that costs £14 to make. A rival product sells for £22. The marketing team compares two pricing methods.

Method	Price	Forecast first-year sales
Price skimming	£30	4,000
Price penetration	£19	9,000

(a) Calculate the total contribution (price minus the £14 cost, multiplied by sales) for each method. [4] (b) Evaluate which pricing method Plumtrey Planners should choose and justify your recommendation. [6]

Answers

1. Any two: it helps the business provide a product customers will buy [1]; increase sales [1]; select the correct marketing mix; avoid costly mistakes; stay competitive. [2] Examiner insight: For “state”, short points are enough, but two phrasings of the same idea are unlikely to count as two reasons.

2. Age: it could offer off-peak, low-cost memberships and social classes to under-25s, and daytime classes to older customers [1], and advertise each where those groups look [1]. Income: it could offer a premium gym with a pool and personal trainers at a high price to high-income customers [1] and a no-frills budget gym to lower-income customers, so the price fits what each group can afford [1]. [4] Examiner insight: Treat both named types separately and say what the business does differently for each group.

3. (a) Primary: for example a questionnaire given to customers in the shop [1]. Secondary: for example internet research on toy sales trends [1]. [2] (b) Quantitative research produces numerical data that can be counted [1]. Qualitative research gives opinions, feelings and reasons [1]. [2] (c) A short questionnaire at the till [1] is cheap and quick for a small shop [1], and it reaches the people who already buy from Trebarwith [1], so the owner gets direct evidence of demand for puzzles. It only reaches existing customers, a drawback [1]. [4] Examiner insight: When asked to recommend and justify, a method named without a reason about this business usually earns little. Point to the size, budget or customers of the shop.

4. (a) Growth = (8.8 − 8.0) ÷ 8.0 × 100 [1] = 10% [1]. [2] (b) Market share = 0.88 ÷ 8.8 × 100 [1] = 10% [1]. [2] (c) Share rose from 9% to 10% [1], so Netherwick grew faster than the market, suggesting its marketing mix is attracting customers from rivals [1]. [2] Examiner insight: Show the formula before the numbers.

5. (a) Fixed cost per diary = 90,000 ÷ 30,000 = £3.00 [1]. Unit cost = 7.50 + 3.00 = £10.50 [1]. [2] (b) Mark-up = 30% × 10.50 = £3.15 [1]. Price = 10.50 + 3.15 = £13.65 [1]. [2] (c) The method ignores what customers are willing to pay [1], so the price might be too high and demand fall, or too low and profit is lost [1]. [2] Examiner insight: Part (b) builds on part (a), so keep the unit cost visible. Cost-plus drawbacks are developed when they say what could happen to sales or profit.

6. Penetration means setting a low price at launch [1]. A new brand with no reputation needs to gain customers from well-known rivals [1], and a lower price gives buyers a reason to try it [1]. If many buy it, the brand wins a large market share quickly [1]. The risk is a low profit per unit at first, worth accepting if sales grow [1]. [5] Examiner insight: Analysis chains a feature of the method to a feature of the business. A bare definition gives little credit on “analyse”.

7. (a) Loss per loaf = 3.00 − 2.40 = £0.60 [1]. Total = 0.60 × 5,000 = £3,000 [1]. [2] (b) The cheap loaf draws customers into the shop [1], and they are likely to buy other products at normal prices, which may make up the loss [1]. [2] Examiner insight: The “why” answer must say customers buy other things. Saying that low prices are popular does not explain why the business accepts the loss.

8. (a) Decline [1]. [1] (b) For: a lower price may attract price-sensitive buyers and raise sales, since demand is likely to rise as price falls [1]. It is quick to put in place and cheaper than redesigning the product [1]. Against: the profit per planner falls, and sales may not rise enough to make up for it [1]. Rivals can copy the price cut [1]. Sales have fallen from 53 to 29 thousand over two years, so a cut alone may not reverse a decline in interest, and adding features or changing target market might work better [1]. Judgement: a price reduction is a short-term boost that is worth using only if costs are low and combined with another strategy [1]. [6] Examiner insight: Answers on “evaluate” gain credit when they weigh both sides using the figures and finish with a reasoned judgement. A one-sided list tends to cap the marks.

9. (a) Wooden trains: cash cow [1]. Craft kits: question mark [1]. Plush animals: star [1]. Board games: dog [1]. [4] (b) The line has a low share in a slow-growing market [1], so Trebarwith might stop selling it and use the shelf space and money on the stars or craft kits [1]. [2] Examiner insight: Classify by reading both columns, share first and growth second. High share with low growth is the pairing most often swapped.

10. (a) Price = 15 × 0.8 = £12 [1]. Profit = 12 − 9 = £3 [1]. [2] (b) Social media suits the 16 to 25 age group, who use it daily, and it costs little [1], so it fits a small budget [1]. Online coupons could encourage trial [1]. Television is too costly for a small budget [1] and not as well targeted [1]. [5] Examiner insight: Analysis of promotion needs the factor (finance, target market) linked to the method. A list of methods without a suitability reason usually earns little.

11. (a) 140,000 ÷ 560,000 × 100 [1] = 25% [1]. [2] (b) Any two: retailers [1]; wholesalers [1]; telesales. [2] (c) Benefit: a mobile app or site reaches customers abroad without opening shops [1], so the market is larger [1]. Drawback: delivery costs and delays rise with distance [1], and returns are harder to handle [1], which may put off buyers or reduce profit [1]. [5] Examiner insight: Take the benefit and the drawback in turn, and keep both about m-commerce and international customers, not shops in general.

12. (a) Skimming: (30 − 14) × 4,000 = 16 × 4,000 = £64,000 [2]. Penetration: (19 − 14) × 9,000 = 5 × 9,000 = £45,000 [2]. [4] (b) Skimming gives £19,000 more contribution (64,000 − 45,000) in year one [1] and suits a smart product with a USP that early buyers value [1]. But £30 is well above the rival’s £22, so the forecast of 4,000 may be too high if buyers see no extra value [1]. Penetration at £19 undercuts the rival, builds market share and brand image quickly [1], but the profit per unit is low and a later price rise could upset customers [1]. Judgement: choose skimming if the product’s unique features are strong and tested in research; otherwise start lower and raise the price as the brand grows [1]. [6] Examiner insight: Use your part (a) figures in part (b). Stronger recommendations say when the other method would win instead.

Where marks are usually lost

• Giving market share as a decimal or without a percentage sign.
• Writing the definition of a method (such as price skimming) and stopping, when the question asks for analysis.
• Using the wrong category in the Boston Matrix by reading growth before share.
• Calculating mark-up on the selling price instead of on the cost.
• Evaluation answers with no judgement at the end.

Next steps

• Revise with the revision notes and re-read the study guide.
• Tick off the topic on the checklist and visit the course hub.
• Try a free 10-minute diagnostic next.
• Book a free trial class.

Frequently asked questions

Which part of AQA GCSE Business (8132) do these marketing questions cover? Section 3.5 Marketing: identifying and understanding customers, segmentation, market research, and the elements of the marketing mix (price, product, promotion and place).

How do I avoid mistakes with the Boston Matrix? Read market share first and market growth second when classifying a product. Mixing up the two is a common reason for naming the wrong category.

Is cost-plus mark-up calculated on the cost or the selling price? On the cost. Calculate the unit cost first, then add the percentage mark-up of that cost to find the selling price.

How should I write an evaluate answer on pricing or promotion? Weigh both sides using the figures and the business’s situation, such as its budget and target market, then reach a clear judgement. Answers that stop at a list lose marks.

Official syllabus

Source: AQA 8132 GCSE Business specification (first teaching September 2017), section 3.5 Marketing.