Prize Draw as a Method of Sales Promotion in the Trading Company Merkur, d.d.

Sales success today is not a coincidence. In today's market conditions, customers expect and demand quality in the sale of goods and services. The objectives of the diploma thesis are to understand the methods of sales promotion in the trading company Merkur, d. d., to determine to what extent customers are motivated to purchase due to prize draws, to determine whether prize draws are decisive when customers choose between different retail providers, to determine what customers' opinions are about prize draws, and to what extent the number of visitors to the Merkur Bohova shopping centre increased during the prize draw period. The diploma thesis has nine chapters.

Problem

Sales success today is not a coincidence. In today's market conditions, customers expect and demand quality in the sale of goods and services. Customers are more informed and cautious when reaching into their wallets.

Companies selling goods and services face increasing competition, so they must invest their efforts in finding new possibilities and ideas to retain existing customers and attract new ones. More and more companies are using marketing communication tools, from advertising, personal selling, publicity to sales promotion. Sales promotion is one of the marketing communication tools that enables direct communication with consumers, sales staff and intermediaries.

Sales promotion is becoming increasingly relevant in today's times, as we encounter various prize draws, free distribution of samples, tastings and similar activities on a daily basis. The diploma thesis addresses prize draws as a method of sales promotion in the trading company Merkur, d. d.

Results

The objectives of the diploma thesis are to understand the methods of sales promotion in the trading company Merkur, d. d., to determine to what extent customers are motivated to purchase due to prize draws, to determine whether prize draws are decisive when customers choose between different retail providers, to determine what customers' opinions are about prize draws, and to what extent the number of visitors to the Merkur Bohova shopping centre increased during the prize draw period. The diploma thesis has nine chapters. The introductory chapter includes the definition of the topic addressed, the purpose, objectives and assumptions, as well as limitations and a description of the research method used in the empirical part of the diploma thesis.

The second chapter presents the company Merkur, d. d., as well as the importance and methods of promotion in this company. The third chapter provides a theoretical definition of sales promotion, sales promotion tools, advantages and disadvantages, and the objectives of sales promotion. The fourth chapter theoretically addresses prize draws, types of prize draws, planning and rules for organising prize draws.

The fifth and sixth chapters describe research into a specific prize draw that took place in the trading company Merkur, d. d., and the attendance at the Merkur Bohova shopping centre during the prize draw period. The seventh chapter is also of an empirical type, as it investigated customers' opinions about the prize draw based on a questionnaire. The eighth and ninth chapters contain recommendations to the company's management and concluding thoughts.