4 Uncontrollable Variables in a Marketing Environment

Introduction

In every marketing environment, some forces contribute to or influence a business venture’s success and failure. These forces are known as variables. The variables that control a marketing environment in their different forms are divided into two parts. These two variables are known as Controllable variables and Uncontrollable variables. Controllable variables are things a businessman or producer has total control over.

What is Uncontrollable Variable in a Marketing Environment?

In every marketing system or environment, some things are beyond the powers of a producer. These things have a way of influencing sales, purchase and promotion of goods and services. Uncontrollable variables are those sets of things in a marketing system that the doings of a producer cannot influence. An uncontrollable variable is the exact opposite of a controllable variable in a marketing environment.

Also Read: Customer Trust – Meaning, Importance, and 5 Strategic Ways To Gain It

List of Uncontrollable Variables in a Marketing Environment

Just like the controllable variables in a marketing environment, there are quite several things that affect sales; some of these things are:

1. Political/Economic factors
2. Competitors
3. The consumer wants/needs
4. Weather/Seasons

Political/Economic factor:

The economy of a society greatly affects the successful sales of goods and services provided by a producer. There can be a successful business season if there is a steady circulation of money and no hindrances affecting a nation or state’s mobility of goods and services. A situation where these things are failing or falling, there can be difficulty in sales.

Competitors:

The marketing environment is never run solely. There is always another producer who has always or will always be in a particular line of business. The activities or production rate of another producer or business organization in a marketing environment is one thing that cannot be controlled. Competitors are always on the lookout to discover where a fellow is falling short and try to outsmart but his deeds cannot be controlled.

Consumer wants/needs:

Though a producer can observe and determine where there is a demand for his goods or products and services by consumers and customers, a producer cannot compel a set of consumers to desire his goods, especially when a consumer decides there is no need for it. Producers certainly do not have an influence or total control over what consumers need, except for a show of interest or high demand for a good, product or service.

Weather/Season:

There are seasons when the demand for a particular product or service is high. That is, consumers get to be in need and search of a product. There are seasons when consumers do not need a product, and the services of a producer will not be needed. Though uncontrollable, a weather forecast can be a source of help for a producer.

A forecast can help a producer plan ahead of time and for unexpected issues. The different seasons vary from the weathers to the different festivities in a year and they alone determine whether a producer will be in business. These are certainly not under the control of a producer.

Since there are uncontrollable factors in a marketing environment, it is only wise and expected that a producer or businessman plans ahead of time with different strategies in place that will keep them on the safe side, no matter what challenges the business organization has to face in a coming market season.

If producers are well able to monitor markets and changes in times, seasons, economy, weather and even the strategies taken by competitors in a business line, make adjustments, some of these uncontrollable variables may not take them unawares, especially in a critical market season when so much investments have been made.

A good way of mapping out a strategy considering the uncontrollable variables is to know exactly the condition of the consumers of a particular product or service. This will go a long way in determining whether or not the sales will be massive and if it is at all worth the risks of having these strategies put in place to bypass the obviously unavoidable uncontrollable variables in the market place.

As earlier stated, a marketing environment does not operate solely by one producer. There might be a king in a particular line of business, it is important that businessmen or producers put into consideration the steps taken by the competitors that give them success in their sales or marketing seasons.