Question

Assume a marketing company has several shipping options available for shipping a large amount of product from its plant in California to customers in Mexico. Which of the following modes of transportation is MOST LIKELY to offer the lowest transportation cost in terms of tons-per-mile shipped?

	railroad
	water
	air
	truck

Ensuring products are available when a customer wants to make a purchase requires an efficient ordering and inventory management system. This system is comprised of each of the following EXCEPT:

	understanding customers' needs through such methods as customer relationship management systems
	having products advertised and promoted in a way that appeal to customers receiving the shipment
	methods for predicting future customer purchase behavior
	ensuring the proper actions and skills are in place to prepare the product for movement from the marketer to its customers

Manufacturers’ representatives are a type of wholesaler that simultaneously represents several non-competing suppliers.

	True
	False

The intermodal method of product delivery by which truck trailers are loaded onto railroad cars without the need to unload the trailer is called:

	piggybacking
	modular servicing
	RFID
	title transfer

Answer 1

1. Truck

Although the sea route is always the cheapest and the most cost-effective mode of shipment, in this case, there is land route available directly, which will be the most cost-effective. The sea route would take up extra costs of transferring to and from the ports.

2. Having products advertised and promoted in a way that appeals to customers receiving the shipment

3. True

A manufacturers' representative, also known as independent sales representatives or sales agent, is an individual, sales agency or company that sells a manufacturer's products to wholesale and retail customers. Manufacturer representatives generally represent more than one manufacturer. One of the reasons they can represent more than one manufacturer is the products are related or complementary, but not competing.

4. Piggybacking

Piggyback transportation refers to the transportation of goods where one transportation unit is carried on the back of something else. It is a specialised form of intermodal transportation and combined transport.