A product life cycle in marketing is the process that a product goes through from when it is first introduced into the market until it is eventually removed from the market. The four main stages of a product life cycle are introduction, growth, maturity, and decline.
The introduction stage is when a product is first introduced into the market. This is typically the most expensive stage for a product, as businesses incur costs for things like market research, product development, and advertising. The goal during this stage is to generate awareness and interest in the product.
The growth stage is when a product starts to become more popular and sales start to increase. This is typically the most profitable stage for a product, as businesses are able to make back the money they spent during the introduction stage and more. Competition may also start to increase during this stage.
The maturity stage is when a product has reached its peak popularity and sales start to level off or decline. This is typically the point at which businesses start to focus on ways to keep customers interested in the product, such as through price discounts or new product features.
The decline stage is when a product is no longer popular and sales have decreased to the point where it is no longer profitable for businesses to continue selling it. This is typically when businesses will stop advertising the product and eventually stop selling it altogether.