Marketing to subsistence consumers: Lessons from practice

Over 4 billion people live in what is commonly referred to as the "bottom of the pyramid" or as subsistence marketplaces These individuals and families live in substandard housing, with limited or no access to sanitation, potable water, and health care, have low levels of literacy, and Cain very low incomes Scholars and practitioners alike suggest that the problems existing in subsistence mat ketplaces demand the attention and involvement of responsible businesses and that doing business with consumers in such marketplaces can be both socially responsible and profitable This research explores the strategies and tactics currently being used across commercial and social enterprises engaged in subsistence marketplaces The analysis leads to recommendations about marketing practices currently used by companies and organizations that ale successfully operating in subsistence marketplaces (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc All rights reserved