Sentrana Identifies Micro-Monopolies in Highly Competitive Markets

Washington, DC, April 11, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Sentrana Inc., a Washington DC-based leader in revenue optimization technology, has found that firms can create monopoly pricing power through optimal marketing efforts, even in highly commoditized markets. Monopoly pricing has typically been thought to occur when a single or a limited set of competitors uniquely offer a specific product or service. Recent research conducted by Sentrana has found monopoly pricing-like effects to occur with multiple competitors offering undifferentiated products, and these effects can be actively managed by deliberative actions taken by a given organization.

The key to creating these monopoly pricing effects and achieving a price premium in the market rests on the seller’s ability to systematically influence different customer segments and set prices that are optimal for the influenced segment rather than for the entire market. The customer segments that are swayed by the seller’s marketing efforts define the portion of the market in which the seller achieves a “micro-monopoly”, and it can therefore charge a price premium over its competitors in these segments. Individual sellers are therefore able to maintain pricing power for their particular combination of goods and services, due to the fact that customer segments vary widely in willingness to pay a premium for an item paired with service related value, such as expedited shipping, free returns, or extended warranty, compared with customer segments interested in paying less for the bare minimum in service. Each seller’s profitability remains intact even within a fairly transparent market if they target the needs of specific customer segments.

Even in markets characterized by heavy commoditization, Sentrana has identified the existence of many micro-monopolies, where multiple firms can profitably coexist with undifferentiated products offered at different prices. “Each firm need not seek the lowest price in the market to maximize its profits – but rather should seek the price-point that corresponds to that firm’s micro-monopoly position,” explains Sentrana CEO, Syeed Mansur. The latest generation of Sentrana’s price modeling and holistic optimization adjusts marketing mix in order to maximize each seller’s micro-monopoly position, and pinpoints the prices that exploit this micro-monopoly position to maximize revenue and profits. Mr. Mansur continues, “Our hope is that the recognition of such micro-monopolies allows multiple firms to individually achieve a competitive advantage with undifferentiated products as long as the firm is able to pinpoint the right prices and continuously maintain these right prices as the micro-monopoly landscape continuously changes.”

These price optimization techniques will be made available in the forthcoming release of Sentrana’s flagship revenue optimization system, MarketMover™ Ver.4.0.

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Sentrana Inc., based in Washington, DC, is a leader in providing revenue optimization solutions in highly competitive B2B & B2C markets. We provide end-to-end revenue optimization solutions by combining advanced quantitative methodologies with qualitative managerial inputs into our patented MarketMover™ platform. Our technology facilitates optimization of the marketing decisions at the individual transaction level that drive financial performance, allowing organizations to actively shape their demand environments. Our solutions enable our clients to make better pricing decisions, increase profitability, and unify disparate business units under a single revenue strategy.