Why strategy failed to achieve the objective ?

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A veterinary pharmaceutical manufacturer implemented a business strategy to encourage sales by creating a product that could be legally sold over the counter, without the need for a prescription from a veterinarian. The product was a collar for cats intended as a repellent against fleas that, through biting the host animal's epidermis, would die after ingesting some of its blood. Despite the advantage of not having to consult a veterinarian in order to buy one, the collar was not successful commercially.

Which of the following, if true, does the most to explain why the manufacturer's strategy failed to achieve its objective?

A) Although the collar was only to be worn externally, its chemical components, through constant contact with the animal's skin, would be absorbed into the bloodstream, not only killing newly-attached fleas, but also ceasing the reproductive cycle of already present fleas and eggs.

B) It has been proven that pet products with recommendations made by veterinarians printed on their packaging sell far more successfully than those that do not have such recommendations printed on their packaging.

C) The sales of flea collars and other repellents used to maintain pet health are greatly affected by the changes of season, usually very low during the winter and autumn months of the year, rising with the beginning of spring.

D) To be able to sell non-prescription products with active ingredients such as propuxer, the chemical used in anti-pest products, legislation requires that manufacturers limit the presence of the active ingredient.

E) Consultation with a professional veterinarian is always advisable when confronting an issue regarding an animal's health since even someone with a fair amount of medical knowledge may not be aware of illnesses or ailments associated with a specific animal.

OA - D

Why OA shall be right. Experts please help.
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

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by [email protected] » Mon Jul 15, 2013 11:44 am
Hi shailendra.sharma,

In this prompt, the manufacturer is trying to sell a flea collar.

The details:
1) No prescription required
2) Collar repels fleas
3) The collar was NOT successful commercially.

We need an answer that explains WHY it wasn't successful. Now there could be a variety of reasons WHY it wasn't successful, we just need to find the one answer that actually gives us a reason.

A - Doesn't give a reason
B - Makes a comparison to other products; this is outside the Focus
C - Talks about seasonal sales, but doesn't address the lack of commercial success
D - Tells us that the product had a limited amount of the chemical that repels pests (in this case, fleas). This COULD explain the product's lack of success = the collar didn't have enough repellent in it!
E - Consulting with a Vet is irrelevant

Final Answer: D

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