What are the four stages in a product life cycle?

• A. Startup, Expansion, Saturation, Exit
• B. Seed, Growth, Plateau, Retirement
• C. Introduction, Expansion, Maturity, End
• D. Introduction, Growth, Maturity/stabilization, Decline

Answer: (D)

The four stages reflect how a product progresses through its market life: Introduction, Growth, Maturity (often called stabilization), and Decline.

In Introduction, the product is launched. Sales are low, costs are high, and the focus is on building awareness and distribution. In Growth, demand rises, sales accelerate, and profits improve as economies of scale and wider distribution kick in. In Maturity or stabilization, sales peak and then level off; the market is usually saturated, competition intensifies, and profits may stabilize or begin to decline unless the product is differentiated or costs are controlled. In Decline, demand falls, sales drop, and profits shrink, leading to decisions about discontinuation, harvesting, or revitalization through changes.

Other options use terms like startup/exit, seed/retirement, or End instead of Decline, which aren’t the standard sequence or terminology for the product life cycle. The sequence with Introduction, Growth, Maturity/stabilization, and Decline is the conventional four-stage model.