Demographics and Demographic Trends There are various demographics that impact businesses. These are the many traits that can dictate consumers' purchasing or product preferences. Companies identify their core customers through these various traits. They then target consumers with similar characteristics in their promotions and advertising. Targeting customers with similar demographic traits helps maximize a company's sales and profits. Despite the growth of the overall population, accessibility to skilled labor is in fact drying up, not only in advanced countries, but also in developing ones (Raducha, 2010). Policies, laws, regulations Regulations can be perceived as objects of implementation of political declarations. General regulation includes controls on market entry, on wages, on prices, on the effects of pollution, on development permits, on the employment of certain people in certain sectors, on services and military forces, and on the standard of production for goods. specific (Holt, 2014). The economics of imposing or removing regulations involving marketing is analyzed in regulatory economics. Regulations can generate costs along with benefits and can generate unexpected reactive effects, such as defensive practices. Effective regulations can be analyzed as those in which the total benefits exceed the total costs. Whether a business is large or small, the law requires it to take reasonable steps to curb discrimination and harassment. In small businesses where the owner has a direct link to staff, a written policy is sometimes not necessary and a clear statement of your expectations for conduct at work may be sufficient. You also need to have a procedure in place to deal with any complaints. Competitors, Profitability and Market Share Market share is an important indicator of market competitiveness. This implies how well a company is performing beyond its competitors. This metric, strengthened by alterations in sales revenue, allows managers to evaluate both selective and primary demand in their market. This means that it helps them evaluate not only the growth or decline of the entire market, but also trends in consumer choices compared to competitors. In general, sales growth achieved from primary demand is not as expensive and more profitable than that achieved by taking share from competitors. On the other hand, market share losses can indicate dire long-term problems that require tactical adjustments. Companies with market shares below certain heights may not be practical. Similarly, within a company's product line, market share tilts for certain products are seen as early signs of potential problem opportunities (Brelsford, 2014). A perfect example of a competitive market in which there are different consumers and suppliers is that of online bookstores..