In offering a product line, companies normally develop a basic platform and modules that can be
added to meet different customer requirements and lower production costs. Car manufacturers
build cars around a basic platform.Homebuilders show a model home to which buyers can add additional
features. Product line managers need to know the sales and profits of each item in their line
to determine which items to build, maintain, harvest, or divest.28 They also need to understand
each product line’s market profile.