Cash cows typically bring in far more money than is needed to maintain their market share. In this declining stage of their life cycle, these products are “milked” for cash that will be invested in new question marks. Expenses such as advertising and R&D are reduced. Panasonic’s video cassette recorders (VCRs) moved to this category when sales declined and DVD player/recorders replaced them. Question marks unable to obtain dominant market share (and thus become stars) by the time the industry growth rate inevitably slows become dogs.