Which of the following is not a standard stage in the Product Life Cycle?

• A. Introduction
• B. Growth
• C. Maturity
• D. Expansion

Answer: (D)

Product Life Cycle describes how a product’s sales typically move through a sequence of stages as it enters the market, grows, matures, and eventually declines. The standard stages are Introduction, Growth, Maturity, and Decline. Expansion is not part of that sequence; it refers to broadening markets or adding features as a business activity, not a single stage of the product’s lifecycle. So expansion doesn’t fit as a standard stage.