“Google and Mozilla Announce New Privacy Features”
Google and Mozilla are now giving internet users the power to surf the web anonymously. This is an example of marketers taking in consideration of the Macroenviornmental factors affecting their businesses. These companies have identified a social trend of privacy concerns and have taken the steps to satisfy this need for privacy. More specifically, they target the Safety needs of consumers on the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The new privacy features enables internet users to protect their identities from being unknowingly or inappropriately used by third parties.
Indeed, this fear of unknown third party groups would be able to allure internet users to switch to using their browsers, which would not cost the internet users anything at all, other than several minutes to install the program. Furthermore, as both companies are well-known reputable brands, each would be part of a consumer’s evoked set of alternatives, making the chances of switching more likely.
However, the effectiveness of this feature in attracting customers would depend on the Consumer Decision Rules. How would consumers weigh the various characteristics of a browser? Assuming that Mozilla and Google has previously engaged researches to find that the majority of customers find privacy as a priority, then their privacy feature would be a major feature. In my opinion, the speed of the browser would weigh heavily in my Compensatory Purchasing Model for choosing a browser. It would result in a heavy toll if their weight models were distorted. If Mozilla and Firefox sacrificed speed for privacy, and in fact consumers weigh speed as a priority, then they will lose their customers’ loyalty as well as encourage undesirable consumer behavior. When negative information is spread on forums, the information generally spreads like wild fire, surpassing the celerity of word of mouth.
Therefore, Mozilla and Google must take into account a variety of factors such as the needs of consumers and their compensatory purchasing model before marketing their privacy feature.
