After reading this blog about the future of distribution, I gained more insight towards why distribution will be more critical for the future in marketing.
Firstly, I think it is essential for sellers to provide goods which they are able to afford. However, sellers should also consider what are consumer’s needs and preferences. Although they cannot provide all goods available on the market, I think consumers should have the choice to choose a variety of products. In order for retailers and manufactures to cost effectively distribute goods to stores, they should consider whether they want to purchase goods in a large quality or a small quality. If they want to purchase goods in a large quantity, a shorter channel can help them save money.
Secondly, I think that consumers should have more right to their choice of products. Nowadays, “consumer wireless use is happening in public places like coffee shops, airports or other public spaces. Wireless sellers negotiate contracts with the spaces and consumers by default are required to use that pre-selected service provide”. Therefore, consumers should have the right to have a variety of services provided not just limted by sellers.
Thirdly, I agree exclusivity does put pressure on dynamics of distribution. However, it has its advantages such as if you have exclusive distribution rights then retailers can charge whatever they want. They have no competitive pressures that would set the price at its real value to customers.
After reading this blog, I gained more insight about how and what “facebook” deal offers to customers and companies.
I believe facebook can effectively turn loyal customers into advocates since business owners can offer customers discounts if they check in into their stores. I never tried using this function but I would really like to try and use facebook deals now. It can also reach out to a broad range of social network which is very cost effective. This is because companies can save money in marketing their products on media because loyal customers can now promote their brand to their social network through the use of their iphone.
Firstly, I believe facebook deal offers sound promotional discounts and marketing effectiveness with extensive social networking which is really reliable.
Secondly, this deal is high in demand since most people have iphones and mobile phones so it can stimulate a high response. It is flexible since customers can just whip out their phones and flash the deal on the screen to gain special offers.
Thirdly, it seems to understand customer and business owner’s needs and wants.
However, there seems to be a potential problem for staff to understand how facebook deal functions especially when a customer tells the staff he or she has won a discount. This shows that firms need to train their staff in order for staff to provide assurance for customers.
After reading about this blog, I agree the future of online marketing is growing rapidly beyond our comprehension. In order for marketers to gain competitive advantage, they should adopt content marketing. I believe in order for this to succeed, marketers need to do a key word search and find out what popular key words people are looking for in their social network. Also this content strategy needs to have value for people so that people will have positive word of mouth for the content and pass it along to more subscribers. Then, marketers can use data mining to optimize content strategy in order to gain competitive advantage.
Secondly, I believe in order for marketers to make the best use of content strategy. Marketers should really know who their customers are and consider who is their target market , what are their customers’ goals and values and what key words do they associate with about products and services.
Thirdly, marketers should consider how to utilize resources to succeed such as they content to match customers preferences and attract customers by advertising campaigns. Also, marketers should consider the processes such as what is the current content creation and promotion process their competitors are using to gain competitive advantage.
After reading Jlam’s blog about whether the spring 2010 Calvin Klein’s underwear campaign is effective or not. I believe it is effective especially to the male consumers. Many male consumers quest for attractiveness and sexual appeal towards the opposite sex. Calvin Klein is able to understand male consumer’s need to be self confident at all times. Although the advertisement controversial to many people, I believe that advertisement can indeed attract many male consumers to buy their underwear products.
However, marketers also need to consider which stage of the product is in. I believe the underwear product is under the growth product life cycle because it has attracted many consumers to buy their products and therefore the sales volume is rising. Also most of the consumers will buy the new product underwear when it first comes out to stores. Also profits are rapidly rising.
Although, it seems like Calvin Klein effective marketing campaign online is effective, it does face competition. If Calvin Klein rise it’s price, customers will be sensitive to small price changes, and the product will be highly elastic. If, for instance it does raise it prices, many consumers can switch to other brand
After looking up the sites shayan suggested readers to do, I believe Maybach has a strong brand equity. The reasons I came up with to support my statement are the following:
Firstly, it has strong exposure to the name brand. It tried promoting it’s brand name by creating music lyrics for Maybach (Rick Ross “Maybach Music” (featuring Jay-Z).
Secondly, it has high perceived value. Maybach is a car made by Mercedes and Mclaren. Both of these German brands have come up with this ultimate luxury vehicle.
Thirdly, it has strong brand association. It has a distinct brand personality which appeals to both male and female who are middle aged and have an above average income. Also the cars are shiny and attractive. Try driving Maybach, all eyes will be on you.
Last but not least, it has a strong brand loyalty. It has a strong Customer Relationship Management with customers “Every customer is assigned a relationship manager for after sales services. Everything related to your car is taken care by this management team and you do not have to put any effort in to maintaining your car as long as you have the money to buy it in the first place.”
After reading a blog post from Isabella in my class, I was really interested to discover why would like she said Gap choose to “create a brand with loyal customers and fix something that isn’t broken”
When I first read it I also think it was unreasonable and not a wise decision for Gap to create a long which is not outstanding and I understand what Isabella thinks because I agree with her that blue and white simple logo can just to fit into my evoked set when I walk into a shopping mall.
However, I realized that sometimes when firms like Gap recreate a new logo it might be trying to aim for a change so customers won’t get bored looking at the same logs every time. I must admit sometimes I wonder when will Macdonald’s change their traditional M shaped red and yellow log. I sometimes think it would be more attractive to see a new logo. It is just like people like variety they don’t like to eat the same food over and over again.
In conclusion, I believe Gap is trying to have a change for the logo so loyal customers will be curious why they change it , this can indirectly get new potential customers to seek out for the new Gap logo and perhaps pay more attention to it.
I would like to comment on Jean Philippe Audet’s post. He says that he was determined to buy the jacket which he fell in love with it and this shows it was a specialty product he has a strong preference for it.
I find it interesting that a company like H& M like what Jean said does not remember seeing the firm advertising themselves on TV. Yet H&M is able to attract customers like Jean willing to spend a significant amount of money on their products. How did they achieve this kind of customer loyalty from a customer like Jean? I always thought in order for products to gain customer loyalty it must advertise products more often in order to make that product to become the evoked set for consumers.
The post from Jean gave me a new insight that firms who are successful in attracting customers does not necessarily need to promote their products vigorously. It can help but the main success factor will be like what Jean said the marketing mix variable which is product and price. Jean perceived it to be cheap and trendy. H&M is able to create value for customers by ensuring them their product is perceived as high fashion industry and it is worth the money , and time and effort in exchange for their desirable products.
After watching this focus group interview for Iphone, I found out that it has many advantages .
One of the advantages is it provides new ideas for the improvement for existing products. For example, the moderator asked about “ what would your ideal iphone be like if you could create one?”
Secondly , it identifies the product-performance requirements of the end-user and other needs
that are not being met by one’s competitors or one’s own company . For example: “why did you
buy an Iphone and did you like it if you did not buy one why not?”.
I also found out that in order to conduct a focus group it has to follow these seven steps
Conducting a Focus Group
The seven basic steps for conducting a focus group are:
1. Determine research objectives
2. Develop a discussion format and questions
3. Select and screen participants
4. Choose an experienced moderator
5. Convene the focus group meeting
6. Collect and analyze data
7. Make a presentation
Although there are many advantages for focus group it also has disadvantages such as:
• Structuring a random sample is a complicated task. The responses of the participants in the interview are likely to vary from different participants and non-response can be a serious problem.
• Focus groups are generally costlier. .
• Skilled moderators are difficult to find, and when their services are available, they are often expensive.
Stage 1.: Problem recognition:
I wanted to buy a fuel efficient and stylish car because I am so tired of taking the bus ever day. It is just way too time consuming. Saving time is my priority which stimulated my recognition that I need a car as soon as possible. I want a fuel efficient car which can satisfy my functional need. At the same time I want a stylish car which can satisfy my personal gratification which is my psychological need.
Stage 2: Information Search:
My first approach was the internal search for information . I really like the Toyota matrix because it is a small car, yet stylish and the price is reasonable.
My second approach was the external search for information. I talked to my dad who is a car enthusiast and he knows almost everything about cars. He told me that I should get a mini cooper because it is a head turner, peppy and it handles very well. The price is more expensive than a Matrix but he is willing to buy it for me which is great so I don’t have to work for that money.
Stage 3: Alternative Evaluation:
I know that not every car manufacturer (universal set: includes all possible choices for a product category) can make a fuel efficient and stylish car. I recall that these cars are only available on certain makes such as the ( retrieval set: those brands that I can readily bring forth to memory) Toyota Matrix, Mini Cooper, Nissan Sentra , Honda Civic and Mazda 3. However, I want a stylish small car so only Toyota and Mini cooper are the only models in my evoked set which is alternative brands I would consider when making a purchase decision.
I also made a compensatory purchasing model for buying the car
Reliability style price Fuel efficiency Overall score
Importance weight 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.4 1
Toyota/Matrix 7 6 8 7 6.9
Mini cooper 5 9 7 7 7.4
Nissan/Sentra 6 2 8 8 6.0
Based on the compensatory decision rule mini cooper has the highest score so I chose mini cooper
Stage 4: purchase and consumption
I purchased the mini cooper and put it to test. It is really fuel efficient and attractive. All my friends want to get one too.
Stage 5: Post purchase
As expected, I am really satisfied with the car I bought because Mini Cooper provides me with great warranties and detailed operating instructions and demonstration. Also the dealer as well as the manufacturer encourage me to give feedback which shows they value their customers. The most outstanding thing is the dealer maintains contact with me by thanking me for the business and offering assistance should I need it. I am truly a loyal customer to the Mini Cooper because of the wonderful buying experience and the post sales service.
At first I never considered buying an apple ipad, but after watching this video I really want to buy one now. I think that this video really advertises ipad really well.
I think one of the reasons is because the company understands what we as consumers needs and wants. For instance, I always wanted to just lie down on the sofa and type up my homework. Now that ipad has a keyboard which slides up on the screen I can save so much energy and relax. This shows the marketers truly knows how to ensure postpurchase customer satisfaction. The video shows exactly how the keyboard slides up and how to use the product correctly. It emphasizes we as consumers don’t have to change the product to fix ourselves because it fits us. Yes it fits me whatever I wish it to me just like lying down and typing on a nearly full sized virtual keyboard. I as a potential purchaser of the ipad will definitely be a loyal customer for apple ipad. Way to go apple ipad!.
