In his article “the secret you competitor do not want me to tell you”, he give a suggestion that haw a company to keep their competitive advantage in the long run. The answer of the “secret” is to improve yourself all the time, no matter how successful you are now.
I agree with him. Today, companies that are successful keep change themselves every day. By this I mean that not only the improvement of the products but also every thing that are related to company. For example, Coco cola does not only change their offerings, but also the way of distribution, the efficiency of production procedure. The focus of those elements also can keep their competitors away from them.
Recently, there are some companies try to copy the ideas of successful products form other companies. Even through those companies can make the similar products, they still can not be successful. For instance, the company may spend lots more than others to purchase input of the products. The distribution is not effective enough compare with others. They waste too much time on transferring. Maybe for the same retailer, those companies are still on the way of transferring, but their competitors products have already on the store’s shelf.
So, to improve your company all the time is the best way to avoid competition.
In Natalie’s blog, Natalie talks about one of the most popular over ear headphone- Beats. Natalie lists some reasons that why Beat are such successful. The design is really important; however, the promotion is really contributed to its success.
Actually, the company is not that famous at making headphone compare with its current customers such as, Beyerdynamic, or Sennheiser. The quality of the sounds of Monster Beats is lower than these companies. However, its’ market share in this industry is increasingly high. One reason of the product can be widespread known is the company finds a great partner which is Apple. The growing speed of Apple has been brought lots of opportunities to some other companies. Apple is the retailer of the Monster Beats. People who are interested in purchasing ipod or iphone may be considering owning a Monster Beats Headphone. Monster Beats is provided to each Apple store as an equipment to connect with ipod or iphone. When customers try Apple’s products they will use Monster Beats to listen to music, which builds a platform of trying the headphone to customers. If Monster Beats did not do this, there would be less customers are interesting in trying it.
Moreover, we have never seen any ads on TV or magazines of the Monster Beats. However, it uses the most effective way to attract customers’ attention to notice it in a shortest time period. It has been used by lots of famous actors, singers, and athletes. For example, Eminem, Soulja Boy, LeBron, Henry and Kobe.
Zhanglu talks about the influences of the earthquake to the supply chain in Japan. Due to the shock of the Japan’s economy, many companies consider to change their strategy. It brings me some idea that. Through there are lots companies have a shortage in their supply chain so that they have to consider to change their suppliers, there may be lots of companies to changes their strategies to target the marketing in Japan after the earthquake.
First, there are lots of potential customers in Japan. It will not take too long the cities that were damaged by the earthquake will start to rebuild. Survivors will return to their cities to start their new lives. At the same time, the demand of necessities will increase dramatically, the market at that time will extremely easy to target. Most of the targeting strategies will turn to low price of the relatively good quality. Also, some companies can focus on building the public relations. They may build a good image via organizing events of charity.
However, the company who provide premium products may lose some potential customers. People have no temper to consider individual status.
My favorite is to talk to my friend because conversions are greatest way to increase the friendship between, but also I can learn lots of knowledge and experiences from them. One of them is working in company’s marketing department that located downtown.
The greatest thing is to talk about their working experiences with them. I think it is a challenge that people from a totally different culture to work with people who have the American culture background, especially for marketing people. They told me that sometimes it is hard for them to communicate with people in their company. By this they mean that they have enough English speaking skill to talk about their working with others; however, when people chat with others during the breaking they just keep in silent. They do not know how to join the conversion, which makes them are looked like not in the community. Even, people think that they do not like talk to people, or not outgoing.
I know that those are not their false because they live here, but they are not adapting into the local culture.
From the conversation with my friends, I learn that it is important to trade my self as local instead of intentional student. I should learn more about the local culture, which contribute to my future. There are several suggestions from them I think that I need to improve. I need to spent more time to read the local news paper and TV shows to know what is going on around me so that when people talk to me I know to say. Moreover, I should make more friends to increase more chances to ‘touch’ the local culture. Also, I should spend more time to join more clubs and community social activities.
Thinking in English is the most important suggestion that I got from my roommates. Due the big difference of the culture background, people usually have totally different ways to see or thinking the same subject.
Those are all I learn from my friends, their suggestions enrich my experience before I go to working.
Recently, Ipad 2 was introduced that to continue to attract new and old customers to purchase. The success of ipad is not a big supersize because of the product of Apple which has a strong brand image. The competitor in the market has seen the ipad have its own customer segment, and it is substantial. Due to the success of Apple Company that creates a complete new market; other company also want to share the market. One of those company actually showed its action is Samsung. At the end of 2010 Samsung introduced its new product, Galaxy Table P1000.
Samsung done it research before it design the new product, which is to define the customers segment, determine if the segment is attractive. Actually, this process is very straightforward. The identifiable, substantial, reachable, responsive, and profitable was shown by ipad. Samsung focused on making a different segment from ipad. Samsung targeted on the product related segment which is add some more benefit on its product. Generally speaking, the biggest different between Ipad and P1000 is that P1000 is a combination of the phone and PC, which provide more benefit to people who have a Ipad , but they cannot make a phone call. However, the biggest challenge to P1000 is that the controlling feature and if it provide enough applications as Ipad did.
The widespread use of Facebook created a greatly unique platform for advertising, I believe there are some companies that are really want spent money this. Most of people in the young generation (not only them) own their home pages on the Facebook. Those people may not watch TV, read newspaper, or listen to radio for whole day, but they must to check their Facebook.
This is the reason that why there is a great chance for adverting. Especially, some companies’ main customers come from young generation will get lots of benefit from Facebook while, what benefits Facebook can gain? Of course, it is money. However, if I was a manager of the Facebook, I will think about some benefit from long run. Offering coupons is one way that Facebook tries to use help them to build a good relationship with retailers, such as Gap, because I believe in future Facebook will produce some products that relate to retailers’ markets. For example, Facebook may ask Gap to put its logo or some meaningful designs that are related to the Facebook on the clothing, so that can fulfill the ‘win-win’ strategy.
Nowadays, due to widespread use of smart phone the market share for Cell Phone Company has been changed dramatically; the most popular smart phones in North America are Iphone and Blackberry. Even though in the worldwide Nokia has the greatest market share, it seems that there is a less contribution from North America.
However, Sony Ericsson wants to join the competition to increase the market share in North America. Due to the success of PSP, the company wants to add the features from PSP to their phone product which is Xperia Play.
It just looks like PSP go, but it is a Cell phone the only different between PSP go and Xperisa Play is the phone call feature, which is similar to the different between Iphone and Itouch. PSP is so popular in North America; nevertheless, I do not think this new product will be successful for the following reasons.
It seems that the Sony Company wants to copy the success of Iphone. However, there is a big different that their positions. For the Iphone, the first feature is it can make a Phone call, and then there are lots applications to make this product more capable. As can be seen from the picture, the Xperia Play is just a new version of PSP go except the phone call feature.
The reason of PSP’s success is that it really provides an excellent entertaining experience, but Xperia Play decreases its competitive advantage. The reaction is really slow when you play a game on the Xperia Play, and the battery only provides a short period of working. The position of this product is that it can play games first; then, it also can make a phone call. If people can not get the entertaining experience that they are looking for, the product will not be success.
As someone say, he prefer to have a PSP and a cell phone rather than Xperia Play.
Today, Starbucks is the most successful and famous coffee store in China. An increasing high number of people like to have a cup of coffee at the beginning of a day. The social trend and the amazing number of population illustrate a profitable target market. The widespread communication between different cultures has been contributed to the Starbucks’ success in China. However, the target market seems to be undifferentiated because there are not lots competitors in China.
when Starbucks came to China, the first stores were located in Beijing and Tianjin, the above is the store in Tianjin.
Starbucks is the first brand enters into Chinese market as a coffee store. Even through Chinese market is the second profitable markets to Starbucks, there are lots of potential risks. The less stress from the competitors causes the less attention on the company developing strategy. The only strategy I can see is that Starbucks try to establish its stores as any as possible. I do not mean that this is not right; I think that Starbucks also needs to pay some attention to other strategies such as customer service. It seems that the service of Starbucks in China is not better than others in the similar industry; however, the quality of the service is even under the average. Why? Because of a big company it is.
In China, the less efficiency management has lead to a damage of the brand image that the Starbucks’ most important competitive advantage in North America market, and Starbucks spent lots of effort to establish. Moreover, the inefficiency of management has raised the competition inside of the company. There are several stores that are too close to each others, they compete for the same customers in the same region. ( see the map on the right hand side how stores close to each others) I think that there should be some market protection to each store so that to avoid a loss from inside competition.
Therefore, I believe that Starbucks should be more alter to those potential risks for the long run development in China. Also, the company should be pay attention to the local culture.
The following reading is about that Starbucks raised the indignation of the public in China.
The last in class activity was about designing a research; however, there was an observation that I noticed form the search, which was that it seems that the Safeway is the best brand to choose for customers in my research. For me, I think the second sample is the best choose to purchase. There were several people in my team had the same opinions. In the second part of the activity, the result of our team research showed that most people thought that the second brand which is Safeway had the best taste, and they would to pay more for it.
I was thinking that why the products of retail store are so competitive compare with the companies who produce products in their specific domains. Probably, the answer for this is Safeway has gained lots of benefit from their in store researches. First, they may use the observations to see what products that most people would like (dislike) to purchase, which shows the potential profit. Then, Safeway may do some in-depth interviews or surveys to see more detail which part of products people are mostly like, and which parts the products need to improve. After that, Safeway may get the idea that what the “prefect” products look like. Therefore, the company can easily define their target market, strengths, and opportunities.
We can see how powerful a store could be. They hold all information between products and customers. The company who are closer to customers has a higher chance to be successful. Thus, as can be seen researches play an imperative role in business success.
Last October GAP entered Chinese market. The success of the company has been shown in the past four decades. However, will it be successful in this market as it does in others? Why GAP chose to enter into Chinese market at that time? First, the most of GAP’s products are made in China. GAP spent lots of shipping cost to ship products from China to other countries; however, the company did not do the business in the place where the products are made in. This looks strange. The most concern of starting business in China is the difference of the culture between West countries and East countries. The habit and left style between those countries are totally different; therefore, the idea of fashion may be totally different. However, due to the widespread use of Internet, and the increasing high of the communication that is contributed to trade in China has changed the GAP’S concern during the last decade. Lots of the companies have shown they also can be successful in China. This makes GAP to thinks about entering Chinese market. As can be seen from what GAP has done from the past three month, GAP is still very careful to enter the market. The best word to describe the situation of GAP in China is “exploration” due to the following facts. GAP did open any stores in any cities; the only way to sell their products is the online store. It is a safety way to enter a new market. GAP store its products in the factories that can be either sell inside of China or export to other countries to reduce the risk of loss. I see the setting of the price is very appropriate. However, GAP did not do very well on Promotion part; I cannot see any ads on communication between the company and people. How people know your products without doing this part? Only depend on what Mark Zuckerberg wears in the movie of Social network? So, it is better for GAP to focus on this “P”.
