What are the challenges to traditional CRM?



The background section presents 2 articles that question loyalty programs and 2 articles that show successful loyalty programs. Once again, imagine that you are consulting for a company. Choose any company (other than a strictly regulated company that may be limited in its ability to create loyalty reward). You have been tasked to write a report. (a) Briefly suggest three reasons why your company should have a loyalty program. (b) Next, identify at least two components of that loyalty program and explain why you are recommending those components. Finally, (c) anticipate at least 2 objections from others in the company who believe loyalty programs are dead. You may agree or disagree with them. For example, you may recommend a certain type of reward for customers who buy a certain amount of your product or service, and then explain why you make thi recommendation. Your answer will be evaluated based on logic and analysis. Rather than present opinion or anecdotes, refer to the background readings to support your position.

==> Demonstrate understanding of CRM

==> Directions followed for the assignment (absolutely critical!)

==>Take a strong position (not "we could have some of each")

==>Logical support for all our points

==>Evidence of use of required references and background materials (necessary for a grade of "B" or higher)

==>Use of APA formatting Guidelines here.

==>Length should be 2 pages words (flexible)

==>Few quotes and absolutely no copying or close paraphrasing from any source without appropriate citation

==>No definitions and no summaries from the text

==>No general statements with "all," "none," "must," "should," "mandatory," and similar terms




Background Readings:


Anonymous, New Rules of Building Customer Loyalty. Inc Magazine. May 20.

http://www.inc.com/guides/201105/new-rules-of-building-customer-loyalty.html

Barnett, M. (2010), How brands can play the loyalty card . Marketing Week. Oct 7 . 28
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=2155889071&sid=6&Fmt=3&clientId=29440&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Cool, K.and and Paranikos, P. (2011) When Every Customer Is A New Customer. Harvard Business Review v 89 (May) 29-31

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=60156206&site=ehost-live

Retrieved from the Internet May 15, 2011.

Mahoney, Sarah (2011) Local Hooks, Positioning Spark Ace Hardware Loyalty . Media Post.

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=144621


Thelen, Mason (2010) Loyalty Programs: A Thing Of The Past? v. 20 (40) Nov 8, p. 13.
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ufh&AN=55441859&site=ehost-live


LOYALTY: How brands can play the loyalty card

Barnett, Michael (2010), How brands can play the loyalty card.. Marketing Week. Oct 7 . 28
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=2155889071&sid=6&Fmt=3&clientId=29440&RQT=309&VName=PQD

Zmuda, Natalie (2011) Retailers on Quest to Rekindle the Personal Touch
of a Bygone Era. Advertising Age (February 14)

http://adage.com/article?article_id=148836

I need one Page on Loyalty Programs

"A profitable customer relationship is not a one-night stand." -- an author of a book on Loyalty Management. .

Note that this statement is not always true. .
(a) When would a business want to develop a relationship with a customer? Give at least one example.

(b) When would a loyalty program be a waste of time? Give at least one example.

Now (very important) explain why you categorized businesses this way. And (for a truly great answer) explain how a business can be profitable without developing relationships with customers.

and a 2nd Page on High Tech VS. Low Tech

Managers today can choose a technological approach to decision-making. For example, when designing new products, they can go to a database and do some data mining. When satisfying customers, they can create a tecnological solution.

For this TD: Present ONE marketing problem and compare a high-tech vs low tech approach to solving it. For instance, you can automate your markeing research - or you can use depth interviews as a low-tech solution. When is each approach appropriate?

Tip: You must use the term "technology" or "information technology" correctly to get an !

SLP2's questions direct you to consider if your organization uses loyalty programs to gain a competitive advantage. As is shown in the background readings, a competitive advantage is something your company or organization is doing that other organizations or companies do not do.

In writing SLP2 begin the paper with the material presented in your SLP1 paper and any revisions you made based on the instructor?s feedback. The modular 2 component of SLP2 should be approximately 2 pages in length and needs to be added to the 2 pages you prepared for SLP1. The modular 2 component of the SLP will be reviewed, and assigned a letter grade. Remember the object of the SLP is to create a complete customer service audit by the end of the course.

Are customer LOYALTY PROGRAMS (including the use of credit as a type of customer loyalty program) at the company you are auditing used to meet the needs or requirements of its (served and/or prospective) target market(s)? If they are used, how are they used? If they are not used, should they be used? If they should be used, explain why they should be used. If they should not be used, explain why they should not be used.

Make sure you use section headings for the following Question/Issue: Write in a succinct, organized, and professional way. DO NOT USE ESSAY FORMAT.

Some of the above information may not be available. If the information is unavailable, make a note that you could not find the missing information and that a more complete audit will need to include that information. The missing information that should be included in a more complete audit will be included in your list of recommendations that you'll make at the end of your audit report. If you believe an issue addressed above does not apply to your organization (for example, there are no competitors) do not leave that issue un-addressed. State that ' The issue is not addressed because, ' then state why it is not addressed.

Please answer the above questions and submit this information by the end of this module. A paper of approximately two pages added to your revised SLP1 is expected.


There are faxes for this order.

Research Proposal OUTLINE

1-Introduction:
Start with Brief background of the Topic.
Why is the Topic of Interest?
What is the Value of the chosen topic?
What are the theoretical and practical justifications for choosing it?

2-Literature Review:
It has to be 3 pages.

3-Problem Definition.
The purpose of the Study and has to be a formal statement not more than 3 Objectives.

4-Research Methodology. (Broken into 3 subheadings)
Type of investigation. (You have to give reason(s) for the classification of the study.
Sampling design. ( if it collected from Secondary sources discuss the kind of data needed)
Data collection method. (if it is secondary data provide references)(How the data are going to be used and what is the nature of analysis might be used).

5-Contribution of the study.

What are the expected contributions of the study?

How do you thing the study can contribute to existing knowledge and help managers, policy maker or academics to improve current work?

6-Bibliography. (Harvard referencing system).
---------------------------------------------------------
See what is relevant to the Topic and Use it from the following Articles and Books for references and literature review part. ( Also, Provide More and Better than these which I could easy access to them OR send me copy of them please)

1-Articles, Journals
Rewards That Reward By Meyer-Warrden, Lars-Benavent, Christophe

Customer Loyalty Programs: Are They Profitable? By Singh, Siddharth S., Jain, Dipak C., Krishnan, Trichy V.

Customer Loyalty that's Built to Last By Boardman, Jon

Tesco Knows Loyalty like no Other By Phillips, Tim

Loyalty Programs Boost Retention, Profits By Steers, Sharon

How Effective Are Loyalty Reward Programs in Driving Share of Wallet? By Wirtz, Jochen; Mattila, Anna S.; Lwin, May Oo

Do Customer Loyalty Programs Really Work? By Grahame R. Dowling, Mark Uncles

The Loyal Effect By Fredrick F. Reichheld, Thomas Teal

Competing Loyalty Programs: Impact of Market Saturation, Market Share,and Category Expandability By Yuping Liu, Rong Yang

2-Books
Scoring Points: How Tesco Continues to Win Customer Loyalty By Humby, Clive

Customer Loyalty Programmes and Clubs By Butscher, Stephan A.

The Future of CRM
Prepare a report describing the future of CRM in great detail, based on the concepts presented throughout this course. Your report must include a title page, table of contents, introduction, conclusions, and references. Your report should include:

1. An evaluation of the impact of social media and utilization of the Internet on CRM.
2. An assessment of a successful customer loyalty program.
3. A critique of future multi-channel methods to connect with customers.
4. An evaluation of the changes in consumer demographics and behaviors along with the resulting impact on customer relationship development.
5. An example and thorough description of a successful customer relationship marketing program.
6. At least one table or graph

search for a company that uses social bonds to create a brand community. Critically analyze the companys loyalty program.

Answer the following questions:

* Whats the nature of the loyalty program that the company has rolled out for its customers?

* Whats your opinion on the appropriateness of the loyalty program in creating social bonds? Do these programs work? Support your answer with rationale.

* Whats your opinion about the effectiveness of the loyalty program in creating a brand community? Do you have a brand that you feel a bond with?

One of the sources needs to be an academic article.

Authentic Assessment (MARKETING CLASS) BOOK WE ARE USING: MANAGING CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS by: DON PAPPERS AND MARTHA ROGERS)

Project Description

Overview

It is an authentic assessment of your ability to apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate, with clarity and exactness, what you have learned during this course, and to demonstrate this ability through effective written communications.

Authentic assessment is a form of assessment in which students are asked to perform real-world tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills. Student performance on a task is typically scored on a rubric to determine how successfully the student has met specific standards.

Directions

You will select an existing business on which to base your project. (ELIZABETH ARDEN DAY SPA)

You will choose a business that does not have a program for managing customer relationships as part of their overall customer service efforts. Your job will be to incorporate customer relationship management in the businesss overall strategy and operations.

Selecting a business for your project (ELIZABETH ARDEN DAY SPA)

The company that you choose does not have to be a large, well-known corporation, but it can be. You might choose the local car maintenance shop that you have been doing business with for years. You might choose a new dry cleaning establishment in your neighborhood. These businesses are often flattered to have been chosen and glad to have some marketing ideas.

You might be surprised to learn that the company goal of the car maintenance shop is to generate enough profits to allow the husband and wife to retire in Florida on a nest egg of $2M. Their marketing strategy might be to get everyone who comes in here to do all of their car maintenance with us for the next twenty years and for each of them to bring in a friend who does the same. This is a marketing strategy even though the owner does not state it in the marketing terms you have learned.

The dry cleaning establishment, on the other hand, might have, as a business goal, to own a chain of four dry cleaning establishments in the county within the next ten years. Their marketing strategy might be to differentiate themselves from their competitors by offering free delivery.

Some students enjoy doing projects where they work. If the business is large, you might scale it down to one department or one function of the business. Just be sure that your work takes into account the business as a whole. Company goals and marketing strategies are sometimes published to employees and found in frames on the walls. If not, ask. You might be surprised what you learn.

If you have done business with a company and noticed that they do not seem to have a strategy for managing customer relationships, you might target that business. You will need to do a little research to determine whether or not this is a good candidate. You should be able to find what you need on the internet. You will not learn their secret strategies. However, you will learn enough to formulate your opinion as to their company goals and marketing strategies. This will be sufficient for the purposes of this project.

The company/business/firm selection is an important first task. You might reject more than a few choices before you settle on the one you want to use. Your colleagues and your instructor can help you during this process.

You will be provided with directions, but not leading questions. This means you will need to employ high-level cognitive skills in order to successfully complete this project. This assignment serves seven important learning objectives and assesses your ability to:

1. Incorporate the role of managing customer relationships within the companys overall business goals and marketing strategy.

2. Apply metrics to measure the success of customer relationship management efforts.

3. Differentiate customers by loyalty segments.

4. Evaluate technology-related tools (CRM) that will support various customer relationship management programs and goals.

5. Design customer loyalty strategies and programs.

6. Design customer service policies and strategies.

7. Demonstrate critical thinking and written communications.

Project Requirements

1. Current Situation

A. Identify your company and provide the companys stated overall goals and marketing strategy. If the company does not have a published statement of goals and strategies, state what you believe them to be based on what you have learned and observed about the company.

B. Provide a thorough description of the companys current customer service. Use the IDIC Model for managing customer relationships as your framework. Include the organizations and processes that are in place to accomplish the IDIC (Identify, Differentiate, Interact, and Customize) tasks. Comment on the strengths and weaknesses of the current processes. Include your assessment of the impact to the company goals and marketing strategies of the way the company serves its customers. For example, if the goal is to increase share of customer, does the customer service process include a way to collect information about the customers potential need for additional services?

Do not provide a comprehensive description of the company. Only include the information required to satisfy the task at hand.

2. Re-design the customer service policies and strategies.

Provide a newly designed customer service program based on the principles of the IDIC model. Your design decisions should correspond to the assessment that you performed in #1 above. You can recommend small or sweeping changes. Sometimes one small, very insightful change can make a dramatic difference in the service a company provides. The changes could be organization, process, training or other. It should support the companys goals and marketing strategy. You should explain what principles of IDIC you are satisfying with your recommendations. For example, if you decide the sales force should have access to customer complaint information, you are basing your decision on the Interact building block and the principle of integrating across touchpoints.

3. Design customer loyalty strategies and programs.

Propose a customer loyalty strategy and create a customer loyalty program or programs. Incorporate the strategy and program(s) in the companys overall goals and marketing strategy. Those requirements and how they are to be met should be stated. Be very detailed in your descriptions. The program does not need to be extensive or complex, but it should meet the requirements of effective loyalty programs. If you have chosen a small, simply organized business, for example, you should be able to recommend at least three loyalty programs. Your recommendation would lack academic rigor if your only suggestion is that the business provide the customer with a card to be punched each time a purchase was made and the tenth purchase would be free. If, however, your recommendation involves creating a database generating real-time customer analytics used by multiple channels, one loyalty program, well worth the expense, would suffice.

4. Include differentiation of customers by loyalty segments in your customer service and loyalty program designs.

As part of your customer service policies and strategies design (#2 above) and your customer loyalty strategies and programs design (#3 above), classify your companys customers according to customer loyalty differentiation categories. Include those classifications in your designs.

5. Evaluate technology-related tools (CRM) that could support your customer service and loyalty programs.

Very clearly state the tasks you want the technology to perform for you. Identify the criteria against which you will appraise (benefits, costs, features). Identify at least three CRM systems as potential candidates. Describe the purpose of each of the software and anaytical tools. Decide which would best support your programs. Early on in the appraisal process, it may be clear that one or two of the three systems is not a match for the needs of your business. In this case, your comparison can stop at the point where you have eliminated the system/s that does not meet your requirements. Complete the evaluation by showing how the remaining system meets all of your stated requirements.

6. Apply metrics that will measure the success of your customer service and loyalty programs.

Exhibit the metrics commonly used to show the value of customer service and loyalty programs. Illustrate how they would be used to measure the success of your particular programs. For example, if you recommend implementing a customer service training program, the goal of which is to prevent customers from leaving and taking their business elsewhere, show how many customers you predict you will save and what the saved revenue impact is for your program. Show the cost of the program. Determine the breakeven point. Select at least three sets of metrics to apply to demonstrate the value of your recommendations.

Submission Requirements

1. Academic style

This is a formal academic written assignment. As such, it should comply with MLA, APA, or other style guide. MLA is the style most frequently used in business and APA is the style most frequently used in graduate programs. You can decide which style you prefer to use, but you must consistently apply one style throughout your paper.

2. Length requirements

There is no minimum or maximum length requirement. However, a good goal should be ten pages of text excluding title page, table of contents, bibliography, and any exhibits you wish to include. If you are adequately analyzing the case and designing the improvements, reaching ten pages should be relatively easy to accomplish. If you are having trouble reaching ten pages, it might be an indication that you do not have sufficient depth to your analysis or specifics in your design. If your analysis greatly exceeds ten pages, be sure to edit carefully. One way to reduce length and, perhaps, make your paper more readable is to include exhibits. For example, you can perform your CRM tools evaluation and include it as an exhibit. You can reference the exhibit in your paper and state which one is most appropriate and why. Or, you could create a flow chart to depict the details of your processes and discuss them at a higher level in the body of your paper. The same would be true for your SWOT analysis of current customer service practices.

3. Word Processing Requirements

Please prepare your paper using any word processing software. Save it as: .doc, .docx, or .rtf format for submission. Double-space the main text. Use your own discretion for your exhibits. Use 12 point font and margins of one inch on all sides of the paper. Double-space throughout the paper. Follow style guidelines for setting long quotations, etc.

4. Submission Requirements

Upload your case study into your assignment folder by midnight of the due date listed in the course schedule. Inasmuch as this case study simulates a real work experience with real deadlines, late submissions will be subject to significant late penalties.

5. Grading

Your course project will be graded using the attached rubric. There are two grading sheets that parallel the rubric. You will receive a student self-assessment sheet to submit with your paper. This will provide you with the opportunity to apply the grading rubrics you deem appropriate. You will also receive a grading sheet from your instructor to help you identify how your grade was determined.



Student Aids

Project Conference Area

The Project Conference Area will contain documents, project due dates, and Q&A. Students can assist one another. This is a good place to test ideas and ask opinions. Questions for the instructor should be posted here and not through e mail.

UMUC Resources

UMUC provides excellent resources for students to use while writing research papers. UMUCs Library and Information Services can help you with your research http://www.umuc.edu/library and UMUCs Effective Writing Center can help you with your writing http://www.umuc.edu/writingcenter/. You are encouraged to take advantage of these resources. You pay for them with your tuition dollars. Their only purpose is to help you.

Grading Rubric

The following rubric will be used to assess your performance on this authentic assessment. Please refer to it frequently to be sure you are on track.

Student Feedback Sheet

Along with your grade, you will receive detailed feedback on your project that follows the format of the grading rubric and the self-assessment to help you understand how your grade was determined.



Project Requirements Grading Criteria and Points




Requirement
Points

1A
Current Situation: Company goals and marketing strategy
05

1B
Current Situation: Current customer service
10

2
Re-design customer service policies and strategies
15

3
Design customer loyalty strategies and programs
15

4
Differentiation of customers by loyalty segments
15

5
Evaluate technology-related tools
15

6
Apply the metrics that will measure success
15

7
Adhere to readability, style, and mechanics requirements
10


Total Points
100




15 Points 1. Current Situation (1A & 1B)

A. Company overall goals and marketing strategy.

0 ??" 1 Does not identify the companys stated overall goals and marketing strategy. Does not properly hypothesize the companys overall goals and marketing strategy.

2 ??" 3 Improperly identifies the companys overall goals and marketing strategy. Or, provides a hypothesis of the companys overall goals and marketing strategy based on minimal evidence.

4 ??" 5 Identifies the companys stated overall goals and marketing strategy. Or, provides a hypothesis of the companys overall goals and marketing strategy based on comprehensive evidence.

B. Current customer service.

0 ??" 3 Does not provide a description of current customer service. Does not use the IDIC model or does not properly apply it. Does not comment on the strengths and weaknesses or the comments are inappropriate. Does not assess the impact to the company goals and marketing strategies. Includes irrelevant information about the company.

4 ??" 7 Does not provide a thorough description. Minimally uses the IDIC model. Minimally comments on strengths and weaknesses. Assessments on impact do not reflect critical thinking.

8 ??" 10 Provides a thorough description, based on the principles of IDIC. Evaluates and judges strengths and weakness. Provides college level assessment of the impact on company goals.

15 Points 2. Re-design customer service

0 ??" 5 New design is not based on the IDIC model. Design does not correspond to the assessment in #1. The design does not support company goals and marketing strategy.

6 ??" 10 New design is based on the IDIC model and corresponds to the assessment in #1. Does not clearly link the new design to the company goals and marketing strategy or the principles of IDIC.

11 ??" 15 Creates new customer service policies and strategies and incorporates them in the companys overall goals and strategies. Designs are based on, and linked to, the principles in the IDIC model. The design can include one small change that yields dramatic results or a comprehensive overhaul of the companys system, but, it is a meaningful change.

15 Points 3. Design customer loyalty strategies and programs

0 ??" 5 Does not propose a strategy for the program or programs. Does not incorporate with the company goals and marketing strategy. Requirements, and processes are not clearly stated. Does not meet the requirements of effective loyalty programs.

6 ??" 10 Propose a strategy and incorporates strategy, program, or programs within company goals and marketing strategy. Requirements and processes are stated. Most of the requirements of effective loyalty programs are met.

11 ??" 15 Proposes a strategy and incorporates the strategy, program, or programs within company goals and marketing strategy. Requirements and processes are clearly stated. Meets the requirements of effective loyalty programs. Recommendation includes a database generating real-time customer analytics used by multiple channels.

15 Points 4. Differentiation of customers by loyalty segments

0 ??" 5 The customer service re-design (#2 above) and the loyalty program design (#3 above) do not include classification of customers by loyalty categories or the differentiations are poorly executed or poorly explained.

6 ??" 10 The customer service re-design and the loyalty program design include classification of customers by loyalty categories. The categories are correct, but there is not a clear analysis as to how the customers are differentiated and assigned to the categories.

11 ??" 15 The service re-design and the loyalty program design include loyalty differentiation categories. The appropriate categories are included in the design. There is a clear analysis presented that interprets customer data. The customers are compared, contrasted, distinguished and classified. The differentiation is applied to the design of the new processes.

15 Points 5. Evaluate technology-related tools

0 ??" 5 The tasks and criteria are not clearly stated. Fewer than three systems are identified. The purpose is not described or is poorly described. The systems are not evaluated or the evaluation is poorly executed. The conclusion is unclear. There is no demonstration of how the selected system meets the stated requirements.

6 ??" 10 The tasks and criteria are stated. Three systems are identified. The purpose is described. The systems are evaluated, but the evaluation lacks depth or scope. There is a selection. It is unclear as to how the selected system meets all of the requirements.

11 ??" 15 The tasks and criteria are very clearly stated. Three CRM systems are chosen as possible candidates and the description of each of the tools purposes is clearly described. An in-depth evaluation is performed to assess each systems ability to meet each of the requirements. The evaluation concludes with a determination that one of the systems is the best match and a demonstration of how the system meets the stated requirements.

15 Points 6. Apply the metrics that will measure the success

0 ??" 5 The metrics commonly used to show the value of customer service and loyalty programs are not included or are not properly exhibited.

6 ??" 10 Metrics that are commonly used are included and properly exhibited. They illustrate how they would be used to measure success. The costs are shown. Fewer than three sets of metrics are demonstrated.

11 ??" 15 Three sets of metrics commonly used to show the value of customer service and loyalty programs are exhibited. There is an illustration of how each would be used to measure success. Costs and break-even points are included for each.

10 Points 7. Adhere to readability, style, and mechanics requirements

0 -3 There are several problems with the paper which may include:

Tone and/or style are not appropriate for the audience

Proofreading and/ or grammatical errors detract from the readability

Major problems in sentence structure

Academic writing style guide not used or consistently applied

Submission requirements not met

4 ??" 7 For the most part, tone and style are appropriate for the audience with some weaknesses such as the following noted:

Noticeable proofreading and/or grammatical errors that somewhat detract from readability of the paper

Sentence structure may be rigid and unvarying

Appropriate writing style guide use

8 ??" 10 The tone and style are appropriate for the audience

No noticeable proofreading or grammatical errors

Sentence structure and diction are effective and diverse

Submission requirements fully met

Appropriate writing style guide used and consistently applied




There are faxes for this order.

You'll remember that we're pursuing a common task throughout the Project assignments in all Modules -- that is, the development of a CRM audit/plan for a company or organization you've chosen. Specifically, for the Session Long Project for this Module, you are to continue researching the CRM practices of your target firm or organization, with particular emphasis on need stimulation and prospective market development.

SLP Expectations:

Then in a 2 page paper please cover the following points:

* What you've been able to learn about the firm's efforts in need stimulation, if any; this might include, among other things, customer loyalty programs (including the use of credit as a type of customer loyalty program)
* If such efforts are few or non-existent, why this might be so, and what the consequences are
* Any plans or developing efforts along these lines; if there aren't any, what sorts of ideas might you suggest to them, on the basis of what you have learned about technology and CRM to date?
* What kinds of information technologies are involved in the efforts to stimulate needs? If there aren't any currently, could information technology be used to stimulate needs? What would have to change to encourage the effective application of technological elements to this process?
* Any change in your overall assessment of the current state of CRM in this organization since the last assignment?

Sales Promotion Techniques used in the Clothing Retail Industry in India and Challenges Ahead


1:Introduction
Dissertation Rationale
Research Questions

Aims :
a) to present a picture of clothing retail sector in India
b) to explain why there is a need to understand sales promotion practices by the sector
c) to understand what General and Managerial challenges it poses and provide recommendations.

Objectives of dissertation-
a)to compare usage across exclusive and multi brand outlets
b) to explore rationale behind sales promotion techniques by examining consumer behaviour.


Dissertation Structure

2: Literature Review
a) The Nature of Competition
b) Buyer- seller relationships for promotional support in the clothing sector (Park, Haesun (2002)
c) The long term impact of loyalty programs on consumer purchase behaviour and their loyalty. (Liu,Yuping (2007)
d) The impact of loyalty programs on Repeat Purchase Behaviour. (B, Christophe ( 2006)
e) Consumers perception different regarding quality, fashionability, product assortment, extent and quality of consumer service, convenience of location , payment options national brands and store layout. (H, Karen & A, Gomez (2005)
f) Push and Pull techniques in sales promotion.
g) Personalized versus Generic buying
h) Effectiveness of different types of sales promotion
i) please include some more relevent theories and studies
j) Competitive Strategy
k) Industry Context
l) Give rationale behind choosing six main exclusive and multibrand clothing retailers.

{Important}
Six main exclusive and multibrand retail outlets will be selected for studying sales promotion practices. As the purpose of the study is exploratory, sample of six is deemed fit as they would represent the population of organized clothing retail outlets in New Delhi- a metropolitan city of India. Being the capital city and commercial hub, it is the perfect place to do such research. However it should also be noted that the nature of activities is not likely to vary across different markets as most of the outlets are a part of chain and their head office typically endorse the budget and plans sales promotional activities to be carried out in promotional calendar for these outlets.

3: Research Design & Methodology
Research Questions and Objectives
Research Approach and Strategy
Research Philosophy
Research Methodology
Exploratory Research
Descriptive Research
Explanatory Research
Inductive Reasoning
Primary Data Collection
Questionnaires
Secondary Data Collection
Data Analysis
Data Collection Method
Research Setting
Research Participants
The Survey
The Interview

4: Analysis of Indian Clothing Retail Sector
Overview
The Players (main six exclusive and multibrand)
Current State of Play
Business Strategies

5: Primary Research Results
Summary of Interview (general and in depth)

8: Conclusion
Recommendations
General and Managerial Challenges
Areas for future research

9 : Bibliography
References

10: Appendix
Interview; Questions and Responses.
Interview Summary
Questionnaire

( plz refer to my dissertation proposal which I will be sending by mail..!)




There are faxes for this order.

Please answer the following questions using no more than one page of space for each.

1. Private Labels (20 points, 10 pints each)

a) Why has developing private label products become an increasingly important competitive strategy for many retailers?
b) What roles do premium private labels play in this process?


2. Loyalty Programs (30 points, 10 points each)

a) What are the key features of a successful retail loyalty program?
b) Please give three examples of successful retail loyalty programs in the United States or abroad?
c) Wal-Mart does not have a loyalty program currently. Do you think it should implement one in the near future? Why or why not?


3. Why is Internet retailing dominated by multi-channel retailers nowadays, while so many pure-play e-tailers (i.e., retailers that only have online operations) have failed? (20 points)


4. Computation Questions (20 points)

Fresh-From-The-Tree (FFTT) is a premium brand of orange juice which is made not from concentrate. The wholesale price of a 96-ounce bottle of the brand is $3.5. A retailer is free to charge any mark-ups for the retail prices of products that it sells. The retailers marketing research department has estimated a log-log demand function for the 96-ounce FFTT brand of orange juice and found it to be: log(sales volume) = 8.3 2.5 log(retail price).

Answer the following questions using information provided above. You must clearly explain and show the steps of your computation.

a) What is the profit-maximizing retail price for the 96-ounce FFTT brand of orange juice, if we rely on the log-log demand function estimated by the marketing research department and do not consider the effects of its price on sales of other brands in the category? (15 points)

b) What is the retailers percentage markup of the 96-ounce FFTT brand of orange juice under the profit-maximizing retail price? (5 points)


(The End)

e-Marketing. Pick several different kinds of e-marketing techniques and wrie and analysis of them. Some of the techniques might include the following:
Banner Advertising, popup windows, permission marketing, loyalty programs, email marketing. The analysis should include: review of technique, pros and cons of technique, some companies that are using it, growth and future, links to a few web sites that are using it, and other topics that are relevant.

"Retailing Lessons from Loyalty Programs Around the Globe"

You are to write a three to four (3-4) page report that answers the following:

1. Discuss the CVS Extra Care loyalty program and whether the program is a source of shopper insights that can be leveraged in multiple ways to be successful.
2. Recommend how Kroger should tailor its retailing strategy to take into account the seven main segmentation groups it has identified.
3. Explain Seven-Eleven Japan's nanaco program.
4. Discuss the reasons that Wal-Mart has chosen not to have a customer loyalty program.

The format of the report is to be as follows:
o Typed, double spaced, Times New Roman font (size 12), one inch margins on all sides, APA format.
o Type the question followed by your answer to the question. At least 3 references is required.

1page:
"Customer-Driven Marketing" Please respond to the following:

From Case Study 11.3, assess ZipCars marketing strategy with universities. In extending this model, analyze the direction ZipCar has gone with this marketing strategy and its goal of supporting a sustainable environment. Provide examples with your response.
Using the Internet choose one airline and one hotel chain that offer customer loyalty programs. Research each companys loyalty program and be prepared to discuss.Compare and contrast the customer loyalty programs for the airline and hotel chain you researched. Provide examples with your response. Then, determine what practices you would employ to your business to foster loyalty.

1 page:
"Product and Distribution Strategies" Please respond to the following:

Choose one of the following products: line of furniture manufactured from recycled and reclaimed materials, custom designed jewelry, handicraft supplies, or talk radio show.

?-?Select a distribution strategy for the product you chose.
?-?Describe specifically where and how your product would be sold.
?-?Describe the reasons for your strategy.

From Case Study 12.3, analyze the distribution strategies for broadcast and cable TV, Internet programming, and advertisers. Propose how these strategies might converge.


There are faxes for this order.

Customer is requesting that (philipj) completes this order.

I am in a group and am doing a marketing analysis for a case study "cabo san viejo". I will upload the file. My section is "marketing and sales". it is a small section. please break it down into 3 pages. if you can include some graphs and citations that would be good.


The question we need to answer within our paper is "should cabo implement a loyalty program"

our group is saying yes...so if you want to add something in to support this that would be good.

Students are required to form into groups of two people. Students that are unable to work in a group may seek permission to attempt the assignment individually (NOTE: such students must seek permission from the unit coordinator to attempt the assignment individually).

This assignment is to be competed using secondary data only ? students are forbidden to approach the business owners or staff for information.


The Moorilla Estate, Hobart

In 1995, Mr. David Walsh acquired the Moorilla Estate in Hobart. By 2005, the business had incorporated iconic brands such as ?The Source Restaurant? and ?Moo Brew? as part the suite of offerings. By 2012, the range of product offerings will have expanded further to include the exclusive ?Pavilion Apartments?, greater wine making capacity, the avant-garde MONA FOMA festival, and the flagship MONA private art museum.

Given the increased range of product offerings of Moorilla?s business, its owner recognises that it now competes in a number of key markets:

? Premium Wine Retailing
? Boutique Beer Retailing
? Boutique luxury Accommodation
? Fine Dining Restaurant
? Private Art Museum
? MONA FOMA (Music and Art Festival)

Your Task:

You have been hired as a consultant by the owner to develop of a marketing plan to combat ONE competitor in ONE of the markets mentioned above. You are required to undertake the necessary secondary research in order to complete the following:

1. Consider the market situation faced by Moorilla in relation to ONE of the markets mentioned above.
2. Use the following globally-accepted marketing plan template as a guide.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. SITUATION ANALYSIS

1.1 Industry Analysis
1.2 Sales Analysis
1.3 Competitive Analysis
1.4 Customer Analysis
1.5 SWOT Analysis
1.6 Analysis of Marketing Activities (if applicable)

2. OBJECTIVES

2.1 Corporate Objectives
2.2 Marketing Objectives

3. MARKETING STRATEGY

3.1 Market Segmentation Strategy
3.2 Targeting Strategy
3.3 Product Life Cycle
3.4 Potential Strategies
3.5 Core Strategy

4. MARKETING PROGRAMS

4.1 Marketing Mix
4.2 Loyalty Programs
4.3 Customer Service & Support
4.4 Market Research
4.5 Personal Selling
4.6 Trust and Credibility
4.7 Trade Promotions

5. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

5.1 Product Design and Development
5.2 Marketing & Sales
5.3 Distributors
5.4 Resource Requirements
5.5 Scheduling

6. PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS AND MONITORING

6.1 Monitoring Ad Campaigns
6.2 Sales Analysis
6.3 Profit and Loss Statements
6.4 Meeting Schedule
6.5 Customer Profiling
6.6 Sales-force Evaluation

7. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

7.1 Financial Capsule
7.2 Financial Assumptions
7.3 Budget
7.4 Sales Projections (5 years)

8. CONTINGENCY PLANS

8.1 Symptoms of Failure
8.2 Alternative Strategies

we decide to do wine retailing, plz finish the rest part of this marketing plan (I uploaded a document named 584). the number of reference up to you, if you do need some reference, plz use Harvard system, thanks.

W Hotel vs. Four Seasons

Both hotels are categorized in the luxury chain scale segment based on Smith travel Research

Compare and Contrast two types of Hotels from a Brand Perspective, related to rooms division
Detail Rooms Standard; Service Standards and Check In Expectations of each
Other comparisons could be Loyalty programs and/or Hotel Amenities (not just soap and shampoo)
Students will be required to visit two hotels of differing brands and write an essay that contrast and compare the differences between the two brands in service, facility, rooms, and guest expectations. The focus of the essay should be Rooms Specific and include details related to revenue management, guest room design and service standards.

You'll remember that we're pursuing a common task throughout the Project assignments in all Modules -- that is, the development of a CRM audit/plan for a company or organization you've chosen. Specifically, for the Session Long Project for this Module, you are to continue researching the CRM practices of your target firm or organization, with particular emphasis on need stimulation and prospective market development.

SLP Expectations:

Then in a 2-3 page paper please cover the following points:

What you've been able to learn about the firm's efforts in need stimulation, if any; this might include, among other things, customer loyalty programs (including the use of credit as a type of customer loyalty program)
If such efforts are few or non-existent, why this might be so, and what the consequences are
Any plans or developing efforts along these lines; if there aren't any, what sorts of ideas might you suggest to them, on the basis of what you have learned about technology and CRM to date?
What kinds of information technologies are involved in the efforts to stimulate needs? If there aren't any currently, could information technology be used to stimulate needs? What would have to change to encourage the effective application of technological elements to this process?
Any change in your overall assessment of the current state of CRM in this organization since the last assignment?

Here is the other paper

Customer Relationship Management at Cincom Systems
Introduction
Cincom Systems has been in business over 40 years and is considered a global leader in the areas of product configuration, manufacturing-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems and quote-to-order platforms for streamlining the capturing of orders into ERP systems. Cincom Systems is a privately held company that has according to a recent Hoovers inquiry, 900 employees and $200M in Sales and a broad cross-section of selling and services channels they operate in (Cincom, 2010). Located in Cincinnati, Ohio and still managed daily by founder Tom Nies, the company has five divisions of enterprise software it sells through both indirect and direct sales forces (Kayser, 2005). The applications sold by these five divisions include call center management, medical records management, manufacturing business systems (Little, Kenworthy, Jarvis,Porter,1995) software development tools including the SmallTalk programming language (Kayser, 2005), and services management applications. Taken together these five divisions have generated over 10,000 clients globally in the last four decades, with the Manufacturing Solutions Business Unit generating the majority of new customers and revenue (Kayser, 2005) (Cincom, 2010). Customers include ATK Ordinance, Cubic Corporation, Harris Corporation, Cincinnati Fan, Siemens, Rolls Royce Marine and others. Cincoms core strength is in creating customized solutions for highly complex manufacturing workflows that require system and process integration. The company has cultivated partnerships with IBM, Oracle, SAP and other enterprise software companies that are also in use at shared customer locations. Cincoms expertise in enterprise software has also led to the development of an internal CRM system that was designed when sales cycles in this industry were more predictable and based on capital expense approval cycles. The sales cycles of the enterprise software industry however are changing drastically due to Software-as-a-Service and Cincoms CRM systems are in the middle of a transition as the company seeks to stay competitive in 2010.
Assessment of CRM at Cincom Systems
The internal CRM system was initially called Quota, which was meant to connote the urgency of attaining sales quotes by the Cincom sales teams. Quota had the ability to track customer requirements at the purely technical level and capture the names and addresses of key contacts within companies. It did not however have the ability to manage more complex strategies and campaigns, and lacked the ability to create ongoing tracking of complex opportunities. As a result, Cincom has started adopting Microsoft CRM, based on the strategic partnership both companies have (Cincom, 2010). Microsoft CRM has also made it possible to track more complex selling cycles and engage in team selling, which Cincom increasingly relies on to cross-sell and up-sell their software and services. Cincom also has created a mobile client for Microsoft CRM, which gives them the opportunity to serve sales forces that are on calls all day out of the office. This is a common requirement in the larger cities of the world where sales teams are often traveling between appointments. Cincom has found that the Microsoft CRM platform has given them greater selling flexibility.






References

Cincom Systems, Inc. (1 August). Hoover's Company Records,43154.

Steve Kayser. (2005). GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME . . . AN IPO? THE CASE FOR REMAINING A PRIVATE COMPANY. Corporate Finance Review, 10(3), 5-11.

Little, David, Kenworthy, John, Jarvis, Peter, & Porter, Keith. (1995). Scheduling across the supply chain. Logistics Information Management, 8(1), 42.

Customer is requesting that (infoceo) completes this order.

Please rewrite

Classic Airlines and Marketing
Classic Airlines is the fifth largest airline in the world with annual earnings of $10 million. After being in business for 25 years, they have amassed more than 375 jets with 2,300 flights daily (University of Phoenix, 2010). Even with this success, there are concerns for their financial stability. The challenges facing Classic Airlines are common among airline companies. These challenges include stock instability, low employee morale, pubic uncertainty about flying; declining rewards program membership, increasing costs for labor and fuel along with a recent directive to reduce 15% over the next 18 months. This leads to major concerns by the management team. To reach stable ground, the management team will attempt to improve and increase the value of the rewards program, enticing previous members back while ensuring retention of current members. Rewards programs can be detrimental to the success of a business, according to Furinto, Pawitra and Baliah ?Programs that are perceived favorably by consumers will in turn create stronger attitudinal loyalty and higher consumer profitability? (p. 307, 2009).
The Small Business Administration suggests that ?marketing activities and strategies result in making products available that satisfy consumers while making profits for the company? (para. 1, Market and Price). The goal of marketing is to use resources to increase the number of consumers while improving their perception of services and products. These goals also support meeting stated goals and objectives (Wienclaw, 2009). Marketing is a functional part of a business that encompasses all departments. The other functions of a business (finance, production, accounting, operation) will not matter if the demand for the product or service is not sufficient. Effective marketing produces results because consumers receive products that meet their needs and businesses obtain financial success.
According to Kotler and Keller, there are five marketing concepts within an organization: production, product, selling, marketing, and holistic (p. 15, 2006). The marketing concept focuses on meeting the needs of the consumer; the basic premise behind this concept is not to find the right consumer for the product, but find the right product for the consumer (Kotler & Keller, 2006, p. 16). A company that can discover what is important to the consumer and market it effectively has the greatest chance of success. The marketing concept and marketing strategy must work together seamlessly. The development of a marketing plan will include specific actions along with the integration of marketing goals, policies, and tactics of the business. This is good marketing strategy (Kotler & Keller, 2006).
Knowing the consumer?s needs, desires and demands is the first step in successful marketing. Classic Airline management must determine: what is missing from the current rewards program; what does the consumer want; and how much will the consumer be willing to pay to participate. This information is obtained through market research by using questionnaires, qualitative measures, and mechanical devices (Kotler & Keller, 2006, p. 46). Remaining above the breakpoint of consumer satisfaction is very important. The breakpoint is the fine line between where the consumer will express strong dissatisfaction in comparison to when they could not be happier. The higher breakpoint can have significant ties to financial success (Duvall, 2009, para. 4). Classic Airline must also keep their competitors actions in mind. Benchmarking other companies to see what they are offering will allow them to offer their members a better product mix and therefore gain a competitive advantage.
To complete the marketing plan, it is vitally important to obtain buy-in from management and employees. The management team must understand that by backing this process and therefore spending money to implement; the initial cost is small in comparison to the return on investment as the implementation can increase bottom line profits.
Understanding key marketing concepts and how daily business is affected is important to business success. When done correctly, the multi-faceted functions of marketing can assist in the development and delivery of a successful product or service. If Classic Airline wants to survive in the competitive airline industry, they must be aware of and ready to tackle their challenges. If done correctly, they can make a difference in their financial stability, providing excellent service to their consumers and building their corporate culture to an all-time high.

References
Biznik. (2010). Marketing strategy basics. Downloaded on October 23, 2010 from http://biznik.com/articles/marketing-strategy-basics
Duvall, J. (2009). Customer service breakpoints. Electric light & power, 87(1), 26. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database.
Furinto, A., Pawitra, T., & Balqiah, T. (2009). Designing competitive loyalty programs: How types of program affect customer equity. Journal of targeting, measurement & analysis for marketing, 17(4), 307-319. doi:10.1057/jt.2009.20.
Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2007). A framework for marketing management (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2006). Marketing management, (12th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson-Prentice Hall.
Market and price. (2011). Small business administration. Downloaded on October 24, 2011 from http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/manage/marketandprice/SERV_UNDMARKETING.html
Wienclaw, R. (2009). Marketing management. Marketing management -- research starters business, 1-6. Retrieved from Research Starters - Business database

Go to a local McDonalds Restaurant 3 ??" 4 times on different days and hours. Talk with senior consumers (men and women aged 55 years or older). Ask them why they like or dislike visiting McDonalds. Get feedback on how McDonalds could improve its product for older customers. Observe how the restaurant is designed and operated. Is it senior-friendly?
Based upon your interviews and observations, complete a SWOT Analysis for a McDonalds Restaurant that examines the Marketing Mix offered to senior consumers Consider:
Internal Strengths and Weaknesses:
Menu, including value meals and refills
Seating and tables
Prices
Friendliness of Staff/Customer Service
Atmosphere (noise, lighting, etc.) and accommodations (such as wheel-chair/walker access)
External Opportunities and Threats:
Type and location of competitors
Competitor promotions and specials
Special needs of the senior customer (large print menu boards, senior citizen pricing, free newspapers, coupons, etc.)

Complete an evaluation of McDonalds use of the Marketing Mix (4 Ps/Cs) for senior customers. Make suggestions on how McDonalds could improve its marketing to this consumer segment.
Product: Consider menu; service; location; atmosphere; loyalty program; friendliness and helpfulness of staff, etc.
Price: Special pricing for seniors; refills; coffee club or similar program.
Place: Parking; Seating; Furniture; Lighting; Accessibility of restrooms, etc.
Promotion: Displays and Signage; Menu Board; Coupons and Senior discounts.

Submit your completed SWOT Analysis and Marketing Mix evaluation and Marketing Plan recommendations in a 3 ??" 5 page typewritten paper by the due date on the syllabus.

Paper Scope:
1. Casino
a. Name of the casino, location, and size (number of employees, number of hotel rooms, size of
casino floor, number of slot machines, number of table games, etc.).
b. Discuss how your casino has expanded compared to the competing casinos.
c. List and describe the various amenities offered at your casino.
d. Who owns and operates your casino?
e. What theme does your casino have, if any.
2. History
a. When was your casino resort established and what were the expansion phases?
b. List three significant events that have occurred in your casinos history and explain why these three
events were the most significant. Do not include the opening ceremony of your property.
c. Make a comparative analysis of your casinos growth development and size (% or graph) today and
compared to five years ago, ten years ago, etc.
d. Who are the three main competitors and how does each one compete for market-share?
3. Management
a. Who owns the casino and how did they start? What is their background?
b. What were or are their main vision for the casino and the surrounding community?
c. Using specific examples in the casinos history, explain if the owners are doing a good or a bad job
in accomplishing their vision.
d. What casino positions will remain in the future and which positions do you think will become
obsolete? Discuss and give reasons for your assumptions.
4. Operations
a. Design an organizational chart of your casino, listing the department and the basic position
structure (e.g. line employees, supervisors, managers, directors, etc.).
b. List which departments are the oldest and which have been added on later.
c. Discuss how the operational structure impacts the various gaming/enterprise issues of your casino
and its overall success.
d. Discuss at least two new trends that show the changing casino environment.
5. Marketing and Casino Marketing
a. Discuss what internal and external marketing your casino does (brochures, website, billboards,
TV/radio ads, print ads, etc.)
b. What is your casinos target customer (male or female, age range, ethnicity, etc).
c. What type of loyalty program does your casino have? What are the benefits to the program (e.g.
why would a customer want to use the players club card?).
4
6. Summary
a. Discuss to what extent your casino should be considered as part of the hospitality industry. Chose
your viewpoint with focus on one of the following aspects:
i. Economical reasons
ii. Political reasons
iii. Sociological reasons
iv. Ethical reasons

1. Choose a pair of competing retailers from the list that you will visit.

2. Make a shopping list that includes 5 items you expect to find at the store. For example, at a specialty clothing store you might look for a women?s white blouse, size 10. At an auto parts store, you might have an air filter for a 2006 Jeep Cherokee. Be as specific as you can for each of the five items.

3. Prepare a table or matrix for comparing the two retailers. Include the number of choices for each item on your list, the price range (least expensive to most expensive) and average price per item.

4. List and describe other criteria for comparing the two retailers that you will describe after your visits:

a. Store locations (rate the convenience of distance, ease of entry, parking available, nearby retailers and other location criteria)

b. Customer service (availability of sales people, courtesy, product knowledge).

c. Store layout, atmosphere and displays (ease of navigation, cleanliness, attractiveness, dressing rooms, etc.)

d. Customer loyalty programs (if any)

5. Write a 2 page paper (typed, single spaced) comparing each retailer on the criteria mentioned above, and paste the table from requirement 3 at the end of the paper. A good paper will be specific. I want you to describe what you see and interpret what it means. Saying "it has a decent selection" or "the customer service was good" tells me very little. But saying, "the store carries a wide variety of categories including X, Y and Z, and had a deep assortment of widgets in sizes x through y" tells me a lot more. Or "the customers outnumbered the sales associates and the checkout lines were 6 deep, demonstrating a need for more employees" explains what the problem is and how you think they can solve it. An excellent paper will also incorporate terms and concepts from the textbook to demonstrate that you know what they mean. Be sure to include your references (correctly cited) at the end of the paper.

Competing retailers:

* 7 Eleven / Valero (convenience stores)

Babies R Us / Buy Buy Baby



? T-Mobile / Verizon

? Dillards / Macy?s

? Fredericks of Hollywood / Victoria?s Secret / Soma



? Hobby Lobby / Michael?s

? Pep Boys / O?Reilly?s / Auto Zone

? Mattress Giant/ Mattress Firm

(This chapterdoes not have a management exercise basedon the Neoforma master-
case, so we have added this case for you to practice your marketing management
skills.)
Smart Card LLC uses its expertise in smart cards and magnetic stripe tech-
nology to develop applications and solutions to meet the rapidly growing demand
for marketing frequency programs. Existing and previous loyalty programs have
normally beentoo expensive, complicated, andpaperintensive, thus leading to lack
ofcustomer participation. As competition increases in retail and other industries,
companies are searching for new ways to understand customers and retain them.
Smart Card LLC offers a smart card solution for these companies.14
Smart Card LLC?s strategy is focused on using smart cards for frequency
programs that can bene?t the customer. The company enables its clients to identify
the following:
? Their most pro?table customers
? What these customers purchase (how often, how much)
? Their buying preferences
Clients use these smart card solutions to better understand their customers and
their purchase habits to introduce new services that create added value. Smart Card
LLC also uses a marketing database to drive all aspects of the marketing mix:
advertising, promotion, pricing, and site selection. Plus, it can be customized to
meet the individual client?s needs.
The objective is to establish an ongoing relationship with the client that will
enhance the company?s return on investment. Industry surveys have found that 80
percent of revenues are generated by 20 percent of customers. Smart Card LLC
can help companies identify that 20 percent segment oftheir customers.

The product?s quality and features should be directly compared to those offered by
competitors. Unique attributes that are important to customers should be identi?ed
and highlighted in the memory of the card. As an example, smart cards can hold
one to ten pages ofcustomer-related information.
Other important marketing characteristics for smart cards are as follows:
? User-friendliness: Will customers feel comfortable using the product?
? Reliability: Will the card work? Will the user feel 100 percent con?dent about
the card?s reliability? What backup system is in place?
? Cost effectiveness: How does delivery cost compare to the customer?s perceived
value ofthe service?
? CompellingUse: The initial application must be universal and valuable to compel
a critical mass of people to accept it. Does the product ?t the bill?
Figure 4-2 summarizes the marketing opportunities for smart cards, and Fig-
ure 3-3 shows the advantages of smart cards as they relate to the cardholder, mer-
chant, and issuers.
Product
? Compelling use: Application must attract critical mass of users
? Versatility: Multiple uses? more value
? Cost effectiveness: Is service?s perceived value worth the delivery cost?
? Price
? Start-up: New high-tech products command price premium
? Transition to maturity: Will price cover costs? Eliminate unprofitable services
? Maturity: Will competitive price begin cutting?
? Selling
? Direct salesforce versus distributors for selling smart cards; sale is
complex, and direct sales provides better service and control
? Promotion
? Smart card?s promotional issues: industry must create a need for new
technology and replace existing magnetic stripe cardsSMART CARD MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES
Figure 4-2 Marketing Opportunities for Smart Cards.
Other issues the company considered were to use specialists and generalists as
salespersons and to strategically assign sales territories. The number of accounts
to be assigned to an individual salesperson was determined, and compensation
included salary and commission.
To promote smart cards, a complex product, the company used a more sophis-
ticated promotion approach?a combination oftrade shows, press kits, Web sites,
demonstrations, and other promotions.

Read the Case study: ?Smart Card LLC Marketing Plan? in Chapter 4. Write a three to five
(3?5) page paper that answers the following:
1. By assessing the market feasibility, discuss if the management team has done
enough research to quantify the size of the market.
2. Discuss how the legal structure of an LLC used by Smart Card affects the high
and low levels of attractiveness of the financial factor as illustrated in Figure 4-4.
3. Discuss the various outside threats to the Smart Card LLC model.
4. Based on the information and figures presented in the case study, discuss
whether or not you would invest in this company. Provide a specific rationale.

Current Event Papers:
Find current events from New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Roanoke Times, USA Today, trade publications, etc. the aricle should not be more than 8 weeks old and should be business specific. The current articles should relate to the reading I have attached. the article should exemplify a concept, rather than just state the concept. Press releases, Q&A columns, one paragraph synopsis are NOT acceptable articles for this assignment. Scientific journal articles are also NOT acceptable articles for this assignment. It is a 2-page analysis explaining, in your own words, what course concept the readings relates and what insight the author intended to convey. Finally use your judgment to evaluate the article.
Send me a copy of the article that you use.

Basically connect the article to Michael Porter has five forces that are widely used to
assess the structure of any industry. Porters five forces are the:
Bargaining power of suppliers,
Bargaining power of buyers,
Threat of new entrants,
Threat of substitutes, and
Rivalry among competitors


ARTICLE:

Industry Analysis: The Five Forces
Cole Ehmke, Joan Fulton, and Jay Akridge
Department of Agricultural Economics
Kathleen Erickson, Erickson Communications
Sally Linton
Department of Food Science
Overview
Assessing Your Marketplace
The economic structure of an industry is not an accident.
Its complexities are the result of long-term social trends and
economic forces. But its effects on you as a business manager
are immediate because it determines the competitive rules
and strategies you are likely to use. Learning about that
structure will provide essential insight for your business
strategy.
Michael Porter has identified five forces that are widely used to
assess the structure of any industry. Porters five forces are the:
Bargaining power of suppliers,
Bargaining power of buyers,
Threat of new entrants,
Threat of substitutes, and
Rivalry among competitors.
Together, the strength of the five forces determines the profit
potential in an industry by influencing the prices, costs, and
required investments of businesses??"the elements of return
on investment. Stronger forces are associated with a more
challenging business environment. To identify the important
structural features of your industry via the five forces, you
conduct an industry analysis that answers the question,
What are the key factors for competitive success?
Using This Publication
This publication describes five forces that influence an
industry. The publication includes a set of application
questions that will help you evaluate the structure of the
industry you are in or are considering entering. The more you
understand about the strength of each force, the better able
you will be to respond.
The forces affecting profitability are often beyond your
control, so you must choose tactics to respond to the forces
rather than try to change the business environment. This
publication offers insight on specific tactics you need for
success when facing competitive situations. While you may
assess any one force individually, you will gain the most value
by assessing all five of the forces
With each force, a Perspective feature illustrates the force
for an Indiana wine entrepreneur by evaluating that marketplace.
To avoid repetition, we use the word product to mean
either a product or a service. Read more about the five forces
in Porters book, Competitive Strategy.
Audience: Business managers seeking to assess
the nature of their marketplace
Content: Presents five forces that influence the
profitability of an industry
Outcome: Reader should understand the forces
and be able to counter them with appropriate
tactics
2 Purdue Extension Knowledge to Go
Bargaining Power of Suppliers
How Much Power Do Your
Suppliers Have Over You?
Any business requires inputs??"labor, parts, raw materials,
and services. The cost of your inputs can have a significant
effect on your companys profitability. Whether the strength of
suppliers represents a weak or a strong force hinges on the
amount of bargaining power they can exert and, ultimately,
on how they can influence the terms and conditions of
transactions in their favor. Suppliers would prefer to sell to
you at the highest price possible or provide you with no more
services than necessary. If the force is weak, then you may be
able to negotiate a favorable business deal for yourself.
Conversely, if the force is strong, then you are in a weak
position and may have to pay a higher price or accept a lower
level of quality or service.
Factors Affecting the
Bargaining Power of Suppliers
Suppliers have the most power when:
The input(s) you require are available only from a
small number of suppliers. For instance, if you are
making computers and need microprocessors, you will
have little or no bargaining power with Intel, the
worlds dominant supplier.
The inputs you require are unique, making it costly to
switch suppliers. If you use a certain enzyme in a food
manufacturing process, changing to another supplier
may require you to change your entire manufacturing
process. This may be very costly to you, thus you will
have less bargaining power with your supplier.
Your input purchases dont represent a significant
portion of the suppliers business. If the supplier does
not depend on your business, you will have less power
to negotiate. Of course the opposite is true as well.
Wal-Mart has significant negotiating power over its
suppliers because it is such a large percentage of
suppliers business.
Suppliers can sell directly to your customers,
bypassing the need for your business. For example, a
manufacturer could open its own retail outlet and
compete against you.
It is difficult for you to switch to another supplier. For
example, if you recently invested in a unique
inventory and information management system to
work effectively with your supplier, it would be
expensive for you to switch suppliers.
You do not have a full understanding of your
suppliers market. You are less able to negotiate if you
have little information about market demand, prices,
and suppliers costs.
Reducing the Bargaining Power of
Suppliers
Most businesses dont have the resources to produce their own
inputs. If you are in this position, then you might consider
forming a partnership with your supplier. This can result in a
more even distribution of power. For instance, Dell Computer
uses partnering with its components suppliers as a key
strategy to be the low-cost/high-quality leader in the market.
This can be mutually beneficial for both supplier and buyer if
they can:
Reduce inventory costs by providing just-in-time
deliveries,
Enhance the value of goods and services supplied by
making effective use of information about customer
needs and preferences, and
Speed the adoption of new technologies.
Another option may be to increase your power by forming a
buying group of small producers to buy as one large-volume
customer. If you have the resources, you may choose to
integrate back and produce your own inputs by purchasing
one of your key suppliers or doing the production yourself.
Perspective on Bargaining Power of Suppliers

For an Indiana winery, one of the main supply decisions lies
with the key product ingredients??"winegrapes and juice.
Wineries have several options, including owning the
vineyard, purchasing grapes, or purchasing juice. An
overabundance of winegrapes and juice from the West Coast
of the U.S., for instance, enhances Indiana wineries
negotiating power with grape and juice suppliers. However,
the bargaining power of Indiana wineries is generally
weakened due to lack of winegrape growing experience.
If the winery needs a specific grape variety for a particular
wine, then the manager needs to be concerned about the
supply and demand for the product. As supply becomes
short, the manager will find that suppliers have increasing
bargaining power.
Raw aterials for wine production are commodity items that
are very cyclical in price, quality, and availability. There are
times when high-quality grapes can be bought for low prices
(over supply) and other times when particular grape varieties
or juice are almost non-existent. This can have a
significant effect on a winery. And it is something the
manager has no control over. For example, if a late spring
frost hits the New York vineyards, the tender varieties will
not produce enough grapes to satisfy demand for the year.
Small wineries are particularly challenged because they
do not have the leverage associated with volume that the
larger wineries have. As a result, the force of suppliers on
a small winery can be viewed as relatively strong.
However, a manager of an Indiana winery could decrease
the effect by cooperating with other small players to
make collective purchases.
Contracts and positive relationships with suppliers and
producers are another way a small winery can manage
the uncertainty and power of suppliers. Recognizing the
power of suppliers and the influence of outside factors
(e.g., knowledge and weather) is an important
consideration as a small winery finds a place in the market.
4 Purdue Extension Knowledge to Go
Many small customers acting as a group can create a strong
force. For instance, because of their size, health maintenance
organizations (HMOs) can purchase health care from
hospitals and doctors at much lower cost than can individual
patients.
Note that not all buyers will have the same degree of bargaining
power with you or be as sensitive to price, quantity, or
service. For example, apparel makers face significant buyer
power when selling to large retailers like Wal-Mart or
department stores, but face a much more favorable situation
when selling to smaller specialty shops.
Factors Influencing the
Bargaining Power of Buyers
Buyers have more power when:
Your industry has many small companies supplying
the product and buyers are few and large. For
example, you may have little negotiating power if you
and several competing companies are trying to sell
similar products to one large buyer.
The products represent a relatively large expense for
your customers. Customers may not price shop for a
quart of oil, but they will price shop if purchasing a
new vehicle.
Bargaining Power of Buyers
How Much Negotiating Power Do
Your Buyers Have?
The power of buyers describes the effect that your customers
have on the profitability of your business. The transaction
between the seller and the buyer creates value for both parties.
But if buyers (who may be distributors, consumers, or other
manufacturers) have more economic power, your ability to
capture a high proportion of the value created will decrease,
and you will earn lower profits.
How Much Power Do Your Buyers
Have Over You?
Buyers have the most power when they are large and purchase
much of your output. If your business sells to a few large
buyers, they will have significant leverage to negotiate lower
prices and other favorable terms because the threat of losing
an important buyer puts you in a weak position. Buyers also
have power if they can play suppliers against each other. In
the automotive supply industry, the large car manufacturers
have significant power. There are only a few large buyers, and
they buy in large quantities. But, when there are many
smaller buyers, you will have greater control because each
buyer is a small portion of your sales.
List the major inputs
needed for your business.

Reducing the Bargaining Power of
Buyers
You can reduce the bargaining power of your customers by
increasing their loyalty to your business through partnerships
or loyalty programs, selling directly to consumers, or increasing
the inherent or perceived value of a product by adding
features or branding. In addition, if you can select the
customers who have little knowledge of the market and have
less power, you can enhance your profitability.
Perspective on Bargaining Power of Buyers
Indiana wineries have three types of buyers??"direct
consumers, wholesalers, and retail outlets. Direct
consumers are mostly tourists out for the day, weekend, or
even a weeklong vacation. In this situation, competition for
those buyers is actually any travel destination in the area
competing for their leisure time. Would the buyers rather
visit a state park or a museum than a winery? A winery
can reduce the bargaining power of these customers by
offering unique products and events that offer high value.
Wholesalers have a significant amount of bargaining power
because they are few in number and have a considerable
influence over the wines that are sold on the retail shelf.
Thus, the bargaining power of small wineries is weak
compared to that of the wholesalers. In Indiana,
counteracting legislation allows small wineries to sell
directly to retail outlets without using a wholesaler.
While the bargaining power of one of these wineries
with retail outlets is still weak, the winery has the
benefit of offering a local Indiana product that is in
demand with consumers.
Overall for Indiana wineries, buyers have more power
than the entrepreneurs. This is due to the fact that direct
consumers have multiple options for entertainment, and
wholesalers and retail outlets have thousands of wine
brands to choose from. Therefore, a small winery owner
must be creative in dealings with consumers, usually by
offering loyalty programs and increasing perceived value.
6 Purdue Extension Knowledge to Go
List the types of customers that
you have or expect to have.
What alternatives might these
customers have for your product?
How can you build loyalty for your product
or service to reduce customer bargaining power?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Further Assessment
Using a pencil and sheet of paper, examine in greater detail how the bargaining power of buyers will affect your business.
Self Assessment??"Bargaining Power of Buyers
Thi
respond with Yes or No in the space provided. Yes indicates a favorable competitive environment for your business. No indicates
a negative situation. Use the insight you gain to develop effective tactics for countering or taking advantage of the situation.

How Easy Is It for Businesses to
Enter Your Market?
You may have the market cornered with your product, but
your success may inspire others to enter the business and
challenge your position. The threat of new entrants is the
possibility that new firms will enter the industry. New entrants
bring a desire to gain market share and often have significant
resources. Their presence may force prices down and put
pressure on profits.
Analyzing the threat of new entrants involves examining the
barriers to entry and the expected reactions of existing firms
to a new competitor. Barriers to entry are the costs and/or
legal requirements needed to enter a market. These barriers
protect the companies already in business by being a hurdle
to those trying to enter the market. In addition to up-front
barriers, a new competitor may inspire established companies
to react with tactics to deter entry, such as lowering prices or
forming partnerships. The chance of reaction is high in
markets where firms have a history of retaliation, excess cash,
are committed to the industry (see Rivalry Among Competitors),
or the industry has slow growth.
Unique Barriers
Entry barriers are unique for each industry and situation,
and can change over time. Most barriers stem from irreversible
resource commitments you must make in order to enter
a market. For example, if the existing businesses have wellestablished
brand names and fully differentiated products,
as a potential market entrant you will need to undertake an
expensive marketing campaign to introduce your products.
Barriers to entry are usually higher for companies involved
in manufacturing than for companies that provide a service
because there is often a significant expense in setting up a
production facility.
Anothr type of entry barrier is regulatory. To produce organic
food there is a three-year wait before land may be certified.
During the waiting period, producers must raise the crop as
organic, but may not market it as organic until the three-year
cleansing process of the land is completed.
Overcoming barriers to entry may involve expending significant
resources over an extended period of time. Industries
based on patentable technology may require an especially
long-term commitment, with years of research and testing,
before products can be introduced and compete.
Factors Affecting the Threat of
New Entrants
The threat of new entrants is greatest when:
Processes are not protected by regulations or patents.
In contrast, when licenses and permits are required to
do business, such as with the liquor industry, existing
firms enjoy some protection from new entrants.
Customers have little brand loyalty. Without strong
brand loyalty, a potential competitor has to spend
little to overcome the advertising and service
programs of existing firms and is more likely to enter
the industry.
Start-up costs are low for new businesses entering the
industry. The less commitment needed in advertising,
research and development, and capital assets, the
greater the chance of new entrants to the industry.
The products provided are not unique. When the
products are commodities and the assets used to
produce them are common, firms are more willing to
enter an industry because they know they can easily
liquidate their inventory and assets if the venture fails.
Switching costs are low. In situations where customers
do not face significant one-time costs from switching
suppliers, it is more attractive for new firms to enter
the industry and lure the customers away from their
previous suppliers.
The production process is easily learned. Just as
competitors may be scared away when the learning
curve is steep, competitors will be attracted to an
industry where the production process is easily
learned.
Access to inputs is easy. Entry by new firms is easier
when established firms do not have favorable access to
raw materials, locations, or government subsidies.
8 Purdue Extension Knowledge to Go
Access to customers is easy. For instance, it may be
easy to rent space to sell produce at a farmers market,
but nearly impossible to get shelf space in a grocery store.
You are more likely to find new entrants in the food
business using the farmers market distribution system
over grocery stores.
Economies of scale are minimal. If there is little
improvement in efficiency as scale (or size) increases,
a firm entering a market wont be at a disadvantage if
it doesnt produce the large volume that an existing
firm produces.
Reducing the Threat of
New Entrants
Enhancing your marketing/brand image, utilizing patents,
and creating alliances with associated products can minimize
the threat of new entrants. Important tactics you can follow
include demonstrating your ability and desire to retaliate to
potential entrants and setting a product price that deters entry.
Because competitors may enter the industry if there are excess
profits, setting a price that earns positive but not excessive
profits could lessen the threat of new entry in your industry.
Perspective on Threat of New Entrants
The threat of new entrants has a unique twist in the
winery business. A winery is not an easy business to start
because it is capital intensive and market entry can take
multiple years due to licensing requirements and initial
production time for vineyards and wine. A strong
knowledge base is also required in order to make highquality
wine and understand the complexities of the
industry. Thus, there are significant barriers to entry.
However, in at least one respect, competitors are
complementary for Indiana wineries. When several
wineries exist in close proximity, it becomes beneficial
for all wineries involved. People may not travel an hour
from home to visit only one winery, but they would view
the trip as worthwhile if they had the opportunity to visit
four wineries. This clustering effect enhances the
attractiveness and profitability of all wineries involved.
Barriers to entry in the local wine market are high due to
capital investments, licensing, and knowledge
requirements. However, having competition close to a
business does not necessarily have a negative effect on
the bottom line. Therefore, some industries may actually
encourage and support new entrants up to a point.

What Products Could Your
Customers Buy Instead of Yours?
Products from one business can be replaced by products from
another. If you produce a commodity product that is undifferentiated,
customers can easily switch away from your product
to a competitors product with few consequences. In contrast,
there may be a distinct penalty for switching if your product is
unique or essential for your customers business. Substitute
products are those that can fulfill a similar need to the one
your product fills.
As an example, a family restaurant may prefer to buy the
packaged poultry produced at your plant, but if given a better
deal, they may go to another poultry supplier. If you grow
free-range organically grown chickens, though, and you are
selling to upscale restaurants, they may have few substitutes
for the product that you are providing.
Substitutes Can Come in
Many Forms
Be aware that substitute products can come in many shapes
and sizes, and do not always come from traditional competitors.
Pork and chicken can substitute in consumer diets for
beef or lamb. Aluminum beverage cans battle in the market
against glass bottles and plastic containers. Cotton competes
with polyester from the petroleum industry. Barnes and Noble
retail bookstores compete with Internet retailer Amazon.
Postal services compete with e-mail and fax machines.
When developing a business plan, it is critical to assess the
other options your customers have to satisfy their needs. To do
this, look for products that serve the same function as yours. A
threat exists if there are alternative products with lower prices
or better performance or both.
How Substitutes Affect the
Marketplace
Substitutes essentially place a price ceiling on products.
Market analysts often talk about wheat capping corn. This
occurs because wheat and corn are substitutes in animal feed.
If wheat prices are low, corn prices will also be low, because,
as corn prices rise, livestock feeders will quickly shift to wheat
to keep ration costs low. This reduces the demand and
ultimately the price of corn.
Its more difficult for a firm to try to raise prices and make
greater profits if there are close substitutes and switching costs
are low. But, in some cases, customers may be reluctant to
switch to another product even if it offers an advantage.
Customers may consider it inconvenient or even risky to change
if they are accustomed to using a certain product in a certain
way, or they are used to the way certain services are delivered.
Factors Affecting the Threat of
Substitution
Substitutes are a greater threat when:
Your product doesnt offer any real benefit
compared to other products. What will hold your
customers if they can get an identical product from
your competitor?
It is easy for customers to switch. A grocer can easily
switch from paper to plastic bags for its customers,
but a bottler may have to reconfigure its equipment
and retrain its workers if it switches from aluminum
cans to plastic bottles.
Customers have little loyalty. When price is the
customers primary motivator, the threat of substitutes
is greater.
Reducing the Threat of Substitutes
You can reduce the threat of substitutes by using tactics such
as staying closely in tune with customer preferences and
differentiating your product by branding. In some cases, the
advertising required to differentiate is more than one firm can
bear. In that case, collective advertising for an industry may
be more effective.
11 urdue Extension Knowledge to Go
Perspective on Threat of Substitutes
In the wine business, theres a common misconception.
When considering substitutes, many would make the easy
assumption that the substitute for wine is beer. There are
many other options that need to be considered, however.
In addition to selling an alcoholic beverage, a winery is a
destination, an entertainment and educational source,
and a part of world history and culture.
Theres a saying in the wine-making business, Taste the
experience of Indiana wine??"taste the wine, taste the
events, taste the education, etc.
Due to the diversification of offerings in addition to wine,
substitutes must be carefully considered and evaluated.
Competing against the other travel destinations for
limited customer leisure time is one of the biggest
challenges.
In order to decrease the threat of substitutes in the
market and encourage customers, managers of Indiana
wineries must carefully consider these alternatives and
strategically address all the other options facing a
prospective buyer.
Self Assessment??"Threat of Substitutes
This is a short scorecard to help you assess your business position in your marketplace. Read each of the following questions and
respond with Yes or No in the space provided. Yes indicates a favorable competitive environment for your business. No indicates
a negative situation. Use the insight you gain to develop effective tactics for countering or taking advantage of the situation.

Attached is the assignment Task 1. Kindly do the following:

1. READ THE ASSESSMENT CRITERIA given below and try to answer the questions to meet the assessment criteria

2. Use practical examples and suggest clear recommendation inclined to meet the Assessment criteria

3. Also refer back to the case and the situation in the case

4. Proof read there should be no spelling mistakes

6 Follow the FORMAT which is very important. (Times New Roman 12)

7 Do not make a question answer issue - rather make it a report with heading of the question (eg. the report starts with an introduction or Executive summary then TOC - use word indexing - then body of the report do not cut paste any questions

8 The most important point _ DO NOT CUT PASTE anything from internet - PLAGIARISM

9. Have a conclusion and recommendations - Don't forget your body referencing and your end Bibliography. - USE HRS system of referencing


Learning Outcome 1

Understand the Value of an E-Strategy in Organizations

Assessment Criteria (AC) to Test Outcomes

AC1.1 - Explain the Benefits of Having an E-Strategy in Organizations
AC1.2 - Evaluate the Contribution of an E-Strategy to the Achievement of an Organization?s Objectives.

AC1.3 - Discuss How to Align an E-Strategy with an Overarching Organizational Strategy.

Tasks

Task 1 (1.1)

Task 1 (1.2)

Task 1 (1.3)

Learning Outcome 2

Be able to develop an e-strategy for an organization

Assessment Criteria (AC) to Test Outcomes

AC2.1 - Analyze the business factors that underpin the requirement for an e-strategy in an organization.
AC2.2 - Discuss the benefits of e-commerce to an organization.
AC2.3 - Develop a plan for an e-strategy that ensures an organization retains its competitive advantage in a global market
AC2.4 - Specify the technical infrastructure required in an e-strategy plan for an organization.

Tasks

Task 1 (1.4)
Task 1 (1.5)
Task 1 (1.6)
Task 1 (1.7)

Required Task 1: Leading E-strategy

Assessment and Grading:

This assessment is based on achievements in learning outcomes. In order to pass, all criteria identified in the assignment with reference to learning outcomes of the module must be met.
Word Count/Limit:
3,500 words (+/- 10%)

Please study the following case Study on Amazon available at http://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-strategy/online-business-revenue-models/amazon-case-study/ or amazon.com and complete the following tasks

Amazon Vision & Strategy

?Relentlessly focus on customer experience by offering our customers low prices, convenience, and a wide selection of merchandise.? The vision is still to offer ?Earth?s biggest selection and to be Earth?s most customer-centric company. Consider how these core marketing messages summarising the Amazon online value proposition are communicated both on-site and through offline communications. Of course, achieving customer loyalty and repeat purchases has been key to Amazon?s success. Many dot-coms failed because they succeeded in achieving awareness, but not loyalty. Amazon achieved both. In their SEC filing they stress how they seek to achieve this. They say:?We work to earn repeat purchases by providing easy-to-use functionality, fast and reliable fulfillment, timely customer service, feature rich content, and a trusted transaction environment.
A good summary of the latest business model initiatives is available in this Amazon annual report summary for 2011. For Q4, 2010:
? North America segment sales, representing the Company?s U.S. and Canadian sites, were $7.21 billion, up 45% from fourth quarter 2009.
? International segment sales, representing the Company?s U.K., German, Japanese, French, Chinese and new Italian sites, were $5.74 billion, up 26% from fourth quarter 2009. Excluding the unfavorable impact from year-over-year changes in foreign exchange rates throughout the quarter, sales grew 29%.
Amazon performs exceptionally efficiently measured against revenue per visitor, which is one of the key measures for any commercial website, whether it?s a media site, search engine, social network or a transactional retailer or offers travel or financial services. Of course profit per user would be quite different due to the significantly lower costs of other .coms like Facebook and Google. Key features of our websites include editorial and customer reviews; manufacturer product information; Web pages tailored to individual preferences, such as recommendations and notifications; 1-Click? technology; secure payment systems; image uploads; searching on our websites as well as the Internet; browsing; and the ability to view selected interior pages and citations, and search the entire contents of many of the books we offer with our ?Look Inside the Book? and ?Search Inside the Book? features. Our community of online customers also creates feature-rich content, including product reviews, online recommendation lists, wish lists, buying guides, and wedding and baby registries.?In practice, as is the practice for many online retailers, the lowest prices are for the most popular products, with less popular products commanding higher prices and a greater margin for Amazon.
Free shipping offers are used to encourage increase in basket size since customers have to spend over a certain amount to receive free shipping. The level at which free-shipping is set is critical to profitability and Amazon has changed it as competition has changed and for promotional reasons. Amazon communicate the fulfillment promise in several ways including presentation of latest inventory availability information, delivery date estimates, and options for expedited delivery, as well as delivery shipment notifications and update facilities.
This focus on customer has translated to excellence in service with the 2004 American Customer Satisfaction Index giving Amazon.com a score of 88 which was at the time, the highest customer satisfaction score ever recorded in any service industry, online or offline. Round (2004) notes that Amazon focuses on customer satisfaction metrics. Each site is closely monitored with standard service availability monitoring (for example, using Keynote or Mercury Interactive) site availability and download speed. Interestingly it also monitors per minute site revenue upper/lower bounds ? Round describes an alarm system rather like a power plant where if revenue on a site falls below $10,000 per minute, alarms go off! There are also internal performance service-level-agreements for web services where T% of the time, different pages must return in X seconds.


Visions and importance of technology
According to founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos, technology is very important to supporting this focus on the customer. In their 2010 Annual Report (Amazon, 2011) he said:
?Look inside a current textbook on software architecture, and you?ll find few patterns that we don?t apply at Amazon. We use high-performance transactions systems, complex rendering and object caching, workflow and queuing systems, business intelligence and data analytics, machine learning and pattern recognition, neural networks and probabilistic decision making, and a wide variety of other techniques. And while many of our systems are based on the latest in computer science research, this often hasn?t been sufficient: our architects and engineers have had to advance research in directions that no academic had yet taken. Many of the problems we face have no textbook solutions, and so we ? happily ? invent new approaches?? All the effort we put into technology might not matter that much if we kept technology off to the side in some sort of R&D department, but we don?t take that approach. Technology infuses all of our teams, all of our processes, our decision-making, and our approach to innovation in each of our businesses. It is deeply integrated into everything we do?.
The quote shows how applying new technologies is used to give Amazon a competitive edge. A good recent example of this is providing the infrastructure to deliver the Kindle ?Whispersync? update to ebook readers. Amazon reported in 2011 that Amazon.com is now selling more Kindle books than paperback books. For every 100 paperback books Amazon has sold, the Company sold 115 Kindle books. Kindle apps are now available on Apple iOS, Android devices and on PCs as part of a ?Buy Once, Read Anywhere? proposition which Amazon has developed.
Amazon Customers
Amazon defines what it refers to as three consumer sets customers, seller customers and developer customers. There are over 76 million customer accounts, but just 1.3 million active seller customers in it?s marketplaces and Amazon is seeking to increase this. Amazon is unusual for a retailer in that it identifies ?developer customers? who use its Amazon Web Services, which provides access to technology infrastructure such as hosting that developers can use to develop their own web services.
Members are also encouraged to join a loyalty programme, Amazon Prime, a fee-based membership program in which members receive free or discounted express shipping, in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan.
Competitions
In its SEC (2005) filing Amazon describes the environment for our products and services as ?intensely competitive?. It views its main current and potential competitors as:
1) physical-world retailers, catalog retailers, publishers, vendors, distributors and manufacturers of our products, many of which possess significant brand awareness, sales volume, and customer bases, and some of which currently sell, or may sell, products or services through the Internet, mail order, or direct marketing;
(2) Other online E-commerce sites;
(3) A number of indirect competitors, including media companies, Web portals, comparison shopping websites, and Web search engines, either directly or in collaboration with other retailers; and
(4) Companies that provide e-commerce services, including website development; third-party fulfillment and customer-service.
It believes the main competitive factors in its market segments include ?selection, price, availability, convenience, information, discovery, brand recognition, personalized services, accessibility, customer service, reliability, speed of fulfillment, ease of use, and ability to adapt to changing conditions, as well as our customers? overall experience and trust in transactions with us and facilitated by us on behalf of third-party sellers?.
For services offered to business and individual sellers, additional competitive factors include the quality of our services and tools, their ability to generate sales for third parties we serve, and the speed of performance for our services

From Actions to Marketplaces
Amazon auctions (known as zShops) were launched in March 1999, in large part as a response to the success of eBay. They were promoted heavily from the home page, category pages and individual product pages. Despite this, a year after its launch it had only achieved a 3.2% share of the online auction compared to 58% for eBay and it only declined from this point. Today, competitive prices of products are available through third-party sellers in the ?Amazon Marketplace? which are integrated within the standard product listings. The strategy to offer such an auction facility was initially driven by the need to compete with eBay, but now the strategy has been adjusted such that Amazon describe it as part of the approach of low-pricing.
Although it might be thought that Amazon would lose out on enabling its merchants to sell products at lower prices, in fact Amazon makes greater margin on these sales since merchants are charged a commission on each sale and it is the merchant who bears the cost of storing inventory and fulfilling the product to customers. As with eBay, Amazon is just facilitating the exchange of bits and bytes between buyers and sellers without the need to distribute physical products.

Amazon Media Sales

You may have noticed that unlike some retailers, Amazon displays relevant Google text ads and banner ads from brands. This seems in conflict with the strategy of focus on experience since it leads to a more cluttered store. However in 2011 Amazon revealed that worldwide media sales accounted for approximately 17% of revenue!

Amazon Marketing

Amazon does not reveal much about its marketing approach in its annual reports, but there seems to be a focus on online marketing channels. Amazon (2011) states ?we direct customers to our websites primarily through a number of targeted online marketing channels, such as our Associates program, sponsored search, portal advertising, email marketing campaigns, and other initiatives?. These other initiatives may include outdoor and TV advertising, but they are not mentioned specifically. In this statement they also highlight the importance of customer loyalty tools. They say: ?while costs associated with free shipping are not included in marketing expense, we view free shipping offers and Amazon Prime as effective worldwide marketing tools, and intend to continue offering them indefinitely?.
Questions to be addressed in completing the Assignment tasks: 1

1.1 Explain the benefits of having an e-Strategy in organisation like Amazon? Critically evaluate using examples with particular emphasis on meeting strategic business objectives of Amazon? (Criteria 1.1)

1.2 From the information given in the case study evaluate contributions of an e-Strategy to the Achievement of Amazon?s objectives, analyse all the aspects in detailed manner?
(Criteria 1.2)

1.3 Critically analyse how the Amazon?s e-strategy is aligned with over overarching organisational strategy justify your statements with examples (Criteria 1.3)

1.4 Critically analyze the business factors that underpin the requirement for an e-strategy in the context of Amazon? (Criteria 2 .1)

1.5 Discuss the benefits of e-commerce to Amazon? As an e-commerce consultant proactively advise what are the future value additions (Criteria 2 .2)

1.6 Assume that you are heading the e-strategy initiatives at Amazon. Develop a plan for Amazon?s e-strategy to retain its competitive advantages in the global market place ? justify with relevant example (Criteria 2 .3)

1.7 Identify and conclude the technical infrastructure required for the strategy plan developed by you in task 1.6
(Criteria 2 .4)

Business Situation - I designed a unique marketing plan for a new company developing a ?new to the world? product or service. My product or service development and marketing budget is $20 million.

*****My new to the world product is a FLOATING DEVICE in cars that will prevent them from falling into lakes and canals, in case of an accident and sleeping while driving.
What I need from you is a 4 pages paper that will explain the following:

1.)Specify my target market!!!!!(See details...)

Target Market - Who is my target market? Are my consumers likely to be highly involved in the decision to use your product or is this more of a low involvement decision? Segment target market based on demographic and psychographic variables. Provide a detailed profile of your customer and include supporting documentation explaining how you arrived at your consumer profile.

2.)Explain how I''m going to build and keep a long-term relationship with my customers!!!!!(See details...)

Relationship Building - How will you build a long-term relationship with your customers? What type of guarantee will you offer? What about rebates and loyalty programs?



There are faxes for this order.