In: Operations Management
Students will analyze the marketing activities of a company of their choice or their own company (real of fictitious.) This analysis should cover the major topics as discussed in the course. The paper should focus on the strategic marketing decisions of a particular product or service. Students will take the position of a marketing manager for the product or service being studied and make appropriate recommendations in their concluding remarks. This paper should be 4-5 pages in length
Marketing Activities of Amazon:
E-commerce companies such as Amazon use demographic & psychographic segmentation for market segmentation. The segmentation of Amazon is based on real consumer behavior: not on what consumers may have shown interest in, but on what they really bought. Amazon's micro-level segmentation addresses each customer directly, helping the organization to turn travelers into high-value, long-term consumers.
Segmentation in e-commerce also includes the development of customers who are going to buy in certain forms & other goods. Likewise, Amazon serves middle-class and upper-class people who have hands-on advanced technology experience but do not have time or prefer ease over traditional stores shopping.
Amazon has effectively established itself as a central e-commerce powerhouse in Glocal (Go Local Act) where you can buy something and have it shipped at any remote location. Using the # AurDikhao catchphrase in its latest campaign in India, it has also helped them carve a distinct room in the mind of the customer.
Competitive advantage:
In order to distinguish themselves, the organization acquired various IT & e-commerce start-ups such as pets.com, audible.com, Junglee.com, IMBD.com, Zappos.com, Woot, etc. which allowed them to provide their customers with high value by leveraging advanced technologies from the acquired partners at low cost. In fact, Amazon has gained economies of scale through broad merchandise ranges including electronics, toys and sports, clothing, DIY, and much more.
Such products help Amazon keep its costs down and pass the profits on to the customers. Amazon's strong consumer-centered approach to understanding consumer purchasing actions based on expectations has allowed them to compete with their rivals. More than 50 percent of customers are Amazon.com's repeat users. In comparison, Amazon is one of the longest online players to be active and has a strong presence in European and US nations. The bottom line lets the company grow into new markets.
BCG Matrix:
There are some companies on BCG matrix Amazon that are cash cows while others are stars & question marks.
E-books, on-demand movies & Amazon prime are essentially cash cows that offer Amazon maximum margins. Amazon was, in fact, a bookstore before electronics began.
Kindle, VOD (Video on Demand) & Amazon Web Services are
question marks because these services have become outdated and have
poor demand with the introduction of technology.
Electronics and other reliable electronic goods are Amazon's stars
as they have high growth levels but Amazon's market share is still
high for these goods.
Distribution strategy:
Amazon knows that the most crucial thing consumers desire is the fast availability of their purchased goods. It is where the vast distribution network that Amazon has put into play. It currently operates more than 43 million square feet in more than 55 fulfillment centers.
That will not include the latest "under-the-tent" plan for Amazon to use unused retailer warehouse inventory for consumer-packaged products to satisfy consumers more efficiently. Amazon is taking its disruptive approach of infiltrating warehouses and expanding their delivery systems to new markets and consumers.
Amazon had developed a large & organized network to make the commodity accessible at remote locations too free of cost shipping charges up to a certain amount. Amazon has established a large global delivery network that keeps rising at a frenzied pace.
Brand equity:
Despite being simply an e-book distributor to emerging as the world's 2nd largest e-commerce corporation, Amazon.com has gradually expanded its advertisement and marketing spending to improve its reputation and achieve higher market equities.
The Amazon.com brand was worth 800 billion US dollars by April 2020. To a business, a name is like a person's credibility. By having to do hard stuff you build credibility. With customers repeated more than 55 percent, the figures say us about the store. It ranks among the 13 most valuable brand in the world.
Competitive analysis:
A quick listing of Amazon's rivals depends on what Amazon's
market field is known as. When contemplating books or material
based distribution, such as books, videos, magazines, and
audiobooks, Apple will be the biggest rival. The iTunes store will
still pose a challenge to the amazon store due to Apple devices
such as the iPad, iPhone, and Macbook. Google will emerge as the
largest rival when considering Internet services.
Walmart is Amazon's greatest challenge in the US, as stories roll
in numerous efforts to deal with the major online retailer. Walmart
is developing a customer locker system where shoppers can buy and
pay online as well as delivery at their convenience.
Walmart now continues to expand distribution on the same day in
four markets and is the fourth biggest online store. Walmart rakes
in Internet revenue of about $9 billion which Amazon more than
doubling in a year. Nevertheless, Amazon does not have the physical
framework foundation from which Walmart will start.
There are several local portals in emerging countries as well as in developed ones that offer Amazon stiff competition. For example-Snapdeal, two of Amazon's rivals are Flipkart. Similarly, Groupon, first cri (targeted at moms) are unique e-commerce sites that keep Amazon off stream. Thus, each country's local competitors likewise respond strongly to the involvement of Amazon.
Business research of Amazon's marketing campaign-The The retail e-commerce industry is still evolving. Customers are now getting more familiar with online shopping with the introduction of the platform in developed economies. Fierce competition from Biggies such as Alibaba, eBay, start-ups and local e-commerce players such as Flipkart, Snapdeal is more likely to result in overall market development that is positive for the sector.
Customer analysis:
Amazon consumers consist of socioeconomic classes of the upper and middle class that are likely to use e-commerce sites and are familiar with shopping online. Many consumers are entrepreneurs or businesses who are occupied with their business/job who find it easier to buy something online instead of visiting the traditional store to save time and energy.
However, consumers could also be the sort who are hunting for offers. Despite that, it is understood the site has unique days when they give their users huge discounts.