Marketing

MARKETING

Impact of the Internet on marketing strategy.

You use technology to serve your customers in new ways. In addition to creating new business, the web has changed the existing way of doing business. Companies at all levels of distribution have created their own Web sites to communicate with other businesses and consumers and to conduct transactions.

Product

The capabilities of the Internet allow marketers to rethink how they segment and target their markets. Rather than competing on price, service marketers are learning to use Internet technology to improve their products.

Channel relationships

The appeal of the web for manufacturers is in getting closer to the end consumer. By selling on the web and eliminating middlemen, manufacturers of commercial and consumer products decide what items they present, how they present them, and what levels of service accompany them.

Price

A major attraction of selling over the Internet is the reduced overhead that often translates into lower prices. Inventory is reduced or eliminated because most orders can be shipped directly from the manufacturer to the consumer.

Customer services

Providing a service can be the biggest hurdle for companies considering moving online. Many of the most successful Internet retailers have found that the combination of storefront and online access is the best formula.

International markets

E-commerce has no border. The only physical constraint is delivery, which greatly simplifies parcel services. However, other issues must be overcome as sellers expand globally.