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Archive for October, 2009

Companies are rushing to establish themselves on the World ‘Wide Web. American Airlines’ Web-based revenues grow some 22 percent each month. Dell computer reaps a 30 percent higher profit margin for each machine it sells on the Web than from any other channel. National Semiconductor uses the Web as a global communication tool for delivering up-to-the-minute product information without any direct mail or advertising costs. The stories of new-found riches on the Web are too numerous to list. The point being that the XVeb offers practical strategies to everyone in business can use to increase sales and profits.29
The Web offers marketers a powerful, yet affordable way to reach customers across town or overseas, at almost any time, with interactive messages. The online techniques that companies use to market their businesses fall into four broad categories: interactive brochures, virtual storefronts, information clearinghouses, and customer service tools.
• Interactive brochures that provide company and product information are among the most popular high-tech marketing applications. These range from simple, one-page electronic flyers to multimedia presentations. When American Airlines’ travelers need information, they can simply log on to AA.com to get instant access to their AAdvantage account, browse programs and services, make reservations, and check out special benefits available to them as members of American’s frequent flyer programs.
• Online newsletters provide current news, industry information, and contacts and links for internal and external customers. Web Commerce Today, a monthly online newsletter, helps merchants plan, design, manage, and promote retail or business-to-business Web stores.
• The virtual storefront takes the interactive brochure one step further and allows customers to view and order merchandise. Bluefly.com is one such Web site that offers one- stop shopping for people who want to avoid the crowds of a shopping mall and who want to shop from home. Bluefly carries merchandise from designer clothiers, gifts, home decor items, and more. Figure 1.8, the home page for Bluefly, gives visitors information on special sales and customer services such as return policy.
Web stores can be stand-alone operations or grouped in cybermalls with links to 30 to 100 participating retailers. Some use popular national retailers to “anchor” the malls and draw traffic. Among the cyberstores at MCI Marketplace are Borders Books and Music, Day-Timers, Hammacher Schlemmer, L’Eggs, The Mac Zone, Nordstrom, and PC Zone.
• Infonnation clearinghouses provide in-depth product information. Shoppers can ask questions and get online answers, and companies can hold virtual meetings (online conferences) and sponsor discussion groups. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) maintains a Web site that provides information about the organization and its conservation activities. With 4.7 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries, WWF’s primary mission is to protect nature. Site visitors can obtain membership information and learn about publications, cuno raising campaigns, ecincatiorral programs, and curtent conservation issues facing the world today.
• The Web can also be a customer service tool. Consumers can order catalogs, refer to lists of frequently asked questions with ails wets, place semce orders online, and send questions to company representatives. For instance, they can access many Kraft Foods Web sites, such asjell-o.com, to obtain information on Kraft’s many products, learn new recipes, ask quesdons about cooking, and even buy merchandise online.