Module Five: Marketing for E-Commerce

Overview

On page 464 in your textbook, you will find material about segmenting the consumer market. The activity in this module gives you an opportunity to see market segmentation at work on the Web in the Honda/Acura web site. On page 538 of your textbook, you will find information about interactive marketing on the Internet. You are told that the key to marketing success is interactivity. You will have an opportunity to interactively experience one automobile company's situation in the new marketplace to observe their current strategies for reaching customers using the World Wide Web.

Resources for Marketing for E-Commerce

Seven New Marketing Challenges for an Electronic Age

more information for sellers about their customers
more information for buyers
new intermediaries
new technology "interconnectivity"
more automation
world-wide sourcing and access
greater value consciousness

How to Acquire Customers on the Web - from Harvard Business review May-June 2000 - Consider CDnow, which has developed a multifaceted customer-acquisition strategy that reflects a clear understanding of the economics of an on-line business.
Web Marketing Today - from Wilson Internet - offers the web's largest source of key infomration about doing business on the Net -- hundreds of articles, thousands of links on e-commerce and web marketing.

ZDNet Ecommerce Ecommerce News - Make the Most of Web Marketing

ZDNet Ecommerce Ecommerce Reviews - E-marketing tools, The science, art of selling

Assignment

The activity in this module is to look at the marketing of cars on the Web. To have a better understanding of the latest thoughts on the marketing of cars on the Web, students will

Read three articles found on the Web at the links given below.
Follow instructions for visiting the web site for Honda.
Answer the four questions given for each path followed on the Honda and Acura sites.

A. Read the following three articles:
Article One "Ralph's Agenda" from eCompany Now July 2000.
"Here's how car buying should work sometime in the future: The customer goes to a web site, configures the car of her dreams from hundreds of options, compares it online with similar models, and, with the click of a mouse, orders the car, the financing, and the insurance. That click sets off a series of lightning-quick automated responses. The order goes to another site, where it is inserted in the appropriate production-line schedule at a factory. Procurement orders are aggregated and placed over a trading exchange to provide the needed parts. Space is reserved on the next train or truck out of the plant. And the accounting and forecasting systems at GM's headquarters are updated. The entire flow of information occurs almost instantly, without human intervention. Ten days later, the car arrives at the dealer closest to the customer. " CIO of GM, Ralph Szygenda.

Article Two "Manheim Steamroller" from eCompany Now July 2000.
"You might not think of it this way, but the used-car industry is an information business and, therefore, ripe for the Web. True, people do like to see used cars before they buy them. But much of the used-car business relies simply on data like vehicle identification number, model, year, options, damage--all easily delivered over the Internet."

Article Three "Collision Course" from Fast Company, January-February 2000,
"...within the next few years, the Web is expected to make its greatest impact yet. That's because one of the most powerful and most important industries on the planet -- the design, assembly, and sale of automobiles -- is finally ready to get with the digital program."

B. Follow instructions for visiting the web site for Honda cars.

Start with the link Honda/Acura where you are a potential customer. You are interested in buying a used (previously owned) car, 1997 or 1998 model.
Follow the links for Honda, click on the Dealers link, and type in the name of a large city to search on. Investigate three (3) of the dealerships listed for that city and notice the differences in approaches to reach customers who are interested in finding a used car.
Go back to the main page and follow the links for Acura, search for dealerships in a different city. Locate three (3) dealerships listed for that city.

C. Answer the four questions below about the Honda Dealers' sites:

Answer the following questions for the Honda dealers in the city you choose:

What is the basic information available for a potential car buyer at this site?
How are you affected by the design and layout of the site, the visual appeal?
How easy is it to find out the information you are looking for regarding used vehicles?
What suggestions would you make to this dealership to increase the effectiveness of their web marketing?

D. Answer the four questions below about the Acura Dealers' sites:

Answer the following questions for the Acura dealers:

What is the basic information available for a potential car buyer at this site?
How are you affected by the design and layout of the site, the visual appeal?
How easy is it to find out the information you are looking for regarding used vehicles?
What suggestions would you make to this dealership to increase the effectiveness of their web marketing?

Send your answers to your instructor by filling out the form below.

Your Name:
Your Email:
Your ID #:
Book:
Course number/section:
Instructor's Name:
Instructor's Email Address:

Copyright ©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Any use is subject to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
McGraw-Hill Ryerson is one of the many fine businesses of The McGraw-Hill Companies.
Contact us for further information about this site.

	Overview On page 464 in your textbook, you will find material about segmenting the consumer market. The activity in this module gives you an opportunity to see market segmentation at work on the Web in the Honda/Acura web site. On page 538 of your textbook, you will find information about interactive marketing on the Internet. You are told that the key to marketing success is interactivity. You will have an opportunity to interactively experience one automobile company's situation in the new marketplace to observe their current strategies for reaching customers using the World Wide Web.
	Resources for Marketing for E-Commerce Seven New Marketing Challenges for an Electronic Age more information for sellers about their customers more information for buyers new intermediaries new technology "interconnectivity" more automation world-wide sourcing and access greater value consciousness How to Acquire Customers on the Web - from Harvard Business review May-June 2000 - Consider CDnow, which has developed a multifaceted customer-acquisition strategy that reflects a clear understanding of the economics of an on-line business. Web Marketing Today - from Wilson Internet - offers the web's largest source of key infomration about doing business on the Net -- hundreds of articles, thousands of links on e-commerce and web marketing. ZDNet Ecommerce Ecommerce News - Make the Most of Web Marketing ZDNet Ecommerce Ecommerce Reviews - E-marketing tools, The science, art of selling
	Assignment The activity in this module is to look at the marketing of cars on the Web. To have a better understanding of the latest thoughts on the marketing of cars on the Web, students will Read three articles found on the Web at the links given below. Follow instructions for visiting the web site for Honda. Answer the four questions given for each path followed on the Honda and Acura sites. A. Read the following three articles: Article One "Ralph's Agenda" from eCompany Now July 2000. "Here's how car buying should work sometime in the future: The customer goes to a web site, configures the car of her dreams from hundreds of options, compares it online with similar models, and, with the click of a mouse, orders the car, the financing, and the insurance. That click sets off a series of lightning-quick automated responses. The order goes to another site, where it is inserted in the appropriate production-line schedule at a factory. Procurement orders are aggregated and placed over a trading exchange to provide the needed parts. Space is reserved on the next train or truck out of the plant. And the accounting and forecasting systems at GM's headquarters are updated. The entire flow of information occurs almost instantly, without human intervention. Ten days later, the car arrives at the dealer closest to the customer. " CIO of GM, Ralph Szygenda. Article Two "Manheim Steamroller" from eCompany Now July 2000. "You might not think of it this way, but the used-car industry is an information business and, therefore, ripe for the Web. True, people do like to see used cars before they buy them. But much of the used-car business relies simply on data like vehicle identification number, model, year, options, damage--all easily delivered over the Internet." Article Three "Collision Course" from Fast Company, January-February 2000, "...within the next few years, the Web is expected to make its greatest impact yet. That's because one of the most powerful and most important industries on the planet -- the design, assembly, and sale of automobiles -- is finally ready to get with the digital program." B. Follow instructions for visiting the web site for Honda cars. Start with the link Honda/Acura where you are a potential customer. You are interested in buying a used (previously owned) car, 1997 or 1998 model. Follow the links for Honda, click on the Dealers link, and type in the name of a large city to search on. Investigate three (3) of the dealerships listed for that city and notice the differences in approaches to reach customers who are interested in finding a used car. Go back to the main page and follow the links for Acura, search for dealerships in a different city. Locate three (3) dealerships listed for that city. C. Answer the four questions below about the Honda Dealers' sites: Answer the following questions for the Honda dealers in the city you choose: What is the basic information available for a potential car buyer at this site? How are you affected by the design and layout of the site, the visual appeal? How easy is it to find out the information you are looking for regarding used vehicles? What suggestions would you make to this dealership to increase the effectiveness of their web marketing? D. Answer the four questions below about the Acura Dealers' sites: Answer the following questions for the Acura dealers: What is the basic information available for a potential car buyer at this site? How are you affected by the design and layout of the site, the visual appeal? How easy is it to find out the information you are looking for regarding used vehicles? What suggestions would you make to this dealership to increase the effectiveness of their web marketing? Send your answers to your instructor by filling out the form below. Your Name: Your Email: Your ID #: Book: Course number/section: Instructor's Name: Instructor's Email Address:
	Copyright ©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Any use is subject to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. McGraw-Hill Ryerson is one of the many fine businesses of The McGraw-Hill Companies. Contact us for further information about this site.