1. Describe how Amazon’s online marketing strategy is impacting conventional retail stores. What specific advantages do Amazon and other online firms have over brick and mortar department stores? What advantages do local retail stores have over online shopping?
Online marketing is enhancing efficiency by lowering the operational and distributional costs as well as increasing the phase of product delivery. The strategy assists conventional stores to transact business with their clients without the need to move from one destination to another. It also allows the business clients to look at the displays and make orders for the items they want. The stores then take the initiative of make deliveries as per the orders thus making the transactions efficient.
Amazon and other online firms are able to share information very fast with their suppliers and customers through the online services thus making the strategy to be more efficient than the analog stores. Besides, the online firms enjoy a wider market for its products since they are able to reach many people following the emergence of new technologies that encourage people to share information through social media. However, the local retail stores are not subject to cyber-crime which remains a big threat to online shopping. Cybercrime threatens the operations of online businesses like Amazon.com. Also, customers are able to make purchases from local retail stores without planning because the products are available in sight. Finally, customers are able to connect with the employees in the stores face to face for advice and guidance as well as having a touch to the product unlike online shopping.
2. How are brick and mortar retail stores responding to the online shopping competitors? Provide an example.
Brick and Mortar stores nowadays operate multi-channels for their products through which they can offer products through their stores as well as using online services. For example, Costco uses both physical and online stores but with different products (Kleinschmit, 2014). Besides, these stores have also focused on improving their delivering services by expanding their stores to different areas where there have target customers. In so doing, the local stores have brought products nearer to their customers thus increasing their attractiveness.3. Can an “even playing field” be achieved for both the local department store and an online merchant offering the same products? Explain and support your answer.
An even playing field cannot be achieved for both online and local department stores despite offering the same products. It is worth noting that new technologies applied in online stores have promoted efficiency which remains a challenge to local department stores. The efficiency in business transactions between the two stores is one area where an even field cannot develop. The online merchant enhances the faster exchange of products, information as well as reducing costs which will remain a great challenge to the side of local department stores.4. How is Amazon looking beyond retail shopping to providing managed logistics services to other firms? Amazon.com has several ways that play a great role in helping the company to provide managed logistics services. For instance, the company uses various applications that help in forecasting, ordering supplies and delivering products when required without delay. In so doing, it becomes easier for the company to share business information and handle transactions very easily and fast. Additionally, Amazon has established huge distribution centers which are stocked with many items for easy supply.5. “Plans fail for the lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed” (Prov. 15:22 NIV). Explain what this means to a follower of Christ in their business practices.
This statement means that business people require conducting researches and gathering information regarding his or her business before making his or her decisions. Any decision needs proper support from experts to ensure its success. This means that a follower of Christ needs to have proper planning for his or her business to foster success.
References
Kleinschmit, M. (2014, April 11). 3 ways traditional brick–and-mortar retailers are responding to the growth of online shopping. Visioncritical. Retrieved from https://www.visioncritical.com/3-ways-traditional-brick-and-mortar-retailers-are- responding-growth-online-shopping/.
