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Top Internet Trends for 2004 (http://www.webtalkguys.com/10604.shtml
)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/learn/menu.shtml
http://www.worldinternetproject.net/
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=432
Subgroup A
Borderless Economy - What's Up!
You have heard of the ''borderless economy.'' And we are all aware
of the overwhelming reality that globalization is affecting the way
we live and do business. Global trade volume is reaching new levels,
its growth fueled by liberalized trade, regional trade agreements
and global and electronic supply chains. E-commerce is resulting in
shipments that are smaller, more frequent, and are delivered
just-in-time. What's more, e-commerce orders tend to be more global
because potential customers come from anywhere there is Internet
access.
IBM's vision of a borderless economy where suppliers across the
globe compete instantaneously for contracts hasn't quite arrived. It
will be some time before it's up to expectations, but it is coming.
On the other hand one of
GE's competitive advantage is in its' ability to take advantage
of the Internet as a tool in participating in business activities
that create a borderless economy.
The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) is an organization that
is also helping to create the borderless economy. It is the leading
and largest trade association for businesses interested in
interactive and database marketing, with nearly 5,000 member
companies from around the world. DMA members include direct
marketers from every business segment as well as the nonprofit and
electronic marketing sectors. Included are catalogers, Internet
retailers and service providers, financial services providers, book
and magazine publishers, book and music clubs, retail stores,
industrial manufacturers and a host of other vertical segments,
including the service industries that support them. Visit The
DMA's Web Site and also the
DMA consumer Web site.
The Internet offers plenty of benefits as an international trading
tool - it is the force for developing the "borderless economy".
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Visit The
DMA's Web Site and its
consumer Web site. How are these organizations using the
Internet to advance the borderless economy?
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How can companies take advantage of the Internet to participate
and help promote the "borderless economy"?
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Find at least two to three other companies that are taking
advantage of the Internet to participate in the "borderless
economy" and explain how they are doing it?
What
are some of the drawbacks that companies might face in trying to
create a borderless global business through the Internet?
Subgroup B
E-Marketing Statistics and Resources
This exercise will have you explore one of the leading resources for
Internet and e-business statistics -
E-marketer. This site aggregates information on Internet use,
and trends of advertising and doing business online. Information is
compiled from the latest surveys, information from the government,
as well as top consultants. There are hundreds of reports and access
to the e-stat database available for purchase. But, there is also a
wealth of articles and information available free by browsing
through the abstracts.
At the main menu, you should see a prominent box on the screen,
promoting the e-stat Database. Click the link at the bottom of the
box for more information.
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What type of information is available for purchase from the e-stat
Database?
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Returning to the main menu, click on ereports. How might these
reports be helpful to marketers looking to market their products
over the Internet?
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Based on the reports listed, which report may be helpful to online
marketers who wish to target teens?
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From the list of reports, click on "Marketing Online to Kids and
Teens." Based on the abstract of this report, what are the primary
reasons teens use the Internet? Rank the following list of reasons
in order from most important reason (1) to least important reason
(8):
Download music videos ___
Play games ___
Use chatrooms ___
Send/receive e-mail ___
Shop ___
Research/get information___
Read news/sports ___
Send electronic greeting cards ___
Subgroup C
How is E-Business is Fueling the Price Wars?
The lower cost structure for e-businesses allows companies to price
their products lower than traditional businesses.
Furniture.com for instance, doesn't have a physical showroom or
on-site salespersons. Instead, its online site is able to display
many more items than the largest storefront retailer. This allows it
to under price its storefront competitors. From travel to insurance
to retailing to music - industry after industry new e-business
competitors are providing products and services at lower cost hence
lower prices. In addition to lower capital expenditures and
overhead, they often cutout middlemen and suppliers.
Apple Computer, for example is increasing the selling of
products directly to consumers and bypassing computer retailers.
The Internet makes comparison-shopping a snap. It essentially
eliminates excess profits that historically could be earned because
consumers didn't have the time or information to find the
lowest-price seller. There are now dozens of search engines that use
shopping bots. These bots are intelligent software agents that
search e-commerce Web sites for the lowest price on anything from
books to digital cameras. These comparison-shopping sites are free
to users. Here are some popular comparison-shopping sites:
Bonustree,
Zdnet,
Bottomdollar,
Dealpilot,
Dealtime,
Mysimon,
Pricescan,
Pricegrabber, and
Smartshop.
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Take a product you have purchase recently and compare the price
you paid with at least 3 of the comparison shopping sites above.
How much of a savings if any would you have gained by purchasing
at one of these sites?
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Visit
Bonustree, what value besides comparison-shopping does this
site offer?
Visit
some of your favorite e-retailer sites and compare their products
and services with some of these comparison-shopping sites. Discuss
what competitive advantages and disadvantages exist.
Subgroup D
Companies Get Creative on the WEB - To Catch Customers!
Forget about what you hear and read about the high-tech industry
dying and the Web as an overrated way to advertise. Smart companies
are using the Internet in innovative ways to develop markets,
attract customers, and ship products.
Some companies are small like Wizard Industries, which markets and
distributes a set of innovative software packages directly from its
Internet site.
Even more interesting and innovative as a marketing tool is
BMW's new film site-yes film site!
BMW is using the Internet site to present five-minute car chase
films that feature BMWs. These mini films are indecently directed by
world-class directors such as
John Frankenheimer who produced "The
Manchurian Candidate," and "Ronin"
and
Ang Lee, who recently produced "Crouching
Tiger, Hidden Dragon." The flicks are so well done it seems that
people don't really care much about BMW's involvement in the
production of the film. This is a new and innovative way that BMW is
trying to capture the attention of customers on its Internet
site-and keep them coming back.
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Is creating exciting short Internet movies an effective way to
attract customers?
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Who will be most attracted to the mini-movies on-line produced by
BMW?
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Do you think these films represent the future of commercials?
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Why would a car company go to such great cost to hire a
world-class film director to create a film for advertising?
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What other Internet sites can you find that are using creative
innovative techniques to catch customers? Find two to three sites.
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What creative ideas do you have that you think would attract
customers to a product or service through the Internet?
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