Purchasing Apple iPad Online - Case Study Example

Mapping Consumer Digital Journey Name Institutional Affiliation Purchasing Apple iPad online The Apple Company The internet has developed in a new distribution channel, online transactions are increasing. The development of the internet has created a new paradigm shift off the traditional shopping methods. The consumers are not bound by the traditional opening times or specific locations. Consumers are becoming active at virtually any time and place and purchases services or products. The internet is relatively a new mode of communication as well as exchange of information that has become essential in everyday life. Internet users are increasing significantly; this indicates that online purchasers are also increasing (Bigne, Ruiz & Sanz 2005). This has made organizations and marketers to create a need to understand how consumers perceive online purchases. The internet provides consumers with purchase characteristics that are not found in any other medium. Some characteristics make the internet to be more convenient for consumers as compared to the traditional ways of shopping such as the ability to view and purchase products at any time, visualize their needs with products as well as discuss products with other consumers in different locations in real time (Babu, Vani & Panchanatham 2010). This report discusses how Apple Company uses the internet to market its products to customers using the consumer buying behaviour. The company uses different e-marketing approaches to ensure that consumers purchase its product. The product in focus in this report is iPad brand from Apple Company. Apple international (Apple) manufactures, designs and markets mobile communications and media devices, portable digital music players, personal computers. It also sells a couple of related software, peripherals, services, networking solutions as well as third party digital applications and contents. The company's products include: iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, iPod, Apple TV, The iOS and OS X operating systems, App Store, iBook Store and Mac App Store, a portfolio of consumer and professional software applications, iCloud accessories service and support offerings It sells its products worldwide through its retail stores, direct sales and online stores as well as through third parties. The company was founded by Steve Jobs, Ronald Gerald Wayne and Steve Wozniak on April 1 1976. It is headquarter in Cupertino California, United States. This report provides an analysis of the company's iPad brand. iPad is a multi-purpose mobile device for browsing the internet and web, reading and sending emails, watching videos, viewing photos, listening to music, playing games, reading e-books and many other tasks (Kengthon 2011). This brand is based on the company's multi-touch technology; it allows users to connect freely with their contents and applications in a more interactive way. iPad allows users to access and use various digital applications and contents. This product was launched in March 2012 by the company; it has several iPad accessories which are available through the company's retail and online stores. The latest of this brand is the iPad and iPad mini, the fourth generation (Babu, Vani & Panchanatham 2010). How the company uses different e-marketing channels in each step Need recognition – this is where I developed the need to have an iPad. I realize that I need this device to access the web and to read and send emails. I regularly use emails and access the internet daily; this made me to need an iPad. This device will not only give me an opportunity to manage my email and access the web but also more services as indicated above. I will not have to visit cyber café in order to access internet especially when I want to read and send large documents. After recognising this need, I visited Apple’s online store to evaluate this product with an intention to buy it. The current state is different from my desired state. I do not have the iPad currently but I desire to have one in the near future. Although currently I actually don’t have it, I desire to have one. This desire stipulated me to visit the company's online store to purchase this product (Kengthon 2011). Awareness – I became conscious after seeing the company advertise this product in the internet before even visiting the company's online store. Apple stimulated me to purchase this product through providing information about the product. I saw the company advertise iPad in various internet platforms and I got caught up. I developed a burning desire to buy this product after watching the advertisements. It is as if the company new that I need this device. This stimulated me to recognise that I really need an iPad. In this case, the company used various internet platforms to inspire my desire to purchase this brand. I saw iPad being advertised in YouTube, and websites that I visited. Before opening a video in the internet, the company brought an advertisement showing an iPad and various personalities using this product. This was a very persuasive e-marketing tool used by the company to make me recognise that I do need an iPad (Kengthon 2011). Research – after I realised the need and desire for this product, I started to research for more information concerning this product. To my surprise, the company was using various web pages to provide information about this product. I researched thoroughly to find out more about iPad will ease my efforts of struggling to access the internet. I did external search as I felt that I needed more information about this product. I did comparison with a similar device sold by rival company, Samsung. I found that Apple Company has a more superior product and that its price is relatively that I can afford. Importantly, the company used various approaches in this stage to persuade me to purchase this product. One of the approaches used by the company is creating proper online experience. It influenced me by engaging traditional and physical tools as well as creating and delivering very good online experience. I felt at ease and I really liked the experience of browsing the company online shop. It used a combination of online functionality, cues, emotions, information and stimuli to make my experience good. Importantly, the company used these factors to enhance my online experience. It did this by presenting me with good functioning, fast, easy to explore and interactive website. This was very good as it made me to like the experience due to its usability and interactivity. Evaluation – this created the need to establish the way for evaluation. In this stage, I sought to understand if I really need this iPad. I analysed the reasons that make me want to make this device. In addition, I analysed the benefits as well as the advantages that this device will offer me that I currently do not have. I also analysed if the current device that I have can meet my needs. After careful and thoughtful consideration, I decided to purchase this product. It is a product of its own kind that will help me to access the internet and carry out various functions that I could not have been able to task before. At this stage, the company used several e-marketing tools to persuade to purchase the product (Evans, Jamal & Foxall 2006). My interaction with the company's online store was very interactive. The company presented me with various forms of iPad products to choose from. They were of different make and of different colors. This was to present me with an opportunity to choose which color and make that pleases me. This was very important as I found it to be customer oriented. Another approach used by the company is support service. There was help whenever I requested one. The company has online help services that respond to customer queries and questions very fast. I really liked this as it indicated that the company was ready for me and it presented quality product. This also showed how much it values its customers. Notably, this made me to want to interact more with the online customer service as they were friendly, fast and appreciative. This made my experience to be enjoyable, memorable and one to look forward to again (Kengthon 2011). Purchase decision – this involved choosing the package and method of purchase. The e-marketing tool used by the company at this stage is presenting me with various products of the same brand for me to choose from. It also involved choosing the method of purchase, at this stage I had already made my decision to purchase (Bigne, Ruiz & Sanz 2005). Purchase – the product was readily available. As such, this was just paying for the product. The company accepts various means of payment. I found this to be very important as it enabled me not to go looking for cash to come and pay for the product. It accepts electronic money transfer such that customers can pay using their debit cards, credit cards, PayPal, MasterCard, American express and other electronic money transfer. I paid for the iPad using my credit card (Evans, Jamal & Foxall 2006). Post – purchase evaluation – the outcome was very satisfactory. I was satisfied with the product I purchased after I evaluated it critically. It met all my desired and needs. I recommended the product to my friends as I really liked it (Babu, Vani & Panchanatham 2010). Recommendation on how to increase online consumer experience One of the ways to increase online customer experience is to make the user usage to be convenient. This is a prime motivator for online consumers. Consumers relate convenience with fast and easy information browsing, shopping and settling of online transitions. The company should understand how consumers are likely to perform these tasks online and adjust their procedures accordingly (Solomon, Polegato & Zaichkowsky 2009). Another e-marketing tool is information architecture, site navigation and search process. Consumers expect easy site navigation and easily accessible information. The company should make its information readily available in search engine services. It should have good offline and online helpdesks, quick response to emails and questions as well as efficient reverse logistics. These would increase user experience and make customers to be loyal (Solomon, Polegato & Zaichkowsky 2009). Moreover, the company should create online trust. Consumers associate online trust with the success of the company. As such, the company should endeavor to create trust with its customers. This will translate to success. Online trust guarantees consumers and this is a powerful competitive advantage. Consumers will know that they can approach the company again if the product has a problem that is manufacturer based and get helped such as being given another product. This creates trust and hence increases customer confidence with the company (Evans, Jamal & Foxall 2006). References Babu, M. G, Vani, G, & Panchanatham, N, 2010, Consumer Buying Behaviour. Bigne, E., Ruiz, C., & Sanz, S, 2005, The impact of internet user shopping patterns and demographics on consumer mobile buying behaviour. Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, 6(3), 193-209. Evans, M., Jamal, A., & Foxall, G, R, 2006, Consumer behaviour: Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. Kengthon, W, 2011, Consumer Buying Behaviour. Solomon, M. R., Polegato, R., & Zaichkowsky, J. L, 2009, Consumer behavior: buying, having, and being (Vol. 6). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Read More