Traditional Marketing and E-marketing - Essay Example

Marketing Is traditional marketing losing its position to e-marketing ____________ d: Jun-26-2008 Traditional marketing in the context of social issues has significantly affected our technology driven society. According to many marketers dependence on traditional marketing strategies to bring about desirable social change has bought problems for the society. Empirical evidence suggests that marketing if done in traditional way poses negative effects, such as the promoting undesirable behaviours, however if done on a commercial basis serves as the evidence in lagging behind e-marketing (Bright, 2000).

It is true that traditional marketing which is based on the foundation of the four P's; product, price, promotion and placement is influenced under the new changing trends that e-marketing or online marketing upholds. The reason is obvious to this decade where for a customer the phenomena of switching over and over a brand is not a tough decision to make. Since the market is saturated for brands, and competition has swayed every brand to be as good as its competitor, traditional marketing does not work as much as e-marketing does.

However there are some factors to which I think traditional marketing is still preferred by many of the retailers. Those factors when viewed in the light of the electronic commerce appear as 'threats' to many of us. For example electronic transactions which are concentrated only within a certain number of product categories, poses a threat to many of the e-retailers (Fritz et al, 2002, p. 73). However there are some other good reasons for choosing e-marketing. The easy integration of the traditional strategic marketing tools, which include generic marketing strategies, competitive marketing positions, and capabilities, into the e-marketing environment provides the consumer a user friendly edge to opt for the specific brand.

This helps in researching one's own market while sustaining a competitive advantage (Merrilees, 2001) and gives us a clear view about what is being expected from the market is not the concern that bothers traditional or e-marketing, but what the customer prefers is the user friendly marketing environment, free from threats and weaknesses. If for the above reasons we analyse and compare both the markets, the answer would be a big 'Yes' as long as the customer is secure enough to carry his transactions the easier way.

But if we analyse the other side of the coin, e-marketing where on one hand provides today's consumer with flexibility and advancement, on the other hand it thrust the consumer into threats. Insecure transactions, privacy disruption and hacking are the major threats that disrupt electronic consumers and change their minds. Traditional marketing confronts pressures in terms of declining shares of marketing communications budgets and declining revenues from their activity means that they have been forced to re-evaluate their role within the wider marketing communication mix.

In other words traditional marketing is no longer beneficial until it collaborates with strategies to expand services offered to incorporate other marketing communications functions or strategic alliances (Kitchen & Pelsmacker, 2004, p. 34). Traditional marketing tools include advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing, or personal selling. According to many marketers and businessmen internet or e-marketing does not replace the traditional marketing and marketing communication tools, but supplements them.

In fact, the e-marketing serves as a new medium to enhance the marketing mix, but that is not capable of making any of the other marketing mix elements superfluous. However, because of its versatile nature and its potential to engage in one-to-one interaction with potential customers, it can be a very powerful supplement to the traditional marketing. This is the reason for why today businessmen still vote traditional marketing over e-marketing and retailing.References Bright D. Alan, (2000) "The Role of Social Marketing in Leisure and Recreation Management" In: Journal of Leisure Research.

Volume: 32. Issue: 1.Fritz Wolfgang, Dholakia Nikhilesh, Roy Ruby & Mundorf Norbert, (2002) Global E-Commerce and Online Marketing: Watching the Evolution: Quorum Books: Westport, CT. Kitchen J. Philip & Pelsmacker De Patrick, (2004) Integrated Marketing Communications: A Primer: Routledge: New YorkMerrilees Bill, (2001) "Do Traditional Strategic Concepts Apply in the E-Marketing Context" In: Journal of Business Strategies. Volume: 18. Issue: 2.