Discussing the loss of the role of main exporter by USA - Essay Example

This is the reason why, at present, companies usually segment their products to target the various consumers and fit what their wants and needs are. Consumer characteristics have a direct bearing on the choice and management of a marketing channel. Determining which channel is most appropriate is based on answers to fundamental questions such as: Who are potential customers Where do they buy When do they buy How do they buy What do they buy These answers also indicate the type of intermediary best suited to reaching target buyers.

This is why knowledge of consumer characteristics plays an extremely important role in many marketing applications, such as defining the market for a product or deciding on the appropriate techniques in marketing. In contrast to consumer purchasing, business purchasing is generally based more on economic reasons than on emotional ones. Among the many factors business purchasers consider when choosing a supplier are the quality-price ratio, delivery reliability, reputation of the supplier, information and market services provided by the supplier, and previous experience with the supplier.

The Internet has revolutionized the purchasing behaviours of consumers because built deeper, more personalized relationships with customers because they can purchase anything anytime inside the convenience of their own homes. Although much is still needed to be learned about online consumer purchase behavior, research has documented the most frequently purchased products and services bought online have been mostly reservations for plane tickets, cars and hotels. These products fall in the category of items for which product information is an important part of the purchase decision, but prepurchase trial is not necessarily critical.

Also, items such as computers, computer accessories, and consumer electronics sold by Dell.com fall into this category. So do books, which accounts for the sales growth of Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble (www.barnesandnoble.com ) (Kerin, 2003). Internet consumers differ from traditional offline consumers in their approaches to buying and in their responses to marketing. The exchange process via the Internet has become more customer initiated and customer controlled. People who use the Internet place greater value on information and tend to respond negatively to messages aimed only at selling.

Traditional marketing targets a somewhat passive audience. For example, buyers would prefer to buy paints offline because they want to see the actual product and test it themselves. However, more and more companies are now creating a marketing website, instead of a purchasing site. These sites engage consumers in an interaction that will move them closer to a direct purchase or other marketing outcome. Such sites might include a catalog, shopping tips, and promotional features such as coupons, sales events, or contests.

For example, visitors to Nokia.com can search through dozens of categories of Nokia products, review detailed features and specifications lists for specific items, read expert product reviews, and check out the latest hot deals. They can place an order for the desired products