Internet Marketing Report: E-commerce, Strategies, and Efficiency

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of internet marketing, exploring its role within a modern marketing context, benefits for both customers and businesses, and the opportunities it presents. The report examines how businesses use internet marketing, including cost efficiency, quick feedback, and word-of-mouth publicity. It also details the advantages for customers, such as instant comparisons, clear product information, and transparent pricing. Furthermore, the report analyzes the benefits and opportunities to the business using internet marketing within the marketing mix, discussing data collection, competitor analysis, and relationship marketing. The report also explores how internet marketing has made selected businesses more efficient, effective, and successful, and discusses the challenges of globalization. Finally, the report evaluates the effectiveness of internet marketing in meeting customer needs, emphasizing customer satisfaction and repeat business. The report is a valuable resource for understanding the multifaceted nature of internet marketing and its impact on businesses and customers.

INTERNET
MARKETING
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INTRODUCTION
Internet has transformed business processes and in order to develop suitable marketing
strategies, all the companies have been changing their concern towards internet facilities. In this
regards, E- commerce gives many benefits to the businesses by allowing customers to make
purchase directly from the website. The internet has changed customer shopping habits and with
rapid technological developments accessing the internet has become easier than ever. People can
access the internet whenever and wherever they like. Why do people like using the internet?
Listed below are some benefits of the internet for the customer. Moreover, it is identified that E
Bay uses digital media techniques to promote the existing product line to the end users.
Researcher has also mentioned effectiveness of online public relations along with the practices
involved in it.
TASK 1
P1 Describe the role internet marketing has within a modern marketing context
An innovative idea can go a long way toward creating a successful small business. The
Internet is a channel that businesses can use to advertise, connect with customers and make sales.
The right Internet strategy can play a significant part in the successful marketing and sales of
products (Salleh, Hashima and Murphy, 2015). Marketing is the method of communicating that
the price of a good or services to customer, for expected selling. Product, Price, Place and
Promotion known as 4Ps and marketing mix.
Content marketing- Content marketing is a form of marketing focused on creating, publishing
and distributing content for a targeted audience online. Unlike other forms of online marketing,
content marketing relies on anticipating and meeting an existing customer need for information,
as opposed to creating demand for a new need. Once a business has identified the customer's
need, information can be presented in a variety of formats, including news, video, white papers,
e-books, info-graphics, email newsletters, case studies, pod casts, how-to guides, question and
answer articles, photos.
Email marketing- Email marketing is the act of sending a commercial message, typically to a
group of people, using email. In its broadest sense, every email sent to a potential or current
customer could be considered email marketing. The term usually refers to sending email
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messages with the purpose of enhancing a merchant's relationship with current or previous
customers, encouraging customer loyalty and repeat business, acquiring new customers or
convincing modern marketing context to current customers to purchase something immediately,
and sharing third-party ads.
P2 Describe how selected organizations use internet marketing
Cost efficiency- The first main advantage is the fact that it can be done so much cheaper than
traditional means. The time when they show it also dictates the cost per placement. You can also
go for a radio commercial. But for both the production process entails added cost, let alone the
broadcasting. Its also very broad, targeted marketing. Internet marketing can be so much cheaper
as there are barely any production or transmission costs, and it is so effective primarily because it
is targeted specifically to the online user searching for an item at the time they are interested.
Quick Feedback-Another great thing is that you can get the feedback of your target market in a
snap (Miles, 2013). They can comment and ask questions about your post very quickly. That
way, you can communicate with your customers faster and the sooner that you convince them to
purchase the product or service that you are promoting, the better. It can also be very interactive.
When you air a commercial, you need to conduct a survey to find out what your audience has to
say about it. Online it is so much simpler because you can skip the survey procedure and still get
honest feedback.
Mouth Publicity- Traditionally, it was said to be even more effective than actually launching an
advertisement. That is because people would rather hear a recommendation from a friend or
someone who has used the product rather than an advertiser. The birth of social media marketing
multiplies the power of word of mouth because instead of just telling people one at a time, the
internet allows a person to reach to as much as hundreds of people at one time. Never
underestimate the marketing power of word of mouth.
TASK 2
P3 Explain the benefits to customers of a business using internet marketing
Instant Comparisons- One of the greatest advantages for the customer is that they can compare
products or services they wish to purchase from the comfort of their own homes. Many retailing
websites offer the facility where different products they sell can now be easily compared. There
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is also price comparison websites that customers can use to get the best possible price for their
products.
Clear Product Information-Websites offer clear and consistent product information to all
internet users (Liao and Cheung, 2011). There is little chance of misinterpretation or mishearing
what the sales person said as in a retail store. The internet has comprehensive product
information whereas in a shop the customer is reliant in the knowledge of their sales adviser.
Transparent pricing- The price of products can be easy for the consumer as they access pricing
information from a range of sellers with a few internet clicks. Customers can take advantages of
pricing that may change regularly or take advantages of special offers that last for a limited
period as they can access pricing information 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
Track their purchase-Many websites allow consumers to track their purchase from when it is
ordered through to when they are dispatched and delivered to them. This reassures the consumer
and makes them feel that they are obtaining a good service online. Some sellers also allow the
consumer to choose the delivery address for each purchase and select their own delivery date and
time.
M1 Analysis of Benefits of internet Marketing
Online retailing is growing at an astonishing rate, with online sales now accounting for
around one quarter of the total retail market. Retailers who ignore e-commerce may see their
trade lessening as customers continue to shift to ordering products online. However you need to
think carefully and weigh all the advantages. The best thing about it is buying options that are
quick, convenient and user-friendly with the ability to transfer funds online. Because of its
convenience, consumers can save their lots of time as well as money by searching their products
easily and making purchasing online(Salleh, Hashima and Murphy, 2015). For effective business
transactions, e-commerce is an efficient and competence method. Setting-up cost is extremely
low as compare to expanding your business with more brick and mortar locations. Very few
licenses and permits are required to start-up an online business than physical store. You can save
your lots of money by using fewer employees to perform operations like billing customers,
managing inventory and more.
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TASK 3
P4 Describe the benefits and opportunities to the business of using internet marketing within the
marketing mix of a selected business
Data Collection-Every time a customer transacts with the company online, that transaction is
captured. The firm can use this data in a number of ways. Firstly information can be analyzed to
find out most popular products/services sold. Secondly the data can be used to assist in
segmenting their customers, profiling them and sending customers promotional material based
on past buying habits. There has been much controversy over the amount of information that is
being collected online by various companies in particular social networking sites and whether
customers should be able to opt out of that information being shared to third party users.
Competitor Analysis- As we know its important to analyze your competitors. The internet
allows businesses to analyses their competitor’s online strategy. A firm can keep abreast of new
products that are released, react to price changes, or use the internet to discover secondary data
on their competitors (Alalwan, Dwivedi and Williams, 2015). The internet allows a firm to react
quickly to a change in their competitors strategy, and try to provide a service that allows them to
match or beat their competitors.
Relationship marketing is all about keeping the customer for the long-term so that you
can benefit from the lifetime value the customer has to offer. Online websites create new
challenges when it comes to relationship marketing, especially as through the click of a button
customers can move onto competitor websites. Below we discuss some strategies firms used to
develop long term relationships with customers through the internet.
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Social Networking- Social network strategies are an essential part of relationship marketing.
Many firms have a business profile on popular social network sites like Facebook. Consumers
are encouraged to join the firm's social network group/profile through things like only allowing
competition entries to social network members.
Customization- Some websites offer customers the opportunity to customize their products
online and view how they would look if purchased. This not only provides a unique experience
but encourages the customer to develop an attachment to the product they have customized.
P5 Explain how internet marketing has made a selected business more efficient, effective and
successful
The opportunities for business efficiency based on the increasing availability of the web
technology which gives Perfect Paints all kinds of opportunities to speed up the interactions with
both suppliers and customers. E bay just keeps on growing. Its latest results, showing an 15 per
cent rise in first half profits, demonstrate how the darling of online retail continues to defy the
odds. But arguably its biggest reason for success has been its digital platform, which has always
been ahead of the curve. Its key tools, from the iPhone and iPad app to its Facebook shop,
English-language mobile site and Fashion Finder tool, aren't just extensions of brand E bay, they
add to the online retail experience. Wherever people are, and whatever people are using, Ebay is
accessible(Berger and Thomas, 2016).
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P6 Explain the challenges of globalization facing a selected business when using the internet as a
marketing tool
Technology- Technology is always changing or updating to work better or maybe to look better,
to attract more people etc. Nowadays technology is used nearly everywhere and has become very
popular.
Market trends- The market is changing all the time people’s opinions are vital and different
within age groups as market research are done through forums, social networks etc and they use
brands and make the most available for their customers by providing a huge amount of products
and also including it all in the website.
M2 Analysis of Marketing Opportunities and Challenges
For a business to convert leads into sales they need to attract customers and make sure
that they buy something from them (Berger and Thomas, 2016). Ebay can measure how many
people have visited their website but cannot find out how many people have actually purchased
from them. It is important that a business knows what target audience they are aiming their
products at. Once they know this they need to decide what content they should have on their
website to keep their target audience attracted. It is important that they provide products which
are different from their competitors so they keep ahead of their competition.
TASK 4
D1 Evaluate the effectiveness of internet marketing in meeting customer needs for your selected
business
All businesses want to gain customer satisfaction as it will ensure that the customers will
return for repeat business and it will also help to improve the business's reputation (Liao and
Cheung, 2011). Also, it is very important for businesses to gain customer satisfaction as the
customers are the main source of income for the business and the reason for the business to
provide service to the customers. Customers can also create their own account online this will
allow the customers to save details about any transactions that has taken place, the customers
will also be able to save their payment and contact details which will save time and effort for
customers when they use the website again.
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CONCLUSION
It can be summarized from the above report that internet is regarded as one of the
important approach that needs to be used by an entity in enhancing all their business practices.
Major resource of getting the extra edge in competition such that this should be adopted by
business in order to grow and make the presence in the market.
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