International Marketing, Innovation and E-commerce: Marks & Spencer

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Marks and Spencer's international marketing strategy, with a specific focus on its potential for expansion in the German market. The report delves into the core concepts of segmentation, targeting, and positioning, highlighting their importance in understanding customer needs and developing effective marketing plans. It examines the marketing mix, including the 7Ps (product, price, promotion, packaging, place, and positioning), and how Marks and Spencer can adapt these elements to the German context. Furthermore, the report explores the 'glocal' approach, combining global and local marketing strategies, and its significance for brand image and success in international markets. The report also discusses the advantages and disadvantages of standardization, the product lifecycle, and the role of e-commerce in the company's international expansion. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of well-defined marketing plans, including segmentation, targeting, and positioning, along with the effective use of the marketing mix and the 'glocal' approach, to achieve success in the international market.

International marketing,
innovation and e-commerce

Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION...............................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................................10

Introduction
International marketing includes the business activities that are designed to direct and
promote the company’s goods and services to the international level and global consumers. e-
commerce comes as a great innovation for the businesses that will helps in promotion and
expansion of the business internationally. Germany is the biggest European market for
international trade that provides a major platform for the trading of consumer products and B2B
products and services. Germany has a great business culture and includes various characteristics
such as business communication, innovations, business etiquette, cost of living, social media
guide and effective e-commerce activities. Marks and Spencer is a multinational retailer
organization and has a great potential to expand their business globally. This report will include
the segmentation, targeting and positioning analysis of the Marks and Spencer in Germany and
report also highlight the ‘glocal’ approach in international market.
MAIN BODY
Analysis of segmentation, targeting and positioning

It is a great strategy that helps the organization to know the customer very well and to
develop or produced a product according to customer needs and requirements. Each element of
the segmentation, targeting and positioning analysis defines the profit measures that will be taken
by the marks and spencer in Germany. For the successfully implementation for the business, an
effective marketing plan plays a crucial role. Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning of the
international market also helps the organization to establish the businesses. The main purpose of
this is to give best guidance for marks and spencer to establish their business in Germany. It also
provides various indications to the company for mission, vision and objectives.
Segmentation
Segmentation means the distribution of the market into various customer group. In the
beginning marks and spencer company should have decided to focus on specific part of customer
group in Germany, by which they can target on the related customer group that can generate
huge profit for the company (Kaur and Singh., 2017). Marks and Spencer should highly consider
its segmentation strategy for Germany. With the help of segmentation strategy company can
identify the different customer base and their behavior for the organization. Segmentation is
helpful for the Marks and Spencer company because it shows the needs and desires to different
group of customers in specific areas.
Targeting
Marks and Spencer should have to maintain various market oriented goal in their
business, that will helps the business to maintain sustainability in the Germany market (Bot,
Campion and Ecker., 2016). According to the potential and size, the Marks and Spencer
company needs to decide a main objective and target. By the analysis of treats and opportunities
in the Germany market, the marks and spencer should have to evaluate their yearly target, by
which they can achieve from it. As per the Germany’s economy fluctuations, the company need
to analysis their yearly budget so that company take quick action regarding the budget structure.

Marks and spencer should have to give their full concern on the targetable market in the
Germany.
Positioning
In addition, Marks and spencer company should also ponder its positioning strategies for
Germany. Positioning a product and service are rely on two aspects: First is competitors and
second is market. Marks and Spencer Company should be concerning of what it provides their
specific group of customers, besides its specific product (Sanchez Torres and Arroyo-Cañada.,
2017). Company should have to offer their customers a high-quality product with a consumption
of lower energy and also with the proper utility of resources. All these activities encourage the
customer base towards the organization and satisfy them in very well manner. This strategy will
helps the company to enhance their cost saving and proper management of sales and service.
Marketing Mix
Marketing Mix includes 7P’s that Marks and spencer should have to understand for the
great expansion of thwir business in Germany market. The 7P’s includes product, price,
promotion, packaging, place and positioning.
Product

When the Marks and spencer Company analyze the product, there are major three aspects
the company should concern about it. The significant aspects are: Customer benefits, Service and
Product design. Customer will fully be satisfied if the product will fulfill their all wishes. By this
strategy, Marks and Spencer develop a great business and built their excellent image in the
Germany market. Organization should need to aware about the environmental issues that can be
developed by its manufacturing operations (Saskia, Mareï and Blanquart., 2016). Product design
is also a major point that should be consider by the company. The customer also evaluates the
design of the product and the Brand name. Company needs to use environmentally friendly
packaging material to encourage the customer about the environment protection and built their
trust on the organization. Marks and spencer Company needs to give their major concern on best
quality of the product. Product service is also a significant element. Therefore, Marks and
Spencer should have to develop a special platform through which they can serve their customer
quickly and effectively.
Price
Price is another crucial part of marketing mix. It is major factor that influence the buyers
in their purchasing decisions. The high price indicates better quality and the lower price indicates
the lower quality product. The Marks and spencer Company should need to focus on the various

effective factors in their price such as cost, positioning strategies and completion. Firstly,
company should have to analyze the economic system and market research of the Germany for
deciding the price of the product. Company should also have to research on the competitors’
prices in the Germany Market and figure out their price accordingly. Company can also use the
various pricing strategies such as customer-based pricing, cost based pricing and competitors
base pricing.
Place
There is various way to distribute the company’s product among customer. The Marks
and spencer Company should have to adopt the best policy to distribute their product according
to the Germany market and distribution channels. The company can supply their products in
several ways such as Franchise, with the help of intermediary (indirect distribution) and direct
distribution. They will also use various distribution facilities that facilitates Germany market like
Mail Order, Online, Agent, Wholesale, Retail, Specialty store and Direct sales.
Glocal Approach

It is a great strategy that includes both the global and local marketing strategies. In other
words, a marketing manager must use Glocal Approach for the successful implementation of
their business by local market to global market (Dibb., 2017). The glocal approach assist the
Marks and spencer Company to expand their business in international market. Glocal Approach
creates multiple marketing strategies for organization and organization can use this in their
operations. Glocal approach helps the company to spread the brand image of Company
worldwide. Glocal is the best secret for achieving the success in the international markets. It
includes the Global marketing’s Cost effectiveness with the local marketing’s regional appeal.
The advantage and disadvantage of Standardization
Standardization has a major role in the organization that helps in quality control,
facilitates the customer for the best experience all over the other brands. It also helps the
business to maintain proper level of consistency of the product between various outlets. It also
assists the Marks and spencer Company to enhance their economic of scale in Germany Market
(Bot, Campion and Ecker., 2016). It ensures the company that they protect their brand when any
risks and complexions will occur in the market. And the disadvantages of Standardization are

that it steals the particular franchises or stores of any serious uniqueness. The disadvantages of
standardization include lack of uniqueness. It also includes lack of adaptation.
Product lifecycle of Marks and Spencer
Marks and Spencer should have to manage a proper lifecycle to produce their products,
so that it can meet the customer requirements. Company also use a digital marketing platform
and various range of E-commerce to effectively distribution of their products. Marks and
Spencer also created a Digital Lab in their organization. It can define the various changes in
Retail stores (Martin and Javalgi., 2016). It is a great strategy for a business management that
can includes the various stages of products such as growth, maturity and decline. It helps Marks
and Spencer to decide when it is accurate time to reduce prices, increase advertising, expansion
of new markets and redesign packaging.
CONCLUSION
From the above study, it is concluded that the international marketing is very essential for
the big expansion of any business. Marks and Spencer is a Big retailer company and they expand
their business in Germany market. So, company should have to make essential marketing plans
before beginning their business in Germany. The effective marketing plans include
Segmentation, positioning and targeting strategies and the marketing mix methods. They can
help the organization to analyze all the factors and influence elements before entering the
international markets. Glocal approach also very beneficial for the Marks and Spencer to
promote their brand image globally.

REFERENCES
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