Essay - Use of Internet as an Effective Marketing Tool by Firms...

Use of Internet as an Effective Marketing Tool by Firms to create a Competitive Advantage: A Consumer's Perspective

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Statement ***** the Problem

1.3 Purpose of the Study

1.4 Importance of the Study

1.5 Scope ***** the Study

1.6 Rationale for the Study

1.7 Overview of the Study

***** 2: Review of Related Literature - ***** Internet Marketing and ***** creation of a Competitive Adv*****ntage

2.1 Introduction

2.2 McCarthy's Four Marketing Mix Model

2.3 Porter's Five Competitive Forces Model

2.4 Impact of the Internet on ***** Mix ***** ***** Forces

2.5 Strategies to be used by Internet marketing firms to ***** a Competitive Advantage

2.5.1 Product Strategy

2.5.2 Pricing Strategy

2.5.3 Promotion Strategy

2.5.4. Place *****

Choice of E-Business Strategies

2.7 Conclusion

***** 3: Methodology

3.1 Research Design and Approach

3.2 Population ***** Sample

3.3. Collection and Tabulation of Data

3.4 Data Analysis Procedure

3.5 Limitations ***** ***** Study

Chapter 4: Data *****

Chapter 5: Summary, Conclusions, ***** Recommendations

HOW FIRMS USE INTERNET MARKETING AS A TOOL TO CREATE COMPETITITVE ADVANTAGE: A CONSUMER'S PERSPECTIVE

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 *****

The ***** and digital technology have changed how marketing is done. While the underlying principles of marketing remain the same, ***** technologies provide new ways to improve the efficiency and effectiveness ***** strategic marketing activities (Urban, 200*****). The amazing speed at which e-commerce is growing globally has attracted the attention of many inves*****rs, ***** ***** consumers as well. Many predictions about Internet success ***** come true even earlier than anticipated. The internet has been called the most effective ***** tool of ***** century. (Herbig and Hale, 1996) The ***** ***** fundamentally changing the economy and the way business is conducted. It ********** companies to find new ways ***** expand ***** markets in ***** they compete, to attract and reta***** cus*****mers by tailoring products ***** services to their needs, and ***** restructure their business processes to deliver products and services more efficiently ***** *****ly.

***** Internet has also changed the balance of power. Customer ***** in the Internet era is driven by three factors: more options, more information and simpler transactions. The Internet provides a new ch*****nnel for buying products and services, giving customers ***** options when buying a given product or service (*****, 2004). The success f*****ctor for firms is heavily dependent on how ***** effectively they can harness the potential of the Internet as a m*****rketing *****.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

***** *****sue of ***** marketing is one that has been misunderstood ***** ***** years. There are individuals that study it ***** discuss ***** significant it is, and *****re are others that see it as some kind of made-up fad ***** is really not important enough to focus on. Both ***** these ***** valid points of view but, in recent years, it has generally been accepted that Internet marketing is growing, ***** therefore that the ***** ***** ***** is important.

However, there are many different thoughts and theories as to what causes it *****