Internet Exercises

[Skip Breadcrumb Navigation]

Internet Exercises

Internet Exercises
These exercises, prepared by Lilly Buchwitz of Brock University, provide a review of some of the key concepts in the chapter, as illustrated by a variety of websites.

This activity contains 9 questions.

Marketing-oriented companies build relationships with customers
VanCity Credit Union is Canada's largest credit union, and an excellent example of a master marketer and relationship builder. VanCity also owns Citizens Bank of Canada. In an interesting example of how a bank can build a relationship with its customers, VanCity opened a branch in Vancouver's West End, which is home to a large gay population. VanCity employs a business development manager just for the gay and lesbian segment of the market. Click here to read about how VanCity supports the lesbian and gay community.

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

Effective marketers tailor their business to local markets
Wal-Mart has been very successful expanding beyond the United States, where it originated. When it enters a foreign market it tailors its products and services to meet the needs and preferences of consumers in that country. In Wal-Mart's Latin American stores, for example, food accounts for 50 percent of sales. Wal-Mart is successful in Germany, the United Kingdom, Mexico, even Korea. If you visit some of these country sites you'll see how Wal-Mart looks and feels different in each. Note: to view the Korean Wal-Mart site you will have to download a plugin to allow your browser to display Korean characters. The site will prompt you to do this; just follow the instructions.

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

Marketers market more than products
Nike is a mastermarketer that has built is brand, epitomized by the "swoosh" symbol, into one of the most recognized in the world. Nike recognizes that good marketing means more than just advertising and selling a product. More than just shoes, Nike markets a way of life, a sports culture, an attitude. Nike says their corporate mission is "To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world."

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

Managing demand
Usually, the goal of marketing is to create demand, but sometimes marketers are called upon to reduce, redirect, control, or manage demand for their products and services. Amusement parks such as Ontario Place and Canada's Wonderland are always crowded on summer weekends, but relatively empty during the week. Visit their websites and notice how they promote season's passes, reduced rates for mid-week, and activities such as movies and live shows that don't depend on fair weather. These are all marketing tactics to manage demand.

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

The marketing concept
Companies who practice the marketing management philosophy known as "the marketing concept" take an outside-in view of their marketing activities, focusing on the needs and wants of customers. Sometimes a company's mission statement reveals this philosophy. Have a look at L.L. Bean's "Golden Rule," Mountain Equipment Co-op's mission and values statements, Procter & Gamble's core values, and RBC's vision and values.

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

The societal marketing concept
The societal marketing concept says that a company should determine the needs, wants, and interests of its customers, and deliver those desired satisfactions. Subway is an example of a company that differentiated itself by being conscious of its customers' health concerns. Subway's spokesperson, Jared Fogle, lost 245 pounds by eating at Subway. Some companies, such as SNC-Lavalin, Canada's largest engineering and construction firm, develop high standards for their business, and publish them in a code of ethics.

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

Lifetime value of a customer
A customer is worth more to a marketer than just a single purchase. A smart marketer realizes that a customer is worth a lifetime of purchases. Stew Leonard's claims to be the world's largest dairy store, and its owner says he sees $98 000 "flying out of his store" ever time he sees an unhappy customer. That's the approximate amount that customer is likely to spend in ten years just at Stew Leonard's. Many retailers view customers in terms of their lifetime value, even car dealerships (if you're happy with your car, and with the service you got when you bought it, chances are very good you'll return to the same place in five or six years to trade it in and buy a new one).

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

Connecting with customers
Many companies use a website as a way of connecting with customers, and building and maintaining those relationships. Procter & Gamble, for example, is never going to sell Tide or Pampers through its corporate website, but it has created the "Tide Fabric Care Network" where consumers can learn about the care and cleaning of their clothes and other washables, and Pampers.com, where parents can learn about caring for their babies. Swatch sends a newsletter to avid collectors; Harley Davidson owners gather together in HOGs; and for children, there's the Crayola site, full of activities such as creating your own greeting card. Visit the website of your favourite brand, and see what they can offer you.

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

How non-profit organizations connect with customers
Charities and other non-profit organizations must also market their services. Though they don't have "customers" in the traditional sense, they must market their image and purpose to a target audience in order to generate a response, which, in their case, is usually a donation. The Lung Association and the Kidney Foundation both accept donations through their websites.

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

The Clear Answers and Start Over feature requires scripting to function. Your browser either does not support scripting or you have turned scripting off.

So, the Clear Answers and Start Over button below will not work.

The following Clear Answers button is provided in its place and will clear your answers:

Legal and Privacy Terms

[Return to the Top of this Page]