Local Retailer Coursework Example

Local Retailer
Name
Institution Affiliation
Date
Local Retailer
An entity that is selling merchandise to customers directly via a variety of channels with the intention of making a profit is called a retailer. It does not necessarily have to be a physical building providing services and goods needed by customers; it can also be an online store. There are extremely large retailers such as Wal-Mart which deal items they have bought from wholesalers or manufacturers to sell them to the end user at a setup price. Goods sold by a retailer are not self-manufactured. Although some cases are exceptional, what remains is that the retailer is the final player in supply chain linking the consumer to producer. The discrepancy between a wholesaler and retailer is that the former sell his/her merchandise to other businesses while the late transacts with customers directly. Products sold by retailers can be put under four classes: durable goods, food, soft goods (footwear and clothing) or arts (musical instruments and books).
Amazon is the world’s largest retailer and it conducts all its operation over the internet. It has a system in which customers can buy a book over the web from their computers with just a single click regardless of their locality. This can into being after the company initiated a strategy that fetches enough details about a customer such as billing and shipping information that make the purchase complete. In so doing Amazon offers convenient and quick shopping experience to its clients.

The company has a website in which customers visit to place an order of what they want and wait for its delivery after making payment and providing details on their location. The website is designed in a manner that an individual can trace a particular commodity easily and efficiently. It is also highly secure as if it were not people would not be comfortable providing essential details of their whereabouts such as their residence. The firm’s retail strategy is one that is faced by very minimal challenges as competition is not very stiff.
The secret behind the success of amazon.com has been continuous sales and loyal customers. A majority of other sites in the same line of business have not been able to reach same heights because of failing to achieve loyalty. One of the key retail strategies of this firm is how its web pages are designed to adhere to individual preference in regards to notifications and recommendations. Also, the loyal customers also provide a rich content when it comes to product reviews, buying guides and recommendation charts. Another strategy used by Amazon is the free shipping which is intended to increase basket size as the customers have to spend over a given amount of money before they earn free shipping (Perreault, Cannon, & McCarthy, 2014).
This online retail store is also targeting a larger market proportion among younger consumers. To capture both the millennial and Generation z convenient stores and online channels are used. Amazon understands how important it is to having a physical location rather than depending on selling online only. Just like most e-commerce Amazon uses psychographics and demographic data in analyzing the markets (Richards, 2006). As a marketing strategy to make the company more competitive and different it has acquired a lot of e-commerce and IT start-ups which enable it to provide consumers with high value at low costs.
Through product offering the firm has also achieved economies of scale such as electronics, games among others, which aid Amazon in keep prices low therefore attracting more customers. The online retailing store takes this to its advantage by using various platforms to advertise since it has the funds. This marketing strategy outdoes its competitors who find it hard to keep with the pace at which Amazon is publicizing its merchandise.
Most customers out there want quality goods and services to be delivered to them within the shortest time possible. Amazon is aware of this, and as a result, it has taken a marketing strategy that advocates for their efficiency in distribution. The online store has employed competent personnel all over the world to ensure that once a purchase is made, delivery is not delayed. In doing this, the firm now has a reliable, extensive distribution system. Also, Amazon has introduced digital structure network making its merchandise available even in remote regions at a favorable price.
The firm uses a marketing plan that prioritizes on customers interests. This is attained by first knowing and understanding clients, as this helps in knowing how to handle each one of them. For instance, there are those customers who have an awareness of what they want exactly and will not settle for less, whereas there are those who can be convinced into buying substitutes of what they wanted (if it is not available at the moment). Amazon has taken the extra mile and dug on their customer’s tastes and preference. Therefore ones a person has bought something they send the person emails advertising complementary commodities to the one purchase (Perreault, Cannon, & McCarthy, 2014). As it can be seen from the annual sales of the retail store this marketing plan has emerged to be productive and promising.
Another marketing program that assists the form to remain relevant in its field is following up on customers after a transaction. The feedback received is adhered to and addressed appropriately. This function of Amazon’s work depicts love to its clients. In doing this customer-producer relation is fortified and customers’ loyalty earned. Online users are made to feel safe and comfortable as they assured only to get quality goods from the retail store. Workers at Amazon are trained to be courteous and down to earth when consulted by potential customers. This measure assists in making customers open in sharing their grievances and complements. Moreover, employment of persons that have a better understanding of modern means of communication has helped the firm’s marketing strategy of reaching out to all customers regardless of their location.
Although one might be of the assumption that since a retailer sells to a client directly, they are not likely to face challenges in their marketing strategies, however, this is not the case. For instance, Amazon of the problems that Amazon is burdened with is keeping up with the trend. This is not only a hard thing to do but it also expensive and may result in losses if not handled with caution. As a measure of controlling challenges posing a threat to the marketing strategy of Amazon, the innovation is encouraged among workers. The company has diversified its production and no longer deals with one line of products. This was a marketing strategy called for when it was seen that depending on one good alone would be dangerous if its sales were to declined.
References
Perreault, W. D., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, E. J. (2014). Basic marketing: A marketing strategy planning approach.
Richards, R. V. (2006). Online marketing success stories: Insider secrets from the experts who are making millions on the internet today.