Blog 7: Marketing Channels and Retailing

Apple has multiple means and ways to properly market their products advertising through various channels is one way.
Apple has their own retail stores which by the way leaves you in awe with its exquisite presentation, it is a destination store where only they can provide specifics and certain services other retailers does not offer. The company also distributes their products via retailers such as best buy and major cell phone providers.

Also Apple uses the exclusivity technique or distribution; composing only one or few dealers within a given area. When Apple first introduced the iphones it was only available for purchase at AT&T only. They had exclusive arrangements only with that phone company. The issues with this strategy is that the phones were restricted only to AT&T customers and if you wanted to have one, one would have to join the company under contract which may be costly because then you would have to terminate the current contract with other companies and it usually comes with a fee.

Now Apple uses the selective distribution strategy block dealers and retailers to eliminate all but few in any single area.

Blog 6: Consumer Decision Making

Recognized steps used when consumers are in the process of attaining a new good or service. This is entirely based on the consumer attitude towards the, whether it might be personal preference or the simply the importance of it. It can also be the consumer's lifestyle; economical factors and finally the influence of society, how or what society thinks of that product. 

With Apple, the behavior of current and potential consumers increases as year they have a wider range of products to choose from. Regarding the iPhones, there are mutitples devices, the 4,4s,5,5c,5s,6 and 6plus so this heavily influences the decision making process.

 Firstly the consumers figure out if they want a new phone or not and if they do have one what is the problem with it. 

The consumers then research which one of  the iPhones they want, in other terms one which best suits them. On the iPhones one usually research on the specifications (cameras, screen size, battery life etc.)

Often times than less  the usual alternatives the consumers reach out for are the android powered smartphones, Samsung to be more specific. 

After all that consumers finally decided to buy the iPhone, disregarding any alternatives. However, an alternatives may still be purchased if it fits the criteria of the consumers. 

The phones are then by trading it in for a later version when availabe

Blog 5: Developing A Global Vision

In an effort to expand within the global market, Apple is placing its flagship stores in many different locations across the world. According to Wikipedia it states that "with global sales of US$16 billion in merchandise in 2011, Apple leads the United States retail market in terms of sales per unit area. As of April 2014, Apple has 424 retail stores in 16 countries and an online store available in 39 countries."

World: 435 stores in 16 countries (257 US/178 elsewhere) United States: 257 United Kingdom: 37 Canada: 29 Australia: 21 France: 17 Italy: 14 Germany: 14 China: 12 Spain: 11 Japan: 8 Switzerland: 4 Hong Kong (SAR of China): 3 Sweden: 3 Netherlands: 3 Brazil: 1 Turkey: 1

Apple uses the strategy of one product, one message strategy to market its products to diverse audiences. This is a way of promoting the product for all markets the same way, with the same message.

Blog 4: The Marketing Environment

 The Marketing Environment 

What is the marketing environment? Basically it is all of the outside factors of marketing the affect the team's ability to develop and maintain successful customer relationships with their targeted customer group. 

Apple a well established brand that it is must be able to adapt to the ever changing marketing environment and throughout their existence they've continued to do so. 

An evidence of this of the release of the iPhone 5C last year.

The company introduced the phone to a specific target market; teenagers. The phone was debuted at the price of which previous iPhones would be when new ones were introduced. They 'splashed' multiple vibrant colours on the phone as seen in the above image in an attempt to attract the teen population. Each individual now has the opportunity to pick a colour that best complements them.

As mentioned in my previous blog post, Apple introduced iPhones which bigger screens. Having to conform with this generation specifics needs of having a larger phone screen they had no choice but to do it. While everyone may be 'following the crowd', majority rules. Apple did not forget but those consumers, one of the two phones they introduced had a smaller phone screen. Its a 'win win' for the company. Also the products are directed to existing Apple customers, individuals whose lives evolves around the uses of a cellphone, banks and major retail providers.