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Description of business model
The three levels of internet business models
Description of business model
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Though utilized in every website design and development, business models as an aspect of the world wide web are not well understood. This paper demystifies the principle business models utilized by L’Oreal, Estee Lauder, Korres, and Apivita. In order to understand each company with greater clarity, each business’ website shall then be critically and comparatively analyzed through Rayport & Jaworski’s design principles for e-Commerce websites.
Business models have been defined and categorized in many different ways, though all four websites examined have components of advertising, merchant, and manufacturing models. The web advertising model is an extension of the traditional media broadcast model, yet in this case the web site provides content mixed with advertising messages in the form of banner ads (Berger & Nasr, 1998). On the other hand, the merchant model involves wholesale of goods, while the manufacturer model is said to be based on efficiency, improved customer service, and a better understanding of customer preference (Berger & Nasr, 1998).
Let’s consider how each website falls into one or more of the aforementioned categories, as well as entertain a particular anomaly. Bear in mind that, according to the experts, internet business models continue to evolve, as new and interesting variations can be expected in the future (Berger & Nasr, 1998). Though several are covered here, this is not a definite or exhaustive list as even among each distinguished category there are a myriad of variations.
Let’s begin with L’Oreal, for example, as the company does not sell products directly on its principle website. Though it is not a merchant website, there is brand-integrated content throughout (indicative of merchant model...
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...n that appears to change seasonally. These sections are advantageous, as they spur consumerism by including features and deals such as free shipping, discounts on multiple options, and style guides that are varied per season.
In conclusion, it is clear that each website utilizes a different variation of several business models, while prioritizing different features of the website. For illustration, while the layout of Apivita’s website is orderly and clean, their emphasis on wording and busy text impacts the user experience. Estee Lauder, on the other hand, favors exciting imagery rather than language to attract the user and encourage a deeper exploration of the website. Despite their specific techniques, it is important such businesses conduct thorough reviews of their business models and practices in order to consistently grow and improve as an organization.
The growth of online business has grown enormously over the years. Cliptomania is a family operated and owned small e-business that primarily sells clip on earrings (Brown, DeHayes, Hoffer, Martin, & Perkins, 2012, p. 308). Cliptomania early developments were very modest, and as such the company experienced copious strategic dilemmas. An initial strategic dilemma that the company encountered when establishing and building their new e-business undertaking was to create a website for the business operations and essentially to have it fully operable. The owners, Jim and Candy elected to hire a vendor to host the website and additionally utilize the IT systems resources of the vendor to sustain their business. At the very beginning they exploited the offerings of the Yahoo Store. However, continuing down this avenue of using the services of the Yahoo Store inevitably became too costly. By using the services and business offerings of a vendor made it convenient and effortless for Jim and Candy to start their e-business store. Unfortunately the couple did not have much in the way of professional help, and so they had to create and put together the website by themselves. Additionally they also had to deal with establishing their online credibility as many customers preferred to call in their orders just to talk with a real person before being comfortable enough to place their orders via the webpage.
In a second attempt to further expand the company horizons, an e-commerce site was created. This site is interesting because its main focus is not the clothing but the “lifestyle”. Upon entering the Abercrombie and Fitch website, the first thing the consumer sees is a half naked man, sprawled on the ground, eating a plate full of fruit. It is just to be inferred that he is wearing Abercrombie and Fitch clothing. This just shows how the image of Abercrombie is much more important than the clothing itself. The site itself is bright and summery. The attitude is carefree, active and sexy. Maneuvering ones way around this website is relatively easy. The links include Lifestyle, A&F TV, A&F Quarterly (the magazine/catalogue), Company, and Shop A&F. Other links include, music, movies, downloads, postcards, photos, and “hot” sites. The website seems to be almost completely focused on drawing the consumer into the lifestyle of Abercrombie and Fitch. The information the company gives is very limited. For example, throughout the entire website, there is not one mention of a company mission statement, yet there is a plethora of information about the company’s financial standings.
Implementation for an online shopping site is fairly easy. Any reputable web designer could put together a user-friendly site that highlights Ann Taylor’s most collectible pieces. A well-designed website would not only attract the younger business women but it would increase customer loyalty by enabling ease of purchase and help expand their customer base through word-of-mouth. Today’s youth no longer look forward to all day shopping trips. They would rather stay home and shop online where their comfortable. It is the way the world these days.
Product differentiation – by offering different products, services, or product features, the company can charge higher prices, or appeal to different audiences. Use of IS have enabled new products and services, that increase the levels of convenience in using existing products and services. By acquiring PayPal, eBay greatly enhanced the ease with which customers can pay for their products. Google keeps an innovative approach towards search engines, by introducing Google Maps, Google Translate and others, which improves the ease of usage. Using online live chatting systems and social networks contributes to understanding of customers. It also adds value and improves customers’ stickiness to website (Booth, Roberts, and Sikes 2011)
Zott, C., Amit, R. And Massa, L. (2011) ‘The Business Model: Recent Developments and Future Research’, Journal of Management, vol.37, no.4 pp.1019-42 [Online]. Available at http://jom.sagepub.com/content/37/4/1019 [Accessed 24th November 2013]
In two distinct e-commerce business types, Business-to-business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C), there are many differences in the way they operate. Specifically in marketing, differences include how the marketing is driven and the values of the strategies, the size of the target market and length of the sales cycle, and even the buying patterns of the target consumers. Each of these differences will be better defined and explained in the following paragraphs.
When an individual decides to venture out on their own and become an entrepreneur they are taking a huge risk, one of the tools that can make the difference between being successful or failing is the Business Model Canvas (BMC). Osterwalder invented the BMC because he believed that a company’s first business plan always failed the minute it reached the customers, leaving the owners discouraged and deflated and feeling that they had wasted time, energy and money; so he wanted to create a more flexible business plan that owners can edit and make the changes needed to reach the customers needs "One Tool Startups Need to Brainstorm, Test and Win | First Round Review," n.d.). The canvas consists of nine elements or building blocks that create a visual template spelling out the business’s value proposition, infrastructure, customers and the finances (White, 2012). Breaking down the key elements that are vital to taking customers needs, wants or problems into a fruitful company
When the buzzword of business model was very active and reactive during the internet boom, many individuals did not understand the concept of the proper business model for the proper business (Magretta, 2002). When not utilizing the right type of model for the organization, the model will be misused and distorted (Magretta, 2002). Understanding the traditional organization and learning organization, will allow an organization to determine which time of organization they desire the most.
These forces are the same in all e-commerce sites, even though the products are as different from automobiles to art masterpieces. The competition and profitability in each are related to the five forces that drive purchases. In order to understand the strategies for e-commerce in the creative arts sector one must first understand the industry itself. For example, in the performing arts vertical there are many types of entertainment available including online digital selections available at a moment 's
Marketing is a vital component in the success of businesses. Smaller businesses rely on business advertising, expenses, knowing if the business is networking with the right people, or joining the best organisations which lead to success (EStartup business blog, 2010). Marketing concentrates on customers and what the customers want. Customers are the source of sales and profits. Many small businesses are faced with remarkable hardships due to not developing the right marketing plan (EStartup business blog, 2010). To help these businesses a more appropriate or better marketing plan needs to be designed. Small business internet marketing services can help businesses develop and thrive in a highly competitive market. For the highest quality internet marketing services, hiring an online marketing company to design a customized internet marketing campaign may be advantageous for some businesses (EStartup business blog and contributors, 2010). Identified will be the role that marketing plays in a successful business demonstrated by use of two examples, the importance of developing a marketing plan, and ethical and legal issues that surround marketing practices (EStartup business blog, 2010).
growth in usage by both consumers and businesses. The unique capabilities of the Internet has captured the attention of the marketing community. While a growing number of companies have or are interested in developing an Internet presence, there is still a great deal of uncertainty about it and the potential ethical issues associated with its use as a marketing medium. Although many businesses are acknowledging the importance of a Web site, but the potential ethical issues related to marketing on the Internet still having an uncertainty in this situation. Much less attention has been given to the business community's perceptions of the ethicalness of this new medium. The unique interactivity of the Internet has captured the marketing community's interest as a way to develop and enhance customer relationships and establish greater brand identity. Thus, many commercial services have become available on the Internet that allow consumers and organizations to interact electronically. These services include booking airline tickets online, buying books and compact discs, and receiving stock market information. Although the number of consumer users and commercial organizations navigating on this "information superhighway" is growing almost exponentially, the benefits of the Internet are not without drawbacks.
According to a study by Dr. Kirthi Kalyanam, who obtained his doctorate in Business Administration, “88% of consumers are researching items online and then buying in a physical store.” (Kalyanam) This signifies that a big measure of consumers use the data that they have obtained online, largely triggered by advertisements, when they undergo the decision making process when buying a product/service in a store. Since the consumer has already explored the product online, the decision making process is cut down significantly and the consumer almost always buys the merchandise that they have already searched. This research that they conduct is mostly sparked by an online advertisement which the consumer sees about the product. The advertisement usually doubles as a hyperlink to the product’s website, making it simple and easy for consumers to find more about the
In this write up the focus is mainly on e-business. It consists of critical discussion and analysis of the impact of adopting e-business orientation. It also contains relevant information on the current state of e-business market.
Internet threw open the plethora of opportunities for enormous scaling of business, thanks to the massive scope of expanding as well as popularizing the business by way of online advertisement. Now, every kind of business no matter big or small businesses can expand itself by way of online advertising where there are massive users across the whole world.
At the very start, internet revolution was known as a world wide web that would change everything. In 1990s, the concept of "online business" was created, this business is known by various names such as dot-coms, e-biz etc. which made easier to start a business on internet and inexpensive as well. Whether it's a big or a small, local or international it can reach infront of the world very easily. Thousands of ventures have been made on internet for online business on the basis of brick and mortar. Online business is not different from any other venture. Same rules and principles are applied. First thing to start up a business is to create a business plan and think of how to make money. Some of the options which should be applied for an online business includes, sell products, sell advertising, sell information, sell services and to become a reseller. All of these options are complied together. For any virtual business an individual should always look for products with high margins, high demand and less competition either for physical or digital manner. However, many services are sold on internet such as web hosting, domain name registration, software applications and comparison of different products and services. Selling information is another basic option in an online business which is done in two forms, one is subscribing on a website where online articles are available for free and on the other hand e-books are popular and are free, they can be downloaded easily plus when the writing is done the cost of subscription is very low. Advertising on internet leads toward a lot of money though it's an expensive procedure, with a lot of traffic on a web site one can make money easily by joining any kind of ad network such as Google. By getting affiliated with another web site can also make a lot of money such as sending a buyer on another merchant's web page, like this one can get a percentage on per sale basis but first an individual needs to get expert in marketing for search engines.