Chapter 11 Page #372-373 Discussion Questions – Kasey Clark
1. Netflix has done a great job utalizing the mail as a great source of distrobution for
itself. Another company that could use the same strategies is record companies. Basically you could make a list much like netflix and they would mail them to you when they are up in your que. Another great idea with distrobution of product would be to place ads on coffee cups at coffee shops. There is alot of wasted space there, and I feel you could get people to notice your business more. The actual product itself is the marketing. A fourth distrobution system is something that a friend of mine came up with. It is called tread-ex. Basically its a throwback idea to have your product (with limited area of course) be hand delivered by someone riding a bicycle.
Of all the distrobution strategies I believe netflix got it right.
2. I could definately use either my office or the basement as a place to start a home
based business. I do computer tech work on the side and already utalize my office as a workspace, but it could be moved down stairs if I got enough business and demand was high enough. I don't forsee any issues considering I already do this, and if my wife started another business she could use her office and the kitchen (she's a pastry chef, I'm not sexist) as a location for her business.
3. For fast food resturants quick service is always a good traffic generator, and the
more populated the area, usually the better. It's easy to just \"swing by\" a mcdonalds on your way home from work. Office supply stores should target a location that is more business oriented, something close to a large business center that doesn't
necissarly have to be highly populated. A tattoo parlor could be just about anywhere, as long as its cleaned up and looks steryl. A tattoo isn't generally an impulse decision and something that is mulled over.
4. Downtown topeka is not a competitive cluster, there are few business there and
nearly none of them provide the same service. The mall is a good example of a competitive cluster, as it has many shops to buy clothes.
5. Anything can be sold in a vending machine, barring the size of the vending machine.
In china there are many different types of vending machines than in the US, I have seen cool stuff like a cell phone vending machine. I wish there were more healthy choices in vending machines, like a fresh fruit vending machine.
6. I recently have had the oppertunity to be in a flash mob for an organisation that I
helped start. It was definately a form of guerilla marketing. Also another good way is to rent a bat signal. They are realitively cheap and usually easy to find if you know where to look.
7. Toyota's recall direct response ads have been interesting to watch. I think they have
done a decent job in trying to make things right with the consumer, and are trying to be as honest as possible about the issue with the Prius gas pedals. They are giving off a very neat and honest vibe that I can appreciate.
8. Yes, I have used ebay. I have been a buyer and a seller. The experience was great,
but I am somewhat of a technical guy who understands how the process works.
9. Disadvantages of selling by auction would be you don't have a clear clean cut
number of what your profit will be on the product. You may lose money depending
on the situation and wether you did a good job marketing the auction. In a reverse auction sellers actually compete and the prices decline over time. A reverse auction could be disastorous if not enough bidders show up, as this would make your
product worth alot less. Also you have many other competitors at a reverse auction who may have found a different process for manufacturing and can sell at a much lower cost.
10. I would most definately have to say designing an easy to use low cost internet
capable computer for the elderly and low income homes. I would first target the tech audience, gather more info about the technologies behind the product, and then implement it into a retirement village and adjust to meet the needs of the elderly. I would then beta it at a low income housing project and use information from there to create exactly what everyone wants.
11. I HATE HATE HATE popups, and I know I am not the only one. Also, as a web
designer I dislike when the actual size of the site isn't realitive to the resolution on my screen. Loud colors also annoy me on websites if not done correctly.
12. I would be reluctant to roll out a piece of software to any country other than an
english speaking country. Things can totally get lost in translation. Australia would be great, as long as my software didn't require alot of bandwidth. China would be cool as well, but not until the product has been throughly tested and translated. I would rolll out a nutrition bar to the same countries, as well as a soft drink. Those are things that are fairly universal, barring third world countries.