Uber: Business model

Uber, the popular ride sharing app, uses a community business model. A community model is one which connects individuals or groups to each other. Uber connects drivers to individuals in need of transportation. The business model is simple. Through the use of the Uber app, an individual in need of a ride can seamlessly request a driver. The app immediately contacts the nearest available driver, who should appear at your location in a matter of minutes. The service is much more convenient than the soon to disappear taxi industry. Uber's community business model is the company's recipe to success. Uber does not own the cars or employ the drivers. Uber merely connects drivers to people in need of a driver for a percentage of the final transportation fee. That is how Uber stays profitable and managed a valuation of more than $50 billion dollars in 2015. (Gandel) Uber must keep the same business model it has used in the past, in order to ensure future success.

Only one other business model could work as Uber's business model, and that is the merchant model. The merchant model provides services to either consumers or other business. In Uber's case, using this model would imply using the taxi industry's business model. Using the merchant model, Uber would have to own the cars that its drivers use. This step would eradicate Uber's core competency and differentiation strategy. The merchant model may not work in today's economy, but in the future it will. Uber is currently working on self-driving cars and there is speculation that the future of Uber might be in the hands of driver-less cars. (Wood) In case self driving cars do work, the merchant model would be perfect for the company's long term success. Uber would no longer be connecting individuals, it would connect its driver-less cars to individuals as a service.

eToys

eToys, was as retail website that sold toys via the internet. This company failed to control costs of running a retail business and soon the costs were higher than their revenues. The company opened in 1997 and closed in early 2001. The company should have used brokerage model, while partnering with manufacturers. This business model would have ensured low operating costs as they never own inventory and its only function would be to connect manufacturers to customers.

Analytics

Blogger analytics are very basic to say the least. The following image accounts for what I thought to be the most interesting analytics available through blogger.

These analytics allow the blogger to further understand his or her audience. The previous analytics show that my blog mostly appeals to people in the US, who use chrome, and have apple computers. This information is critical when attempting to understand you target market. 

Google analytics really empower the blogger to fully comprehend who its target market is. 

Demographic analytics tell the blogger the age and gender of his or her audience. 

Behavior analytics show what the audience does when they reach the blog. These analytics show if audience returns to the blog or not and how long the audience stayed on your blog. In my case only person viewed my blog more than once and none of my audience stayed more than 10 seconds. The data is a clear indication that I must improve the blogs content and audience engagement. 

Technology and mobile analytics further describe you audience and their preferences. Tech analytics describes your audiences browser and network, while mobile analytics tell you all about the mobile device used. In my case 5 people used chrome and 1 person used safari. As for my mobile user, I know he uses an Apple iPhone and is an AT&T customer. 

Classmates blogs

For this part of our assignment, I will follow Regina Vatterott's and Joe Pouttu's blogs. These blogs appealed to my because I am not familiar with the companies. I believe this will give me a refreshing look into new internet marketing ideas. 

Blog comments

• Regina's Lush blog 

"I found your insights on Lush's use of twitter to be very important. The company creates value for the customers through how-to tweets. As a customer of any company, I want a company to add value to their products. That is accomplished by their how-to tweets, describing how to use of their products to achieve the best results possible . Great blog!"

• Joe's Urban Outfitters blog

"Based on your blog post, I also believe Urban Outfitters has done a fantastic job utilizing social media. #UOonyou is very savvy on their part. Just like you stated, the use of a hashtag and re-posting images results in free marketing and creates an activity customers want to take part in as well. Let me know when the next in-store/alcohol event is. Great Blog!"

The blogs did not change my perception of internet marketing, as I am familiar with these marketing strategies. I, however,  enjoyed the real world examples of these strategies. I found the marketing strategies to be very ingenious from the companies marketing teams

Sources:

Gandel, S. (2015, July 31) Uber Just Beat Facebook's $50 Billion Record. Retrieved from                                 http://fortune.com/2015/07/31/uber-valuation-funding-round/

Wood, A. (2015, June 17) The Future of Self-Driving Cars. Retrieved from                                           http://www.cnbc.com/2015/06/17/ubers-self-driving-car-future-vs-california-decision-today.html

Zahay, D., & Roberts, M. (2008) Internet Marketing. Mason, OH: South-Western

Whole Foods Market: Customer Acquisition, Conversion, and Retention

As you would expect, Whole Foods Market has a presence in every major social media platform. Whole Foods markets to its target customer through the use of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.It is through those platforms and the use of ordinary print marketing that the firm acquires its customers. Whole foods has a very active presence in all of those platforms due to their financial strength. Whole foods also partakes in three blogs, all of which are linked to their websites. Most recently Whole Foods developed an app that further creates customer value through the following features:

• Collection of more than 3700 recipes
• Path to healthy living through their more than 400 healthy recipes 
• Create shopping lists from recepies
• Find store info; specials, deals, and events

All social media platforms, along with its blogs are very useful to its target customer. This is the most important part of the firms marketing strategy. They are giving the target customer the tools to lead a healthy and active life. Their social media and blog posts provide information that creates value for its customers. Whole Foods allows you to immerse yourself in a way of life. Whole Foods Market social media platforms are filled with organic, healthy, active, appealing, and motivational; information, pictures, events, and recipes. Simply put, they are posts that make you want to change your way of life. In case that healthy and organic appeal to you. 

A very interesting partnership is Instacart, which provides Whole Foods Customers a one hour home delivery service, now customers can have their shopping cart delivered straight to their front door. 

Whole foods launched a nation wide brand campaign in late 2014. The marketing campaign highlights its ground breaking quality standards, healthy offerings, and pioneer in the natural and organic food industry. The company's slogan for the new campaign is values matter. The company hopes to engage with its target customer through better food practices. Whole Foods wants better food, better sources, and humane practices for animal products. 

Whole foods is currently killing the organic chain market at the nation wide level. Recently, however, they have come under attack from regional, state, and even small city competitors. I, however, believe they are currently marketing towards the high end clientele and to those looking for an experience more than a simple grocery run. I know i always have a great experience once I walk into Whole Foods. I really have no input as to how they could improve their marketing strategy, as I feel they are doing great. I look forward to learning more about the company and how they advertise to their target customer.