Ch. 14 - Marketing Channels and Retailing

Since Apple Inc. is a well-known company, a lot of people wish to purchase one of its products. The first place where they can get such products is the Apple Retail Store, or Apple Online Store. It is understandable that an Apple Store can be crowded from time to time, and even though everyone is seen, people still complain for not being helped as soon as they walk in the doors. Now, Apple takes every customer seriously, and always provides the best customer service there is, but customer needs to understand tat visiting an Apple will never as quiet as they think it would be.

When a new product is released, it is obvious for the stores to not have the product with the specifications the customer is looking for. Certain people are not so patient when it comes to waiting for such product. In this particular case, some other stores might have gotten some, and the customer opt to visit those stores instead. These are not Apple Stores, these are companies that also focus on selling electronics. Two known companies that carry the same Apple products are BestBuy and Tekserve. These companies could be known as marketing channels since they buy products and facilitate the change of ownership between the manufacturer and consumers. Some of these companies like BestBuy, provides discounts to increase sales and traffic of customers. However, one thing ought to be acknowledged, the Apple Stores not only sells products, it also sells and provides services. These particular services allow the customers to get started with their new devices. Perhaps this benefits for customer helps Apple to be differentiated from BestBuy and/or Tekserve. If a customer purchases an Apple product at BestBuy, the employees will not help their customers get started or even solve the issues the costumer comes in with. Also, the benefit of buying an Apple product at Tekserve would be the variety of accessories the companies offers. Yet, apple.com offers more accessories than what the actual stores sometimes do.

BestBuy 

Tekserve

Apple

Ch. 6 - Consumer Decision Making

Apple Inc., as company, does understand what the costumers want since sometimes costumers would not be fully satisfied with their purchase.

Apple engineers work hard on developing great products to deliver it to the outside world. They study and understand what costumers have said about the products they have recently bought. Apple always tries to satisfy and offer a better experience to all customers. Therefore, it allows consumers to submit feedback on any of its products. This way Apple can improve its line of products based on what consumers and/or developers have mentioned about Apple gadgets. Most of the time, consumer will see those improvement at Apple Special Events. 

Feedback page at apple.com (Apple)

There are some important factors that drive the consumer's decisions when purchasing a new product.

Nowadays, some customers might do their research before coming in to any Apple Retail Store. Apple's website is a great tool for anyone who seeks to compare devices to gain more information. They can also find reviews under the products they are researching on. Obviously, it is not guaranteed that everyone researches; however, those who do, come in expecting to receive more information. Another way for customers to search information on the product they're interested in is by consulting with their friends, family members, or even IT's at their jobs. In some random cases, they know what they want and simply come in and ask an Apple Specialist to get them they product they first came in for. This happens when customers have known the brand and are constantly upgrading their gadgets.

When it comes to choosing the device that suits best, the customer tends to compare or evaluate different alternatives. They might not always go for an iPhone or an iPad, but what matters is that the customers have explored their various options. They have meticulously looked at the details that differentiate one product from the other. Evaluating alternatives is important because it is what drives the customers to make a final decision. At an Apple Retail Store, consumers have the opportunity to interact with the various line of products. Perhaps, this is a way for Apple to attract customers to the stores and not only get a device, but receive a complete service so that they can walk out with a gadget that is fully interactive. 

In the end, after researching and evaluating alternatives, customer will have made a decision on what device they ought to get. This is considered the checkout, or purchase. At Apple, Specialist expect to receive feedback for the way they treated the customer. But most importantly, Apple wants to hear back from the consumer after trying the device; meaning, Apple expects to have satisfied the customer(s) with the purchase. Sometimes the consumer's exceptions will not be met, and this is when feedback on the product is welcome. But other times the exceptions will be exceed.  

Consumers can compare products online. 
More details will be show at apple.com

(Apple)

At Apple, customers can get familiar or get information on 

the product they're interested in. (Apple)

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Ch. 5 - Developing a Global Vision

Apple Inc. started the creation of retail stores in the U.S. in May 2001. Apple had originally created the retail stores to stem the declining share of the computer market and to respond to the poor marketing of Apple computers at third-party retail stores. This idea helped the company, because it made more people aware of what Apple had accomplished since the beginning of Apple's life. Of course, Apple did not only want its name to be known in the U.S., Apple thought about abroad expansion. So, in late 2003, Apple opened its first retail store in Tokyo's Ginza district. This was the start of Apple to grow in international market. In 2004, 2005 and 2006, Apple kept opening more stores in different locations like Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sendai, and Sapporo. In 2004, Apple opened its first store in London, England. This was the very first Apple retail store in Europe. In middle of 2005, the first Apple store was opened in North York, Toronto. Apple's global vision has begun since the creation of the first Apple Retail Store in the U.S. until it spread to Japan.    

With technology increasing, Apple has been able reach the global market, and it has shown unexpected records of revenues and profits. Now, for Apple to be able to fulfill its global vision, the company had to take some partnership with foreign outsourcing. This allowed the company to sell its products, such as the iPad, for $499 in the U.S. Moreover, China plays an important role in Apple's global vision. China is a emerging market and it is where all Apple products are manufactured by a company known as Foxconn. Apple does not only focus on China for its cheap labor, but because it contains a strong economy with the biggest population on the globe. Although Apple's competitors also manufacture their products in China, Apple is known as a unique company for developing its own hardware, software, and operation system. 

In the very end, Apple's global vision is to allow every person on the globe to know of the Apple's products. Impact their lives and impulse them to discover the great things they can do with each of its line of products.  


Apple's expansion is part of its global vision

Apple Store, Brussels (Belgium)
Opened on September 19, 2015

Apple Store, SouthGate (UK)

Apple Store, Puerta del Sol (Spain)

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Ch. 4 - The Marketing Environment

Since Apple Inc. is a multicultural company and it has grown outside the U.S. frontiers, it presents and provides information about its products in different languages. Some companies might only translate information in the most-spoken languages, which does not give their customers many options to explore on their sites. Apple Specialists, in New York City for example, refer to apple.com whenever is necessary. One of Apple's desires is for every person around the globe to hear and have knowledge of its products. That is why customers, regardless from where they are, have the ability to change the language on their Apple devices. This particular feature helps customers have a better understanding on how to use their products. Moreover, whenever a customer contacts the technical support over the phone, that particular person has the opportunity to ask for a Specialist that speak their same language. That way the interaction, in general, becomes seamless for both the customers and the Specialist. 

Applications developed by Apple. Originally created to be part of Apple Productivity Apps.

Apple's target market is also teenagers. Teenagers, nowadays, want to be up to date on what is happening on the social media. They also want to socialize with friends. For that reason, a great device to do so could be the iPad. On the iPads, teenagers can download different applications that allow them to communicate among friends. Additionally, with the built-in FaceTime app, teens can establish a video conference with their friends and/or family members. Besides socializing, teenagers can use the iPads to keep their documents organized. On the iPads, teenagers can find applications that help them create notes, documents, presentations, and more. In other words, the iPads could be considered an electronic notebook since it is easier to carry around at school when going to different classrooms.

Customers can change the language on apple.com to discover more about the products they already own or are planning to get.

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