Analyze the marketing strategy of one of the following companies: Costco, Amazon, McDonald's, and Starbucks. Cover the following topics: brief history, line of business (organization mission), target market(s), SWOT marketing strategy (4Ps), marketing department organization, value proposition, competitive environment, Web/store dynamics, global operations, social responsibility/sustainability, and marketing metrics (assessing failure or success through sales, market share, profits, return on equity).
Special Topics to be covered:
Wal-Mart—purchase of Bonobos, Spatialand (virtual reality startup), Jet.com, Flipkart (India-based online) development of Walmart.com (free shipping). Store No8 (cashier-less stores).
Costco--gray market, intelligent loss of sales, importance of membership fees, low gross profit margins. low Web sales
Amazon--Amazon Locker, Amazon Dash, 1 click purchasing, Amazon Fresh, purchase of Whole Foods, two-day or less shipping, Amazon Prime, Amazon Student, Echo and Dot.
McDonald's-- supplier issues in China, McDonald's as a real estate company, freedom of franchises to purchase goods from new vendors, coffee expansion, freedom to purchase goods and services from vendors meeting quality test, global sales.
Starbucks--Arizona State free tuition, little fair trade coffee, Starbucks app, wine served in evenings, prepaid coffee, co-branding coffee with Costco, site selection strategy, global sales, hiring opportunity youth/veterans.
Your paper should be a combination of analysis of library-based research, evaluation of material from the firm's 10-K, Standard & Poor's Industry Analysis, and your own observations (store visits, test drives. consumer interviews, etc.)
Sample Solution