Course Project: Digital Marketing Competitive Analysis

Course Project: Digital Marketing Competitive Analysis

The course project is assigned in lieu of a final exam. The course project asks you to examine

and assess real-world digital marketing competitive activities. This is your chance to apply

and assess essential knowledge and skills in e-marketing. Your performance will be scored on

a rubric indicating how successfully you meet specific standards.

Prepare Your Course Project as Follows:

You are asked to select a specific product or service that you are interested in purchasing

from one of the organizations that predominantly or entirely market digitally from the list

below, and then research two competitors that may be primarily digital or not:

• Glossier

The item or service must cost at least $100 in order to create a significant enough purchase

that requires the sellers to overcome online buyers' concerns and enable effective online

commerce.

You do not need to get your instructor's approval for the product or service from this list and

the two competitors you will assess, but you may wish to consult with the instructor to verify

that you have chosen the competitors wisely and that you are on the right track to complete

this assignment as required. See the course schedule and the Weekly Announcements for the

due dates for submitting Part I (Week 6) and Part II (Week 8).

In Part I, you will be asked to assess how effectively your organization and their two

competitor's websites serves their buyers’ needs, using the marketing mix (4Ps) as the basis

for your analysis. In Part II, you will go beyond the traditional 4 P’s of the marketing mix to

evaluate how your selected organization and the two competitors leverage for competitive

advantage what was termed within Chapter 19 of your textbook the New P’s and New

Marketing.

Part I is due to be posted to the appropriate LEO assignment drop box no later than 11:59 PM

at the end of Week 6. Students will write minimum of five (5) page and maximum of eight (8)

page paper evaluating the degree of competitive advantage that your selected organization

has or does not have as a result of leveraging the traditional 4 P’s of Marketing (marketing

mix):

PART I

Product or Service Strategy (Customer)

• How, specifically, does the product/service benefit the user?

• Identify key value proposition message(s).

• Identify target segment(s) served.

• Why do they buy (luxury, worthwhile, comfort, instant or deferred gratification)?

• How well does the website content help the user/buyer decide?

• How well does the website answer specific buyers' questions?

Price (Cost)

Note: Value = Perceived Benefits less - (Price Paid + Transaction Costs + Opportunities Lost)

• What are the key transaction costs in this offer beyond list price?

• Identify key pricing approach(es) (predatory, coupons, skimming, frequent user

discounts, other).

• Explain base price + extras; possibly options or monthly fees.

• How effective is the site privacy policy?

• What evidence shows the site is secure in terms of your personal information?

• Are warranty issues covered (duration, dispute resolution, return policy)?

Promotion (Communication)

• Psychographics: why, specifically, does your buyer choose this digital product/service?

• How effective are key selling messages on the site?

• What does epinions.com or a similar site say about the offer?

• How are traditional marketing and digital marketing media blended by competitors?

• How are new media (social media; mobile media) used by your digital competitors?

• Does the website fit the company's image (luxury/quality/price)?

o Is that image coherent throughout the site?

o Does the art support or interfere with the message?

• How well does the site promote itself (up-sell) within its own pages?

Place (Convenience)

• What is the market scope (regional, national or global)?

• What is the method of delivery (direct to you, via intermediaries, other)?

• What evidence is there of customer service effectiveness?

• What evidence is there of customer relationship management effectiveness?

• Is there access to e-mail and/or phone communication from the website?

• Is there access to text message response or web chat from the website and/or other

social media sites?

• Is there access to menus, the site index, and the home page from each screen?

o Are there accessible navigation aids (buttons, screen visibility, position)?

o Is there simplicity of flow (two clicks to info; three clicks to buy)?

• Do external web links assist the user?