SALE

When a company puts out the words "Sale" does it really mean that they are having a sale? Companies tend to have Sale signs poster up in there store saying "up to 70% off" but the question is, how much of those products even reach the 50% marker? Not many do. In forms of marketing, it's usually a good way to attract consumers into the store itself. When a customer buys a product on sale, they usually look around the store and find other items as well. To me, I feel it's a good marketing strategy by putting a sale sign up for some products just to attract people to the store. When more people enter, it's a higher chance that they will buy more products as well and the store will produce more revenue. Do you believe that the sign "sale" is really pricing products on sale, or is it a form of attraction to get more customers in the store?

Credit Cards and Impluse Buying

Do credit cards increase the need for an impulse buy? Many of our citizens in the U.S. today have credit cards. It's a likely chance that the chance of impulse buying occurs more often with those who have credit cards. When people know that they can buy a product just because they can swipe a card, they are more likely to do so than an individual who has just cash and can't afford such a product at a price beyond what he/she can spend. People with credit cards are more likely to be in debt as well than others who don't have them. Do you believe that impulse buying occurs more with those individuals that have credit cards who spend more than what they have?

Second Life - a 3D virtual game

Second life is a 3D world for individuals who want to create a second life by creating avatars and playing them in the 3D world. Second life consists of building houses, buying land and everything that occurs to everyday lives except you interact online instead of real life scenarios. Today, Second Life has attracted businesses that are interested in targeting people through the virtual game by testing their products with customers through the virtual game. Many of Second Life residents buy products in which they cant have in real life or don't want to worry about financial issues. Do you think that this is a good strategy for businesses with keeping in mind that people buy on Second Life due to that they cant afford it in real life. Do you think it would miscalculate predictions on how many products they can sell?

In response to Chris French

I agree with you that John should not sell his names. It's best for him to keep those names and work on those potential buyers to come to him and not another company in which they would sell the names off to. If John were to sell his names, I do agree that customer loyalty may be lowered greatly as well as hurting the company more than they are now. Some companies do go on a downward slope and move back up and he could be going through the same cycle. John should keep the names and not sell them. Would holding the names be the best and wisest decision or could a partnership occur?

AMA statement containing John Smith's dilemma

John Smith's dilemma is a difficult choice in which he must face. A car dealer has offered him $8,000 for the list of names that come from people who are "likely" or "very likely" to buy a car within the next twelve months. If I were John I would keep the surveyed people and possibly lay off some employees due to in the future his profits will rise from the 2,000 people being surveyed who are most likely to buy a car. He may be losing money now but down the road he will began to gain and be in a better stable position. According to the AMA it would be wise for John to follow their ethical values which include: honesty, responsibility, fairness, respect, transparency, and citizenship. John may have some ethical issues within the company that he may need to reflect to on the website to possibly improve the company as a whole. Do you think John should keep the list or sell it?

Firms rise in e-mail/e-marketing

What are firms doing today to get their products known on the internet? Firms are forgetting about regular mail and choosing acquired lists to attract their "target market" through a selected group of possible "loyalty consumers". Today companies urge their marketing towards the internet. They target consumer with e-mail that grab attention as well as giving great detail in products over a websites which include pictures, videos, and animated scenes of a certain product. Some marketers are getting the attention to consumers by advertisement ads on other websites and social networks as well including myspace and facebook. People such as Mr Taffae are targeting his advertisement through youtube videos in hopes to get his firm recognized. Do you think that marketers are doing the right thing by advertising online? Are consumers getting annoyed with the advertisements and ignoring the majority of ads by firms?

Electronic mail vs. postal mail

Which of these services of mail are more reliable than the other as well as getting to your destination faster? I believe that electronic mail is a more reliable choice today. Why? Electronic mail doesn't only make it to your destination within seconds, but it also is more reliable in getting to your contact in time. In terms of marketing it's a lot faster to get one-hundred e-mails out referring to a product through e-mail compared to the long wait of regular postal mail. The benefits of e-mail have so much more to offer than postal mail. Today, I believe that postal mail is really only used for shipping nothing less than a package. Pictures, fliers, as well as just a regular letter are easier ways to get in touch with potential consumers. You also get more of a feed back of who is interested in products due to e-mail lists and polls that can go directly through e-mail. Over all I feel that any kind of promotion mail should be sent through e-mail over and kind of mail. What kind of mail service do you believe is faster/better?