Mac Laptop Consumer Decision-Making

Nobody would deny the fact that people make purchases nearly on a day-to-day basis. It is such a simple and average procedure that society seems to ignore the importance of its implications. In other words, the nature of making a purchase can lead to fundamental findings that can be used for the improvement of consumer demands satisfaction. This issue can be addressed from various perspectives, but it is essential to admit that consumer behavior is one of the central issues of marketing. That is why this issue should be discussed in terms of a real-based trading so that a certain case could serve the function of a typical evidence of consumer behavior. Therefore, the study has conducted an interview with an average consumer of Apple Inc. product in order to determine the main factors within the sphere of marketing. Taking this point into account, it should be admitted that the following paper reports about the interview outcomes and the related analysis of the manufacturer and key retailers.

To be more exact, the interview has been conducted with a 27-year old male in a middle-sized industrial town. The interviewee applied for a new job position in a local advertising bureau. That is why he needed a powerful laptop that could operate long hours. In addition, it is worth saying that the interviewee seemed to follow the latest trends and he was quite concerned about his recognition in the community. What is more, the report focuses on the analysis of Apple Inc. performance and plans for the following business year. On the basis of the interview, the report gives certain recommendations regarding the further marketing strategy from the perspective of manufacture and retailing. Having outlined the thesis and the main points of the report, it is necessary to proceed to the following section.

Manufacturer

Speaking about the manufacturing company Apple Inc., it should be admitted that it is one of the most thriving companies within the industry of software, hardware, and computer technologies. It has a meaningful history of success that can be observed nowadays. Total revenues of Apple Inc. are equal to $39.540 billion per year. The company includes 80,000 employees in different spheres, especially high technologies and environmentally-based innovations. Regarding that, it is possible to admit that Apple Inc. is particularly focused on the high technology-based performance. By the same token, it values a team spirit and cooperation within its departments. As a result, the company is currently striving to achieve reasonable internal equities that can make a considerable impact on the motivation of employees and resilience of the overall performance of the organization. This aspect is a central issue of the executive board of the firm, that is why it has to be described more specifically.

Concerning the internal equities of the manufacturer, it is worth mentioning that this perspective refers mainly to CEOs of Apple Inc. They are expected to establish more close relationships with all teams within the firm in order to address marketing mix to its largest extent. It is necessary to note that the executive board considers innovations as the most effective way to embody the main principles of marketing mix. To be more exact, CEOs are expected to take the responsibility for creating the manufacturing environment, which will make the products eligible for the related marketing standards. Products, which are incorporated with the most recent technologies, will address social, economic, and even politic pillars of marketing mix as long as they are potential creators of trend and supporters of the brand’s success. That is why Apple Inc. keeps developing towards this perspective even though it is still under a threat of unexpected stock market fluctuations.

Therefore, Apple Inc. undergoes major changes within. As it has already been mentioned, CEO-employee relationships are supposed to be maximally related in order to render more marketing effectiveness to manufacturing. What is more, the company is planning to increase its stock value. It can be explained by the fact that the mentioned changes may require substantial investments; that is why Apple Inc. has to become more beneficial from the perspective of returns on investment and total revenues. In addition, the firm considers environmental concerns, so that some environmentally-friendly projects can also be expected. All these facts can be regarded as a distinct evidence of drastic amendments within the company. As a consequence, these changes can be linked to the announcement of the executive board to improve marketing perspective of the manufacturing. Hence, the products of Apple Inc. render a related quality.

Retailer

As for the key retailers of Apple Inc., it is necessary to admit that, first of all, the company provides its target audience with custom Apple outlets. To be more specific, the company has managed to develop a chain of stores across the United States, Pacific area, Asia, Europe, and the United Kingdom. Needless to say, every single branch of Apple Stores is adjusted to the current environment of the market, so that it is possible to say that the company performs generally effectively regarding the markets overseas. At the same time, Apple brand is so trendy that some potentially weaker markets still witness certain success in sales. It can be explained by the fact that the company operates with efficient logistics and up-to-date supply chain management, which are already oriented to addressing the related marketing mixes for overseas branches. Actually, Apple Inc. utilizes some other methods of retailing that are worth description.

In fact, the company trades its products via chains of retail outlets as well. It is quite an obvious fact that the products lose their brand uniqueness that makes Apple so successful. On the contrary, custom Apple Stores do not provide the sufficient availability. In other words, a considerable percentage of potential Apple customers are not given an opportunity to access Apple Stores because of a wide range of causes. Therefore, retail outlets are a reasonable solution of this problem. It is important to pay attention to the fact that Apple products in the retail stores are sold under the competitive pressure of familiar products. As a consequence, Apple products are not just a brand-based line but real quality goods that are worth their price. Despite the fact that retail stores lack custom Apple services, they place the products in a natural competitive environment so that the company is able to evaluate its strength and weaknesses adequately. In contrast, the absence of custom services in retail shops means that the target audience of the company is not involved in the Apple community enough. Hence, the further purchases of such customers are rather debatable.

In order to regulate this issue, the company relies heavily on online-based retailing that helps involve potential customers. First of all, Apple websites possess all standard advantages of e-commerce. Clear and fast choice of products, detailed description, pleasant interface, and availability of numerous updates, bonuses, and other free content make the website a powerful retailing tool. It is to be said that online Apple Store addresses the upper margin of the target audience as long as a purchase can be made without a physical warehouse being located nearby. In such a way, the company offers multiple variants of communication with its target segment so that it makes its impact on the consumer’s decision-making, which will be discussed further.

Product Description

The interviewee chose a Mac Book Air as the product for purchase; that is why it is necessary to describe that product briefly. The product takes less space than standard laptops because of its thin design. It is available in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes. The product was designed in standard white and silver colors of Apple main product line. It is worth mentioning that such combination of colors is regarded as the most attractive to potential customers, considering their interest in Apple products. It is becoming increasingly apparent that potential customers seek trendy and stylish products, so these colors emphasize the elite nature of Apple product line. It is the main positioning of Apple brand as long as it is an evident factor of the company’s success. Concerning the place and price of the purchase, it should be admitted that the interviewee ordered Mac Book Air at the online Apple Store at the official price of $899.

In regard to the functionality of the product, it is needless to say that the laptop is equipped with the standard Mac operation system and the related variety of applications. It is also worth mentioning that the laptop relies heavily on the Wi-Fi device. In fact, it has more sensitive signal recognition with less consumption of electric power. Mac Book Air is incorporated with all standardized flash drives so that the exchange of data from external sources has become easier and faster. As a result, the laptop is able to address needs of an average user and specific tasks in terms of a particular sphere. In such a way, Mac Book Air meets the requirements of the interviewee as long as the latter picked up that product.

Speaking about the special advantages of Mac Book Air, it is essential to note that it is powered by an energy efficient battery that produces less heat and production emissions. As a result, the laptop can be regarded as an environmentally-friendly device. As the interviewee confessed, it was not the primary factor in his decision-making. The interviewee was seeking a laptop with a high battery capacity as he needs to work long hours at places, where electricity is not available. In fact, the man confirmed that a suitable design was a practical factor since the peculiarities of his job require many trips across the town and the country. All in all, environmental considerations should be referred to the public policy of Apple Inc., while comfortable design is an obvious advantage for the consumers, who need their devices to be carried easily.

Decision-Making Process

For starters, it is necessary to note that the interviewee recognized the problem as soon as he applied to a new job. His new position was the Chief Copywriter Assistant in an advertising bureau. As a consequence, he needed a powerful hardware that he could carry with him everywhere since he was expected to visit various organizations across the town and the entire country. It is important to pay attention to the fact that the preliminary conditions were quite applicable to the choice of Mac Book Air as it had relevant characteristics. Then, as the interviewee is 27 years old, he searched via the Internet for the most apt devices. Since expenses were no object, some other factors made the impact on the decision-making process. The interviewee occurred to be tending to follow current trends and look different as he admitted that he had been a hipster in the university. Consequently, he visited Apple online store because this brand is especially popular with young people, who are trying to make themselves look different.

The interviewee compared numerous models and brands in accordance with their technical characteristics and design. These seem to be standard criteria for every single consumer, but it is worth saying that the evaluation was conducted with consideration of Mac Book Air as a dominant item for the purchase. The interviewee might choose any other brand regarding the fact that all models were nearly similar to each other. In this case, it is necessary to refer to psychoanalysis theory because the interviewee demonstrated an act of compulsive behavior (Blythe, 2008). In other words, the man made the most drastic decision in the given context: he chose Mac Book Air just because of its brand. Therefore, a compulsive behavior could be traced in regard to the immediate purchase online. Needless to say, sufficient financial capabilities made their own impact as well, but there was a wide range of less trendy and still expensive brands within the national market. In addition, the online purchase was made because there were no Apple Stores nearby. Eventually, post-purchase was worth compulsion at the stage of the choice since the interviewee confirmed that he was satisfied with the purchase completely. To be more specific, the consumer admitted high quality of the product, its help in his professional sphere, and attractive design that makes him feel more confident, especially at presentation of his work to customers of the advertising bureau. Besides, the interviewee mentioned a power-efficient battery because it had enough capacity even after working the whole day so that he could entertain himself on his way home.

Recommendations for Manufacturer

Regarding the further development of the manufacturer, it is necessary to admit that the company is recommended to keep developing in the chosen direction. Apple will need to widen its product line in order to enlarge its target audience; it is a natural process. Moreover, the company should grow on a regular basis. It is worth mentioning that new products are supposed to bear little resemblance to the already developed gadgets and devices. In other words, Apple Inc. is expected to provide its target segment with a wide variety of devices. Regarding that point, the company is suggested to launch the development of its custom video game console. The industry of video games is thriving nowadays, and Apple Inc. is capable of designing its own gaming platform. In addition, it would be a proactive step from the side of the company because it will intrude in the competition between Xbox and PlayStation. Besides the video game console, Apple Inc. is recommended to conduct a meaningful marketing research in order to distinguish desires of its target audience. New products should render a real help to their owners as just an attractive brand will not promote the marketing strategy of the manufacturer. It is becoming increasingly apparent that a meaningful percentage of non-American consumers purchase Apple products because of a fashionable brand. That is why the firm has to hire a consulting group to determine distinctly the enlarging of product line and amendments in branding.

At the same time, the manufacturer should find cheaper methods of production. The prices for products may become unreasonably high for certain branches of Apple Stores because of economic or political instability within the related country. That is why the company should develop more efficient techniques of manufacturing. In particular, it is the primary task of operation management. Hence, total productive maintenance is the most apt approach for the improvement of manufacture. That approach can address not only the consideration of expenses reduction but such factors as environmental and social sustainability within the company. Needless to say, these aspects correlate with a public strategy of Apple Inc. and will make their positive impact on the overall performance of the manufacturer. Furthermore, total productive maintenance promotes better public relations, which are the constituent part of the marketing mix. That is why Apple can potentially incorporate environmentally-friendly technologies in its product line and manufacturing tools. That will make products less expensive and more available for potential customers. As a result, the company will broaden its target segment and avoid higher taxation since its products will become cheaper. The investors will surely appreciate such a decision because returns on investments are guaranteed. This is an important aspect since the company is under a threat of stock market fluctuations.

Recommendations for Retailers

With regard to official Apple Stores, it is essential to admit that they are expected to become more available. In such a way, the company will avoid unnecessary competitive pressure in terms of retail outlets. Therefore, the company has to open new Apple Stores in new locations even though its products are already traded in the local retail chains. In order to do that, it is necessary to conduct additional marketing research and estimate potential risks and implications on entering a chosen market. The expansion campaign is recommended to be supported with an accompanying advertising program. Initiatives, which are aimed at the establishment of public relations, should also be implemented. To be more specific, regular public presentations, workshops, and special offers will create a positive social environment for marketing mix regarding a particular branch of Apple Stores.

Concerning retail stores, it is to be said that they need to be given the same rights as official Apple Stores. To put it in a simpler way, retail stores are recommended to provide customers with the same custom services as in the official shops of the company. It will not make a considerable difference for retail outlets, while Apple products will restore its uniqueness even among the familiar product lines. Namely, Apple products have to stand out of the rest of the goods so that they are easily recognizable. As it has been already mentioned, retail outlets are additional source of trading Apple goods, but they are still able to make a significant impact on the marketing success of the company. Placing Apple products in retail shops in new areas can be considered as an experimental attempt to estimate the environment of the target market. In other words, the company has an opportunity to test its products in new markets before entering them with its official stores. Hence, such strategy does not imply much risk and delivers empirical knowledge about the target markets.

Eventually, online store should adhere to the same approach since it is the most effective retailing tool. It is crucial to note that making a drastic difference between physical Apple Stores and web-based version will not harm the marketing mix. Conversely, it will broaden a target audience because products can be ordered online despite the absence of Apple Store and warehouse nearby. That is why the website should be updated with more content and easier interface. However, changes in the interface do not have to be considerable. It is more important to integrate the online shop with social media and other online retail outlets. It is the most effective retailing method so that it should not be changed drastically.

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