Over the years, Apple has gained many benefits from internet marketing. Due to the internet’s high popularity, internet marketing has allowed Apple to promote their products effectively and efficiently which allows the company to create relationships with customers. This is important as Apple must retain their customers, which in the future benefits them as customers will create sales for the business. This is also important because it is an effective way of advertising because the internet has become common and poplar in every household worldwide.
Apple as a company has benefited due to the availability of internet marketing. Most customers in nowadays day in age prefer being present in their home and shopping online which is most common now. However, a small portion still does shop physically by going in stores. Apple benefits by having an online website. Firstly, because Apple has located their stores in working/busy areas so Apple can get customers in their store because of the population in which the area is in.
On the other hand, the internet has made customers who shop online more easy for them because people who live in a small populated area which is less busy may have to travel more far to locate an Apple store. This is where Apple’s online website takes action. Customers can search products with ease in the search engine on Apple’s website. For example, type of product, price, color etc. This saves customers time from going through different types of sections of the website, which can lead to a risk of customers closing the website.
Internet marketing has allowed Apple due to the availability of info. Not only on Apple’s website, but overall on the internet. This enables people to consume Apple’s info and about their products. Another major advantage that has impacted Apple and many companies worldwide is the availability of company’s websites, which is constantly 24/7. This means that if customers do not have time to visit sores because of work or they are generally busy, they can visit the website anytime they wish. In addition, the internet enables immediate sales to happen from the use of banking. I.e. the use on internet marketing creates opportunities for apple to increase its sales for existing customers. Moreover, Apple can monitor the activity of their competitors which is vital for the company; because it can then help Apple with is improvements and where they are lacking.
Apple has also been able to benefit on costs by using Internet marketing. Apple can save costs such as staffing costs. Where fewer staff is needed online than on the high street in stores. Also, Apple can make individual customers’ online experience unique by offering special offers to particular customers, i.e. offering an add on to their recent purchase, similar to how Amazon does. Also customers can personalize their products, such as engraving on the back of a product, which allows Apple to create strong relationships online with customers and maintain the long term relationships, making sure that customers come back regularly.
Although there are many benefits to Apple using Internet marketing, there are also many challenges Apple must face. Even though some challenges can be overcome, the challenges Apple deal with when using internet marketing includes keeping up with latest technology. Technology is always changing and updating to work better, or even look better to attract more customers for the company. Technology is used almost every day and everywhere, and is very popular. Such as computers, laptop, phones etc. It is important that Apple’s online website meets the needs and wants of customers in terms that there are unique and modern products being advertised, which will make them stand out. It is important that Apple make their homepage professional and attractive as possible, as the first impression is the last impression and very important. If the homepage is not attractive or professional looking, customers might have a bad impression upon the company and might not be interested to carry on searching on their website.
In addition, Apple must keep up with the market, people’s opinions and ideas are always changing and it is important that Apple recognizes these changes to keep up with the market, as it is these customers who are potential future customers at Apple. Moreover, Apple must consider how safe customers feel using their online website, this is important because the online website is a very successful way of creating sales, and if customers are let down due to low confidence of the security and safeness of submitting payments, then Apple can lose sales and exiting customers. Apple must develop trust inside their customers which can be done by firstly sending customer’s emails from time to time and keeping them informed about any events, releases, updates and sales occurring.
Another challenge Apple has to face when using Internet marketing is that not all people are English speakers. This means that Apple must provide options for people who cannot understand the language, to make customer experience more personal and worthwhile. Apple must be aware of the various cultures and make sure no information is written as such to hurt any member/visitor using their online website. Apple must consider these cultures and aim to make their website universal, so that people all around the world can use their online website with ease and comfort.
A further challenge Apple faces in use of Internet marketing is that many online shoppers expect to get something for free, or something for less the original price. This is a behavior that customers see in store, such as a free case offered with an Apple product, or for example, if you buy an iPhone you can get an iPhone cover/case for £9.99, where the original price is actually £18.99. This makes customers content. However, on the other hand, this option is not available online which therefore Apple must offer customers something a bit different but similar to be able to maintain traffic on their online website and keep close, strong relationships with their customers.
An added challenge of Internet marketing is that it is very hard to tell if people at the other end are telling the truth or not. This is a two way issue. I.e. Apple may not know what customers really think behind the computer screen and similar for the customers/viewers. They do not know whether Apple is giving the correct information or not.
To conclude, Apple must control the challenges they are faced with while using Internet marketing and aim to increase the opportunities they have with using internet marketing. Above are multiple explanations on how Apple benefits from internet marketing and also how Apple is faced with challenges. Apple as a company over the years has been facing these challenges and succeeding which makes them one of the most successful companies in the world.
