The significance for a company to be able to leverage their product and category management systems within their firm can be vital to the success of the company. In order to be able to improve, the company must understand their current practices, and acknowledge the areas that they can do better in. To be able to make adjustments to their current business practices that Target has for their coffee, category management techniques should be looked into. Learning more about the target market that they are trying to reach, allows them to properly provide the correct product mix for their customers. For Target to improve, they should assess their current techniques and pursue research that allows Target to become more efficient as a firm. While also increasing sales, Target can increase customer satisfaction, and add value to external/internal stakeholders.
Personalization and Localization as it Relates to Target’s Coffee Category
Target has a wide range of different types of coffee from, Starbucks to Dunkin Donuts, and from ground coffee to K-cups to whole bean. The selection of coffee is extremely diverse and with this diversity, personalization and localization could play a huge role in taking products off the shelves that are
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Coffee is grown all over the world and is a product that brings hedonic value to the customer. Since this product is consumed on a regular basis by many individuals seeking to meet their hedonic needs, price is very important. Consumers want to feel that they are purchasing a brand of coffee that they enjoy at the lowest price possible. Price harmonization has become a very important concept with the increase of technology, specifically the internet. The internet has allowed consumers the power to easily purchase from varies sellers and producers, both nationally and globally. Consumers have the power to check prices on products or goods
Target has many competitors in the market, and the level of competition is highly intense. Some of its main rivals are Wal-Mart stores, Home Depot and Costco Wholesale Corp. All of them produce similar products as well as offer almost the same services to their consumers. Naturally, the organization would need a strategy that helps it to stand out and to distinguish it from its competitors, thus, Target 's positioning was based on more than just pricing; it combined quality and style. This was the differentiation strategy that have always been applied since the launch of the organization.
Coffee, one of the world’s most known beverages. Seen being drinking at work places, colleges, or in the convenience of your own home. There are a variety of companies that provide us the people with coffee. It can be your local market, bakeries, or even fast food places. 3 places that stand out and our known very well for supplying Americans with coffee is Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, and McDonald’s. From their strategic advertising, deals, and even straight down to the design of their cups, they meet the definition of marketing. We will be examining these 3 companies using the marketing mix which consist of product, price, place, promotion and also cover value based marketing and see how these companies meet these definitions and how they satisfy their customers as well.
Marketing Mix Target is one of the largest retailers in the world (Mbaskool). Target is known to offer a variety of products and services for its customers. Target offers groceries, toys, furniture, household items, pet supplies, electronics, apparel, shoes and accessories (Mbaskool). Target also offers its customers Pharmacies, Walk-in-Clinic, and a Photo Centre. Target offers discounted prices for its customers, which is a strategy to fight against competition.
This strategic capitalises on weaknesses since will decrease the cost of coffee beans/beverages but also Starbucks operating cost which they regularly ship across the world to various stores. Starbucks can capitalise on this weakness to improve their brand options. It adds value in the inbound logistics activities, operations and procurements. Starbucks should consider this option since it will decrease their operating cost and therefore will reduce the prices on their menu. The attractiveness is the exact same as mentioned in option 1.
The importance of economic indicators to the strategic planning process in any organization is the ability to benchmark economic conditions that contribute to improve profitability, business growth and market size. Leadership sets up the mission “to establish Starbucks as the most recognized and respected brand in the world.” In doing so, they have created a set of industry-leading, comprehensive coffee-buying guidelines addressing coffee quality, financial transparency, social and environmental responsibility. Starbucks strategy is also expanding market in globally to provide high quality coffee in convenient and visibility locations. They are continuing to innovate and extend the business with imaginative new ready-to-drink beverages and expanded packaged coffee offerings (Starbucks Corporation, 2007).
...aviors. Also, coupon ads or coupon booklet (like Costco’s) to mail monthly to members are something to considered. This is not only to advertise for different Target’s products but also to increase shopping activities because everyone does like promotions. Continuing to expand its private label offerings is also a great way to cut cost and earn more profits. As mentioned above, Target should also expand its operations globally and diversify its brand to become a more dynamic retailer. Moreover, growing and expanding online market to compete with Amazon or Ebay’s shopping experience could help Target in cutting cost of storing inventories as well as providing more convenience way to shop.
Target Corporation being a retail industry, the structure by product grouped to a functional level practices works the best. This is necessary for the other functional levels to collaborate as a single team to produce a positive customer shopping experience. Target Corporation further divided the functional level into a geographic area to exercise management tasks effectively with the given authority. Each structure of the management at the geographic level has a strategy discussion, a line of communication, growth, and progress reporting according to the corporate reporting plan. Jana Potts who manages Target Corporation store has closer to 300, 000 employees working for her and the effective can be improved if the role is broken within domestic into channels, stores into broader segments and a separate global position. The rapidly growing online channel and global expansion are necessary to support Target Corporation's strategy of internal growth and sustain it for long term sustainability. These structural changes will allow Target Corporation to connect with its employee at a functional level and bring changes faster, track and monitor the
Starbucks Coffee, Tea, and Spice opened its first store in April 1971 in the Pike Place Market in Seattle, by owners who had a passion for dark-roasted coffee that was popular in Europe, but hard to find in the U.S. (Harrison et al., 2005; Venkatraman & Nelson, 2008). The company’s mission was to provide Seattle with the best access to dark-roasted coffee, and sought to educated customers about the product. As a matter of customer education and acceptance of the product, Starbucks grew and expanded into the successful domestic market it is today. Much of this success can be attributed to a focus on the total customer experience and s...
In the United States, coffee is the second largest import (Roosevelt, 2004). Furthermore, the United States, consumes one-fifth of all the worlds¡¦ coffee (Global Exchange, 2004). The present industry is expanding. It is estimated that North America¡¦s sector will reach saturation levels within 5 year (Datamonitor. n.d.). According to National Coffee Association (NCA), 8 out of 10 Americans consume coffee. In addition, it is estimated that half of the American population drinks coffee daily. The international market remains highly competitive. It is estimated that 3,300 cups of coffee are consumed every second of the day worldwide (Ecomall, n.d.). The latest trends included dual drinkers, an increase in senior citizens...
Coffee market in Taiwan is also important. Since 1998, Starbucks enter the Taiwan coffee market, more people have adapted the habit of drinking coffee (De Pelsmacker, Driessen and Rayp, 2005). Taiwanese consumers have more opportunities to face different types of coffee options. Consumers usually have positive attitudes for ethically made products. Most of consumer would be willing to pay a higher price for fair trade coffee, but they care more about the brand, label, and taste of the coffee
Recommendations to achieve a sustained competitive advantage: Online, mobile, and store purchase will certainly increase customer traffic with the online and store combinations gives Target Corporation with a best possible low-cost price. A best-cost provider strategy allows Target to position itself and compete with low-cost providers such as Walmart. In addition, it employs a competitive strategy with a designer label along with superior supply chain, increased operational capabilities, and skilled employees. . The strategy of sending coupons are huge for a customer, so increase discount based on their purchase history and use the store brand credit card to attract more customers.
On the Target website, it is stated that their mission is to, ”…fulfill the needs and fuel the potential of our guests. That means making Target your preferred shopping destination in all channels by delivering outstanding value, continuous innovation and exceptional experiences—consistently fulfilling our Expect More. Pay Less.® brand promise” (Target Corp). It has 1,799 stores in the United States alone and has locations in India. In 2014, they made $72.6 Billion. Similar to Wal-Mart, Target sells household essentials, apparel, groceries, pet supplies. health, beauty items, home furnishing, entertainment, and electronics. Both also have their own branded items to sell at a lower price than the commercial brands, and each corporation also has a
An article in the Seattle Post, describes the alliance that Starbucks is making to ensure that a sustainable supply of high quality of coffee is produce in Latin America. "Starbucks President and CEO Orin Smith said the alliance is partly his company's effort to pass on the "high price" of a cup of coffee to farmers." (Lee, 2004). He states that the high price enables them to pay the highest price to the farmers. Though the high prices to suppliers can demonstrate that money get to farmers with being diverted. Starbucks overall goal with this alliance is to buy 60 percent of its coffee under the standards agreed upon by 2007. "The agreement reflects the growing power of the premium coffee market and efforts to exploit it for the benefit of small farmers" (Lee, 2004).
Price Elasticity is the measure in responsiveness of consumers to changes in the price of a product or service. The evaluation and consideration of this measure is a useful tool in firms making decisions about pricing and production, and in governments making decisions about revenue and regulation. “Price Elasticity is impacted by measurable factors that allow managers to understand demand and pricing for their product or service; including the availability of substitutes, the consumer budgets for the product or service, and the time period for demand adjustments.” The proper consideration of Price Elasticity allows managers to set pricing such that the effect on Total Revenue is predictable and adjustments to production are timely. The concept of Price Elasticity is employed in the management of commercial firms and government.
By remaining true to core competency and a laser like focus effort towards quality; Starbucks has managed to analyze, adapt and create brand loyalty to their particular market and remained the top competitor throughout the coffee industry. Americans in general enjoy a good, hot cup of coffee to start their day. In any given business, seeing a torrid cup of coffee in a cup from Starbucks is not uncommon. Starbucks is one of the most popular coffee franchises in the world with locations in 62 countries. Starbucks has been around since the year 1971where they started off as a coffee bean roaster and retailer. This research paper will briefly explores, examine, and assess Starbucks quality marketing and management strategy. Additionally, this research