Final Milestone IT 210

BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY 6

MARKETING AND TECHNOLOGY

Davilyn Swanson

Southern New Hampshire University

Marketing and Technology

Technology has tremendously revolutionized business activities around the globe. It ensures efficient flow of information. It permits exchange of huge volume of information between the sellers and buyers (Ford & Saren, 2001). For instance, many companies have realized the merits of converting traditional shops to online shops. For instance, Clubhouse and Snainton are such companies that uses cloud online marketing platforms to sale their golf products.

Companies overviews

Clubhouse is one of the largest multi-channel golf company selling golf products online. The company has been in operation for more than three decades enjoying large customer base both online and on the high street. The company pride its success on their commitment towards satisfying all customers’ needs through provision of large range of affordable golf products at the best prices for their customers. The company has a pool of golf professionals who provide kind of assistance to their client (Kim & Lee, 2015). The company has one of the largest warehouse which enables the business to provide online and mail order business to their customers, mostly relaying on online platforms. Moreover, the company deliver golfing equipment faster in the most convenient way using online services.

On the other hand, Snainton golf center is one of the largest online company selling golf products online. The company provide high quality facilities such as 9-hole golf course, 18 bay driving range, group and child couching, eateries. Furthermore, the company also offers other services online such as sale of golf clothing, equipment and accessories for all sexes and age groups.

These companies are best example where online cloud platform has been used successfully to sell similar golf related products online. The companies have a well-laid out marketing strategies for their products (Kim & Lee, 2015). Therefore, the business can benchmark with these companies in order to successfully implement online retailing of the golf products.

Product selection and payment

Normally customers find products of their interest by visiting the business website. The customer can use search engine to locate the product faster and use shopping cart software which allow the buyers to accumulate the goods they want to purchase. The checkout software allows the customers to process their payment details. The website can also be built in such a way that the customers can sign up for permanent accounts and use the same during their subsequent shopping. The business can use PayPal or credit cards for the clients to make payment for the purchased goods conveniently (Kim & Lee, 2015).

Building inventory and buying the Bar codes

The business will need to make inventory for all the products sold and arranging to store the goods in warehouse ready for shipment. Additionally, for the business to ethically sell its products to consumer through online platform, the business will have to purchase UPC bar codes for all the products sold (Kim & Lee, 2015).

Choosing of domain name and location of sites

This involve choosing web hosting provider. The business can purchase domain name and build the website. The business can use Shopify in building online retail store. These site are ideal for the business as they provide basic tools and instruction needed when setting up the website for the business (Kim & Lee, 2015).

Setting up the website

The website can then be designed as per the preference of the owner. The process entails setting up the business theme, product categories and headers. The products already labeled with codes are then categorized and such dividing the websites into sections such as “About us”. These features are essential in attracting customer to the website. CRM software can be install to manage distributor inventory, point of sale and in maintaining customers’ loyalty (Kim & Lee, 2015).

Setting up product selection software, launching and marketing

Hosted shopping cart is often ideal to use as it is trusted by the customers. Private hosted shopping carts tend to turn away prospective customers. Once the site set up has been done, the products should be ready for sale. After the launch of the website, the business need to concentrate on marketing strategies using other social platforms such as Facebook, twitter and Instagram are used in a coordinated manner to achieve best results (Kim & Lee, 2015).

Recommendations

Web hosting solutions. BlueHost is one of the popular and yet affordable company which register domain names. They also use dashboards that can also the business to install OpenCart or other online platforms. Cloud online marketing platform ensures reduced cost of operation and enhances efficiency. It also helps in improving customization of business operations (Ford & Saren, 2001).

Ford, D., & Saren, M. (2001). Managing and Marketing Technology. New York: Centage Learning EMEA.

Kim, Y. K., & Lee, G. B. (2015). Marketing Insights for mobile advertising and consumer segmentation in the cloud era: AQ-R hybrid methodology and practices. Technological Forecasting and Social change, 91(4), 78-92.