a) Drawing from the homepages listed below, how does J.C. Penney compare to its primary competitor, Sears, with respect to the following considerations: geographical presence, positioning, branding strategies, and price? Based on your analysis , what are J.C. Penney's prospects for catching up to Sears?

J.C. Penney http://www.jcpenney.com

Sears http://www.sears.com

b) What other types of retailers represent competition for department stores like Penney's and Sears? Give examples to support your answer. What strategies can department stores use to effectively compete in the 1990's and beyond?

First, determine which of the following companies are retailers. For those that fall in this category, describe the ways in which each one demonstrates the authors' definition of retailing on p. 372 (give examples to support your answer). For those that cannot be described as retailers, explain why.

Price-Costco http://www.pricecostco.com

A-1 International Foods http://www.a1foods.com

Blockbuster Entertainment http://www.blockbuster.com

Sotheby's http://www.sothebys.com

The Money Store http://www.themoneystore.com

Internet Shopping Network http://www.internet.net

Burlington Coat Factory http://www.coat.com

a) Based on the authors' classification system for shopping centers (see p. 377), how would you describe the following operation?

Canyon Center http://www.canyoncenter.com

In general, what are the advantages and disadvantages of these arrangements for retailers?

b) There are dozens of so-called "on-line shopping malls" operating on the Web. You can find an extensive list of these sites by following the Yahoo! (http://www.yahoo.com ) link sequence below :

Business & Economy ® Companies ® Shopping Centers ® Online Shopping

Would you classify these Websites as shopping centers? Why or why not? How might we need to expand our definitions in the future to accommodate changes in the way we shop?

Each of the following organizations represents a different major form of retail ownership. Identify and explain the form of ownership in each case. Illustrate your answers with examples from each homepage.

Harmonic Arts http://www.harmonicarts.com

MotoPhoto http://www.motophoto.com/usa/index.html

Agway http://www.agway.com

Eddie Bauer http://www.eddiebauer.com

Using search engines and other Web reference sources, identify one real-world example for each of the following retailer classifications. Indicate the URL for each organization's Website. Be sure to explain how each example corresponds to the appropriate definition in the book.

• Department store
• Discount house
• Limited-line store (for this category, identify your example as a

• Supermarket
• Convenience store
• Warehouse Club

(Hint: the Yahoo! homepage - http://www.yahoo.com - would be especially useful for this exercise.)

Which specific types of non-store retailing are represented in each of the following homepages? Explain your answers. (Remember, each organization may use more than one strategy.)

International Male http://www.intmale.com

Toys 'n Joys http://www.toynjoy.com

Avon http://www.avon.com

QVC http://www.QVC.com

Chances are that you've already been "spammed," but you may not know it. "Spam" is Internet-speak for unsolicited direct mail advertising received via e-mail or over Usenet newsgroups. This is the Internet's version of junk mail, and it has been the source of extensive debate among Web marketers. Just about any Web marketing publication will warn you about the dangers of e-mail direct marketing. In general, Internet users are much less tolerant of electronic junk-mail than is the general public toward junk-mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. Unsolicited e-mail has long been considered a breach of "netiquette" (that is, Internet etiquette) and a quick and easy way to give your company a very bad reputation.

Despite this widespread opposition, many companies continue to use "spam" to sell their products and services, while companies specializing in direct e-mail marketing continue to grow. Using your own experience and the following Web sights for reference, answer the questions below:

Direct Marketing Association http://www.the-dma.org

CAUCE http://www.cauce.org

Cyberpromo.org http://cyberpromo.org

DEAA http://www.deaa.org

a) What are the main differences between e-mail "Spam" and the direct mail marketing items you receive through the post office? What are the potential advantages and pitfalls of using this marketing method?

b) What are some ethical issues surrounding direct e-mail marketing? What is your personal opinion on this issue? Would you ever consider using this marketing tool?