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MARKETING RESEARCH CASE EXERCISE
TRYING TO REFORMULATE A MARKETING STRATEGY
The personal computer (PC) industry consist of consumer,
business, education, and government markets. Those in the
consumer market basically seek product that allow them to
use the Internet, shop, perform office work at home, and
play video games. These customers are also seeking computers
that are reliable and compatible in regard to software usage.
If problems arise with their computers, customers want access
to the manufacturer via online help centers, and they want
it 24 hours a day. Business market customers not only care
about company technical support, after sale service, and
software compatibility, but they also require PCs that will
give them the necessary networking capability for both Internet
and intranet usage.
Apple believers the consumer market holds vast potential
for new users. As of 1998 the computer industry sold only
40 million PCs, and Apple estimates that there are over
100 million households remaining to be penetrated.
The education market, always a stronghold for Apple, is
estimated to grow 30 percent by the year 2001. Apple's current
level of penetration is this area is 27.2 percent of the
market. The business market, which accounts for nearly 70
percent of all PC sales, is the largest market for computer
manufacturers. Apple's products are especially popular with
those companies in the multimedia and publishing business.
Yet Apple occupies only 1.4 percent of this group. A breakdown
of each market by competitors is illustrated below:
Apple is currently developing a marketing research study
to assess computer usage habits for the above three markets.
In this study, Apple wishes to assess issues on purchase
decision criteria, product attribute and evaluative criteria,
usage patterns, and where and how customers buy the product.
For each market (consumer, education, and business) develop
a list of issues that Apple needs to measure in order
to obtain accurate representation of that market. Remember,
your list should focus on purchase decision criteria,
product attribute and evaluative criteria, usage patterns,
and how where customers buy computers.
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