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Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Slide 11-25
Virtual merchant
SSingle channel Web firms that generate almost all revenues
from online sales
Se.g. Amazon, Buy.com, Newegg.com, Drugstore.com
SFace extraordinary strategic challenges
iMust build business and brand name from scratch quickly in an entirely
new channel
iConfronts many virtual merchant competitions
SNo costs in building and maintaining physical stores, but large
costs in building and maintaining a Web site, order fulfillment
infrastructure, and developing brand name
SHigh customer acquisition costs and steep learning curve
SGross margins (retail price of goods – cost of goods) are low
SHence, must achieve highly effective operations to preserve a
profit
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Slide 11-26
E-commerce in Action: Amazon.com
SVision:
iEarth’s biggest selection, most customer-centric
SBusiness model:
iRetail, Third Party Merchants, and Amazon Web Services (merchant and developer
services)
SFinancial analysis: (see next Fig.)
iContinued explosive revenue growth, profitable – revenue increasing from $600 million
in 1998 to $34.2 billion in 2010
SStrategic analysis/business strategy:
iMaximize sales volume, cut prices, acquisitions, mobile shopping, Kindle
SStrategic analysis/competition:
iOnline (eBay)
iMulti-channel retailers, e.g., WalMart, Sears, JCPenny
iCatalog merchants, e.g., L.L.Bean, Lands’ End
iOnline bookseller, e.g., Barnsandnoble.com
iPortals, e.g., MSN, Yahoo
iAudio/Video downloads, e.g., iTunes, Netflix, Blockbuster
iWeb services (web hosting, shopping cart, fulfillment services)