Final Customer Purchasing from an Intermediary of the Product

Use Steps: Use steps include all the Final customer's activities to find the appropriate product category at the Intermediary, to choose among the alternatives to the product and to take delivery of the product.

B.
Resources: Reduce resources required for the use of the product

2.
Time: Reduce the time the customer must spend with the product

C. Help customers obtain and use related products

Offer products that could be purchased with the main product, saving purchase time

Offer products used sequentially with the main product

No. Year SIC Note
1 2002 3652 AOL time Warner last month began an experiment that allowed American Online subscribers to download a small selection of MP3 singles for 99 cents each.
2 2002 4899 EarthLink plans to sell a high speed internet service that includes premium channels which will sell for $65 -$100 a month. EarthLink is one of the largest Internet service providers and is in partnership with Time Warner Cable.
3 2003 4899 The Bells are stepping up their fight against rival cable broadband operators, lowering their monthly Digital Subscriber Line broadband-subscriptions rates and gearing up to offer a host of niche features such as downloadable movies and games.
4 2005 5200 Home Depot Inc. reported a 14% rise in fiscal first-quarter profit, despite bad weather that slowed sales of grills, lawn tools and other popular springtime items. Sales grew 16% in Home Depot's services business, which provides installation services.
5 2000 5331 SuperTarget's focus is on service and variety while Wal-Mart and Kmart focus on low prices. SuperTarget offers a big variety of prepared meals to go and has a large deli and bakery.
6 2002 5531 AutoZone's product variety has helped boost sales as it has added more accessories to personalize vehicles.
7 2005 5699 Limited was built on its ability to copy bigger companies' products and create its own unique brands around them. But Wal-Mart and Target have proved to be equally crafty copycats. Now Limited and its rivals like Gap are feeling pressure. To fight back, Limited is trying to make itself over as a high-end Procter & Gamble Co. Victoria's Secret is adding hair and cosmetic lines to its beauty business. The company already offers three of the top 10 selling fragrances in the U.S.
8 2003 5731 Best Buy became the first major bricks-and-mortar retailer to sell music downloads on its website. The company last week began delivering songs via Rhapsody, an online music service. It is also available in interactive kiosks in 560 Best Buy stores in the U.S. Best Buy is getting a jump on other retailers that have forged a consortium to develop an Internet music service. The Echo group, of which Best Buy remains a member, wants a unified way for stores to sell songs online. When the Echo service debuts, the company will sell both services side by side.
9 1999 5734 Compaq is scheduled to unveil a new business-oriented Internet site that draws on partnerships with CMGI Inc., American Express Co. and others to provide products and services to corporate customers.
10 2003 5999 Petsmart, the pet product industry leader, faces its biggest competition from Petco and Wal-Mart, but Petsmart's price disadvantage over Wal-Mart's low priced pet food can be dealt with through Petsmart's focus on high end services like grooming, obedience training and PetsHotels, services unlikely for Wal-Mart to ever adopt. Health regulations make it hard for a store like Wal-Mart to keep pets in the same place where human food is sold.
11 1989 6021 Union Planters launched a new account designed for the "thirty-something" crowd with services that include a credit card and line of credit with no annual fees, and a full percentage point off on installment loans.
12 2003 6022 During the first 9 months of 2002, Commerce spent $125 million on fixing up its branches compared to the $22 million spent by rival North Fork. The bank also bought penny-counters ($10,000 each) that are being replaced by new ones for $15,000 each.
13 2003 6162 From the beginning the CEO placed a high priority on customer service. LoansDirect made the mortgage loan process easier for customers by offering a one-stop shop.
14 2000 6211 Schwab acquired U.S. Trust to expand its offerings to wealthy investors. Schwab's current customers have a average account size of $110,000. Only 5% of Schwab's customers have an account with more than $1 million.
15 1993 6300 Dean Witter, Discover & Company and the Allstate Corporation have a new agreement to sell more of Allstate's insurance products through DW's network of securities brokers.
16 2002 6531 HomeGain.com Inc. a site that links buyers up with local real-estate brokers, opened a mortgage center so home buyers can get financing information.
17 2000 7384 Ofoto has also launched an online frame store for consumers.
18 1989 7514 Hertz offers a business center in major airports so travelers can conduct business on the road (FedEx drop box, and a fax machine, phones). Hertz offers clear printed directions to thousands of destinations in 100 cities worldwide.
19 1997 8082 Orkin has 22 company-owned lawn care branches that will be consolidated with existing TruGreen locations. The acquisition of Orkin's plant scaping business should double ServiceMaster's business in that area.

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