Final Customer Purchasing from an Intermediary of the Product

Acquire Steps: Acquire steps include all activities the customer completes preceding the purchase of the product. These steps include the customer's efforts needed to identify and evaluate Intermediaries and travel to the Intermediary location.

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

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

A. Reduce steps the customer must use with the product.

Bring products closer to the customer
Serve current customers with new products, saving customer purchase time

Add related products the current customers would buy

No.	Year	SIC	Note
1	2004	2095	This spring, Starbucks is continuing its gradual nationwide rollout of hot breakfast sandwiches. Executives insist the 90 seconds needed to heat sandwiches won't increase the targeted three-minute average service time.
2	2001	2111	Scores of new cigarette brands, such as GT One, Money and Ol' Smoothie, have hit the shelves of gas stations and convenience stores . Small companies have grabbed nearly 4% of the U.S. retail cigarette market, up from just 1% in 1997.
3	2004	4813	Internet phone service provided by Time Warner Inc. is on the rise. It's one more sign of telecommunications upheaval that's unfolding quickly. It isn't good news for telephone companies like Verizon Communications. The cable industry's push into the phone and Internet calling business is also threatening the foundation of the nation's $300 billion telecom industry.
4	2000	4841	Satellite TV offers a number of advantages over cable. Its digital signal provides a vastly improved picture and clear, CD-quality sound. It also has virtually unlimited capacity, with providers currently advertising up to 500 channels.
5	2004	4899	America Online's biggest roadblock to getting back in gear is broadband. So, it's cobbling together a range of new broadband services to lure subscribers. America Online will also begin selling content features such as AOL Radio, AOL Music and AOL Sports separately. Whereas the total AOL Broadband service costs $14.95 a month, the individual features will cost "just a few dollars".
6	2001	4924	Wal-Mart tried to broaden its products by selling low-cost gas and therefore had to try to convince state legislators to overturn a law requiring a markup above the cost for gas.
7	1997	5141	The company also owns and operates 350 retail food stores including 315 supermarkets which operate under a variety of names and vary in format from super warehouse to conventional supermarkets and convenience stores.
8	1995	5731	Last month, Best Buy announced it will develop a new merchandising format for high-quality audio products.
9	2001	5812	Morrison Management competes against Sodexho Marriott Services and Aramark. Both of those companies offer more extensive services (like laundry, groundskeeping, and custodians) in addition to contract food services.
10	2002	5942	Amazon is developing new businesses to offset some of the cost of free shipping and discounting. It introduced an apparel store featuring clothing from Nordstrom, Gap and others. These retailers handle their own shipping.
11	2001	5999	Gloss.com's rebirth is based on the theory that consumers want access to several brands of high-end cosmetics at once, something that manufacturers have previously avoided. Therefore, Estee Lauder solicited investments from some of its competition.
12	2003	5999	eBags.com realized early on that to make it as an online retailer they had to offer a seemingly infinite amount of choices. Four-year-old eBags sells nearly 8,000 different backpacks, purses, suitcases ad other bags.
13	2002	6211	ETrade's CEO has built a credible financial company that includes the No. 3 online brokerage, No.3 ATM network, and No.12 savings bank. Yet wants to expand into media and is currently streaming video to ETrade's Website.
14	2004	6211	Brokerage firms are trying to woo individual investors with new products and services that focus on exchange-traded funds. ETFs began as a product aimed at institutional investors, but low fees have encouraged individuals to get involved as well. Investors still pay a commission on each ETF purchase or sale.
15	1999	7375	AOL has captured over 19 million subscribers to its service by focusing on average customers and the simplicity that they want. AOL has simplified its services by offering e-mail, chat, and instant messaging in one convenient easy to use software program.
16	2003	7514	Budget Rent a Car is starting to target small and midsized businesses. Though it gets 60% of its business from leisure travelers, it will launch a rental-car program for small to midsize companies.

<< Return to Acquire Steps