Can Amazon Persuade People to Buy Fresh Food Online?
Instructions:-
First, read the paper above “Can Amazon persuade people to buy fresh food online?”
Critical analyses must be a maximum of three pages in length; only the first three pages will be read and evaluated by the instructor. You will identify the problem or opportunity and discuss a viable solution based on your analysis of the case.
The general structure of all critical analyses:
1. Describe the business situation, including the macro-environmental and microenvironmental
conditions facing the organization.
2. Develop the problem statement: the opportunity or threat facing the organization.
3. What alternative strategies and programs would you consider to deal with the opportunity
or threat to the organization? Present each alternative in sufficient detail to give the
reader an idea of why it may be beneficial.
4. Recommend one or more of the alternatives you have identified. Inform the reader of your reasons for these recommendations.
5. Describe tracking metrics to determine whether your recommended strategies and
programs are effective. Be sure to include both intermediate and conclusive metrics to
guide management’s redirection of ineffective strategies.
6. Summarize what you have learned from your critical analysis.
You are encouraged to do external research on the industry or the company as a context for your
analysis. In-text source citations and a comprehensive bibliography are required. Your report
must include the focal reading plus at least 2 references in addition to the company’s website or Wikipedia.
Evaluation Rubric – How students’ papers are graded & feedback provided
Note: failure to meet any one of these requirements or sub-requirements may result in loss of all
the points for that section.
Language:
1. Student employs business language and concepts accurately and appropriately. No bad grammar. No awkward
phrasing that is inconsistent with professional writing in the United States. Sentences are complete sentences
and are energetic and varied and free of grammar and usage errors, including: pronoun disagreement; subjectverb
disagreement or verb tense changes; comma errors; unparallel sentence structure. Free of “There are” or “It
is” constructions; free of unnecessarily complex verb tenses, convoluted constructions
2. Language is economical, clear, precise and professional. For example: relies upon detailed, specific, concrete
statements (free of abstract and vague statements); free of discriminatory or biased language; free of weasel
words such as “generally,” “some,” “various,” “very,” “nowadays,” “basically.” Free of informal, unprofessional or
overly conversational language; free of jargon and clichés; free of long-windedness, redundancies, and weak
openings (e.g. “My point is that it is very important that people understand the importance of…”). No run-on
sentences.
3. Confident, positive, and professional tone (No use of “I believe” phrases); active voice – limited use of passive
voice.
____/20
Structure and Logic for Paper:
1. Opening paragraph sets up the issues.
2. Assignment follows a thesis structure that is fully responsive to the assignment. Analytical tools are employed in
the body of the paper; are easy to read; set the flow for the paper’s organization and analysis. The tools are not
separate from the analysis but the genesis and structure of the logic of the paper.
3. Each paragraph has a strong topic sentence (asserts a focused claim) and evidence that proves that claim. The
paper is well organized and employs headers and other format tools. Author organizes information so that
important information is placed first and explanations follow.
4. Internal paragraphs:
Each has a single topic linked to the issues stated in the opening.
The topic is fully explained and supported with specific, detailed, and well-chosen evidence. No claims
are made without citing support.
The writing demonstrates an interesting and powerful progression of ideas (without redundancy).
5. Clear, logical transitions between ideas explain connections.
6. Closing very briefly reiterates thesis and summarizes the conclusions in accordance with the logic of the content
requirements and purpose of the assignment.
7. Student cites sources and uses references in accordance with a recognized system (e.g. APA or MLA)
Solution
Can Amazon Persuade People to Buy Fresh Food Online?
Can Amazon Persuade People to Buy Fresh Food Online?
Business Situation
In the US the grocery business is about 675 billion dollars. It is proved that all households shops grocery, either once a week which holds about 90 percent of households or at least once a week. There is regular buying of products through online means, most of which seemed to be impossible to be shopped online. However, in this industry the sales generated by online grocery forms the smallest fraction of between 1-3 percent and the situation has continued this way (Beckmann, Hansen & Uth, 2014). This situation may be as a result of customer preferences, natural and cultural factors behind buying of grocery. Thus, the current market situation for Amazon online grocery delivery is that which is not picking up; many sales are not made; Amazon is struggling to make grocery sales online (Beckmann, Hansen & Uth, 2014).
Problem Statement
The main problem behind unsuccessful Amazon online grocery is that consumers are not comfortable with someone else picking their vegetables, fruits, meat, chicken and even fish. Consumers do not imagine that an online grocery service will pick better products when compared to when they pick products themselves. Despite the fact that every household buys grocery at least weekly by using other means; amazon online grocery delivery has failed to pick up. Amazon is still making very low sales (Beckmann, Hansen & Uth, 2014). Customers prefer picking their products, especially perishables. Also consumers incur much cost when they purchase grocery online. Probable consumers, due to public influence on different negative perspectives about online grocery may also shun from making online grocery purchases. Furthermore, nature calls people to make their choices when picking products. All these may be a hindrance towards Amazon cracking the market of online grocery (Beckmann, Hansen & Uth, 2014).
Strategies
Despite these hindering factors to the success of online grocery, the market situation may change. The whole situation only needs best strategy by Amazonand all the problems facing this business will change. To change the current situation, Amazon should consider doing the following:
Amazon should avoid extra labor costs which it involves in picking; a substantial dent will be made in their costs when they do this. Avoiding labor costs will subsequently reduce the price tags on their products and reducing the price on products will eventually attract more customers. At the start of their business, Amazon should deliver grocery products to their customers free of charges such as transport. Or, they should set a day in a week when they make free deliveries. This will attract customers more so those who may have no time for shopping. Picking costs can be reduced by use of technology (Hansen & Beckmann, 2015).
Amazon should instill confidence in consumers by assuring them that they will deliver them high quality perishables which they (customers) will have picked themselves. By keeping their assurance to consumers, consumers will start building trust with Amazon. Trust is of critical importance on whichever business which develops over time. When Amazon does this to some of its consumers it will be a start of many consumers adopting an online grocery shopping (Hansen, Solgaard & Cumberland, 2013).
Another way that can enable Amazon to crack online grocery shopping is by creating stores in different locations. Creating stores in strategic regions will attract consumers who may have doubts with their online system of shopping. Such consumers will move to these stores and shop from there. Of course they will get to know the quality of products produced by Amazon and next time they consider doing grocery shopping they will probably find themselves making online orders via Amazon. The point is that, Amazon should supplement their online grocery with retail means. They will attract all kinds of customers when this is done (Hansen & Beckmann, 2015).
Recommendation
The best recommended alternative is supplementing their online grocery with retail stores. This is the best strategy because consumers can pick whatever commodity they want. Consumers will also get an opportunity of comparing the kind of products they are delivered with when making an online order to the kind of products available on retail stores. It should be that, the same quality of products at retail stores should be the same quality of products which are delivered to customers. This will enhance confidence and trust in Amazon. Furthermore customers will see a need of being delivered products to instead of moving to the stores because quality of products will remain the same whether online or physical picking (Hansen & Beckmann, 2015).
Tracking metrics to determine the effectiveness of these strategies include: seeing unique visitors indicated by traffic on site; Increased page views; the sites’ traffic on search engines as determined by the traffic being referred to the site via engines like google; and the bouncing rate, which is the percentage of visitors who come to the site and then immediately leave (Hansen, Solgaard & Cumberland, 2013).
In summary, online grocery shopping can improve once necessary strategies are taken. Customer quality preferences are major determining factor of online grocery shopping. Assuring consumers quality and achieving it to them will create trust and many consumers will adopt an online shopping of grocery. Reducing price tags will also attract more consumers.
References
Beckmann, S. C., Hansen, T., &Uth, T. T. (2014). Online Grocery Shopping: A Cultural Perspective.
Hansen, T., & Beckmann, S. C. (2015). Consumer adoption of online grocery shopping: A three- country study.
Hansen, T., Solgaard, H. S., & Cumberland, F. (2013). Determinants of consumers ́adoption of online grocery shopping.
