Credit As A Marketing And Selling Strategy
Introduction
Credit is used pervasively throughout Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) to enable more sales to take place, extend the length of time a given product or service is paid for, and also to enter entirely new markets. Credit in B2C markets are far more visible and prevalent to the general public and is used as a catalyst of continued spending over the purchasing lifecycle of consumers (Nalder, Ellender, 2006). For purposes of this example the experiences of working in a Home Depot are used. Home Depot has several credit cards, accepts many forms of credit the general public may not be aware of, including purchase orders and credit lines with major commercial builders and contractors. Credit is a catalyst of initiating and keeping the sales cycles going in both B2B and B2C-oriented industries (Summers, Wilson, 2003).
Analysis of Credit In Marketing at Home Depot
The Home Depot credit card is designed for the first-time how buyer who needs many different items to initially maintain and enhance their home. This credit card has a wide range of interest rates depending on the customers' FICO or credit score. The lower the score, the higher the credit line and the lower the interest rate. Home Depot spans the spectrum of FICO scores and at the very lowest scoring customer level, they also have Gift Cards that many customers use as prepaid cards as well. The many credit card options for consumers at
Home Depot’s retail strategy is one of reasons for its fast growth and continued leadership in the home improvement retailer industry. Its focus on speed, efficiency, and quality has made it one of the largest retailers in the world. Home Depot focuses on being a leader in “product authority.” Walmart and Costco are leaders
Home Depot (HD) is a home improvement retailer specializing in a high volume and low cost strategy. HD offers a variety of products spanning from lawn and garden to home improvement. Table 1 compares Home Depot to Lowes. HD overall market cap is more than 2 times Lowes. HD tends to be more affected by movement in the market than Lowes as demonstrated by their Beta values.
The Home Depot’s two main customers are at home “do-it-yourselfers” and contractors. The main products and services offered help solve the wants and needs of customers involved with home construction and maintenance,
Home Depot caters to the three categories of customers. Do-It-Yourself Customers (DIY): These customers are typically home owners who purchase products and complete their own projects and installations. Do-It-For-Me Customers (DIFM): These customers are typically home owners who purchase materials themselves and hire third parties to complete the project or installation, or both. Home Depot arranges for the installation of a variety of The Home Depot products through qualified independent contractors. Professional Customers: These customers are professional remodelers, general contractors, repairmen, small business owners and
Home Depot is the fastest growing retailer in the U.S. by some accounts. It has a fascinating history of innovation and entrepreneurship. The company had some difficulties in the mid-2000s that some attribute to cultural clashes. However, during this period the company was able to take full advantage of the housing boom. Yet when the bubble burst, Home Depot was forced to claim substantial losses. Despite these loses Home Depot has weathered the storm fairly well and is in prime position to take advantage of an economic recovery; if it ever comes.
3. What is the minimum amount of time that it takes to invent a new sensor?
Home Depot strives to provide the highest quality service to its customers. Home Depot achieves this by hiring professionals such as, carpenters, plumbers, and paint specialists. These experts are invaluable resources for less knowledgeable customers looking for a certain product or working on a new project. The Home Depot staff can help customers pick out larger and more difficult items such as showers, vinyl siding, carpet, appliances, and plumbing. After the purchase, Home Depot will have the items delivered and installed in the customer’s home. Home Depot’s focus on “product authority” is one of the main and drivers for the company’s high quality service.
The following report presents a detailed statistical analysis of AJ Davis Department Store credit customers. Data was collected from a sample of 50 AJ Davis credit customers on five variables which are Location, Size, Income, Years, and Credit Balance. Out of the five variables, Location,Size, and Income is emphasize more in this analysis. AJ Davis Department Store is very determined to find out more information about their credit customers. So by doing a in-depth analysis of the variables and their relationships through graphical, numerical summary and interpretation should give a detailed summary of their
The Home Depot (NYSE: HD) is a home improvement, construction products and services retailer operating over 2,000 big-box stores in the United States and abroad. The Home Depot was founded in 1978 by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank with the vision of one-stop shopping for do-it-yourself (DIY) customers, installation services for do-it-for-me (DIFM) customers and competitive products for the professional market. Their DIFM installation programs include products such as carpeting, flooring, cabinets, countertops, and water heaters. In addition, the company provides installation of various professional products like generators and HVAC systems.
John Culbert is given the difficult task of selecting the best approach that will capitalize on opportunities to increase the performance efficiency of the credit function without disrupting its current customer-oriented culture. His main challenge is the lack of a comprehensive system to evaluate the gains from centralization and the problems it could potentially create vis-à-vis the current status quo. Hence, we suggest a basic framework for him to evaluate the costs and benefits associated with changing the structure of the credit function. Given that the change is mandated by his managers, there are high potential cost-savings, and low risks associated with
Home Depot and Lowe's believe in big warehouse space, an informal atmosphere and low prices. They are able to offer the lower prices to consumers due to their purchasing power. Inventory differs depending on the story type, home centers typically sock more lumber and building supplies, as their biggest customers are contractors. They pay their floor employees minimum wage, and keep overall costs down by keeping them as part time employees.
In this paper, I have researched to find out how this grant empire has become and remain so successful. I found out that one of the reasons is because it has been able to maintain the goals and standards that its owner, Mr. Sam Walton has built it upon. Even after his death, Wal-Mart continues to expand and grow in other countries. Wal-Mart is considered one of the top ten global companies today. Mr. Walton’s main goal was to sell products at a low price so that people could live a better life. Another reason is because Wal-Mart uses certain market mix strategies such as the four P”. These strategies, price, promotion, product and place.
The question of whether credit card companies should market on campuses or not, brings many different opinions, some of which are driven by personal experience and some that are driven by profit. There are those who do not agree with this because they know what they have gone through with credit card debt. There are also those who say they should market on campus because they are adults and contribute to the company’s profit. Even though students are adults and need to earn credit, credit card companies should not market to college students on campus because they are too naive and this results in graduating with too much debt.
The Company operates retail stores and call centers, and conducts online retail operations. Home Depot is considered a service based business. Home depot depends on people and the client experience and it also targets different markets in general.
The marketing segmentation concept allows a company to focus on a specific group of customers that it is best prepared and suited to satisfy. Rather than trying to be all things to all people, selecting a target market enables a company to tailor its offerings to more specific customer needs and preferences (Schewe & Hiam, 1998, p. 200). When a company focuses its efforts and capital (both tangible and intangible) on a more narrowly defined set of needs, it is more likely that the customers will get the product they desire. Companies that use the marketing segmentation concept typically have a more intimate knowledge of the customers they target, and customers usually relate better with companies that understand their interests. As such a relationship is built.