Unit 12 Internet Marketing Pass 6 bt3007a12

I will explain the challenges of globalisation facing a selected business when using the internet as a marketing tool. The organisation of my choice is Argos and I will identify the challenges and threats that the company confronts online: channel conflict; payment security; meeting customer expectations; overload of market feedback; keeping pace with technological change; legal complexity and linguistic and cultural sensitivity.

Argos is a catalogue merchant based in the UK. The company has substantially established itself as the largest general-goods retailer in the UK not only among its high-street competitors, but in the online market space as well. When Argos competes on the field of global website visibility with its rivals, it faces various threats and challenges. For instance, the aspect of payment security is a significant issue, since secure payment is vital for keeping the customers coming back and attaining their trust and loyalty. Argos has heavily invested in protecting its website and its customers from such factors as phising and others that seek obtaining access to Argos website and its payment systems so it can harm the business’s reputation and consumer’s finances. Argos efficiently protects itself and its customers by having a function of secure online shopping which secures customers’ private details with the help of SecureCode and additional security steps when transactions are made. The business also needs to protect itself from BotNet harmful system, which sends spam emails to infect numerous users.

A Secured Socket Layer (SSL) is the typical method that a website utilises to create a secure connection with a web browser. A company’s website that utilises SSL technology sets up an encrypted link between its browser session and the web server. SSL is the online industry representation for secure web communication and is applied to safeguard hundreds of online transactions daily. Argos successfully uses the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) for all orders placed which prevents its customers from inadvertently revealing any personal information and also uses advanced encryption so that the customer’s card details cannot be seen. Also, the three digit card signature code is always required to place an order which ensures that customer’s card cannot be misused. Furthermore, Argos does not fail in providing its customers with friendly recommendation to always close down their internet browser when they have finished shopping which will delete temporary Internet cookies from any sites that they might have visited and make certain that other users do not see their private details.

Meeting customer expectations

Nowadays, the fast-paced society and rapid constant advancement of technology causes high customer expectations that end up in consumers requiring more from the internet companies. The challenge is to persuade the consumers that they are giving their money to the right business through the delivered service and the impression that the web-design makes. The website must look memorable and give the visitors an impression of high quality goods and services. Argos website manages to succeed at that by having a simple web-design and a website that is easy and coherent to use. As a result, Argos regular customers benefit from the website’s simplicity, as well as other advantageous features include the accurate delivery service, price transparency - the customers can compare the prices of similar products easily, rapid speed of the overall online service, specific and extensive information about all products (such as product description, high-quality images) and personalisation - Argos website is personalised due to customer’s former purchases. Furthermore, Argos website has online exclusive goods that cannot be found in stores, better stock availability and a wider range of products online as well. Argos online shopping facility opened up the opportunity of saving valuable time for any consumer. All of these factors meet high expectations and demands of modern consumers.