iPod Repositioning

Posted: October 17th, 2013

iPod Repositioning

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iPod Repositioning

Most of the iPod users are teenagers, most of who are aged below seventeen years. This is a small percent of the population. Although many parents over the age of forty do not use the iPod, they are a possible target market, seeing that they are more likely to buy the device for their children. Teenagers may comprise the majority users of the iPod, but most of them cannot afford to buy it. According to the 2010 census, more than fifty percent of the population is aged from twenty-five to sixty-five years. This is a large market and a possible market to consider when repositioning the iPod. Since the beginning, the iPod targeted music lovers and was especially designed for music. Since then, the company has increased the number of applications available on different models of the iPod, enabling the user to do more than listen to music. The iPod is an entertainment device that is bound to keep children entertained. This makes it ideal for parents who may want to reward their children, or just buy the product as a gift for their children.

The marketer will need to identify the current needs of the market. This will enable her to know whether there are any expected changes, and determine what the customers want from the product. The company will need to identify the reason for the slow growth of the product, and the necessity of repositioning the product. This will mean examining customers’ complaints and criticisms concerning the product. The company needs to know whether it will change any feature in the products design and function ability. Reviews from critics and the complaints that the customers make to the company are some of the most fundamental sources of such information. Companies need to identify any existing competition in the market, and know the price at which they are selling their products. This will enable it to know why it is losing potential customers to the competition. The company will be able to determine the strength and any prevailing weaknesses of the competition. The company needs to examine the entry of potential competitors in the market. Companies need to identify whether some competitors dominate a particular market segment. This will enable the company to determine whether it will be practical for it to reposition the product in the particular segment.

The marketer has to decide the best way to position the product so that people notice and purchase it. The marketer has to identify a way to make the consumer favor the product in place of the competition. Communication is important in this case, since consumers and customers have to be aware of the product. Customers get information from different areas, and this information can be distorted. It is therefore important for the company to communicate effectively, to ensure that it passes the right message to the customers. Marketers have to ensure that they communicate the positive attributes and features of the product. Examining the weakness of the competing product will enable the marketer to enhance the product’s positive qualities, especially if the competing product is lacking in a specific area. Marketers can choose different ways to communicate their products. I would use different methods to increase the adoption rates.

Customers need to be aware of the existing product in the market. They need to be aware of any of the changes made in the product. Advertising the product will enable more people to know about the product. Advertising the products new design, and added capabilities and functions will increase the adoption rates. The marketer can advertise the products through different forms of media such as television, social media, radios, and print media. The more a company advertises its products, the more chances it has of changing the customers perception of the product, and the more chances it has of penetrating a market. The company wants to reposition the iPod so that it can get a new market. It needs to find the relevant advertising channels to enable it to do this (Pride & Ferrell, 2011). More people will purchase the product if I emphasize the necessity and importance of having the product.

Strategic placing of the product within the reach of the target market will enable more people to purchase the product. Lowering the price of the product will increase the adoption rates, as more people will be able to afford it. Stimulating demand will help to increase the sales. It is important to stimulate demand when repositioning the iPod, focusing on the identified target market. This market might not be versed with the features and capabilities of the device. Marketers have to ensure that they stimulate demand by giving the potential client information concerning the product. They can do this by showing the market how the product is used. They can highlight some of the positive qualities of purchasing the device for their children. Some parents are not knowledgeable about technology. They might not understand what an iPod is, and they may not understand its purpose and function. In this case, the marketer has to ensure that he reaches such parents by using different channels so that he can give them more information concerning the product.

Promotional efforts such as discounts and price cuts can help to stimulate demand (Pride & Ferrell, 2011). The company has different products targeting different markets. Some of the parents might be consumers of other Apple products such as the iPhone or laptops. The company can decide to offer the iPod at discounted prices for every customer purchasing a different item. This might encourage the parents to buy the iPod as they are buying their own devices. The company can target a specific season to create a demand for the iPod. For instance, most people enjoy buying gifts during anniversaries and holidays. Since the marketers will be targeting the parents, they can decide to offer promotional packages during the Christmas seasons to encourage those parents who might be wondering what they want to buy their children for the holidays. The company can take advantage of the holiday spirit to ensure sales.

A new component will create new interest in the iPod. Many customers have complained about the short battery life of the product. Having an improved battery will help the company boost the sales of its products. On the other hand, competitors have offered products with a longer lasting battery. This means that the company has to develop a new battery, which will last, or provide an easier way for the consumers to recharge their batteries. Replacing the iPod battery is cumbersome, and this discourages come consumers. The repositioned product will have a new battery, which will serve the customers well. Moreover, the marketer will reiterate on the reality of the battery life so that consumers are aware of what to expect. Consumers will be interested in the slimmer and the more sleek design for the repositioned iPod. The iPod will also have better cameras with good photo quality. Consumers will be interested in the better quality of sound, and the improved ear buds, which will make listening to music and watching movies more enjoyable.

The company can decide to distribute the product though one channel or through multiple channels. The most likely problem I anticipate is product conflict. Apple has a variety of products in its stores that closely resemble the iPod. The company’s decision to reposition the product can cause conflict since it will draw attention away from the other products. Distributors may want to make sales in other products but the competitive nature of the repositioned product may cause conflict. Apple products, including the iPod, are sold in different places such as the company stores and website, online stores, and other distribution channels. The company cannot enforce prices of its products among its distributors (Rolnicki, 1998). Distributors aim at making profits and they are entitled to price the products in the way they feel will help them accomplish their goals. Some distributors want to sell as many products as possible and they will sell the product at a lower price than other distributors. Other distributors are more interested in getting as much profit as they can from one unit of sale. Different distribution channels have different prices for the product. Some distribution can sell the products at a cheap price based on the company’s policy of selling affordable products to the consumers. This can cause price conflict. Deciding on the right distribution channel can be easy if the product is moving. However, the high competition in the industry has limited this. Some distributors may fear stocking the product for fear that, it will not move, and it will be overtaken by other competitors. The iPod is a high quality product and its price may be relatively high, compared to the competitor’s price. However, some of the competitors offer a similar product at a higher price. The company can take the opportunity to promote its price by comparing the competitors’ higher prices. This is bound to encourage people to buy the product.

References:

Ferrell, C. O., & Hartline, M. (2010). Marketing strategy. New York, NY: Cengage Learning

Pride, M. W., & Ferrell, C. O. (2011). Marketing. New York, NY: Cengage Learning

Rolnicki, K. (1998). Managing channels of distribution. New York, NY: AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn