Discussion 7.1

The Adaptation of Services to the Internet

The way that services are offered to consumers is changing drastically because of the impact of the Internet. Select one of the following industries and discuss the impact of technological and what changes were made.

Banking – Go to the US Bank homepage [http://www.usbank.com] and select internet banking from the homepage. Take at look at Citibank [http://www.citibank.com], eMortgages.com [http://www.emortgages.com], and Lending Tree [http://www.lendingtree.com].

Healthcare – Visit one of the following prescription drug sites: Lipitor [http://www.lipitor.com], Rogaine [http://www.rogaine.com], or Prozac [http://www.prozac.com]. Try one of these sites: Dentists.com [http://www.dentists.com], Healthline [http://www.healthline.com], or WebMD.com [http://www.webmd.com].

Insurance – Log on to Best Quote US [http://www.bestquoteus.com/] and/or Instant Quote [http://www.instantquote.com]. How does this compare to the "old" way of buying insurance? Visit and explore some of the links.

Travel – Visit one of the following travel sites: Cheaptickets.com [http://www.cheaptickets.com], Travelocity.com [http://www.travelocity.com], Expedia [http://www.expedia.com].

How have the growth of these online reservation sites affected the travel agencies? What role do Travel agencies now play in the marketplace?

Discussion 7.2

One of the easiest places to see the impact of the Internet on marketing is by looking at its effect on pricing decisions and consumer's perceptions of prices. Since its inception, the World Wide Web (WWW) has developed the reputation as being the place to shop to get the lowest prices.

1. Why has this reputation developed?
2. Why might it be possible to charge lower prices online?
3. Are products really cheaper?

To answer this last question, choose two products and find them for sale online (books, CD's, and software work very well). Calculate the total price that would be charged to your credit card, then go to a "brick and mortar" retailer and find prices for the same product there. Make your comparisons.

1. Where is the cheapest place to buy the products that you have selected?
2. What costs go into determining which place you buy your product?
3. Are there any non-financial costs to shopping online? To off-line shopping?

Writing Assignment 7.1

Chapter 14: Mini-Case Google’s PageRank

Writing Requirements

• 3–5 pages in length  (excluding cover page, abstract, and reference list)

Writing Assingment 8.1

Chapter 15: Mini-Case How to Design an Attractive Wearable Redux

Writing Requirements

• 5-7 pages in length  (excluding cover page, abstract, and reference list)