Amazon.com’s E-Business Model

Assignment: Amazon.com’s E-Business Model

To be successful in business, graduates must not only be capable of
using various technologies, they must also know how to use the
Internet to exchange information with customers and vendors, research
market trends, track competitors’ products and pricing, and buy and
sell goods and services.
Amazon.com was founded in 1994 as an online book retailer. Now, the
largest retailer of books has also become the largest online retailer
with a customer base of over 30 million people. Amazon competes in a
vast array of markets including: books, movies, digital readers,
computers, consumer electronics, pet needs, groceries, health and
beauty aids, toys, clothing, jewelry, shoes, sporting goods, tools,
automotive, hardware, building supply, and more.Despite their large
product offering, Amazon has maintained its strong brand.

Imagine if Toys-R-Us, the largest toy retailer began selling books or
if the NBA began selling hardware online. The threat of consumer
confusion would rise, thus bringing into question the value of the
Toys-R-Us and NBA brands. Some analysts question the wisdom of
Amazon.com selling products that are typically sold in the
business-to-business markets. For example, you can now purchase
industrial, laboratory, and scientific supplies from Amazon.com.

Amazon.com’s E-Business Model

Required:
1. Review the most current Amazon.com Annual Report at:
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=97664&p=irol-reportsannual
2. Browse www.Amazon.com, www.BarnesAndNoble.com, and www.Borders.com.
3. Create a table to compare and contrast the Web sites:
www.Amazon.com, www.BarnesAndNoble.com, and www.Borders.com, using the
following criteria: functionality, design, content, originality,
professionalism, and effectiveness. Include the table as an appendix
to the required paper.

Amazon.com’s E-Business Model

You are to write a four to five (4-5) page paper that answers the following:
1. Discuss the pros and cons of Amazon’s growth and diversification of
business and specialization, and make recommendations about what
Amazon could have done differently.
2. Determine the impact if Amazon.com had split up and become a family
of brands (for example, “Amazon” for books, “Supertoys” for toys,
etc.), each with a different public face but all run by the same
parent company.
3. Determine if it would be possible for Barnes and Noble or Borders
to extend their markets in the same way that Amazon.com has. Explain
your rationale.
4. Determine what Amazon.com would need to do to expand their
distribution chain to include some brick and mortar outlets, and
whether or not this would be a good idea.
The format of the paper is to be as follows:
o Typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman font (size 12), one-inch
margins on all sides, APA format.
o Use headers for each of the criteria, followed by your response.
o In addition to the four to five (4-5) pages required, a title page
is to be included. The title page is to contain the title of the
assignment, your name, the instructor’s name, the course title, and
the date.
Note: You will be graded on the quality of your answers, the
logic/organization of the report, your language skills, and your
writing skills.

This assignment will be graded using the following rubric:
Outcomes Assessed
> Formulate business plans based on an analysis of domestic and global operating environments, market dynamics, and electronic and internal capabilities.
> Use technology and information resources to research issues in the functions and processes within a business enterprise and key factors affecting productivity.

Amazon.com’s E-Business Model

Criteria1.
1. Discuss the pros and cons of Amazon’s growth and diversification of
business and specialization, and make
recommendations about what Amazon could have done differently. 2.
Determine the impact if Amazon.com had split up and become a family of
brands (e.g., “Amazon” for books, “Supertoys” for toys, etc.), each
with a different public face but all run by the same parent company.
3. Determine if it would be possible for Barnes and Noble or Borders
to extend their markets in the same way that Amazon.com has, and
explain your rationale.
4. Determine what Amazon.com would need to do to expand their
distribution chain to include some brick and mortar outlets, and
whether or not this would be a good idea.
5. Clarity
6. Writing – Grammar, sentence structure, paragraph structure,
spelling, punctuation, APA usage. references).

By admin in Essays on August 23, 2015