Question 1
The four ways in which marketers can obtain relevant online information, based on competition, includes:
• Independent customer goods and service review forums: the discussions involve websites, such as RateItAll.com, Bizrate.com, Epinions.com, and ConsumerReview.com, which offer a plethora of opinions based on insight form consumers (Kotler, 2012). The details include opinions correlating to various products and stores. For example, Bizrate.com obtains details of consumer perspectives from feedback from stores and 1.3 million customers, who volunteer to provide the data (Kotler, 2012). The website conducts the information compilation annually, presenting a comprehensive report that a marketer can use.
• Sales Agents or Distributor feedback sites: the sites offer reviews, positive and negative, on products and services. Companies, such as Amazon.com, provide an interactive feedback system that allows a buyer to offer an opinion concerning goods and services (Kotler, 2012). Consequently, anyone can review a product on the site. Elance.com is a professional service site that allows contractors to rate and comment on the service provider. It can enhance or diminish the reputation of the provider, but it also enlightens a site user on the people offering quality services.
• Customer Compliant Sites: the system is beneficial to unhappy buyers. For example, PlanetFeedBack.com and Compliant.com offer consumers the chance to indicate unfavorable