Samsung Galaxy S III - The Samsung Way!

Finally, after the much talk-about, rumors and 'leak' photos, Samsung the Next Galaxy is here (Malaysia time - 2.00AM), the unpacked event was for Galaxy S III (www.samsung.com/Galaxy-S3). It is based on the success of the Galaxy S II which contributed significantly to Samsung global sales and making them the largest Smartphone producer today.

The point to note is the impact of consumer marketing approach used and an effective tactical move to penetrate the mass market with (by right) and very much niche market of smartphone. The company has significantly changed the platform of competition in smartphone market, which has been earlier dominated by Apple and HTC, not to forget the historical Windows phone like Dopod, HP, Palm, O2 and some others 'once upon a time' Nokia, Sony, & Motorola.

How did Samsung change the platform?

From the niche strategy of Apple, to the mass of Nokia, Samsung crafted their own path which lead to the indisputable No.1 in smartphone. They have combined the niche and the mass to formulate the hybrid of segments which are so resilient in consuming a phone, or perhaps a tablet, or maybe it is a 'Note'! Yes, it is the intelligent and prospector approach in taking such risk to offer various models (higher rate of introducing new model) as compared to the strategic competitors: Apple and HTC.

This has given the options for consumer to compare and find the best model to suit their needs and wants. As such, this has also transform into a threat to the competitors, not because they have more models for the consumers, but the delay of purchasing the competitors' products. Normally, consumer will have to go through 5 simple stages in purchasing decision. 1) Identifying the need; 2) searching for information; 3) Evaluate the products; 4) Purchase decision; and lastly 5) Post-purchase evaluation (Kotler & Amstrong, 2012). Samsung strategy is to mainly speculate stage (2), and (3) consumer purchase decision.

Changing Consumer Attitude!

The more models with similar specifications there are in the market, consumer tends to take longer time to evaluate the products, due to more information provided by the producers. If you realize, most models will have pros and cons in comparing to each other. That way, consumer will try to identify the 'Just-noticeable-differentiation' (JND) of each of the interested products. Consumer will then notice that many products from different brands in the market tends to have some form of weaknesses. Brand will also be associated with such weaknesses or vice versa (similar to strengths as it would reflects the uniqueness of a particular brand).

When Samsung provide so many models and each tends to show little differences in terms of specification, consumer would then identify the JND within the brand, and not towards other brands (because it is enough for a consumer to read and play with each models within the Galaxy family). Subsequently, consumer will unconsciously comparing the various Galaxy models and not with other brand.

Have You Been Influenced by Samsung?

You may not agree with me but the impact of Samsung strategy is very obvious. It has communicated to the mass that smartphone is not only for the niche. Now, Everyone can be 'Smart', as long as you are within Samsung "Galaxy". Welcome S III!

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