Marketing Strategy and Competitive Positioning pdf ebook

The Internet of Things
The Internet of Things (IoT) is ‘the concept of basically connecting any device with an on 
and off switch to the Internet (and/or to each other). This includes everything from cell-
phones, coffee makers, washing machines, headphones, lamps, wearable devices and almost 
anything else you can think of’ (Morgan, 2014). With an estimated 75.44 billion connected 
devices worldwide by 2025 (up from 26.66 billion in 2019), it is not difficult to imagine that 
the impact of the IoT on marketing will equal that of the Internet. Among these devices, 
smart speakers have already appeared in homes: their sales are forecast to overtake tablets 
by 2021 (see Figure 11.8).
Google Assistant, accessed chiefly through Google Home cylinders and Pixel phones, is 
now available on 400 million devices. In 2019, Apple launched a Siri-enabled HomePod, and 
Samsung has acquired Viv, an intelligent assistant company founded by Siri’s creators, to 
bolster its Bixby AI assistant platform. Microsoft and Tencent have platforms for their own 
AI assistants (Cortana and Xiaowei), and virtual assistants Chumenwenwen and Xiaoice (of 
which the latter is capable of uncannily human conversations and reportedly has 40 million 
registered users) are already popular in China.

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CHAPTER 11 COMPETING THROUGH THE EVOLVING MARKETING MIX
Over the next decade, as these firms and others fight to establish the preferred consumer 
AI platform, AI assistants will transform how companies connect with their customers. 
They’ll become the primary channel through which people get information, goods and 
services, and marketing will turn into a battle for their attention ( Dawar, 2018 ).
11.2 
Pricing strategies 
Setting prices can be one of the most difficult decisions in marketing. Price too high and 
customers may not buy, price too low and the organisation may not achieve the profit levels 
necessary to continue trading or invest in its future.
11.2.1 Pricing considerations 
A number of factors need to be taken into account when setting price levels (see Figure 11.9 ): 
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