RELEVANCE OF TRADITIONAL MARKETING MIX IN E-COMMERCE

Abstract

Consumer buying patterns has been changing drastically over the time and so are the marketing techniques. Marketers are doing a lot to tap the customers and to build the relationship with them. With the introduction of e-commerce the buying paradigm has shifted from brick and mortar to click and mortar. The penetration of internet in India makes it possible to buy all type of commodities on line. In such an en environment, the terms like “Marketing Mix” is debatable as some marketers think it’s an obsolete term now while some think that the 4 Ps paradigm is able to adapt to the environmental changes by including new elements inside each “P”. This paper aims to clarify these conflicting approaches to marketing mix evolution, focusing on the development of marketing mix for the digital environment. The research emphasizes on the variables which creates an affinity in the minds of the customers towards digital shopping including along with the traditional marketing mix the other blends they are: Portability, Performance, Payment, and Privacy. In the context of the wars between the upstart internet retailers and the existing brick and mortar retailers, this study would pave the way to consider E-marketing as an innovated way to customer delight. This study is conducted to find out the composition of new marketing mix in digital environments and for finding the relevance of traditional marketing mix in this digital environment. This study includes both primary and secondary research but the main focus is on primary research to find out the customers view of e marketing mix for digital platforms to succeed in their business. The data used is mainly the primary data collected through questionnaire and personal interviews. The main target audience is the college going youth. This study shows that the relevance of traditional marketing mix cannot be overruled completely but at the same time there are many other dimensions which should be included in the traditional marketing mix.