Description: Peddling credit cards isn’t so easy that a caveman can do it. That seems to be the conclusion Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA, Fortune 500) chief executive Warren Buffett reluctantly reached last year, when he shut down a money-losing credit card business he had dreamed up for Berkshire’s Geico car-insurance unit. Source: CNNMoney.com  Date: 02/27/2010… Read more »
Posts Tagged: Customer-Driven Marketing (p388)
Cellphones Let Shoppers Point, Click and Purchase
Description: Shoppers will soon be able to stand outside the designer Norma Kamali’s boutique in Manhattan, point a phone at merchandise in the window and buy it  even late at night when the store is closed. Source: NYTimes.com Date: 02/26/2010 Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/27/business/27shop.html?ref=business Questions for discussion: Do you think this shopping behavior will become more… Read more »
Making wheels for wheelchairs
A 30 year GM veteran is applying his auto industry knowledge to a company that makes vehicles for the disabled. Source: CNNMoney – video report  Date: 02/19/2010 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/02/19/n_vpg_hogan.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Why do you think the big automakers have not produced this sort of specialized vehicle? Does this sort of product require a… Read more »
Banks Focus on People Who Can Pay More for Credit Cards
Description: Rewards cardholders take note: the price of perks is about to go up. After years of profiting from debt-ridden credit cardholders, lenders are turning their attention to a potentially lucrative new source of fee income, the moneyed users of rewards programs who spend big and pay their bills on time. Source: NYTimes.com Date: 02/19/2010… Read more »
Vancouver Olympics goes green
Description: The Olympic committee’s $1.8 billion budget includes medals made from recycled circuit boards and a sustainable skating ring. Source: CNNMoney – video report  Date: 02/12/2010 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/02/12/n_ef_vancouver_olympics_green.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Do you believe these efforts to promote “green-thinking†at the Vancouver Olympic Games will be successful in creating greater consumer awareness and interest?… Read more »
Credit Card Limits for Youth Can Be Opportunity for Parents
Description: This month, large parts of the credit card bill that President Obama signed into law in 2009 go into effect. Among them are rules governing credit card use by anyone under 21 years old. Starting Feb. 22, they can’t get a credit card unless they have an independent source of funds to pay the… Read more »
Toyota customers keep the faith
Description: Despite Toyota’s recent recalls, customers remain committed to the automaker. Source: CNNMoney – video report  Date: 02/03/2010  Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/02/03/toyota_dealership_customers.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Do you think the damage done to the Toyota brand can be corrected? Explain how or why it can’t. How do you think the communications effort by the dealerships should be… Read more »
Buyer interest in Prius grows. Say what?
Description: By now, you’ve heard that some 2010 Toyota Priuses have a braking problem blamed for several crashes. That sounds scary, but to some it sounds like a deal. Source: CNNMoney.com Date: 02/05/2010 Link: http://money.cnn.com/2010/02/05/autos/prius_deals/index.htm Questions for discussion: Explain how the negative publicity could in fact help boost sales at Toyota Prius? Can the publicity… Read more »
Toyota recalls spread
Description:  More bad news for the world’s largest automaker as another 2 million vehicles will be recalled in Europe and China. Source: CNNMoney – video report  Date: 01/28/2010  Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/markets/2010/01/28/mkts_toyota_recall_siemens.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Do you think that this problem will hurt Toyota sales in the long term? Some might argue that the response by… Read more »
Tablets, not smartphones, key for HP
Description:  The world’s largest computer company bets that tablet computers will be a better revenue stream than smartphones. Source: CNNMoney – video report  Date: 01/22/2010 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2010/01/19/ctd_hp_hurd_tablet.fortune/ Questions for discussion: Summarize the thinking presented by Mark Hurd? Which items do you agree with and which do you think are incorrect? Explain your thinking. What… Read more »
