Supply Chain

The learning team's objective in this assignment was to compare and contrast between three of the largest German automobile websites.   At first glance, one might assume there won't be much differentiation amongst German automobile brands.   Thus, the aspiration of the team is to show how they differ in the e-business model.   The car brands that were selected for this focus group were BMW, Porsche, and Audi.   After investigating each company's website the group analyzed website navigation and evaluated aesthetics to determine which website has the most shock and awe.   The next goal was to describe the supply chain of the website and to determine how it works in conjunction with brick-and-mortar locations.   In addition, the team evaluated each of the company’s marketing tools used on the three websites to determine which offered the best customer service.   Finally, the analysis describes legal, ethical and regulatory obstacles that the German automobile e-businesses face.

Look and Feel

Audiusa.com, BMWusa.com, Porsche.com

      The 2008 BMW North America site boasts simplicity, functionality and style. The website is a strong representation of how the organization perceives its cars. BMWusa.com not only invites customers in to view the fleet of vehicles, but also provides the customer with history, information on every aspect of automotive transportation, history and a chance to meet other BMW owners by use of a registry.

      As users navigate to the BMW site they will experience a jolt of refinement as the welcome page loads.   The user is greeted with an easy to read and access menu bar and white background, and a picture of the 2008 1-Series slides in.   The 1-Series is the latest addition to the BMW family of automobiles the placement of the vehicle on the front page is a wise marketing decision.   At this juncture the user can select any one of the lines of vehicles using the top menu bar.   This is a similar concept amongst the three auto websites all...