Do Traditional Strategic Concepts Apply In The E-Marketing Context?

Abstract

This paper explores generic marketing strategies and competitive market
positioning in the context of the Australian online book industry. The key research
question is the extent to which traditional strategic concepts, like competitive
market position and sustainable competitive advantage (SCA), apply in
the new world of e-marketing. The most important issue that emerges from the
study is that the tools and concepts that are relevant for offline firms are equally
applicable for online firms. Different generic strategies call for a different
market position and this is borne out in our case study. Special attention is given
to the importance of a channel management generic strategy in the e-marketing
context. Firms contemplating this option need to have a high level of competency
in relationship marketing skills.