The hypothetical entrepreneurial startup discussed herein is a new Internet-based retail outlet for arts and crafts products (e.g., candles, decorative pillows and throws, folk art wall plaques, decoupaged trays and boxes). According to Maxwell and Westerfield (2002), craftsmen entrepreneurs function in a value-task or value-oriented environment. Moving from small to larger scale production is facilitated by the Internet, which offers smaller producers an opportunity to access their target market at a low cost and without the overhead of a physical store (Maxwell & Westerfield, 2002).
The four questions related to the marketing environment which Pride and Ferrell (1987) state consist of external forces that directly or indirectly influence an organization's inputs and outputs are:
1) Who are the company's online competitors or rivals?
2) Do direct mail marketers in the field have an online presence?
3) What tax and other regulations impact upon the business?
4) What strategies for search engine selection should the firm adopt to position itself favorably vis-a-vis its rivals?
The strategic objectives of any firm must be developed before it begins its marketing activities (Wheelen & Hunger, 2000). Two questions related to this new firm and its objectives are: 1) does the firm seek to penetrate primarily a domestic or a global market? 2) will volume of sales or product pricing be selected as the key variable shaping sales level anticipations?
As Wheelen and Hunger (2000) have noted, successful marketing ventures are those that define their primary target audiences and aggressively market to those segments. The six questions related to the startup's target audience are:
1) Does a sufficient market segment of online craft items shoppers exist in the United States?
2) Are there readily obtainable listings of potential customers that could be used to generate a direct online marketing campaign?
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