Apple Computers Market Share

The market share in the microcomputer market for Apple Computers has been slipping for several years. In 1995, however, the slippage became a near land-slide (Verespej 20-25). The market share problem at Apple Computers involves each of the "Four Ps of Marketing."

The first "P," product, is defined in terms of characteristicsùquality level, features, styling, brand name, and packaging. Depending upon the type of product involvedùphysical, service, and so forth, not all of these characteristics will be applicable in each instance. Quality level of Apple Computers products was an is generally high, the brand name was and is strong, and neither styling or packaging were major issues. Features, however, represent a major problem for Apple Computers. The company touted the ease of use characteristics of their computers, but conveniently overlooked the inability of the machines to perform the high-level multitasking operations demanded in many business use environments. The result was that Apple Computers developed great customer loyalty in a market niche, and in 1996 the company's market share of the microcomputer market is around eight-percent and moving downward. Apple Computers in effect told consumers that "we make a great product, and you're nuts if you buy an IBM compatible." Most of the market, unfortunately for Apple Computers turned out to be "nuts."

The second "P," price, also proved to be a thorny issue fo

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allow a generalization of the findings to the national computer market. The findings would be of little value, however, it Apple Computer management continues as it has in the past to pursue the product concept as opposed to the marketing concept in the selling of the company's products. WORKS CITED Verespej, M. A. "Gutsy Decisions of 1995." Industry Week 245 (22 January 1996), 20-25. APPLE COMPUTERS MARKET SHARE: PROBLEM ANALYSIS Having defined the primary problem at Apple Computer as one of declining market share, one must probe the market in depth to find out exactly what it is that consumers like and do not like about the company's products, and how these consumer preferences affect actual and prospective purchasing decisions. The determination of what position in the microcomputer market that Apple Computer should attempt to exploit is important, because the scatter-shot "all things to all people" approach taken by the company up to the present has proven to be a dismal failure (Reina 32-40). What is required is a questionnaire that be designed to develop a broad-based set of data about computer users, the functions for which computers are used, and where and under what circumstances consumers would be Apple brand c
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Approximate Word count = 1751
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)

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