Part 3 of my marketing assignments

When I first moved to New Jersey, I discovered a store called Laneco.  

I was flabbergasted when I entered. It was like I died and went to shopper heaven. 

Photo by Manjunath B: https://www.pexels.com/photo/blue-and-white-sky-close-up-photography-2689377/ 

I thought it was a simple grocery store, but this. Store. Had. EVERYTHING. 

Groceries? Check. 

New holiday sweater? Yup. 

Motor oil for the caravan? Thank you! 

Prescription refill? Can’t forget that. 

Plants for the garden? Of course! 

This store had jewelry, photo processing, toys, clothes, shoes, housewares, hardware, paint,  

It Had It All 

Photo by Kawê  Rodrigues: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-woman-inside-the-shopping-cart-at-the-grocery-store-7007820/ 

Errands that would have taken me more than two days to complete (I had a toddler in tow and was pregnant with the second, so yeah, not a fast mover), I completed in less than two hours. Everything I needed or wanted or hadn’t even though I needed or wanted, was in one, easy to navigate place (plus, snacks available!). 

If it’s so brilliant… 

Why doesn’t someone do this for mobile apps? 

Well, Weixin has. This Chinese social networking company had the foresight or the audience analytics to determine what was missing, needed, and wanted: an all-in-one app which lets its audience, which is young and urban smartphone users, come to one place. This app allows its users to text, share photos, get news, shop, sell, and more. All social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and e-bay are all connected under the Weixin umbrella. Users don’t need to search, Weixin has every function accessible with one touch. If a user wants to do something more complex like open their own store such as on e-bay, all it takes is a few extra clicks.  

Know thy audience 

Photo by Harrison Haines: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-people-holding-their-smartphones-3696399/ 

Weixin not only knew their audience, having studied and gotten to know them, but it continues to stay in touch and anticipate, regularly introducing new functions that its audience needs, wants, must have, even if they don’t know it just yet. The latest function is similar to Uber or Lyft, called Didi Taxi. Shepherding their users between the functions, there is no need for its audience to ever go elsewhere. Weixin’s brilliant set up allows them to make millions with service fees. They’ve created a great gig, and one that I wish was available here in the States. 

Social media experts advise app creators that for them to be successful and relevant, an app needs to become part of a user’s everyday life, checking in has to become a habit. When this happens, as it has with Weixin users, behavior change can be affected. Weixin users go through Weixin first before going anywhere else. Other apps might as well not exist.  

Follow the leader 

Photo by Oladimeji Ajegbile: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-smartphone-3207442/ 

Laneco was bought out—only to be replaced by a Super WalMart. So Laneco had the right idea and the right approach before anyone else, and that was to make it easy for their customers and other consumers to find everything they needed and wanted in one place. Like I could do at Laneco, users can do that and more through Weixin. Now someone here has to copy Weixin’s genius.