McDonald’s E-Commerce, Essay Example

When analyzing the McDonalds official website from the e-commerce point of view, it is seen that this multinational corporation does not provide sales of their key product over the internet. McDonalds does not provide sales of food products directly from the official website because being a fast-food restaurant, they do not make deliveries to their clients. The only e-commerce viewed on the website is the sales of the unique trademark clothing that can only be ordered over the internet. However McDonalds integrates its e-commerce of food products through other food delivery organizations, for example starting at the year of 2000 McDonalds started a campaign of integration into the world-wide-web, it signed contracts and invested into multiple agencies that specified in delivery of ready made food products from restaurants.

The one who was ahead of new innovations and technologies was always the leader, this is proved not only by corporations creating new technologies everyday, but also by organizations that use new techniques that are introduced through the process of globalization. The competitive advantages that e-commerce provides is essential because internet technologies and practices are the main informers of society. By providing their services over the internet, thereby using effective advertising techniques, McDonalds will be able to deliver meals at the press of the button. However the main goal is the contact between the customer and McDonalds which through e-commerce should strengthen (Lori Enos, 2000).

The comment of former IBM chairman Louis Gerstner about e-commerce can be easily related to the matter of McDonalds, where the higher managerial staff works on attracting the everyday customer. Specifically this is seen from the facts that the McDonalds multinational corporation is an active participant in the globalization process, chasing the goal of attracting new customers and enhancing the speed of service. Even if the customer is allocated far from the following restaurant, he can still receive his favourite meal if the restaurant is in his town. This is a new way of services, where companies outsource their delivery departments on separate delivery agencies and improve their productivity. McDonalds now serves over 58 million customers a day, which is a 25% increase of served customers in 5 years. Louis Gerstner’s comment of e-commerce related indeed to companies like McDonalds, the electronic-commerce strategy if properly guided leads to competition achievements when running “ahead of the train” (Jim Skinner, 2008).

References

Lori Enos, (2000). McDonald’s Takes a Small Bite of E-Commerce. Retrieved September 10, 2009, from http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/2720.html

Skinner J., (2008). McDonalds Corporation 2008 Annual Report. Retrieved September 10, 2009, from http://www1.mcdonalds.com/annualreport/index.html#/Leadership/LetterFromCEO/