Question

Topic: Strategy

Calculators - Their Future

Posted by tomita.alo1 on 12/22/2013 at 4:02 PM ET 125 Points
Hi to all Marketing Gurus,

I have got a question for a very challenging and declining market about Calculators

there are various brands currently manufacturing calculators but what is the future of this classic mathematical device. We have seen cassettes, DVD players, camera film etc market declined and out of the market; however, Calculators are in the market for the same amount of time and yet there is a good demand of them from consumers.

the main users are students and businesses.

what could be a potential good marketing campaign to increase the market share within Scientific and low-end calculators for a market leading brand?

there are many threats and weaknesses for Calculators, but very little strength and opportunities. In this highly technological market driven world for a calculator manufacturing company what are the opportunities?

if someone could help me with the above questions will be highly appreciated.

many thanks

Fred
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 12/22/2013 at 5:15 PM Moderator
    Knee-jerk reaction: Why would you want to invest in gaining market share when (a) you already have a market-leading brand, and (b) you know the market is declining and unlikely to reverse itself? It seems highly unlikely that the market is coming back, so the chances of recovering your investment are slim.

    We usually invest in brands that are growing or have obvious growth potential, not in cash cows that are on their way to becoming dogs (or dinosaurs).

    Is this a homework assignment?
  • Posted by tomita.alo1 on 12/22/2013 at 5:39 PM Author
    Hi mgoodman,

    many thanks for your reply.

    No, it is not a homework assignment.

    I just wanted get some ideas on the project about Calculators which I am currently working upon. We currently cater the businesses and academics but there are other brands who are gaining market shares from us, therefore, wanted to some ideas/strategies to improve our business.

    Yes, it is a declining market, but I believe with some innovation this area (dog) can be revamped and could be potentially converted into a cash cow. there are few innovation currently offered by e.g. graphing calculators.

    there are some wonderful calculators apps, no doubt, but still there are many people who uses a calculator in their day to day life. The reason behind creating this thread is so gain some marketing ideas to regain the customer confidence in buying calculators.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 12/22/2013 at 6:33 PM Member
    Are calculators significantly better in certain contexts than a calculator app (test-taking, laboratories, business meetings, etc.)? Are there situations where it would be a benefit to use both interchangeably (for sharing data/calculations/assumptions)? Are certain of your calculators better performing in different markets? Why?
  • Posted by saul.dobney on 12/23/2013 at 12:17 PM Member
    In an established mature market, factors to increase share include increasing distribution and convenience of buying, segmentation (eg for specialist uses - medical calculators, financial calculators, recipe calculators, bricklayers calculators, electricians calculators etc), fashion - colours, style, design, cartoon characters, collectables, bundling with other products etc. Why have one calculator when you could have several for different tasks, days and moments.
  • Posted on 12/23/2013 at 3:38 PM Moderator
    OK. Help us understand why someone might prefer to buy a calculator. Once we understand that we can probably help you with a marketing strategy.
  • Posted by Mike Steffes on 12/23/2013 at 5:12 PM Accepted
    Opportunities are usually reached via innovation. Major innovation isn't usually invested into declining products though. Minimal customization of the existing platform is common.

    That said... Why not add communication capability to the calculator? Add a couple lines to the display to show limited local-area-network broadcasts from other equipped calculators. Maybe an option for a verbally exchanged (i.e.- 4-digit) encryption key for some session privacy.
  • Posted by cookmarketing@gmail. on 12/23/2013 at 8:30 PM Member
    Really! Has anyone looked at this market? Aside smartphones and niche uses (big enough niche an app will be logrhythmed) has anyone bought a calculator lately? meaning within 5 years
  • Posted by tomita.alo1 on 12/24/2013 at 6:20 AM Author

    Thank you for your comments Saul.dobney, few valid points.



    Mgoodman – there is still a demand for calculators. E.g. Schools/Academics, Business (almost everybody uses a calculator rather than a mobile phone) plus it is convenient to do basic math.

    Mike Steffes – thank you for your valuable comments. If you can please elaborate the limited local-area-network broadcast point would be helpful.
    Cookmarketing – Yes I do agree with you as smartphones are taking over but the calculator market has not died like the other markets (Walkman, films etc) we see people using one in their day to day life. I believe, there must be something that we can look into to revamp the product line?
  • Posted by saul.dobney on 12/24/2013 at 9:48 AM Accepted
    Students in classes aren't going to be allowed to use mobiles. In class you see them playing with the calculator to relieve their boredom. So you might think about incorporating games (maths based ones to keep in the teacher's good books). Sort of like the brain-training that's available for Nintendo's.
  • Posted by Moriarty on 12/24/2013 at 12:21 PM Accepted
    As ever, I'd like to take a different view. I studied natural sciences, mathematics and specialized in physics - so when I was at uni, the mathematical demands were pretty stiff. And yet, the only thing I really needed was a sensible understanding of the times tables up to 15 or so.

    And that was it.

    The mathematics involved at university level is so intense that the manipulation of the equations is enough to determine the quality of the student. Plus, you know if you'd gotten the calculation right because if the answer wasn't something like 1.5 or 4, you'd gotten something wrong. That is to say, if the answer was 15.643 you were way out. Mind you, my boyfriend at the time used a recursive program coded in basic on his calculator to solve some second order differential equation in an exam. Thankfully the examiners didn't know that a calculator could be programmed in this way or he'd have been disqualified! Hmmm ... he didn't send me a Christmas card this year. Most odd.

    Now having said all that, there was one realm where the calculator stood out - and that was with statistics. I still hate statistics to this day! Complex, irrelevant and annoying. Plus it was damned hard to solve their astonishingly stupid questions. Not to mention being boring beyond anything you had previously imagined possible. Panelled walls have never seemed more interesting. Remember too that any decent marketer knows that if you ask a sensible question, you won't need statistics to analyze the fact that one of your four ads was liked more than all the rest put together. Muddled thinking begets muddled responses ... clear thinking begets a clear (and outspoken) response. Just think "big data" and then "colossal waste" and you'll not be far wrong.

    So look to the medical sciences, economics, biology, sociology and anywhere else that you find stats being used - and you'll find people reaching out for their calculators. It's a lot easier than trying to find the correct app on your iPhone!
  • Posted by Mike Steffes on 12/26/2013 at 8:36 PM Member
    I don't feel in a good position to elaborate on the communication issue. I was trying to bring up an innovative use that seemed to go with the flow of increased networking for everything. Calculator designers and the engineers involved will know what is practically possible. But it does seem to me that there could be a market willing to pay for local interchange of small data packets generated via calculator.
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