Virtual Marketing is becoming necessity day by day. With Virtual Marketing – strategic analysts have options on believing in applying marketing models like 4Ps, 4Cs, 5Ps, 7Ps or ICDT models. An another model - 4S model is put forward by Constantinides for web marketing also known as “Web-Marketing Model, WMM”

Web-Marketing Model

E. Constantinides points out important elements of e-marketing. Where 4Ps or 5Ps were successful for traditional and physical marketing, 4S by Constantinides is becoming successful model for web marketing.

It describes web marketing strategy with four elements begin with “4S" including
•  Scope,
•  Site,
•  Synergy and
•  System.

The goal of this model is to design and develop marketing mix for B2C online projects through controlling four “S" elements.

4S of Web Marketing In Detail

The 4S Web Marketing Mix method from Constantinides identifies the following four critical decision-making elements of E-Marketing:

SCOPE

Scope defines the main strategic issues at the bottom of the online presence; these are subject to continuous management review and appraisal. The scope word should be referred in terms of markets and competitors, customer profiles, impact of the online operation on existing internal processes and the firm's online presence.

In 4S model, the scope element is of primarily strategic character and outlines the decisions to be made on four areas:

• The strategic and operational objectives of the online venture;
• The market definition including measuring the market potential and the identification/classification of the potential competitors, visitors and customers of the site;
• The degree of readiness of the organization for E-Commerce;
• The strategic role of E-Commerce for the organization.

SITE

Site identifies the operational aspects of the online presence reflecting the character, positioning and market focus of online firms.

The prime mission of the web Site is to attract traffic, establish contact with the online target markets and brand the online organization.
Thus the corporate web site is functional platform of communication, interaction and transaction with the web customer.

SYNERGY

The synergy factor holds a wide range of issues divided into three categories:

(a) The front office,
(b) The back office and
(c) The third parties in one’s arm.

Online firms will make the most of their market impact by capitalizing on synergies with on hand commercial and organizational processes while they fully utilize their commercial networks.

Integration with the Front Office

This refers to integration of the firm's e-activities in the total corporate marketing plan. The front office refers to conventional corporate communication and distribution strategies. It is mandatory to provide the online presence of the firm the initial support, desired in order to develop as a noteworthy element of the total marketing program.

Integration with the Back Office
This refers to the fact that an extensive integration of e-activities in the current organizational processes that is nothing but a vital condition to meet the needs and expectations of online customers.

The back office synergy includes three issues:

• The integration of E-Commerce physical support into existing organizational processes;
• The legacy integration;
• Integration of the online operation into the company's value system.

Integration of the online presence with existing organizational processes might mean that some of the traditional operations or procedural routines have to be upgraded or re-designed in order to deliver the proper level of virtual customer service and value.

Integration with External Parties and Company Networks

Integration with external parties and company networks is crucial after promotional and logistical activities. They are vital while outsourcing processes which cannot be done internally cost effectively.

SYSTEM

The system factor identifies the technological issues as well as the site servicing issues to be addressed by the E-Commerce management. It provides an outline of technical factors supporting the secure, safe, cost-efficient and customer-friendly operation of the corporate web site.

Understanding 4S with Case study of Marketing Digital Products [1]

Scope

Market segmentation (demographic variables, geographic variables, psychographic variables and behavioral variables) Potential customers (profiles, motivation, behavior and needs)

Internal analysis (internal resources, value process, and the web sustaining technology)

Strategic role of the web activities (information platform, educational, promotional and transactional)

Site
Search Engine Optimization, Link exchange, Advertisements, Factors of web site (domain, content, design, layout, atmosphere etc)

Synergy
Online store, the back office (physical book store)

System
Technology requirement of web site (stabilization, security, software, hardware, protocol, system service etc), Preliminary payment system

[1] A Comparative Study on Marketing Mix Models for Digital Products? By KanLiang Wang1 Yuan Wang Jing Tao Yao