1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Group’s Objectives

We had choose such unique company for our assignment. We choose Singer Company as it

the best seller of electronic and electrical product.

Not everyone known Singer even though this company already established since 1851. Singer

is actually such a big name in the world, so we decide to choose it’s as our company research in

our major assignment.

The objectives that we try to achieves or study from this major assignment are better

understanding toward business fundamental, we want to learn and know further on the way

Singer managing and marketing their business, beside we also want to know what the influence

of economy of Singer and how Singer handle their business ethic and social responsibility.

1

2.0 COMPANY’S PROFILE

2.1 Company Background

History of Singer:

The Singer Company, once the world's leading producer of sewing machines, was the

successor to I.M. Singer & Company, established in 1851. Isaac M. Singer had patented

improvements resulting in the first commercially viable sewing machine. Edward Clark, who

joined the firm in 1854, provided the planning skills and business acumen that ensured the

firm's success. Clark ended the so-called “Sewing Machine War” between Singer, Elias Howe,

and other patent holders by organizing the first U.S. patent pool, which remained in effect until

1877. The company introduced its first treadle-operated machine in 1856, and Clark introduced

installment selling the same year.

The firm was incorporated in New York as the Singer Manufacturing Company in June 1863,

Clark being determined to prevent the partnership from becoming entangled in disputes among

Singer and his heirs. Singer took his shares and moved to Europe, where he pursued the good

life on a grand scale. The company constructed a factory in Elizabethport, N.J., in 1871-1872

that was then the largest in the world devoted to the manufacture of a single product. Singer

was reincorporated in New Jersey on February 20, 1873.

Singer quickly developed a worldwide sales organization. It built its first foreign factory at

Glasgow in 1867. This was replaced by a much larger plant at nearby Clydebank in 1882-1884.

A second factory at Podolsk, Russia, followed in 1905. In the same year, Singer absorbed its

leading American rival, the Wheeler & Wilson Manufacturing Company. The Russian factory

was nationalized after the 1917 Revolution. When high tariff barriers were erected during the

early years of the Depression, Singer was obliged to create two additional European

subsidiaries, La Compagnia Singer per Macchine da Cucire, which built a plant at Monza, Italy,

in 1934, and La Compagnie Singer Société Anonyme, which built another at Bonnieres, France,

in 1935.

2

Singer prospered during its first hundred years, but in the seven years following its 1951

centennial, the U.S. domestic sewing machine market collapsed. The amount of home sewing

dome by American women declined sharply, and increasing Japanese imports caused Singer's

market share to drop from 66% to 33%. The company made attempts to diversifiy into

electronics and aerospace. It was renamed The Singer Company on May 16, 1963, and over

the next decade became an important defense contractor. The sewing machine business

continued to shrink, as more women sought careers outside the home, and in mid-1986 it was

spun off to a separate subsidiary, SSMC Inc. After the 1987 stock market crash, the company

was captured by Paul A. Bilzerian, a corporate raider, who quickly sold off eight of the twelve

Singer divisions, including all rights to the Singer name. SSMC Inc. was sold to Semi-Tech

Microelectronics (Far East) Limited on April 6, 1990. The much-shrunken Singer Company was

renamed Bicoastal Corporation on October 16, 1989.

SINGER Malaysia has been operating in Malaysia as a branch of SINGER Sewing Machine

Company (SSMC) USA since 1906 until the incorporation of a Malaysian entity in 1983.

Berjaya Corporation Berhad's participation in SINGER Malaysia commenced in March 1985 with

a 48% shareholding. In 1989, Berjaya made a takeover bid for SSMC Inc on the New York

Stock Exchange. The bid subsequently resulted in Berjaya acquiring 100% equity in SINGER

Malaysia Sdn Bhd. 

On 14 June 2010, SINGER (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd has become 100% owned subsidiary of Berjaya

Retail Berhad.

Throughout generations, SINGER brand name is always synonymous with sewing and its

creative innovation of sewing machine makes it adaptable for every level of sewing, from home

dècor and clothing construction to embroidery and quilting purposes.

SINGER Malaysia distributes a wide range of sewing machines for individual sewing, hobbyist

enthusiast and industrial use. Besides, SINGER Malaysia diversifies itself to sell a variety of

consumer durables, especially brown and white goods (television, refrigerator, washing

machine, etc.), furniture, motorcycles, water filtrations, home improvement products, and laptop

to Malaysian consumers.

SINGER Malaysia has established itself as a pioneer in offering flexible Easy Payment Scheme

giving customers the option of paying by monthly installments that ranges from 3 to 48 months.

3

In this respect, SINGER Malaysia is proud to have helped millions of Malaysians raised their

standard of living over the past 100 years.

With an extensive network of 500 SINGER and Franchise branches located nationwide and

over 3,000 sales representatives providing personalized services, SINGER Malaysia is

committed to continuously reinventing itself and be 'A Friend for Life' to all Malaysian

The company that we had interview is S B SERVICES which is the branch of Singer at Masjid

Tanah, Melaka. S B SERVICES was opened 3 years ago (2009) at Family Store Masjid Tanah

as small shop lot. The owner’s S B SERVICES is Daud Othman. He was born at Perak and now

he stay at Paya Rumput, Melaka. When Daud Othman get top sales of the year, the Singer

Company give the opportunity to build up the new branch at Taman Masjid Tanah, Melaka. The

new branch was established on April 2012 with have four staff but the shop lot at Family Store

still operation as usual under his wife observation.

Singer’s Mission Statement

We are commited to brings all demand product enter market leader especially in Malaysia,

Singapore & Brunei. We will make more easier for small enterprise company to choose more

goods .We deliver product & services of uncompromising quality and integrity consistent with all

branded item .We are committed to listening and responding to the needs of our customer,

associates and business patners, and honoring their individual values. We are dedicated to

personal and professional enrichment through an environment of open communication,

teamwork, trust & respect. We remain committed to an entrepreneurial spirit that fuels the

growth of our company and increases.

Singer’s Vission Statement

Bringing the best to everyone we meet. By “The best", we mean the best products, the best

people and the best ideas. We recognize and seize opportunities for growth that builds upon our

strengths and competencies."To become the most successful and respected trader company in

the Malaysia "To be the leading marketer of all products in the world into Malaysia & Asian

Market. Be recognized by our customers as their best supplier.

4

BRAND HISTORY

The Early Years (1850 - 1899)

1850

Isaac Merritt Singer, with US$40 in borrowed capital, develops the world's first practical lock

stitch sewing machine at a machine shop in Boston.

1851

Isaac Singer and a New York lawyer, Edward B. Clark, form I.M. SINGER & Company.

1853

Factory moves to New York City. The first machines sell for US$100.

1855

A SINGER sewing machine takes first prize at the World's Fair in Paris.

5

1856

Edward Clark originates the hire-purchase plan, the prototype for installment selling. A new

lightweight machine - the "Turtleback" - is introduced.

1857

First SINGER showroom and headquarters is located in New York City.

1863

The SINGER Manufacturing Company, holding 22 patents, is incorporated. Some 20,000 home

sewing machines are sold annually.

1870

The SINGER Manufacturing Company opened sales and distribution centers in England.

Red "S" girl trademark made her debut-destined to become one of the best known emblems in

the world.

1885

SINGER introduced the first practical electric sewing machine.

.

6

The Period of Great Innovation

1908

New SINGER building at 149 Broadway, New York was completed. At 47 stories high, 612 feet

tall, it was the first skyscraper and the tallest building in the world. It was headquarters for the

Executive Office for 54 years.

1913

An all-time record of 3 million sewing machines was sold. 

1921

SINGER introduced the "Portable Electric" an electric-motor powered model 99K.

1927

First SINGER Sewing Center, offering sewing courses, was introduced in New York City. 

1929

SINGER purchased the Standard Sewing Machine Company. First vacuum cleaner introduced.

7

1933

SINGER introduced its "Featherweight" at the Chicago's World Fair. Factories opened in

Monsa, Italy and Bounieres, France.

1951

Company completed 100th year of business operation. Annual sales reached US$307.8 million;

shareholders numbered 4,500.

1952

SINGER introduced the "Slant-O-Matic" its first zigzag machine. 

1966

Consolidated sales reached billion-dollar mark for the first time.

1970

Sales first topped US$2 billion. 

1975

SINGER introduced the Athena 2000 sewing machine, the world's first electronic home sewing

8

machine. A wide variety of stitches, ranging from basic straight stitch to complicated practical

and decorative stitches, could be achieved effortlessly at the touch of a button. The "brain" of

the system was a chip that contained more than 8,000 transistors and was less than 1/4 square

inch.

1978

SINGER introduced the Touchtronic 2001, the world's first sewing machine incorporating a

touch sensitive membrane panel. SINGER's corporate headquarters moved to Connecticut.

1985

SINGER introduced an entire new line of state-of-the-art sewing machines with models

designed to meet individual needs and budgets. These machines were built with "Duratec" a

unique material which is stronger and lighter than aluminum yet provides double insulation.

These easy to use sewing machines ranged from basic to the most sophisticated sewing

machines and included a top-of-the-line electronic sewing machine which had the capacity to

produce an unlimited number of stitch patterns, monograms, embroidery, and even can sew

sideways!

1989

SINGER introduced the 9900 Unlimited which contained the largest microprocessor ever

incorporated in sewing machines. The model 9900 had many easy-to-use, time-saving features

including a LED message center offering practical advice to the sewer.

1997

SINGER launched the world's most advanced consumer sewing machine: the Quantum

XL1000.

SINGER Sewing Machine Company's consumer products division relocated to Tennessee.

9

A New Era (2000 till today)

SINGER again launches the world's most advanced home sewing machine: the Quantum

XL5000, along with its user-friendly software, the Professional Sew Ware 2.0. 

On August 12, 2001, we celebrated the 150th anniversary of Isaac Singer's patent on the first

practical sewing machine, which marked the official beginning of SINGER as a company.

But while our 150th anniversary celebration gives us a chance to reflect on our rich heritage, we

are looking forward, envisioning how our next century and a half will be as exciting, successful

and rewarding as the last.

At SINGER, we're constantly evolving and reinventing ourselves to become a customer-centric

retailer of the new millennium

2004

SINGER introduced SINGER Technologies

10

2.2 Company’s Competitors

Some of the SINGER’s competitors in Malaysia:

1. Courts

2. Seng Heng

3. Harvey Norman

4. Panasonic

5. Sony

6. Pensonic

7. Sharp

8. Toshiba

9. Samsung

2.3 Types of Consumer Buying Decision and Consumer Involvement:

S B SERVICES, that our had been interview has chosen extensive as types of consumer buying

decision and consumer involvement. That mean consumer who unfamiliar need more time to

thinks to make buying decision because the products are expensive and require much effort to

evaluate options. For example, if the consumers want to buy sewing machine need to think first

because the price is reasonable and the product have a higher quality. So the consumer need

time to evaluate options to purchase the products.

11

2.4 Marketing Management Philosophies:

S B SERVICES was chosen the societal marketing for the marketing management philosophies.

This company believe that organization exist not only to satisfy customer wants and needs and

to meet organizational objectives but also to preserve or enhance individuals and society well-

being. For example, S B SERVICES provide the free delivery from the outlet to the customer

home in line with this orientation.

2.5 Company’s Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR)

As the organization not only focus on profit, S B SERVICES also focusing on company’s

corporate social responsibilities (CSR). For example the company that we was interview, S B

SERVICES did the activities such as:

Donate to “AJK SURAU TAMAN RIA, MASJID TANAH” for their need to do the activities

Donate the food and drink every Friday night for recite YASSIN at Surau Taman Ria,

Masjid Tanah.

Give charity to build up new building for “Sekolah Agama Ampangan Masjid Tanah”

12

3.0 PRODUCT CONCEPT

3.1 Company’s Product

S B SERVICES was provide the electrical products to the customers to increase their lifestyle.

This company also sells the new type of product. For example nowadays sewing machine using

the electric and light compare to old type of sewing machine. As we know S B SERVICES is a

branch of SINGER. Basicly SINGER only focus on sewing machine but now they adding other

service such as television, refrigerator, washing machine, furniture, motorcycles, water

filtrations, home improvement products, and laptop.

3.2 Types of Consumer Product

Our chosen company has choose convenience types of consumer products. Inexpensive items

which are frequently and immediately purchase and which consumers do not make much

comparison or much effort to buy a Singer products.

3.3 Product Items, Product Line And Product Mix

Width of the Product Mix

Refrigerator Sewing Machine Television Washing machine

Dept of

the product

line

1 door With stand 32 inch Manual

2 door No stand 42 inch

3 door electric 49 inch Automatic

13

4.0 MARKET SEGMENTATION

4.1 Types of Segmentation

Benefit sought segmentation

S B SERVICES used this type of segmentation (benefit sought segmentation) to customers who

seek from the product they buy. They aspect some benefit from the product. For example, the

customers buy the sewing machine for daily used. They can sew by themselves without go to

the tailor.

Usage-rate segmentation

The company also used this segmentation (usage-rate segmentation) to customers. This

segmentation divided the market by the amount of product bought, whether the consumers are

first-time users, light, heavy or irregular users. For example, this company give a discount to the

customer for the first-time user, free gift to the light and medium users and bonus point or

reward to heavy customer.

4.2 Strategies for Selecting Targeting Markets

This company used the multi segment targeting. This company not only focus on one product, it

also provide other then sewing machine such as television, refrigerator, washing machine,

furniture, motorcycles, water filtrations, home improvement products, and laptop.

14

4.3 Positioning

4.3.1 S B SERVICES have positive positioning in market segmentation because the

consumers had positive impression on the selling product that company offer have high

quality and reasonable price.

4.3.2 Positioning Bases

S B SERVICES focus on price and quality for customers. For example some firm emphasize

high pricing of their products but Singer produce high quality product at reasonable price.

Besides that, this company also focuses on product user. This positioning base focuses on the

family needs. For example, sewing machine, washing machine, refrigerator can be used for

general age.

15

5.0 CHANNEL STRUCTURE

5.1 Type of Marketing Channel

S B SERVICES is an agent of Singer which brings manufactures and wholesalers together for

negotiations but S B SERVICES do not own the products. The Singer passes the product

directly to the S B SERVICES and sells the product to the customers.

For example, when customers want purchased the product that not available in the outlet, the S

B SERVICES will make the order from other branch such as television, refrigerator, washing

machine, furniture, motorcycles, water filtrations, home improvement products, and laptop.

5.2 Levels of Distribution Intensity

The level of distribution intensity of Singer is intensive distribution. Where Singer’s company

have their products available in every branch. For example in Malaysia, Singer have their

branch in every state of the country which is head office at Selangor, north region for Penang,

Sungai Petani, Alor Star, north west region for Kampar, Taiping, Tanjung Karang, north east

region for Kota Bharu, Pasir Puteh,Kuala Terengganu, south region for Johor Bahru, Kluang,

Segamat, Mideast region for Kuantan, Raub,Temerloh, Midwest region for Kajang, Seremban,

Malacca, Sabah region, Sarawak region, so that customers can get the product easier.

5.3 Retailing

5.3.1 Types of Stores

16

S B SERVICES use some type of stores for retailing their product. The main type of retailing for

their products is shop lot at Masjid Tanah. S B SERVICES also had open their booth at Mydin

MITC Melaka.

5.3.2 Non Store Retailing

Singer find the other alternatives to promote their products which is provides online sale. For

example, follow the step below if want to purchase online product:

Step 1 = http://www.singer.com.my/products/index.php

Step 2 = http://www.singer.com.my/products/home_audiovisual.php

Step 3 = http://www.singer.com.my/products/home_lcd.php

Step 4 = Click to add chart if want to buy

Step 5 = Click check out

Step 6 = http://www.singer.com.my/products/cart_list.php

Finally fill this form if to purchase online product:

17

6.0 PROMOTION

6.1 Promotion Strategies

To promote the products, S B SERVICES have use several components of promotions such as

advertising, sales promotion and personal selling:

a) Advertising

Singer provides catalogue, magazines, flyers, pamphlets to S B SERVICES to tell the

community about the promotion they have.

18

b) Sales Promotion

Singer provides the banner of sales promotion to the branch S B SERVICES to tell the

community about the sales they have. The Fiesta Raya is the example of banner for Hari

Raya Aidilfitri sales promotion.

c) Personal Selling

S B SERVICES use personal selling as the sales person can be very persuasive, get

immediate feedback and the S B SERVICES can spend time explaining the products

well.

19

6.2 Advertising – Media types

Singer provides the advertising through the media types such as radio, television and internet

a) Radio

Singer use the radio to promote their products because radio can be transmitted

immediately to the listener.

b) Television

Singer also use television as their product marketers because television have many

user, almost every house have television. So that people can get right information about

Singer thru television.

20

c) Internet

Internet is the worldwide connection, so Singer also choose internet to promote their

product to the world. Internet is something that people use every single second, so with

internet, Singer can get well known.

6.3 Public Relations – Major Tools

Singer using the internet in their public relations strategies. Singer use their Web Sites to

introduce new products, obtain consumer feedback, post new releases, communicate

information and many other marketing activities. This is the web sites of Singer

(http://www.singer.com.my/home/index.php)

6.4 Sales Promotion – Major Tools

Singer use the loyalty marketing programs as their company sales promotion. They will give the

reward to loyal consumers who made regular purchases of a product. For example:

21

7.0 PRICING

7.1 Pricing Objectives

22

Singer has their own pricing objectives to attract their customer. Their pricing objectives set up

by head quarters of Singer Company. Before put a price of the product, the company has to

discuss about the price with the head quarters. After that, only Singer can put the price on

product. So that, the branch just follow the decision of pricing objectives. Profit-oriented

objectives and status-quo are the Singer pricing objectives.

7.2 Price Strategies

In pricing some products, Singer have their own strategies. They set the price identical to the

competitors’ price. Singer use the price skimming for the price strategies. Singer’s attract the

customer by giving them reasonable price.

7.3 Pricing Tactics

Singer use the loyalty marketing programs as their company sales promotion. They will give the

reward to loyal consumers who made regular purchases of a product.

8.0. CONCLUSION

8.1. Achievement

Thank god that finally we finish our major assignment. We now already achieve group’s

objectives which is understanding towards Singer business fundamental, we had learn and

23

know further on the way Singer managing and marketing their business. Beside, we already

know what the influence of economy of Singer and how their handle their business ethic and

social responsibility.

8.2 Limitation

Even though there are too many obstacles since we started to make this assignment but we still

can through this calmly. This obstacle actually teach us how to be more cooperate in grouping

work to be more punctual. The first obstacles is there are a person like to give a good services

to us and also have person do not give good services.

Thank God, our group is given a good services by the company to achieve our target. Besides

that, when we try to interview other company, they rejected and do not want to be interview. In

addition, the difficult part that we must to wait the call from the Head Quarter Department. We

wait about 3 days and there is no call from that company. Then we try to other alternatives to

search other company until we find Singer Company at Masjid Tanah.

8.3 Learning Experience

What we get from this group assignment is we can see that are so many types characteristic of

peoples. Besides that, this major assignment guide us try to interaction with other people. When

the first time we met a person that we do not know, we will get shy and speechless.

So this work make us speechless and increase our confidence level. Besides that, this major

assignment makes us more patients to facing circumstances. This condition make us patient

and do not give up until we reach what we want.

10.0 APPENDIX

10.1 Pictures

24

25

26