GMAT Essays (AWA)

“Location has traditionally been one of the most important determinants of a business’s success. The importance of location is not likely to change, no matter how advanced the development of computer communications and others kinds of technology becomes.”

Technological advancement has changed many aspects of human’s lives. One obvious example is in the field of business. Nowadays, many people claim that computer and communication technologies make location less important to the commercial achievement. From my point of view, however, despite the advanced technologies, location still plays a pivotal role in the modern business environment.

Since the technological breakthrough of the Internet, people around the world have been able to deal business together without physical boundaries. E-commerce on the worldwide websites, such as E-bay, Amazon.com, Yahoo Shopping, and so on, earns high popularity. This is, therefore, an impetus for the neglect of concentration on business location. Nevertheless, persons who possess such ideas abandon the fact that some kinds of businesses still have to hinge on the location.

The consumer product can serve as a good example. Washing powder can prove its product’s efficacy to prospective consumers by setting a booth, persuading people to try their products, and distributing a sample. If the washing powder company entirely depends on television and Internet commercial, its sales may drop because consumer products are sensitive. Unlike those of other products, such as books, sport equipments, electronic devices, the customers of consumer products mostly require the guaranteed result, instead of merely looking at the advertisement. Since the consumer products are used into the body directly, the high concern of the products’ safety and effectiveness is greatly involved. Such concern can be conveyed to the customers by moving closer to customers, rather than standing still and running business silently behind the screen.

Furthermore, location is the best marketing tool to boost brand awareness, the most important business asset, and thus strengthen the competitive edge. In the circumstance that all the companies are equally competitive, location helps customers to make the decision. For instance, there are many coffee shops and fine restaurants altogether in the building. Yet, McDonald and Starbuck choose to be located at the front and the first floor of the building. The easy-to-access locations of both McDonald and Starbuck successfully attract large number of customers who otherwise would dine at other places. Hence, the business who can own the perfect location would always be the customers’ first choice.

In conclusion, location is undeniably still one of the most crucial factors to business’s success. Without the great location, the business would be difficult to sell the products, would fail to promote its name, and ultimately would be inferior to its competitors.

Nice examples. Your prose is a little wonky in some places, which is why I deducted a point off your essay. I had to re-read a few sentences to get the full meaning.

Overall, you're on the right track.

Don't wanna say this. But I met this topic in the exam. However, my AWA score is only 4.5. (versus first exam 5.5)

I think my mistake is in AWA argument perhaps.