TheFashOn Research Document

TheFashOn.THE ONLINE FASHION DESTINATION

RESEARCH

www.TheFashOn.com

Exclusive Fashion Online

One Item. One Day

TheFashOn.Com

The Introduction.

The Methodology.Research PointsPrimary ResearchSecondary Research

The Concept.www.TheFashOn.com

Exclusive Fashion OnlineOne Item. One Day

How It Works

The Brand.Unique Selling Point

Brand ConceptBrand Assets

Brand Competitors

The Target Market.Customer Profiles

The Internet.About The Internet

Questionnaire Results Analysis

Shopping Online.Types Of Online Shopper

Questionnaire Results Analysis

Fashion Online.Questionnaire Results Analysis

Giles Deacon For CadburyVogue Fashion’s Night In

ASOS Life

The Experience.The Traditional Shopping Experience

Appealing To The SensesThe Online Shopping Experience

TheContents.

The Social Network.2D & 3D Social Networking Platforms

BlogsCustomer ReviewsFacebook & Twitter

The Design Of A Website. WebsitesWebdesign

The Consumer Wants. SecurityContact

Free Delivery

The Website.Content

The Products.Example Products Available

The Outcome.Why Is It A Good Idea

Problems FoundBenefits For The Customer

Benefits For The Products Featured

The References.Books

Online ArticlesPictures

This document will analyse the outcome of the research taken into

the fashion concept.

www.TheFashOn.com


One Item. One Day

The Research Concept is an online shopping Website retailing one new exclusive fashion product for one

day.

The aim of the research is to develop the fashion concept and to expand the idea in order to devise a successful

and feasible final outcome.

TheIntroduction.

TheMethodology.Research Points

Research into the fashion concept has been made into the key areas of the project. The research has been explored and examined, the outcome of this research has been analysed

to aid the concept.

The main focal research points are:

• Shopping Online• Website Design• Target Market

• Exlusive Products• Brand Competitors• Fashion Online

Primary Research

Primary Qualitative And Quantitative Research Methods conducted include:

• Questionnaires (carried out on

50 16-60 year old females)• Focus Groups

• Emails• Assisted Shopping trips online

and in traditional stores• Website Reviewing

• Online Shopping and Selling Experiments

• Market Research

Secondary Research

Secondary Research Methods:

• Books• Magazines & Newspaper Articles

• Online Articles• Mintel Reports• Blogs & Forums• Video Reports

All research has been documented in the Appendices.

TheConcept.www.TheFashOn.com

This research concept is to develop and create an Exclusive Fashion

Website.


Products to be retailed on the Website include ‘Exclusive’ ‘Limited Edition’ and ‘Unique’ fashion pieces, such as clothing, accessories, beauty products, home wares, and fashion event tickets. The products are deemed ‘Exclusive’ because they may be designer collaborations, limited editions, new releases, re-releases, or high demand products. The pieces will be by well established or upcoming

brands and designers.

One Item. One Day

The premise is for one new item to be uploaded onto the Website every day, for a day, or until sold out during that day. A set quantity of the product will be available, and be sold at a specified price. The products being sold shall be in relation to the time of year, the current trends, the season and

festive holidays.

The Website offers the consumer a brand new online shopping experience with the opportunity to purchase exclusive fashion items at a time when they are unavailable from any other outlet online or in store and with the promise of more exciting items to be released each day of the

year.

The concept is targeting the future of online shopping and consumer needs and preferences. Features on the Website shall be the result of researching the market and discovering what the consumer wants from the Website, such as the ‘Social Network’ feature to be hosted on TheFashOn.com to offer a platform for communication between customers, the Website, and featured brands.

Shopping online is the new e-culture and the consumer can be right at the centre of it. They can control their online universe, and navigate their way around how, when and where they like. The Website aims to provide the customer with a distraction from the gloomy economy, a route of escapism and a means of relaxation.

One

Special fashion product and informative

description of uploaded onto Website pre

release in store

Three

Customers have a ‘Buy Now’ option

to purchase product

Two

Shoppers go to TheFashOn.com to view newest product and have option to purchase

if they wish

Four

Countdown icon shows how many items remain

Five

Products packaged and sent to customers

Six

Customer has product when

unavailable from anywhere else.

Helps to advertise and create hype before relsease

TheBrand.Unique Selling Point

TheFashOn.com is a brand new online fashion shopping experience Website.

The Unique Selling point of TheFashOn.com is it combines Exclusive Fashion, Online Shopping, Entertainment and

Social Networking.

The Website retails Exclusive fashion at a time when it is unavailable from any other retailer. Products are Exclusive, Limited Edition, One of a Kind, or Re Released popular

items.

Brand Concept

TheFashOn.com is a concept aiming directly at the current and future of the current online shopper. The idea is new, exciting and unique, therefore offering something brand new to the Internet. The concept fits in with the modern day lifestyle of the fashion shopper applying exclusive fashion into thier everyday lives, simply and

conveniently.

Brand Assets

TheFashOn.com major company assets it hopes to provide include trustworthiness, great customer support and care, the best fashion products available to purchase and innovatice website design to appeal

to and interest the consumer.

Brand Competitors

Brand competitors TheFashOn.com aims to contend with and hopes to be alongside are netaporter.com, my-wardrobe.com, theoutnet.com, showstudio.com and asos.com. These are all major and successful fashion websites offering new ideas

and features.

TheFashOn.com will retail fashion products aimed prominently at women, therefore it is expected that the target market is women. Exceptions to this may be men or children buying gifts for women from the Website.

The typical customer is female, aged 20 to 65 and have a disposable income for luxury and indulgent fashion treats. They use the Internet on a regular basis, keep up to date with current trends, and have a good broad knowledge of fashion and designer brands. TheFashOn.com enables the customer to purchase exclusive fashion from wherever they may be, so where they live is irrelevant.

The majority of users of the Website will be digital natives (consumers who have grown up in the constant presence of the internet). But the Website will be designed to cater for a wider range of user ability.

The Customer Profiles on the following page have been created to help develop the Website by having an understanding of the Target Market. The Customer Profiles have been based upon the Questionnaire results carried out on 50 16-60 year old women.

TheTargetMarket.

Customer Profile One

Age: 34

Sex: Female

Marital Status: Married to Male

Children: Girl aged 3

Lives: Harrogate, Yorkshire

Occupation: Mother & Wife

Household Income: £150,000 + Per Year

Interests: Riding, Gym, Shopping, Meeting Friends for Lunch, Reading, Skiing

Fashion Knowledge: Reads Fashion Magazines on a regular basis, regular shopping trips to stylish locations including Harrogate, Leeds, York and London. Regularly

invests money in luxury high end fashion pieces.

Internet Use: 1 hour per day on emails iPhone and Laptop

Why Use TheFashOn.com: Like to have latest ‘must have’ piece, TheFashOn.com enables them to purchase these

pieces with minimum hassle.

Customer Profile Two

Age: 23

Sex: Female

Marital Status: Single

Children: None

Lives: London

Occupation: Public Relations

Household Income: £22,000 Per Year

Interests: Fashion, Socialising, Travelling

Fashion Knowledge: Shops in highstreet stores gets fashion tips from weekly magazines

Internet Use: 4-5 hours per day recreational use on Social Networking sites, fashion sites and emails using

Blackberry, Personal Laptop, and Work Computer

Why Use TheFashOn.com: Busy schedule working in London 5 days a week and doesn’t shop much at the weekend. Hears about new products and uses Website to purchase the item

in a spare moment during her busy day.

Customer Profile Three

Age: 60

Sex: Female

Marital Status: Divorced

Children: Daughter aged 27, Son aged 30

Lives: Edinburgh

Occupation: Writer

Household Income: Received large sum of money following divorce settlement and personal income from writing

Interests: Writing, Reading, Theatre, Social Drinks

Fashion Knowledge: Reads ladies magazines and The Telegraph so aware of current trends. Has good collection

of designer clothing, handbags and shoes

Internet Use: 1-2 hours per day for work, email and browsing luxury fashion Websites via Laptop

Why Use TheFashOn.com: Reads about new designer collaboration product available on TheFashOn.com that

is not available fro home town so purchases here

Customer Profile Four

Age: 35

Sex: Male

Marital Status: Has A Girlfriend

Children: None

Lives: Manchester

Occupation: Fashion Buyer

Household Income: £37,000, mostly disposable as no mortgage or dependables

Interests: Speaking French, Modern Technology, Photography, Classic Fashion

Fashion Knowledge: Works in the fashion industry

Internet Use: 6-7 hours per day for work and recreational on iPhone and iPad

Why Use TheFashOn.com: Hears about luxury fashion item with great reviews that will be re-released on

TheFashOn.com so purchases product for girlfriend for Valentines day present

TheInternet.About The Internet

The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet Protocol Suite to serve billions of users worldwide. It is a network of networks that consists of millions of private, public, academic, business and government networks, of local to global scope, that are linked by a broad array of electronic and optic networking technologies. (Wikipedia

2010)1

Origins of the internet date back to the 1960s. Since then, research has shown the development of new networking technologies has rapidly progressed. Traditional communications media including

telephone, music, film, television and art have been reshaped and redefined by the Internet. People are adapting to the Internets creation of new forms of human interactions including instant messaging, forums, social networking, and blogging. The Internet has become an adaptable platform for human communications

between one another.

As of 2009, an estimated quarter of Earth’s population used the Internet

(Wikipedia 2010)2.

Technology has been created so Internet access can now be gained at any time, from almost any place. The ONS Omnibus Survey estimates that 18.3 million households in the UK (70%) had Internet access in 2009. London had the highest level of

access with 80%, whilst in Scotland 62% of households had access. In 2009, there were between 40 million and 48.7 million UK Internet users3

.The Internet is worth an estimated £100bn to the British Economy, and 60% - £60bn, was online commerce according to a survey commissioned by Google UK in October 20104. Currently there are 180million Websites, 1.4 billion Internet users; half are between 15-34 years old. Members of e-culture spend 21hours online each week5. These statistics are changing several times per minute.

In Uché Okonkwo’s words:

“The world has changed because of the digital revolution and it will

keep changing”6 (Uché Okonkwo, 2010)

“The Internet continues to evolve and is an indispensible business

tool”7 (Uché Okonkwo, 2010)

Questionnaire Results Analysis: 73% of people use the Internet almost every day of the week, 42% 7 days per week, and 31% 6 days per week. It is likely the user is good at navigating

themselves online.

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

7 Days 6 Days 5 Days 4 Days 3 Days 2 Days 1 Days Never

How Many Days Per Week Do You Use The Internet?

How Many Days Per Week Do You Use The Internet?

Questionnaire Results Analysis: When asked how long they use the Internet for, 30% answered 3-4 hours during the day, and 21% 1-2

hours during the day.

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

0-1 Hours

1-2 Hours

2-3 Hours

3-4 Hours

4-5 Hours

5-6 Hours

6-8 Hours

8+ Hours

How Long Would You Use The Internet For During A Day?

Questionnaire Results Analysis: The main purpose for people to use the Internet as revealed from a question that asked the person to put the purposes for going online in order was ‘Socialising’, 87% voted this their main purpose. Entertainment came second with 72% and shopping third with 71%. This shows that a Website combining socialising, entertainment and shopping

would appeal to these users.

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

What Are Your Main Purposes For Using The Internet?

How Long Would You Use The Internet For During A Day?

What Are Your Main Purposes For Using The Internet?

Questionnaire Results Analysis: The majority of Internet users access the Internet using a laptop, Blackberry or iPhone. This is important to know for when the Website is designed so the content of the Website can be displayed

clearly on the screen.

Questionnaire Results Analysis: 100% of the Internet users I asked access the Internet from home. This means the Website could use video and sound files as the user can watch/

listen in a home environment.

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Computer Laptop Blackberry iPhone iPad Other

How Do You Access The Internet?

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Where Do You Use The Internet?

Series1

How Do You Use Access The Internet? Where Do You Use The Internet?

The Internet represents a highly dynamic shopping medium as it allows the consumer to shop how, when, and where they wish and offering the consumer complete control over the

shopping experience.

According to research by IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index, UK online shoppers spent a total of £39billion online in 2009 compared to £30billion in 2006, with a high proportion of Britons being satisfied with online shopping.8

Online retailing is essential to the present and future of retailing

(Ernst & Young, 2009)9

Types Of Online Shopper

There are two main types of online shopper; ‘The Problem Solver’ and ‘The Recreational Shopper’. Their computer skills and their intentions for shopping may be different, so the Website has to understand this and cater for these differences to be able to create a successful online shopping experience for more

variety of people.

Type One: The Problem SolverThis shopper uses Internet shopping to solve problems, in order to acquire a specific product or service which may be considered as work. They want to purchase products efficiently to achieve their goal with minimum

hassle.

Type Two: The Recreational Shopper

The recreational shopper seeks fun, enjoyment, fantasy, and shopping online may be their spare time hobby. Online shopping is considered entertainment, they appreciate the experience as they have Internet experience therefore navigating through the site is easily exercised. Purchasing goods is not the reason for visiting sites, although an online purchase may be the result

of visiting the site.

A successful e-tailer Website should be suitable for different categories of online shoppers – from the inexperienced to the experienced and from the goal directed to the experiential user. (Hoffman & Novak

1997) 11

ShoppingOnline.

The focus group carried out to help this project provided focusing on a conversation about ‘Shopping Online’ revealed that members of the group have all experienced shopping online. Interesting quotes regarding shopping online include:

Speaker 6 – I shop on Topshop before I go shopping to see what they have so I know what to look at in the shop, then if they don’t have it you

can get it off the Website.

This shows that this person likes to view the product in real life to purchase to see what it actually

looks like because:

Speaker 4 – Sometimes things on the Website look completely different

to what they are in the shop

Online shoppers dislike it when photographs of products on Websites

are misleading:

Speaker 5 – I hate that! When a Website obviously photoshops the clothes or whatever and you get it because it looks nice then really it

looks so cheap and tacky

The members of the group discussed finding shopping online boring:

Speaker 4 – It is definitely easier to get bored shopping online than in a shop...most Websites have way more to look at than an actual shop and you just get bored of going through each section trying to find

something you like

Speaker 3 – At least in a shop you can look at what other people are buying and see what they are wearing

Speaker 6 – On a Website you’re just a bit lonely. I like shopping with

my friends

Speaker 4 – Me too! Seeing what they like and what they think of your outfit and then going for lunch and

chatting

This shows that the idea of a Social Network combined with the Website would be a successful feature to bring the preferred qualities of traditional shopping onto the

Website.

Please see Appendix Three for full Focus Group Script.

Questionnaire Results Analysis: Discovering the consumers online shopping habits have shown that 91% have/do shop online. This is probably due to most shops on the high street as well as online retailers having e-retail Websites. It is also claimed to be a “more convenient” way

of shopping.

Questionnaire Results Analysis: The time of day they prefer to shop online is prominently in the evening with 44%, and 33% answering the afternoon. Because the Website operates on a ‘One Item. One Day’ mentality, understanding the most popular time users are online deciphers when to release the product for sale. From these results, launching the product in the evening would be the

most convenient time for the consumer.

91%

9%

Do You Shop Online?

Yes

No

5%

18%

33%

44%

What Time Of Day Do You Prefer To Shop Online?

Morning

Lunch

Afternoon

Evening

Do You Shop Online? What Time Of Day Do You Prefer To Shop Online?

Questionnaire Results Analysis: 55% of the target market shop online on a monthly basis. This shows the consumer makes regular purchases online, not just on a one off basis.

Questionnaire Results Analysis: 85% enjoy shopping online, therefore this suggests the Website would be a successful idea for this target market. 10% ‘sometimes’ enjoy shopping online, so the shopping experience on the Website needs to be well executed to persuade this minority

of the customer to enjoy the experience.

15%

30%

55%

10%

How Often Do You Shop Online?

Daily

Weekly

Monthly

Yearly85%

10%5%

Do You Enjoy Shopping Online?

Yes

Sometimes

No

How Often Do You Shop Online? Do You Enjoy Shopping Online?

Questionnaire Results Analysis: 98% would make a card transaction to make a payment online. This makes quick, immediate purchases so

the products can be sent out rapidly.

Questionnaire Results Analysis: Clothes were the most popular product to be purchased my the consumer, followed by tickets, then books. The Website shall be retailing a selection of products including clothing, tickets, books, accessories, and cosmetics. These results help predict which

products are likely to be the most popular.

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

What Items Would You Purchase Online?

58%

40%

1% 1%

What Payment Method Would You Choose?

Debit Card

Credit Card

Cash

Cheque

Vouchers

Other

What Items Would You Purchase Online? What Payment Method Would You Choose?

Questionnaire Results Analysis: 84% have a PayPal account. This suggests they are

knowledgeable about making purchases online.

Questionnaire Results Analysis: 35% would spend up to £200 online in one transaction. To entice the customer to keep purchasing off the Website, prices need to vary and include lower priced items to keep the customer interested in the Website. Recent reports indicate that the wealthy are almost all online and are pleased with making online purchases (Uché Okonkwo, 2010)10. This cannot be the only target market; the Website will need more of a varied customer base to launch.

84%

16%

Do You Have A PayPal Account?

Yes

No

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

£10

£25

£50

£75

£100

£200

£500

£1000 +

How Much Would You Spend Online?

Do You Have A PayPal Account? How Much Would You Spend Online?

Researchers have claimed that the fashion industry has been slow to keep up with the rapid growth of the Internet and has been late to adopt e-retail. Luxury brands such as Versace and Prada were not online from the start of Internets existence. Prada didn’t have a Website until 2007. This has resulted in them “struggling while playing catch up to the rest of the luxury industry” (Uché Okonkwo, 2010)12 Fashion needs to be brought into the digital age and embrace today’s technology for it to exist in a medium the consumer

is very much a part of. TheFashOn.com intends to do this.

Many fashion retailers have developed a Web presence.13 These brands have created something new and inspiring

on the Internet.

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%Which Of These Websites Have/Would You Shop Online At?

Have

Would

Questionnaire Results Analysis: Most people have shopped at eBay and Amazon, as well as ASOS, Topshp, and iTunes. These Websites have been analysed for visuals and content to help

with the design of TheFashOn.com.

FashionOnline.Which Of These Websites Have/Would You

Shop Online At?

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

Greatly Yes Slightly No

Does Exclusive Fashion Interest You?

Questionnaire Results Analysis: Nearly half of the people asked to answer the Questionnaire said they are interested in exclusive fashion. As the economic climate is regrowing, more people may have more money to spend on exclusive fashion, therefore this quantity may grow. With the introduction of the Website, more people may become interested in exclusive fashion as it

provides somewhere to purchase pieces.

Does Exclusive Fashion Interest You?

Giles Deacon For Cadbury

When fashion designer Giles Deacon launched a Limited Edition Scarf for the Cadbury Bunny, a special trail was created for the consumer

to purchase the scarf.

This lead to social networking and posts from those who wanted to

purchase a scarf.

The Cadbury Bunny would leave clues until the destination of the scarf

was revealed.

The scarves were also available from John Lewis.

Vogue Fashion’s Night In

Vogue UK created the first ever ‘Fashion’s Night In’ event following the success of their Fashion’s Night Out evenings which began in 2009 as a means to encourage consumers to shop and support the fashion industry during the tough economic climate. The event expanded to 16 countries in 2010. Fashion’s Night In increased sales for participating retailers, raised money for the charity KidsCo and also helped promote shopping and to put the fashion industry more in line with the technology today.

The event had high appeal for bargain shoppers. Retailers offered a shopping incentive, such as launching new collections, promotions, and gratis clothing

and beauty products, free shipping some including internationally, and discounts at check-out. Fashion’s Night In could be enjoyed from the comfort of the shopper’s home, or wherever they were at the time of the event, all they needed was

Internet access.

The Vogue shop-from-anywhere one-day event took place on November 1st 2010 from 5pm until Midnight. Hundreds of online retailers participated, including Net-a-Porter, Matches, Browns, My Wardrobe, Topshop, Harvey Nichols, Vivienne Westwood, ASOS, Links of London, Annoushka

and Diesel.

ASOS Life

ASOS.com has introduced a social networking feature onto their Website called ASOS Life. The feature was built with US firm Awareness, which describes itself as a social media marketing firm. The site requires uses to sign up to create a login account to gain access. Features on ASOS Life include ‘Blogs’ from members and employees, a ‘Help Forum’ for customers to help answer each other’s questions, and an ‘Ideas’ section where members can provide

ideas to change/improve ASOS.

Initially, ASOS Life is to stimulate conversation between the company and their customers, and to eventually introduce rich media elements including photographs and video.

ASOS also host ‘ASOS Marketplace’ where customers can sell their clothes on the site. ASOS Chief

Executive Nick Robertson said:

“Fundamentally, the Internet is the retail channel with the greatest

potential”.14

Shopping is an experience.

Shopping in shops, supermarkets, markets, television shopping and online shopping all provide the

consumer with an experience.

To understand the good and bad out of these different types of shopping, and to apply what is necessary content from them, they have been

analysed.

The Traditional Shopping Experience

To be able to introduce more of the traditional shoppers to the Website, aspects that appeal to this shopper when shopping in the traditional setting need to be either replicated or reinterpreted on the Website.

TheExperience.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Online Shops

Do You Prefer Online Shopping Or Traditional Shops?

Questionnaire Results Analysis: The result that the majority of people, 57%, enjoy shopping in traditional shops means the Website must be as much like a traditional shopping experience

as possible to please the consumer.

Do You Prefer Shopping Online Or In Traditional Shops?

Appealing To The Senses

Sight is an important sense to utilise when attracting the attention of the shopper. If the Website is visually pleasing, it can be inviting to the customer. Visuals on a Website involve colour schemes, video clips, slide shows, three dimensional product view, photography, zoom facilities, text font, interactive flash media, graphics and Avatars. Options for alternative views of the product and product detailing help to present the product on the Website as it would be presented

within a luxury fashion store.

Sound is used to stimulate different feelings in the subconscious of the shopper through music type, volume, pitch, and tempo. Altering these elements can affect the mood of the

shopper. The style of music is used to generate shopping behaviour.

While shopping, listening to fast music encourages a high shopping traffic and spending, loud music is played to encourage impulse buys, soft music encourage a prolonged time the customer spends in store and familiar sounds stimulate spending.

“A substantial segment of the current online luxury consumer population are busy professionals that want to enjoy the convenience of fitting online shopping within their hectic schedules. Therefore they desire a relaxed atmosphere and sound and music satisfies this need” (Uche

Okonkwo, 2005).

Smell is stimulated within stores where the smell of the product, or own brand perfume or cologne is

released into the air. This can’t easily be approached in the online shopping environment, although a scent-smelling software called ‘Digiscent’; can make this possible through a speaker type device attached to the computer. Other than this software, the Website could describe the smell of the product in detail, for example of the leather,

or scent of a perfume.

Touch is a sense most people use in a store to feel the texture of a product. This is not possible when shopping online so the feel of the product must be described for the customer to understand more about

the product.Taste is a sense we do not use when shopping for material goods, although the taste of a lip product could be described to the customer.

The Online Shopping Expeience

To create a successful online shopping experience for the consumer, the Website must meet the consumers’ expectations, serve their needs, deliver what it has promised, provide excellent service, functions must have performed, and produce a positive outcome. If consumer satisfaction can be achieved, repurchase intentions are more likely to occur. Researchers

define satisfaction as:

“the feeling of fulfilment when certain needs, desires or goals are met and when they shop for enjoyment.” (Chwen-Yea Lin, 2010)15

Site characteristics such as search functions, download speed, navigation and added features all help to create a successful online shopping experience by fulfilling the consumers needs and providing them with something of extra use and entertainment. According to

research:

“the easier and more effortless a technology is, the more likely consumers intend to use this technology”.(Emerald Group, 2004)16

“Attitudes toward online shopping and intention to shop online are not only affected by ease of use, usefulness, and enjoyment, but also by exogenous factors like consumer traits, situational factors, product characteristics, previous online shopping experiences, and trust in online shopping”. (Emerald Group,

2004)17

Online website managers need to develop an interesting and interface design to increase online users’ tendency to use reuse the website

again and again.

“Satisfied customers are a less expensive and more effective advertising channel than mass

media”. (Chwen-Yea Lin, 2010)18

Perceived Usefulness

Perceived Ease Of Use

Concentration

Enjoyment

Intention To Return

Customer Satisfaction

Graph Taken From ‘Predicting Consumer Repurchase Intentions To Shop Online’

To generate public attention, TheFashOn.com needs to be where the consumers are, and this is online.

“Social Networking activities can connect people online by sharing, exchanging, influencing, participating, interacting and collaborating. Technology is driving people to connect and meet up en masse with others, in the ‘real

world”. (Mass Mingling, 2010)20

“Hundreds of millions of people are now living large parts of their lives online”. (Mass Mingling, 2010)21

2D Social Networking Platforms allow one to one interaction in a public or private medium in a two way manner via forums, blogs, social networks,

e-zines and discussion boards.

3D Social Networking Platforms allow interaction in virtual worlds known as metaverses where people can have a 360° existence through Avatars that have been recreated to represent them in virtual worlds,

game worlds.

TheSocialNetwork.

Blogs

Currently, there are over 170million Blogs existing in cyberspace. The majority of these Blogs are updated weekly. Citizen Journalists known as ‘Bloggers’ are asserting the power of independent thought forming a generation of opinionated consumers.

Customer Reviews

Shoppers are becoming increasingly dependent on support from other online shoppers. They want more than one way information from brands and companies. Two reports released by eMarketer and Nielsen in June 2010 show social media channels are becoming a necessity for successful online sales performance as they are increasingly the first place shoppers turn for advice and 40% of shoppers won’t buy without a social shopping recommendation or online

review.

Epinions.com have built their entire business and Websites upon customer word of mouth. Consumers rate and review products and the results are published for prospective shoppers.

Facebook & Twitter

“Facebook and Twitter can influence a consumers first impression of a brand. Business in other industries have long since figured out that a Facebook presence is necessary for

success into the future”. (Samantha Bennett, 2010)23

Social Networking socialising with family, friends and complete strangers. Constant updates, GPS and mobile online access makes networking on the Internet simple

at any time from any place.

Websites

“A website is a collection of online content including documents and applications that reside on a Web

server/servers”. (Wikipedia, 2010)24

All websites need a clear strategy to define what they are aiming to achieve. This strategy enables the design to fulfil the defined goals.

Initially, the website needs to be planned therefore the target market needs to be considered, the purpose of the website defined, and the

content to be featured.

The defined purpose of TheFashOn.com Website is to introduce a new online shopping

arena for exclusive fashion products and to create a new online shopping

experience.

To sell products on the Website, it will need an e-commerce solution including a shopping cart, merchant account and a system to upload new products. The Homepage is the initial point of contact with the customer and should represent the brand as well as the function of the Website. The Website needs to be engaging,

interactive and memorable.

To comply with compatibility and restrictions, the website shall be designed for the majority of current Web surfers and therefore be limited to the use of valid XHTML 1.0 strict or older, Cascading Style Sheets Level 1, and 1024x768 display

resolution. Image File Formats shall be GIF as this is the most widely used graphic file for transparent images and the majority of users can

support GIF images.

The end size and shape of the web page is unknown to the designer as different computers, laptops and mobile internet sources portray Web pages in different sizes and styles. The Web designer has no control over the size of the browser window, the Web browser used, the input devices used, and the size, design and other characteristics installed onto the

device of the consumer.

WebsiteDesign.

Webdesign

“Web design involves the structure of the website, including the navigation schemes and naming conventions called the information architecture, the pages, and the conceptual design with branding. Each Web Page within a Website is a file which has its own URL. After a Web Page is created, they are typically linked together using a navigation

menu composed of hyperlinks”. (Wikipedia, 2010)25

The following aspects must be considered in web design: animation, authoring, communication design, photography, search engine optimisation, and typography. To appeal to and satisfy a wider consumer market, the website must cater

for both experienced and beginner online shoppers. Not catering for both types of Internet user may seem discriminating and unwelcoming to

inexperienced online shoppers.

A Website can contain text, images, sound, music and video. Using too many graphics or text can increase the amount of time a Web Page can take to load. TheFashOn.com shall avoid slow download speeds as it is a Website that aims to offer instant fashion to the shopper, a slow loading speed contradicts this

promise.

“Website managers should pay attention to the design of Website to make Web shopping easier and more pleasant”. (Chwen-Yea Lin, 2010)26

A website may have an in house design team who are readily available to update and maintain the website on a regular basis. Smaller websites may have been created by a Web design company. The Website shall need expansion, modification, and improvement after being initially

designed.

“Usability is the backbone of a website and crafts the online experience through navigation and interactivity. It is also an essential element for a high-impact experience and can contribute substantially to a luxurious online

atmosphere”. (Uche Okonkwo, 2005)27

“E- Retail involves a constant flow of innovative means of differentiation that will meet the expectations of the online consumer in order to generate more online traffic and

maintain customer loyalty”. (Uche Okonkwo, 2005)28

Reading Blogs and Forums online and discovering what people want from a Website and what they feel is wrong with Websites they use, has helped to define important features the Website needs to please the

consumer.

Security

Many companies are in possession of vast amounts of data about employees, consumers and their own products and activities. Business entities

must do all they can to protect this information and prevent breaches that may damage their reputation as a brand. Databases being sold, hacked into, or careless misuse of the data are all issues needed to be protected from. They can result in high-profile negative press coverage

or punishment by regulators.

From the Focus Group carried out, secure payment methods came out as a major reason why people would be persuaded to or not to shop online.

Contact

“Customers appreciate immediate feedback“. (Chwen-Yea Lin, 2010)29

A store offers the opportunity for the customer to speak directly with a

shop attendant, regarding products, returns, sizing, and advice.

The Fash On could offer this one-on-one communication via an ‘Instant Messaging’ feature which enables the customer to talk directly to an attendant and receive immediate feedback. Interaction gives the customer a voice and helps them to feel as though they exist online.

Having a good strong relationship with the customer also helps an online business, it is important to know how satisfied the customer is with the Website in order to understand where changes need to be made so to establish and maintain

customer loyalties.

TheConsumerWants.

LizzyH: I’d buy much more often if I knew delivery woz free... Champion: I want free delivery too sucks we have to PAY. And I don’t want to pay for returnsStylistique: Yeah, free delivery would be amazing. I’ve voted a big thumbs up!Hannahx: Its true, I always impulse buy more often if its free delivery like on All Saints, it sometimes puts me off buying a single item if its going to cost me £4 to get it to my house”LadyDanger: I sometimes don’t buy from ASOS because of the delivery charges in-case I wanna send it back etc. Plus if something is cheap its not so cheap with delivery charges”Gemma: When there was a free delivery code that I had found I spent over £300 at ASOSGemma: Rather go to a shop with free deliveryStarmix: I would definitely impulse buy if delivery was free... the delivery charge does put me offYummyMummy81: I don’t really mind paying the delivery charge to be honest. It’d cost me just tht e same in petrol to get into town, or 2 quid to go on the bus. I’d like free returns though69Amanda: Free delivery is definitely the key to impulse buys

Please See Appendix 11.

Free Delivery

Free Delivery is one of the main requests from people shopping online, some claiming it would encourage them to make more purchases, more impulse buys, and buy more often. These comments have been taken from online Blogs and Forums regarding

Delivery.

The structure shall be easy to use and simple to navigate through. The opening page of the website shall be the Home Page, also known as the Index Page. Some Websites host a Splash Page containing a welcome message, language or region selection or disclaimer. The style of the website shall be professional, appealing, stylish and flow throughout each

page.

The website will use the highest level of technological features in order for it to enter the extensive mass of online sites at a high level and cause more immediate interest. Features will apply to what the customer would like/require/need on a website. Safe payment systems will be used and all details will be kept private and not passed on to

other companies.

Research has shown that the main downfalls with shopping online for the consumer include delivery charges and product misconception.

TheWebsite.

TheFashOn.com shall retail exclusive fashion products.

To appeal to a mass market, and to keep consumers interested and purchasing products from the Website, the price of products featured on the Website vary, from £1 to £1000’s. The quantity of the product is at the discretion of the product, a brand may only wish to release a small quantity of the product on the Website. The quality and appeal of the products shall always be the best of exclusive fashion to keep

the brand reputation high.

TheProducts.

Limited EditionChanel Nail Polish

£15

Re-ReleaseAlexander McQueen

Scarf£200

Designer CollaborationHussein Chalayan for

J Brand Jeans£300

Exclusive DesignLinks Charm

£50

“Buzz – A phenomenon we’ve dubbed explosive self-generating demand”.

(Renee Dye, 2000)30

Buzz-worthy fashion products create hype because they are easily seen by others and the influence of celebrity upon consumer is huge. The fashion industry follows strongly people’s tendencies to want what they – or others – can’t have. When a limited edition product is released and supply is limited, people will go mad for the product. To create a Buzz, a carefully managed marketing plan must be devised. This way, the product can be launched to the correct people targeting the desired market. Word of Mouth is a powerful tool for promoting a product and technological advances like the Internet enable customers

to spread buzz quickly. So launching a buzz-worthy product in the right environment has more chance of

causing hype and interest.

Getting the product into the possession of the right vanguard can pay off exponentially in how the mass market ultimately responds and endorse the product. The Website offers brands launching a new product the right arena to establish

it within.

Brands often provide celebrities products so they can be seen with them to gain public awareness. The products featured on TheFashOn.com may have already been noticed on a celebrity, which creates attention and interest in getting hold of the

product from the Website.

Another buzz tactic focuses on keeping the vanguard informed about the next new product to feature on the Website. The fashion savvy want to be the first to know about the next big thing, and be the first to get one. This would cause excitement and hype on their behalf, and encourage them to tell others. Consumer-to-consumer communications, verbal, visual or digital creates buzz. Consumers talking about or using the product and writing this online can get noticed by other people and expand the following of that product. It also enables the buzz to expand unconstrained by geography.

TheBuzzEffect.

Graph Taken From Renee Dye (2000) ‘The Buzz On Buzz’

TheOutcome.Why is it a good idea?

There are beneficial aspects for the customer, the featured brands, and the stores where the product may

later be released.

The Website has ability to be successful because it is a new idea. Research from Focus Groups and Questionnaires have also revealed the consumers interest in this Website and have also provided ideas

to feature on the Website.

Research has shown that it has been recognised that the impact of the Internet influences offline sales, representing a growing opportunity for fashion retailers to integrate

online and offline activities.

The reason why they would use the website is to purchase special and unique fashion items usually hard to obtain otherwise, due to being in high demand, or their busy lifestyle makes it difficult for them to be able to physically go to the shop

and purchase the item.

Although there are risks involved in owning an electronically operated business, business-to-consumer (B2C) commerce continues to grow. Hosting this fashion concept online is beneficial to the business, retailing online cuts down costs associated with operating through a store as well as accessing a wider

audience.

Problems Found

Issues to combat include safe payment systems, retaining customer interest so to make multiple purchases, and quick, free delivery with safe postage. To solve the postage option, the Website could feature an in-house postage service to send parcels to customers in

special delivery.

The Coalition Government have unveiled plans to hand the operator an extra £1.3bn over the next four years to reform the Post Office network, Therefore improvements may

be made to the Royal Mail.

benefits for the customer:

• An opportunity to purchase exciting and exclusive products prior to

their release• An online arena to discuss new

products with online shoppers• An exciting new online shopping

experience• Instant fashion fix

• A new fashion social network• In-depth product information

• Two way communication• Demonstration of products

Benefits for Products Featured:

• An online ‘Buzz Effect’ • Expand customer knowledge and

interest into the Brand• An opportunity to pre release a product prior to it featuring on the high street or in any other store• A selection of customers to trial the product and write about on the web to expand knowledge and awareness into the product collecting a wider

audience • Online traffic to their website

1 The definition of Internet according to Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Internet

2 Statistic taken from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet

3 Unknown Author (2010) ‘Internet Numbers’, [Online]. Available at: http://4psmarketing.

com (Accessed: 8 November 2010)

4 Thompson, J. (2010) ‘Online Shops Demand Royal Mail Ups Its Game’, [Online]. Available at: http://independent.co.uk (Accessed: 5

November 2011)

5 Okonkwo, U. (2010) Luxury Fashion Branding: Trends, Tactics, Techniques. 2nd edn.

Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan. Pg. 33


Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan. Pg.11


Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan. Pg. 2

8 Unknown Author (2010) ‘Internet Numbers’, [Online]. Available at: http://4psmarketing.


9 Siddiqui, N. O’Malley, A. McColl, J. Birtwistle, G. (2003) ‘Retailer and Consumer perceptions of online fashion retailers’, Vol. 7 No. 4, pp. 345 – 353 Web site design issues [Online]. Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Available at: http://emeraldinsight.com (Accessed: 5 October

2010)

10 Okonkwo, U. (2005) ‘Can the Luxury fashion brand store atmosphere be transferred to the Internet?’ Luxury Online Branding, Issue 1, pp. 1 – 5 Article [Online]. Available at http://luxuryonlinebranding.com (Accessed

2 October 2010)


2010)

12 Okonkwo, U. (2010) Luxury Fashion Branding: Trends, Tactics, Techniques. 2nd edn. Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan. Pg.11


2010)

TheReferences.

14 Unknown Author (2010) ‘Asos Sales’, [Online]. Available at: http://retail-week.


15 Lin, Chwen-Yea. (2010) ‘Predicting Consumer Repurchase Intentions to Shop Online’, Journal Of Computers, Vol. 5 No. 10, pp. 1527 – 1531 Literature Review [Online]. Academy Publisher. Available at: http://academypublishings.com (Accessed: 1

November 2010)

16 Unknown Author. (2004) ‘What Drives Consumers To Shop Online?’, International Journal of Service Industry Management, Vol. 15 No. 1, pp. 102 – 121 Literature Review [Online]. Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Available at: http://emeraldinsight.com

(Accessed: 15 November 2010)

17 Unknown Author. (2004) ‘What Drives Consumers To Shop Online?’, International Journal of Service Industry Management, Vol. 15 No. 1, pp. 102 – 121 Literature Review [Online]. Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Available at: http://emeraldinsight.com



November 2010)


2 October 2010)

20 Unknown Author. (2010) ‘Why the online revolution is fuelling an ever-increasing range of ‘real world’ meet-ups’ Mass Mingling [Online]. Available at http://trendwatching.com (Accessed 29 September

2010)

21 Unknown Author. (2010) ‘Why the online revolution is fuelling an ever-increasing range of ‘real world’ meet-ups’ Mass Mingling [Online]. Available at http://trendwatching.com (Accessed 29 September

2010)

22 Skepys, B. (2010) ‘Twitter And Facebook Influence Our Shopping Habits’, [Online]. Available at: http://socialmediainfluence.


23 Bennett, S. (2010) ‘Will Fashion Finally Catch Up To The Social Network?’, [Online]. Available at: http://singnature9.com


24 The definition of Website according to Wikipedia http://wikipedia.org/wiki/

website

25 Information taken from Wikipedia http://wikipedia.org/wiki/website


November 2010)


2 October 2010)


2 October 2010)


November 2010)

30 Dye, R. (2000) ‘The Buzz On Buzz’, Harvard Business Review, pp.139 – 146 Article [Online]. Available at: http://bzzagent.

com (Accessed: 31 October 2010)

HTTP://VOGUE.COM

http://chanel.com HTTP://clipart.COM HTTP://clipart.com HTTP://sidereel.com

HTTP://clipart.COM HTTP://oscardelaren-ta.com

HTTP://cadbury.COM

PictureReferences.

H T T P : / / j o h n l e w i s .Co.uk

HTTP://ASOS.COM Official You Tube Logo official e-blogger logo

Official Facebook Logo Official Twitter Logo

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Online Shops

Do You Prefer Online Shopping Or Traditional Shops?

All graphs have been generated from

questionnaire results using excel

http://fashionillus-trator.co.uk

http://linkslondon.com

http://harveynichols.com

http://alexandermc-queenshop.com

TheFashOn.ComFlora Firth

TheFashOn Research Document

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