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Evaluating a UK retailer (activity 2)

Written by: Jonathan Briggs

October 8, 2008 [3624 views]

We'll return to Shopify a bit later on. This week I want you to evaluate a UK retailer and make comments on how well their site performs, how much it cost and the scale of revenue it might generate.

Every student should look at a different retailer. To find which retailer you have been allocated please consult the following list:

Retailer List For Ecommerce (44 KB)

Here are the questions you have to answer:

  1. What is the URL of the site you looked at?
  2. How well does the site reflect the brand and culture of the company?
  3. List 3 features of the site you like
  4. List 3 features of the site that could be improved
  5. How easily can a customer use the site to make a complaint?
  6. How easily can you find your nearest store?
  7. How does the site help customers choose a product?
  8. How much do you think the company spent on implementing this site?
  9. How long did the design and build of this site take?
  10. How much money would you expect this site to take in an average month? (Guess if necessary)

The deadline is midnight, Tuesday 14th October 2008.

All answers should be submitted via the following form:

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB228C9577VLR

If anything is unclear or you have a problem then please use the form below to ask questions (rather than email). Your question will not be published if you include the word PRIVATE although I may publish an edited version if I feel it will help the rest of the group.

Recent comments:

On October 12, 2008 at 6:07 PM, Anon wrote:

I am not sure about this week's activity question 2.
How well does the site reflect the brand and culture of the company?

Jonathan replies: Companies spend a fortune on building a "brand" through advertising, marketing and in-store activities. Many companies have spent years standing out from their competitors through the development of particular "personalities".

I am asking you to think about whether you think the site you are looking at reflects the brand that exists offline. You may not know but I suspect that you could have a go at saying whether you think the company has captured a sense of itself within its online site.

On October 13, 2008 at 2:00 PM, Mairi wrote:

What was the name of the book on e-commerce you recommended last week?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Electronic-Commerce-Managerial-Perspective-Pie/dp/0131854615/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223939471&sr=8-3

Jonathan replies: Ecommerce: A Managerial Perspective by Turban (2008)

On October 13, 2008 at 7:40 PM, Anon wrote:

Question 9 asks- How long did the design and build of this site take?
Would it adequate enough to make an educated guess on this answer, as a company is not going to give any details about how long they took?

Jonathan replies: Yes - educated guesses are always a good idea. Think about all the different tasks involved.

On October 14, 2008 at 10:28 PM, Lee wrote:

I'm having trouble submitting my answers to Activity 2. The page does nothing when I click submit!

Jonathan replies: Are you doing this from inside Blackboard? Don't! Open a new browser and try again.

What do you think?






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