Week 1 - The online market place

The rise of multichannel retailing and e-commerce is causing a dramatic shift in the way the retail industry operates. There is a strong trend emerging showing that high street retailers with an online presence are playing an increasingly significant role in the e-retail sector (IMRG, 2010). Retailers with stores and online facilities saw year-on-year sales rise by 28% in March (2010), compared with 1% for online-only retailers. However over all growth in online far outpaced the high street, which saw like-for-like sales rise by 3.7% compared to the same week last year. Fashion sales rose by 5.8%, with footwear receiving the biggest benefit, closely followed by womenswear.

Review the Online Market.
Consider key points:

• Growth of online, value of market etc.
• Why has online retailing grown over the past ten years? and will it continue?
• Think about Verdict 2010 predictions - which do you believe will be the most significnat in 2010/2011?
  

Key trends: BE FASHION SPECIFIC.

Week 2 - Web 2.0 The E-tailing tipping point

Businesses are always looking for ways to attract and retain customers. As a result, the company website is becoming an important tool for not only selling to customers but also to reinforce and keep the brand in the minds of consumers.

To maximise results, many organisations are looking at using Web 2.0 technologies because they offer the ability to provide a high level of customer service and drive traffic to the website.

Web 2.0 - E-tailing tipping point
Web 2.0 is a new more social and participatory phase of the internet – analyse Web 2.0, consider what Nick Robertson said was the future, entertainment, experience and interaction – can you give an example of this?

• Do you think Web 2.0 is driving consumers to go online?
• Can web 2.0 features encourage consumers to buy online?
  
  BE FASHION SPECIFIC– link to academic research!!

Week 3 - Case study - E-tailer review

Case study - Decide an e-retailer that you would like to study/review.
- Why have you picked them? Why are they interesting?
- Give a company overview
- Who are their target market? What do they sell? Are they a leader online? If so why?
- Distribution channels? Online, bricks' and mortar, catalogue?
- Profit?
- Unique Selling Proposition??

Week 4 - Website design

Evaluate fashion website design focusing on one of the following design areas:

• Navigability
• Online Atmospherics
• Interactivity

Why is the area you have chosen to discuss important in fashion retail?
Can you discuss any best practice for key aspects of website design?
How can retailers use design to attract and pitch more effectively at their chosen market segment and design better quality sites?

Use one fashion retailer as an example.
Refer to academic studies when possible.

Week 5 - Website design watch

Website design watch.

Review a fashion website highlighting its overall design.
Think about its functional and web enhancement dimensions.
Discuss using one fashion retail example.

Week 6 - Reading week

Reading week – investigate the web and enjoy your freedom – AND READ!

Investigate this site, read and watch the interviews:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/virtualrevolution/

Week 7 – E-marketing

Analyse one of the six promotional mix areas and discuss using fashion examples, industry information and academic research.

• Advertising (pay per click adevertising/ banner ads)
• Selling (avatars and chat)
• Sales Promotion (Incentives and rewards)
  
• Direct Mail (Opt in email newsletters)
• Word of Mouth (Viral, email a friend and links)
• PR (Social Media, blogs and feeds)
  

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Which do you think is the most important in 2010/ 2011 and why?

Discuss