Introduction
Actual Appliance to be sold is smartphones and airtime shop. This choice is based on a number of factors. These factors include demographics, location, type of people/customers who park their vehicles here, the neighborhood, competition and other businesses. Demographical information and factors like consumer culture, consumer behavior describes the economic weather, the consumer tradition, and relative potential of the market. Since the parking area is mainly an off-road parking, the type of clientele who will park will be typical travelling families, couples and individuals.
This kind of clientele might be in need of airtime for their phones or could be in need of a smartphone. Besides, the client might be in nee of an appliance to fit on the phone to improve competition, to back up his battery, etc. This is a strong indicator of how the market can be expansive, something agreeably good for this business. The neighborhood, which includes fashion shops and retailers, a well up estate in the background and a potential expansion of this locale promise a demand for smart communication appliances and their applications, airtime and related services.
As such, the structure of the target market is tri-sectional. We have the traveler who keeps passing by and wants to buy airtime vouchers. We have the other businesses that after a keen observation have to drive or order such products from the main town. They will buy from us and find it cost effective. The neighborhood, especially the up market estate in the background will provide a regular and high up-take of the products in our retail shop.
The image of this retail shop is a unique one-stop shop for all telephone/cell phone related products and services. Every product from each network carrier will be stocked to cater for the multi-faceted consumer. This means, we will stock a variety from which a customer, regardless of his choice of network carrier can pop in the shop and buy his carrier product, recharge his phone and walk away.
This is the image of the shop ‘a one stop shop for all of your communication needs.’ The reason behind this rationale is the urgency and rapid uptake of airtimes. Many voice and data carriers are reporting high profits after their consumer’s expenditure on minutes. As such being an unlimited outlet for minutes and applications will allow the shop to share the revenue.
The concept is purely based on tapping on the opportunity based on trends and demand for the products. Besides, the products sold, especially the minute and data does not segregate any type of consumer. In fact, everyone, including people from all lifestyles can top up their phones from this shop. This will help the shop to be regarded as the most reliable and efficient mobile phone products and services consultancy around. By opening up to the entire market and allowing consumers from all lifestyles to depend on the shop to resolve such problems, the shop opens up its doors to more profits and opportunities especially expansion and dealership with voice and data carriers who might find it an effective channel of distribution.
The conceptual framework is to relate with the consumer with a ‘family house’ image that is welcoming and helpful. Anyone who is travelling in either direction is sure of where to find a quick resolve to his communication problem. The image is a transparent one and the consumer feels welcome and satisfied by both efficiency and reliability backed up by quality services. The transactional aspect of the business process will be tailored to meet consumer demand and remain at par with the consumer culture and aspects of his expenditure behavior. Customer will feel comfortable when buying vouchers of any denominations.
The shop will not stereotype let alone segregate any aspect of the market, rather will tap into any of these carefully and ascertain consumer retention, satisfaction and relationships are established. This aspect of the operational aspect of the shop will portray a reliable resource and friendly environment to pop in even if it has just to say hello to the representatives.
Main body
The aspects of a successful and distinct retailer are multifaceted. Marketing is the most important part of the process and it affects the overall objective of the retailer’s objectives. The structure of a retail outlet should be in line with trends and consumer behavior. According to Williams, Slama and Rogers, the success of a retail outlet/shop image depends on the retailer’s capacity to comprehensively identify and appropriately match his shops attributes and benefits with the trends and behaviors of his target market (Williams, Slama and Rogers, 1985).
As such, the most important factor to consider when establishing the retail outlet is the structure and how it accommodates and appeals to the consumers. This is what the market characteristic will judge the retail. The space, ambience, and air of authority will create an aura of luxury, comfort, and efficiency depending on what the retail representative will offer in return to consumer equity.
Since many consumers are recreational, the retail shop will base its concept on how to facilitate recreational consumers to shop purely for the economic considerations, which are important to them. Our retail strategy aims at keeping consumers assured of our commitment to provide them with efficient and reliable services and giving them back value for their money and time at the shop.
To meet this dynamic consumer behavior, the outlay and structure of the retail shop is vital. Two aspects of the shop are most important in giving consumer a sense of comfort and identification with the shop. The spaces that encompass the buying area, the queuing bay, and the exit and lobby are two very important parts. The lobby should be easy to use. Since it is a slide door, the customer will simply push and enter inside the buying area. The buying area will be well labeled using electronic signs.
To bring out an attractive, spacious, and accommodating retail shop, the shops interior will be divided into four counters. The four counters will have cashiers who will handle client’s demands such as payments and consumer request processing. These counters will be situated on the four corners of the shop. As such, the interior will have a rectangular shape with the center of the empty area being a display glass where dummy products will be encased in a rotating glass display. There will be representatives who direct customers.
Display area
Display area is one of the most invaluable aspects of retail marketing and management. According to marketing concepts developed by experts in retailing, sufficient display allows room for consumers to make choice hence increasing their range of choice and probability of making a purchase. However, clients vary, a reason why they are defined as multifaceted base don their behavior, attitudes and economic background. In context, the importance of displays is based on the aspects of exposure doctrine where displays expose products hence acts as stimulators of sales. In continuum, shelf space and alternative methods of display are meant to increase profitability. According to Buchanan, Simons, and Bickart, building and maintaining brand image and equity is ultimate in how the brand relates with the consumers.
The retail shop ultimately represents the greater role of leadership with the brands ultimate presentation to customers being controlled by the retailer than the manufacturer wherein, the consumer have expectations about retail displays and their relationship with the brands displayed on the displays (Buchanan, Simons, and Bickart, 1999). Retail outlets whose displays conditions disconfirm these expectations lead to consumers re-evaluate the brand displayed in the shop (Buchanan, Simons, and Bickart, 1999).
Buchanan, Simons, and Bickart further imply that mixed display structure leads consumers to portend the brand context judges the type of brand (high-end brands). Another important factor when creating a display is to provide a consumer with expectations about brand difference, fairness, and disconfirmation (Buchanan, Simons, and Bickart, 1999).
The shops displays are expansive swivel glass displays in the middle of the shop where the customers can easily view them upon entering. Proper product presentation is often a source of marketing gains with overall effectiveness being derived from the positioning.
Each display will represent a different service provider. The structure of the display is based on the ability to communicate and provide choice to consumers.
The swivel display will be at the centre of the shop and will be electric. This display will rotate around (360 degrees). It will be packed with phones, smartphones, and cell phone accessories including batteries, Bluetooth, pouches, and earphones. Airtime of all denominations and all offers from any network carrier will be put on display in the glass swivel display. The display will be a tall glass facility, clean, clear, and translucent.
Counters
The counters will be computerized. They will be enclosed inside a grilled glass interior. A space enough to allow a customer and the cashier to communicate effectively will be created. The space will be enough to accommodate a full view of the representative/cashier head and upper body so that when he is talking to the customer his body language can be visible, enough to allow the consumer to read the language and feel welcome based on the body language. The counters will have a space that will allow the consumer to place his/her handbag or anything he/she is carrying. This is aimed at making the transactional moment to be comfortable and un-strenuous.
Interior design
The shops interior will be furnished to provide the unique feel of classic house. The lighting will be clear using fluorescent lighting. This is to make the consumers from all lifestyles to find the shop accommodating and natural. It will also help rationalize the idea of ‘all inclusive’ aspect of the shop. Using a lot of lighting, especially colored will make the shop seem trendy and leaning towards the young generation. However, clear lighting is a more national and general look.
The scents of the shop will be lavender. This scent is mild but very sensual and consumer will not feel offended but rather thrilled and excited. Using very sharp scents is irritating and it is associated with masking of odors. The theme of the shop is to provide an air of freshness, efficiency, and class. This will promulgate the shop to a unique brand that customers will identify with and on the other hand, love to remain associated with the shop.
Color
Inside the shop, the counters will be differently colored. The color theme will be based on the specific product and service provided. The color aspect is actually themed to represent the carrier the customer uses as his mobile services provider. For example, if a customer is buying AT&T minute’s vouchers, the counter he buys from will have the color of this company. This will help customers quickly identify the counter from which he can buy airtime. The ceiling will be lit using a clear florescent lighting. The color of the floor will be clean white on marble tiles.
The shop front
The shop will have a lobby and exit. These doors allow the customer to push and walk in and out of the shop without inconveniences. They will also help ease congestion as customers walk in and out. The doors are glass in structure and very clean. The shops exterior is painted in corporate colors with a pale shade of blue on the top with the walls finished with pristine clear white marble. All logos of the mobile service providers are painted on the face board. The face-board has an affixed light box with the shops name and products displayed.
The aura of the shop
To compliment this professional façade, the shop has a home-theater playing a combination soul and rock music. The tone and volume is low in surround stereo system. Potted plants and flowers are outside and inside the shop. Fresh flowers are atop each sales/cashier position. On each cashiers deck, there are two comfortable tall (lounge or bar like stools) stools to accommodate two customers at a time. Overall, the shop has an aura of an executive banking hall, which is efficient, and rapidly serving customers while adding value to their visit and expenditure. Every customer will feel not only elated to be in here but extremely well served and represented.
Conclusion
The mobile telephony service provision is rapidly growing. Revenue streams, especially in data and minute uptake are great, a reason why, the concept of the shop is mainly to tap on the data and voice aspect of the business. The retail profile of the business is mainly due to the consumer behavior aspects. Consumers will buy airtime and data packages from the retail level not the wholesale and corporate level. Besides, the largest percentage of consumers is within the cluster, hence easy to tap in as a market.
Based on my expertise in the mobile voice and data services, I am very comfortable in this industry. It is a thumb rule that when one invests in a business, he/she should have prior experience in the industry. Another core factor that rationalizes the choice of the business is the market demand for these products and services. The demand for these products and services is consistent with the trends and market weather. More people own mobile phones and smart data phones such as I-phones, android powered phones and blackberry phones.
These individuals are in constant need of airtime to reload to access data services and voice services. Besides, more people are interested in buying similar communication applications. Having an outlet of these products to meet the demand for them is the central idea of the business. Cost of the business and the raising capital aspect of a retail start-up are not in question, the proprietor has the resources for the business.
The location of the business is primarily good and provides the required outlet and market for the products. The competition is nil. The neighboring shops deal with completely different types of products and services. This gives the retail shop a competitive advantage and poises it as the only shop of the sort around. The shops interior and exterior profile is meant for attracting consumers and in the process, engage the consumers in identifying with the concept rather than the products.
The target market is general/everyone, regardless of lifestyle. The reason why consumers buy is based on their individual needs while the choice of where they buy is based on branding and brand position (Varley, 2006). Consumer behavior shows a dynamic trend in consumers buying habits. Consumers will buy from an outlet that they feel connected to. This is brought about by the brand identity and positioning of this particular seller. Secondly, the type of products and the cost of the product predetermine the consumer purchases decisions. Many consumers will buy purely for the economic value aspect of the product.
The cost of a product and the basis of how it is sold significantly determine how the consumer will subsequently buy this particular product. As such, consumer service becomes an important part of the entire selling process. Good customer relationship management will initiate the much needed consumer retention (Varley, 2006). Consumer retention reassures the business a consistent sales since the customers keep coming back based on quality of products and services and how the service provision and after sale service convinces the consumer of his/her value to the seller. As such, the staff will be well-trained customer service experts with an accounts and sales and marketing background. This background will enable the shop to minimize consumer dissonance especially where services and consumer relationship management is involved.
Communication with the consumer will be through the various aspects of the shop as well the representative’s efforts. The communication will be based on intelligent approaches. Clarity, brevity, and appropriateness will help consumers easily identify what they want and make their purchases efficiently. The scope of retailing is unlimited, which allows the shop to be open to growth n the retailing industry.
The reason why people go in to shop is obviously to buy (Tauber 1995). Product orientation is an important aspect of marketing management. Consumers tend to behave myopically when making purchases. As such, people’s motives for shopping are a function of variables, which should be encompassed to accommodate the dynamism related with consumer retention (Tauber, 1995). The shopping activity should be satisfying and an experience that can compel the buyer to return. In summary, since the consumers are diverse in nature, the shop provides them, regardless of their typological classification, a solution to their needs. The shop has a unique sense of value for the consumer diversity whereby, in place are mechanisms to fit in consumers and serve them since they are important to the retail shop (Buchanan, Simmons, & Bickart, 1999).
References
Buchanan, L, Simmons, C, & Bickart, B. (1999). Brand equity dilution: retailer display and context brand effects. Journal of Marketing Research, 36(3), Web.
Tauber, E (1995). Why do People Shop? Marketing Management, 4(2). Web.
Varley, R. (2006). Retail product management: buying and merchandising. Routledge: Oxon.
Williams, T, Slama, M, & Rogers, J (1985). Behavioral characteristics of the recreational shopper and implications for retail management. Journal of the Academy of the Marketing Science, 13(3). Web.