unit 6 assignment 3

Running head: situation & market analysis

situation & market analysis 9

Situation & Market Analysis

Shannon Oberlin, Glynda CarMicheal, Tracy Reynolds, Demetreaus Moore, Woody Dessources, Submitted by: Frank LaPrade

Purdue Global University

Professor Blake Escudier

MT490 Bachelors Internship in Management

Author Note

A-Team Consulting (ATC EleCycle) Internship Team Project for 490Retail.com

Situation & Market Analysis

2.0 Situation Analysis

“A-Team EleCycle” (ATC) domain is an online shopping electronic form (e-commerce) of business which permits the consumer to buy goods and services directly from internet retailers all over the world. Online retailing is the form of electronic business that allow consumers to buy goods and services directly from the internet by the use of web browser (Popescu, 2015). There are numerus online corporations such as: Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Emerson Fry, and 360 shoes that use marketing strategies unique to their internet business. Online retailing makes “market-access” easy and ensures the widening of advantageous marketing opportunities. ATC is like other similar online drop-ship companies, and which is a minimum “cash-flow” investment opportunity.

2.1 Differentiation Strategies

Online Retail Business Strategy

Different online retail companies use various strategies to enhance marketing. Such as: running discounts or internet coupons, posting of daily contents, posting images, fashion blends & blogs, drop-shipping, and experiment with different flashy titles used on their home page. These different strategies ensure continued growth in how their organization practices online retailing. Another, is the small “start-up” costs compared to walk-in stores, and the lack of on-sight inventory. With online retailing the supplier assumes the inventory costs and drop-shipping the products.

Social Platform Strategy

The posting of daily content to ensure continued growth is how their organization will enhance online retailing. This is the easiest way for a company to grow its social community over time through consistent posting of the content. Additionally, the use of images is very significant when posting especially when using Facebook type platforms. The main reason for using the images in such platforms is to increase the engagement by the consumers, thus, attracting them to buy goods (Carrillo, Vakharia, & Wang, 2014). Lastly, experimenting with different titles in the blog posts is a necessary strategy used by on-line companies. The title of a blog carries a lot of weight because it attracts the attention of the customers. For example, good flashy titles should use everyday language and should be kept short. Also, the titles should be ethically, socially, and be culturally accepted.

Competitor Communications Strategy

There are many online stores with different products. The way they use different strategies is what defines their success. When evaluated, the “360 shoes” proves to be an interesting store. The store is honest and straightforward in their delivery strategies and with their communications to consumers. For instance, when deliveries are supposed to be done those involved are always “straight to the point” and work accordingly. This reveals trust to the customers who in return, buy the goods (shoes) without any fear.

Another example is the “Emerson Fry.” They are a well-known name in the world of fashion. This online store blends and blogs on the same internet store page. This is their strategy of targeting more customers. Also, they enhance communication to their consumers through promotions which acts as their key to customer attraction. Similarly, they employ delivery strategy in a unique way by ensuring that customer orders are delivered on time.

Drop-ship Strategy

Drop shipment is a delivery of products from the original seller direct to a buyer without passing through the warehouse of a retailer. This strategy fastens the delivery of goods and services because the goods are sold directly to the customers.

Organizational delivery structures largely differ in terms of an hierarchy which defines the roles and responsibilities of different individuals within the organization. During the delivery of the goods or services, the organizational structure has to be followed thus, making the delivery process slow.

Drop-ship Comparison

The comparison of drop shipment strategy with non-retailing reveals that, online retail differs greatly in a number of ways.

· First, drop shipment minimizes risk because; the business is less susceptible to loss due to changes in trends. Similarly, the direct delivery from retailers to customers does not need money to be paid upfront when acquiring inventory. The savings is tremendous.

· Secondly, drop shipment strategy lowers the cost of new products which are less expensive to launch. This means that they do not need a large investment before they are sold. Also, storage facilities such as warehouses are not required. All what is needed is in the website where the items to be sold are displayed.

· Third, the direct delivery offers convenience; no hassle of packing products because they are already packed. Whereas in non-online retailing, the suppliers have the task of packing the products for themselves causing inconveniences.

· Lastly, online retailing is environmentally friendly. Eliminates motorized pollution steps and the use of packaging material waists (dumps, landfills, air).

2.2 Future Goals

ATC online retailing is the form of electronic business that allows consumers to buy goods and services directly through the internet with the use of a web browser as defined by Popescu (2015). Both team product and market strategies are very important to online retailing for the future because they enhance the implementation of strategies to meet overall goals and objectives. This will ensure the customers’ needs are catered for to ensure trust. Another important strategy is that communication with customers is highly regarded. Team product and market strategies are paramount to online retailing of the future because they enhance the actual implementation of strategies to meet ATC’s future overall goals and/or objectives.

2.3 A-Team Consulting (ATC) Manager’s Positions (revised org chart included)

· Finance Manager – Shannon Oberlin

· Marketing Communications Manager – Glynda CarMicheal

· Marketing Research Manager – Tracy Reynolds

· Product Manager – Frank LaPrade

· Research Specialists Manager – Demetreaus Moore

· Research Specialists Manager – Woody Dessources

The manager positions are situational and are expected to perform duties beyond their title or department descriptions. This will ensure the success of ATC launch period and of any future goals. ATC is a true cross-functional team. The organization chart will show how the different positions inter-act with each other, how the responsibilities are the whole teams, and not just one individual. This inter-action gives ATC the best chance of success.

3.0 Product & Market SWOT Analysis’s

Market SWOT Analysis: ATC EleCycle
INTERNAL FACTORS
STRENGTHS (+)	WEAKNESSES (-)
· Structural advantage for the organization. Dropping shipping gives the convenience of direct ordering and delivery without storing the inventory · Product strategy. A-Team EleCycle is a unique product. · Practicability of a quick and easy start up. Storage and packaging handled by drop shipping company. · Social Media platforms. Cheap and convenient way to increase product awareness and site traffic.	· Website construction. Creating an attractive showroom to gain traffic and customer interest. · Single product distribution and retaining profit margin through the A-Team EleCycle. · Price strategy. As an elite product pricing strategy needs to be determined to gain market share and establish a brand for A-Team EleCycle.
EXTERNAL FACTORS
OPPORTUNITIES (+)	THREATS (-)
· Security and fraud. Establishing secure ordering platform and gaining customer and vendor trust. · Matching competitive software for easy ordering process and delivery tracking · Managing technology changes to stay ahead of the game	· Legal and regulatory changes. Congress is consistently updating mandates and fines can be expensive. · Competition. There are large platforms that attempt to undercut smaller sellers. It imperative to stay ahead of the competitive game by utilizing all available resources. · Customer buying trends with economic changes.

Product SWOT Analysis: ATC EleCycle

INTERNAL FACTORS
STRENGTHS (+)	WEAKNESSES (-)
· Value. The EleCycle is an elite product designed to meet need/demand for the novice and professional. · Image. Versatile and lightweight for easy transport or personal storing. · Price Strategy in the mid-range of the competition to attract consumers.	· Market share. · Differentiation. Establishing a distinctive demand and need for the EleCycle. What makes this different from the competition? · Understanding what is being sold. EleCycle needs a sample product to better understand the benefits and features it offers the consumer.
· EXTERNAL FACTORS
· OPPORTUNITIES (+)	· THREATS (-)
· Market Momentum. Understanding what the competition will do. · Technology and product improvements. Matching changes implemented by similar products. · Tapping the market that is new. Overall market sales increase from 16.7 to 31.8 million in 2017 (Schaik, 2017)	· Quality of product and communication of what is demanded. · Reaction from competition or other indirect competitors entering the electric bike market. · Seasonal. Knowing the right demographic to target with the electric bike.

Reference

Carrillo, J.E., Vakharia, A.J., & Wang, R. (2014). Environmental implications for online retailing.

European Journal of Operational Research, 239(3), 744-755

Popescu, G. H. (2015) The competitive nature and effectiveness of online retailing.

Psycho sociological Issues in Human Resource Management, 3(1), 101-106\

Schaik, J. (2017). USA e-bike market doubles in units and value. Bike Europe. Retrieved from http://www.bike-eu.com/sales-trends/nieuws/2017/9/usa-e-bike-Market-doubles-in-units-and-value-10131284

· Finance Manager – Shannon Oberlin

· Marketing Communications Manager – Glynda CarMicheal

· Marketing Research Manager – Tracy Reynolds

· Product Manager – Frank LaPrade

· Research Specialists Manager – Demetreaus Moore

· Research Specialists Manager – Woody Dessources

A-Team Consulting (ATC) Organization Chart

The organization chart illustrates the intricate team relationships managers have to fill in order to

accomplish the desired (required) team goals and/or individual outcomes. These are accomplished according

to ATC’s mission, vision, values or philosophy’s. ATC job titles or positions are universal as the org chart

illustrates. We all have individual product assessments but have team participation duties.

Research Manager

Product Manager

Marketing Manager

Finance Manager

Research Specialists

Manager

A-Team Consulting (ATC)

GOALS/OUTCOMES

Team Success

Research Specialists

Manager