Assignment- Analysis of Supermarket Marketing Report

Word Limit: 2,000 - 2,500 words for report and 20 slides max, 20 minutes max + 10 minutes for questions

Section 1 - Supermarket Marketing Mix

The "ideal" supermarket marketing mix / layout

Marketing mix and layout of your two selected supermarkets

Compare and contrasts marketing mix & layouts of your two selected supermarkets with the "ideal" supermarket.

Section 2 - Target Segment

Description of ONE target market for each branded store

Analyses of consumer influences (based on data recorded in a table)

Section 3 - Marketing mix recommendation to increase revenue

Marketing recommendations for one supermarket as to how to increase revenue from target market: linked to relevant concepts and theories from this course. Your recommendations should draw on what has been observed in both supermarkets and what has been discovered through academic research

Section 1

Visit TWO different BRANDED supermarkets and as the size of the store may be a contributing factor to store layout make sure you eliminate this factor by having stores of ‘equivalent' sizes-do not have a large and a small store.

The first section requires you to focus on the marketing activities of both supermarkets and note whether reality aligns with an ideal.
You are trying to determine whether what is said in the articles provided or in the academic research you have found aligns with what you observe in the two supermarkets you visit. If there is not alignment, what insight arises; what does this mean for the marketing manager? If they do align what insight might arises?

1. Using the information in the articles "Supermarket Confidential" and "Tricks of the Trade", and using research from supermarket and Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) related marketing and industry journals,

a. Create a detailed list of marketing mix components describing how the "ideal" supermarket should be structured like. A detailed list will help demonstrate your comprehension of theory relating to the marketing mix.

b. You may use a diagram and photographs to illustrate.

The list you are creating will assist you in section three of this assignment.

Please note: the information in the articles on Moodle is provided to start your thinking about marketing in action. That is, how the 4Ps and elements of services marketing can be configured in order to influence consumer's behaviour so that they spend more in the supermarkets you are examining.

(Academic Sources Supermarket News, Supermarket Business, Food Retail Industry Profile, International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management. In addition, use the library databases such as ProQuest or Business Source Complete and type "supermarket" and change the search filter to "Title")

2. Visit the two supermarkets you will be using for this report and

a. Draw the layout (approximately in proportion) of each supermarket and if possible include photographs. Indicate the name of supermarket on each diagram.

There is drawing function in Word and this will help you. If you don't know how to use the draw functionality see - http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+use+draw+in+word . Aim to use consistent colours, names, and proportions, etc. If you are trying to work out the size of the supermarket, you could pace out the length and width assuming that each one of your steps is approximately 1 meter.

b. List all the aspects of marketing you can observe, e.g. product layout, product range, pricing structure x product, sales promotion or advertising, etc

c. NOTE: As the size of the store may be a contributing factor to store layout make sure you eliminate this factor by having stores of ‘equivalent' sizes-do not have a large and a small store.

3. Using the information from #1 and #2 compare and contrast the marketing mix for each store.

a. Construct a table with marketing mix elements as rows and "ideal" and the two selected supermarkets as columns (total 3 columns) and record your data /judgements /observations

If you do not know how to create a table in word see -

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+create+a+table+in+word

b. Beneath the table, write an analysis on what you have discovered in the table, above, expanding on the insights and observations and linking them to researched and referenced marketing theories and concepts.

The final part of this section is to provide insights you develop based on your academic and your observation research. In 3b you are demonstrating your critical thinking skills by providing relevant insight to the supermarket marketing manager using the both the theory and observation research to justify your insight.

Section 2

The focus of section 2, and the focus of marketing, is the consumer. The profile you build of the selected target segment will be based on observation and theory from textbook and other academic sources.

The fundamental goal is determine what is currently influencing the target segment's behaviour. These insights will be used in section three (below) as a part of the evidence to justify your recommendations to the supermarket marketing manager.

(Academic Sources Supermarket News, Supermarket Business, Food Retail Industry Profile, International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management. In addition, use the library databases such as ProQuest or Business Source Complete and type "supermarket consumer" and change the search filter to "Title")

4. Describe in detail a target market/segment (one) for each branded supermarket.

a. Describe them using socio-economic, psychographic or lifestyle profiles from marketing theory; remember that observation research is a valid method for data collection.

You need to describe one target segment for each supermarket. These should be different target segments for each store as this enables a broader analysis of the influences on consumer behaviour.

It is unlikely that you will find research that provides a detailed description of the specific target segment for the specific location you have chosen. You are required to use deductive reasoning and critical thinking to develop a profile of your consumer. That is, based on combination of academic (see sources above) and observational research, you present a profile of the consumer that is logically sound and probable. Note: HD assignments will have 15 academic research articles.

If you select the same target segment for each store then aim to select very different supermarkets, i.e. supermarkets in distinct socio-economic environments or supermarkets that have different and distinct positions in the market e.g. premium quality supermarket versus lower quality supermarket. If you are not familiar with observation research see - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observational_techniques or http://www.talkingretail.com/opinion/talkingpoints/retail-research-the-power-of-observation/ https://rmsbunkerblog.wordpress.com/tag/observational-research/

Your observational research will require you to generate a range of critically thought through questions: who is the target segment - use demographics as a starting point, what time are they shopping? How much are they buying, what are they buying? Who are they shopping with? Where are they shopping, i.e. what are the alternatives and why are they shopping here? How long do they spend shopping? This is not an exhaustive list and there are many more questions you can ask to guide how you are approach your research. The key is to ask questions that will give insights that enable the marketer to understand behaviour of the consumer so that marketing activities can be designed to influence the spending behaviour of the consumer.

5. Given the selected target market, analyse consumer influences on purchase behaviour, e.g. situation influences (number of people in store, ease of parking, etc), how much time the target market has to shop, how often they shop and the role that shopping plays in the overall lifestyle of the consumer, etc. (refer to assignment 1 to develop your criteria list)

a. Construct a table with Influences as rows and the Target Markets for column and record your data/judgements/observations

b. Analyse the table, expanding on the insights and observations by linking them to researched and referenced marketing theories and concepts

Developing the insights as to what is influencing the behaviour of your target segments will be based on both observations of target segment in supermarket, research from academic and industry sources and broader research about consumer behaviour and/or type in "insight to Australian supermarket consumers" in Google to see current articles. Also, please see the resource on critical thinking and developing an argument, as you will need to apply deductive reasoning - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deductive_reasoning

It is critical that you integrate theory from this subject to create and justify your insight as a way of demonstrating your comprehension of material covered in this subject

Section 3

This section draws together the insights in section 1 and 2 in order to develop recommendations for the supermarket marketing manager. Again, you are aiming to demonstrate your comprehension of the theory covered in this subject by integrating this theory in order to frame your recommendations. That is, do not simply offer opinion but draw on marketing theories, concepts and frameworks covered in this subject in order to give structure to your recommendations.

6. Selecting one of the supermarkets you have visited, make recommendations regarding the marketing mix for the identified target market (in #4 & #5 above).

a. You are presenting your recommendations to the marketing manager of your selected supermarket. Your recommendations should focus on as how the supermarket can improve the shopping experience as a means of generating greater revenue. Do not focus simply on price reduction or advertising...you are considering the entire shopping experience

b. Justify your recommendation using researched and referenced marketing concepts and theories

Some sources that may be of interest -

http://books.google.com.au/books/about/The_Grocers.html?id=p5mhHtLj7sMC

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=marketing&btnG=Search+Books&tbm=bks&tbo =1&gws_rd=ssl

http://www.thepsychfiles.com/2007/05/episode-13-what-your-grocery-store-knowsabout-you/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi63rXnuWbw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-VEdzz3ixA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RghUwYUHDUA&list=PL94259086FFA547F8.