Assessment Task:
Superior White Goods currently has franchise stores in 50 cities around the country selling all types of household white goods and associated appliances. Superior White Goods' marketing research team has established that its customers range between the ages of 25 and 65 and are increasingly becoming regular uses of the Web. In recent times, they have received feedback from many of them that they are looking for more information about the different brands of white goods prior to making a purchasing decision and in addition some would like the opportunity to purchase items online.
Superior White Goods latest market and financial reports have indicated that turnover is trending down and that it is starting to lose market share. Further investigation show that this is primarily because of its lack of an online presence in an increasingly dynamic, highly competitive and online business environment. It now recognizes that it must go online if it wishes to regain its market share and to continue to be competitive into the future.
Your consulting company has been contracted by Superior White Goods to investigate its business practices and the current practices of the household white goods and associated appliances industry and to recommendations how Superior White Goods might best make a successful transition into the online environment.
As an initial step you are asked to:
1. Investigate online business and revenue models to identify suitable model for Superior White Goods.
a. Its Board of Directors will want to know why you recommend the chosen models, so ensure that you discuss the appropriateness, advantages and challenges of your recommended Business and Revenue Models for this business group,
2. Identify and discuss a suitable marketing and promotion strategy and discuss the benefits and challenges of your recommended strategy for Superior White Goods.
a. Any successful marketing and promotion strategy would need to consider the competitive environment of the household white goods and appliances industry.
3. Develop a wireframe (using the tools provided on the Study Desk) of the proposed website with at least three pages that shows how it will present to potential customers.
a. Both desktop computer and mobile devices should be considered.
4. Describe and discuss the implications of the legal and ethics issues that might arise in conducting this business online.
5. Explain the technology infrastructure, including the hardware requirements, that would be required.
6. Identify and explain the purpose and function of the type of software that would be suitable for Superior White Goods,
7. Identify the advantages and challenges of taking this organization online, and
8. Based upon the outcomes of the above investigation make clear recommendations for this online initiative.
Report Structure and focus:
In investigating and writing this business report you should take the role of a project manager in your consultancy firm specialising in business website design (the consultancy is not a commercial server provider). The focus of your report is to clearly and concisely communicate to the Chair of Board of Superior White Goods Board your investigations into the alternate business models/ technologies/ website functionalities, your recommendations, and the reasons for those recommendations. As part of the process of your investigations, developing and making your recommendations, you must investigate the published research into this area and the lived experiences of similar online organizations. The research and lived experiences upon which you base your recommendations must be acknowledged as defined in the general requirements section above.