Final Project | Is Your Urban Turned On?

Urban On is a unique mobile app for the clothing retailer, Urban Outfitters. The app is the company’s version of a reward program, but not really; a more accurate description of Urban On would be a social networking-style app with multiple benefits. For example, Urban On gives users a range of advantages, including advance notice on sales, early access to in-demand merchandise, cool prizes through contests, and easy checkout.

While working as a sales associate at Urban Outfitters, I noticed that there is an issue between the app and our store. Although Urban On is simple to use and has all these great benefits, a majority of our customers do not participate in the app; this is a serious concern. Our store has a very low Urban On retention rate.

A low retention rate may lead to lower sales, which will negatively affect our business, my job, and the company as a whole. I wanted to prove that we have a low retention rate because customers are simply unaware of Urban On and its benefits. They don’t participate because no one really explained it to them. I curated ten questions and surveyed fifty customers to find out.

"[Customers] would be more susceptible to download the app, knowing that they will receive an immediate benefit."

When it came to developing the survey questions, I wanted to make sure that I was asking questions that would give me the most insight on consumer behavior, but at the same time, the questions had to be straightforward and simplistic for customers to easily comprehend.

• I opened with a question regarding the Urban On app, itself, and if customers were aware that such app even exists. Astonishingly, a majority of the respondents knew about the app; however, they have never downloaded it.
• Because one of the major perks of the app is the fact that it gives users early notifications on special sales and other promotions, I asked questions regarding how customers receive information. I found out that most people hate being sent promotion information via email. People hate spam!
• I asked questions about how often do customers visit the store. Urban On caters promotions based on what the customers purchase.
• I ended the survey with some questions that called for action. For example, my last question was, “If an Urban Outfitters employee showed you how to use the Urban On app to save money today, would that encourage you to download the app?” An overwhelming response said that they would be more susceptible to download the app, knowing that they will receive an immediate benefit.

In closing, the project was very helpful and the results were very informative. My proposition to finding a solution to our low retention rate is to take the time to explain Urban On to our customers. Customers want the benefits of the app, but the idea of the app is foreign to them because there is nothing out there similar to it. I propose that the sales associates demonstrate the full benefits of the Urban On to customers on an interactive level. Showing customers how they can save money while shopping at their favorite store will result in more participation in the app.

Week 9 EOC | The Dark Side of Market Research

After watching the movie, Network, we can see the dark side of market research. The movie is very entertaining; however, the movie also displays real marketing tactics. For example, the whole plot of the movie centers around a television network, UBS, trying to boost their low ratings. One of the main characters, Diana Christensen, portrayed by Faye Dunaway, is one of the network's producers. She first conducts market research by doing polls and interviews, wanting to know why people are not tuning in onto their programs and what people really want to watch on television. Then, she figures it out and pitches an idea to the network executives. As a result, the network creates a show that appeals to the market place; they give people what they want. In market research, the ratings/numbers drive the network's decision.

Although this situation was initially based on fiction, it has become a sort of reality in today's society. It is proven that market research is very useful, but it also has the potential to be a very destructive tool. For example, the whole concept of market research is to figure out what consumers want by conducting surveys, polls, interviews, etc. Then, the researchers analyze the results and make recommendations to improve the profit and/or customer experiences. Today, market research plays a vital role in everyday life, whether we choose to notice it or not.

Politics and political campaigns take advantage of market research all the time. Politicians will create these advertisements that are extremely influential, but not always creditable. The sad truth is that it doesn't have to be creditable because the general public will not look into its authenticity. These politicians will hire market researchers to figure out what people want to hear, essentially. Together, they will create these extreme advertisements for people they are trying to influence. People only know what they are served. People no longer read things. A scary example is people will believe anything on the Internet. The saying is, "If it's on the Internet, then it must be absolutely true." Thus, we have the dark side of market research.

Week 8 EOC | Excel Graphs

I chose three questions from the survey. Then, I copied and pasted the questions into Excel; I had to "massage" the information, so that the program would properly take the information and format it into a different graphs. Because I'm using a PC, I had to press PrtScn to capture the images of the graphs. After, I opened up Paint, a program on PC's, to paste my image. Lastly, I had to crop the images and save them individually on my desktop. After that, adding the graphs into a blog post was easy; I simply uploaded the images.

Week 7 EOC | Final Project Pitch

I have not yet committed to this idea; however, I have developed an idea for a project that may potentially help the clothing brand, Urban Outfitters. Currently, I work for the company as a sales associate at the Fashion Show Mall location in Las Vegas, Nevada and I have noticed that as a store, we struggle with our Urban On log ins. Urban On is a free application for smartphones that allows customers to create social media profiles. The application has many unique benefits. For example, this application allows them to shop the store by simply opening the app; they have full access to the online store. In addition, the app notifies them of any special promotions and events. Urban On also offers other fun activities like the store’s music playlist and reward-like badges.

However, at my store location, the biggest issue we face is that our customers do not use the app and/or they do not sign in before they make their purchases. This is unfortunate because we have a lot frequent shoppers who have the potential to save a lot of money and earn rewards. They are going to be buying things anyways, so they might as well utilize the app on their phone and take advantage of the benefits. This is an extra step and customers do not take it.

I believe the real problem here is the fact that customers do not really know about Urban On. Some customers think it’s a loyalty program or a rewards system. Some extreme customers think it’s a spamming device. The reality is that Urban On is none of those; Urban On has many consumer benefits that is completely misunderstood. My project is to first, educate the sales associates and managers about Urban On and all its benefits and accessibility so they can find tactics to market the app better. As a result, I believe there will be an increase in customers downloading and utilizing the Urban On app and our store will increase our Urban On log in percentage if we demonstrate how easy the app is and all of its benefits.

Week 6 EOC | Deeper meaning of the film BIG

coming soon...

Week 6 EOC | What did you learn? From your project? From class discussion?

I was not in class during the discussion because I was sick; however, I was able to discuss the project with some of my classmates outside of class. Similarly, we ran into relatable issues and we came to significant results. For example, Marcia told me that she was surprised to find that packaging plays an important factor in developing her fragrance. Totally unrelated to me, she was focusing on a perfume for women; however, we both came to a realization that consumers, both men and women, will gravitate toward a fragrance that doesn’t only stimulate their sense of smell but also their sense of sight.

I learned that people put emphasis on different factors. Some people focused on having a fragrance that was affordable. Some people focused on availability. I learned that packaging is an important factor. Ultimately, when it comes to developing any kind of fragrance, everything has to be taken into consideration in order to have a successful product.

Fragrance Project: Analysis of the project in the Real World

My survey results were obtained from ten of my male followers on Instagram. After posting a picture on my own Instagram, asking for male volunteers to take my quick survey about fragrances, I analyzed the first ten responses. Again, I only invited men to take this survey because I wanted to obtain consumer insight among male fragrance buyers. (Side note: when it came to developing the questions for my survey, I made sure to only ask important questions that would give me valuable insight.) As a result, I was able to come to specific conclusions, rather than a generic understanding.

My first question was, “Do you believe using cologne makes you more attractive?” The results were 8/10 guys marked yes. This could mean that most men believe that physical grooming is important. In addition, it shows that appearance is factor that most men care/think about.

Another question was, “Are you more likely to purchase new cologne if your favorite celebrity/athlete endorsed the product?” The results were 6/10 guys marked yes. We live in a culture that is heavily influenced by famous people. If I were to develop a new fragrance, I would want a famous name attached to it because he/she can influence the sales of the cologne.

Another question was, “Why do you apply cologne?” Obviously, I needed to include this question to find out the reason why most men use cologne. The results are not surprising. I predicted that most men use cologne to smell good and to maintain good hygiene. Guys do not like to smell bad; at least, most guys do not like to be smelly.

One of my most important questions was, “Finish the sentence: Out of all the colognes I’ve ever owned…” This question was very important because I wanted to know if most guys brought their own fragrances or if other people bought fragrances for them. The results were 8/10 guys marked “I bought less than half of them myself”; this really surprised me because I had no idea. I was shocked to see that most fragrances are given as gifts. This information is definitely helpful because it will direct the way I market my own fragrance; it could mean the difference of including a man or woman in my advertisements.

I had to include a question about packaging. The question was, “Are you likely to purchase cologne with unique bottle packaging?” I had to ask this question because after doing some research, successful colognes are successful because they look “cool”. My results supported that concept because 8/10 guys said that they are more likely to buy cologne with unique bottle packaging. This means that I need to not only develop a great scent, but I also need to develop an awesome bottle and packaging.

With the results of my survey, I concluded to develop a new fragrance that most men will enjoy. There will be some guys who absolutely hate my fragrance, but I won’t market to them. I need to come up with a marketing plan that targets women who buy cologne as gifts for the men in their lives, but at the same time, I can not alienate the men who buy cologne for themselves. Other important factors include celebrity endorsement and attractive packaging. 

Survey Results

1.     Do you believe using cologne makes you more attractive?

A.) Yes

B.) No

Results:
80% Yes
20% No

2.     Are you more likely to purchase new cologne if your favorite celebrity/athlete endorsed the product?

A.) Yes

B.) No

Results:
60% Yes
40% No

3.     Why do you apply cologne? (Choose the best answer that most relates to you)

A.) I use cologne to smell good and to maintain good hygiene

B.) I use cologne to make a good impression

C.) I use cologne because it reminds me of certain scents from the past

D.) I don’t use cologne

Results:
60% I use cologne to smell good and to maintain good hygiene
30% I use cologne to make a good impression
0% I use cologne because it reminds me of certain scents from the past
10% I don't use cologne

4.     Where are you most likely going to buy your cologne?

A.) General drug store like CVS

B.) Huge department store like Macy’s

C.) Specialty clothing store like Ralph Lauren

D.) Luxury/High-end store like Saks Fifth Avenue

Results:
30% General drug store
40% Huge department store
20% Specialty clothing store
10% Luxury/High-end store

5.     Do you prefer colognes that are strong and impactful or subtle and unexpected?

A.) Strong/impactful

B.) Subtle/unexpected

Results:
50% Strong/impactful
50% Subtle/unexpected

6.     Do you wear cologne everyday?

A.) Yes

B.) No

Results:
70% Yes
30% No

7.     How would you describe the value that cologne adds to your social life?

A.) Necessity

B.) Essential

C.) Optional

D.) No value

Results:
10% Necessity
60% Essential
30% Optional
0% No value 

8.     Finish the sentence: Out of all the colognes I’ve ever owned…

A.) I bought more than half of them myself

B.) I bought less than half of them myself (meaning – they are/were gifts from other people)

Results:
20% I bought more than half of them myself
80% I bought less than half of them myself

9.     Are you likely to purchase colognes with unique bottle packaging?

A.) Yes

B.) No

Results:
80% Yes
20% No

10.  Out of the following word choices, which one describes your ideal cologne?

A.) Sporty

B.) Outdoors

C.) Metropolitan

D.) Wisdom

Results:
50% Sporty
10% Outdoors
30% Metropolitan
10% Wisdom

Week 5 EOC | The Web's New Gold Mine: Your Secrets

In all honesty, the article, “The Web’s New Gold Mine: Your Secrets” written by Julia Angwin, really opened my eyes. Before reading the article, I knew tracking online activity was nothing out of the norm. Of course, it happens. Practically growing up with a computer and having Internet access at a very young age, I became very familiar with technology navigation. In fact, I already knew that our online activity was always being tracked before I even knew it was a thing because whenever I type in my favorite websites into the search bar, I never have to finish typing the full web address. I can just scroll down to the first suggestion. At the time, I didn’t care because I was naïve and I always thought, “What’s the big deal? I have nothing to hide.”

However, after reading this insightful article, I realized that online tracking is a much bigger problem than I originally thought. The fact that I have nothing to hide is not the problem. The real problem is the fact that I cannot hide; I am like a sitting duck, for lack of a better analogy. My activity online is being tracked and formulated into a specific profile, so that it can be sold to different companies, whether these companies are advertisers, marketers, and any type of company that is willing to pay for my information: “The information that companies gather is anonymous, in the sense that Internet users are identified by a number assigned to their computer, not by a specific person’s name. Lotame, for instance, says it doesn’t know the name of users such as Ms. Hayes-Beaty – only their behavior and attributes, identified by code number” (Angwin).

In my opinion, I’m grateful for have read this article because now I am educated about the subject. I came to a realization that online tracking may seem harmless on the surface; however, it has the potential to become a very dangerous thing and I am definitely not okay with it.

Week 4 EOC | Chapter 6 + 7 Questions

There are many advantages and disadvantages when it comes to using secondary research. Most research products begin using secondary data because it is usually “historical and already assembled” (122); secondary data is information that has already been gathered and recorded by someone else, usually for other purposes. One of the major advantages includes the amount of time and money that is saved, compared to conducting primary research. Because the secondary data is readily available, there usually is no need to execute research again: “Obtaining secondary data is almost always faster and less expensive than acquiring primary data” (122).

Although secondary data may seem like the obvious choice, using secondary data does have its drawbacks. An example of one of the disadvantages of using secondary data includes the fact that the information is not designated to meet the researchers’ needs. The researcher must further evaluate the secondary data to make sure the information is valid for the particular project: “The most common reasons why secondary data do not adequately satisfy research needs are (1) outdated information, (2) variation in definition of terms, (3) different units of measurements, and (4) lack of information to verify the data’s accuracy” (124).

In the book, the definition of a survey is “a method of collecting primary data based on communication (questions and answers) with a representative same of respondents” (146). Now, the information gathered from using survey varies because there are many different factors to be considered. Generally speaking, surveys provide insights on consumer characteristics. It is said that surveys can be considered as snapshots: “Because most survey research is descriptive research, the term survey is most often associated with quantitative findings. Although most surveys are conducted to quantify certain factual information, some aspects of surveys may also be qualitative” (147). All in all, no data source is perfect; this is definitely true for surveys.