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.