EOC Week 8 Graphing Questions

Interesting way to posts graphs that make it easier to gain the information at a glance.  This information is more readily available for people so that they are not bogged down with the details of content but just want only the facts. Also, an easier way to analyze gross content information as it is relative to the interaction between the cells.

Week 7 EOC Final Project Pitch

The store I would like to do my survey with is Charming Charlie’s.  Sydney the store manager is my point of contact at the Fashion Show Mall location.  We had a scheduled meeting for last week however she had the corporate officials come in last week so we had to reschedule our meeting for this week.  I would like to interview her as to what challenges she would like to overcome with her price points and how we can increase her point of sale in the already successful store.  

Right now the store is divided up by color and the color family which can sometimes create tunnel vision with the customer.  Corporate lays out all of the stores, so that all the stores are the same and you can go in any store anywhere in the United States and it looks and feels the same. This means that the store manager has no control over the layout of the store.  Everything is sold by its prospective color.  It is my proposal that the sales associates learn to better coordinate color and the items so that they would be able to increase their sales.

This would be a training issue with the sales associates and possibly learning or cross training coordinating colors and which colors look best or compliment additional colors.  This would help to promote diversity in the store with different color associated with accessories and different looks that could be combined in different coordinating colors. For instance if someone were to purchase a purse with a pink and yellow flower pattern the sales person would not only be able to coordinate pink and yellow but possibly add green to the mix because of the green foliage behind the flowers, thus making the color combinations of yellow and green along with green and pink as well as pink and yellow and this would give the customer several different looks as well as increase the individual sales

EOC Week 6: Deeper Meaning of the Film Big

In the first part of the film there is a situation set up where the characters are talking with each other about the company and what is going on with the direction of the company as a whole.  This is an important scene not because of what is being said but because of what is going on behind the characters.  You can see that they are in a room with a two way mirror and they are supposed to be observing the children playing with the toys behind them. This would be considered direct observation. “Direct observation can produce detailed records of what people actually do during an event. The observer plays a passive role, making no attempt to control or manipulate a situation, instead merely recording what occurs. Every effort is made for the interviewer not to interject him- or herself into the situation” (Zikmund & Babin, 2010).  The important thing to remember is that even though there is no intervention on the viewer’s part, this is not an accurate sampling because the conditions are controlled meaning that the children only have a limited amount of toys to play with, which is why the toy company is not getting the accurate information it needs to be successful in the market place.

Soon after that scene we see Josh in FAO Swartz playing with another adolescent boy.  Josh gets shot with a laser gun and enacts his death on the floor of the toy store. Josh soon realizes that he is being watched by the president of the toy company he is now working for and gets embarrassed as he stands up to have a conversation with him.  The president of the toy company soon comes to the realization that Josh would be an excellent candidate for contrived observation. “Most observation takes place in a natural setting, but sometimes the investigator intervenes to create an artificial environment to test a hypothesis. This approach is called contrived observation. Contrived observation can increase the frequency of occurrence of certain behavior patterns” (Zikmund & Babin, 2010). The president sets up an office where Josh can play or evaluated the toys that are in production to gain a better understanding of how successful the toys will be once they reach the market place and are sold to the general public.

What did you learn? From your project? From class discussion?

EOC Week 6

What did you learn? From your project? From class discussion?

This project gave me a deeper understanding of how people think and react to different scenarios like packaging.  Although, my product was not based on traditional guidelines for fragrances because of my target demographic, I did come to the realization that packaging has more to do with the success of a product as opposed to the price point for this demographic.  I also gained a better understanding of the different types of questions based on the classes’ questions and how their information was gathered and defined.  That information changed the outcome of the report that was done.

The class discussion brought to light several different scenarios that changed my thinking on the product image.  I think the most impactful point brought up was the example of the salad bowl.  The grocery store does not sell the single serving size salad in a square bowl even though it would be more convenient to store an item in a square container.  Instead they sell the single serving size salad in a round bowl because that depicts the image associated with eating the salad.

My project was based on a great idea and concept but I put too much into the cost instead of the story and the packaging of the project.  In defining the packaging it gives the consumer a bigger image of the product projecting a story of the wearer to associate and connect with.  In the event that I did create this fragrance I would use a small atomizer instead of a canned fragrance like a deodorant.  The canned fragrance would have been associated with a lower price point like something that could be purchased at a grocery store of drug store which is not where I want to be.  In the future I find that it would be helpful to not only work in a group, because of the information you can piggyback off of but, it gives you a broader base of information because not everyone asks the same sample questions.

 

 

Survey Results

1. How many bottles of perfume do you own?

50 % as many as 12 bottles – 5 different fragrances.

50 % few as 3 bottles – 2 fragrances

2. What income bracket do you identify with?

            (0-25,000)     (26,000-42,000)      (43,000-58,000)     (59,000-75,000)     (76,000+)

80% declined to answer this question and the ones that did answer were in the 43,000-58,000.

 

3. Which outdoor sport do you prefer?

(Beach and water sports)  (Hunting, camping and fishing)  (Pool and backyard activities)  (None)

Beach and water sports with write in on Canoeing, Waterskiing, and Hiking.

 

4.  Do you wear perfume because?

            A. it makes you feel sexy

            B. it covers up body odors

C. it helps attract the opposite sex

            D. you enjoy the fragrance

Every person surveyed circled all of the above.

 

5.  What perfume or cologne do you currently wear?

Angel; Issy Milgake?; Dark Kiss; Light Blue; Euphoria; Lovely; Eternity; A Cqua di Gioia; Cool Waters; and Warm Vanilla were just a few of the most popular.

6.  Why do you like that perfume?                        

 Some of the write in answers were as follows: Makes me feel rich; makes me feel sexy; Makes me happy; I want people to associate that smell with me; I get recognized for my perfume; I like the attention I get when I wear perfume.

7. How often do you apply fragrance?
a.) once in the morning- this was 50 % of my answers
b.) 2x daily- 25% responded with this answer
c.) morning & night- 25 % responded as this was their first choice.
d.) only night 

8. You prefer a scent reminiscent of:
a.) true love - this was the number one answer at 70 %
b.) summer - this was the last choice at 10%
c.) home - no one like this answer.
d.) faraway lands - this came in second at 20 %

 9. Which clothing store would we be most likely to see you in?                                      
Banana Republic; All Saints; Black Market, White House. ; Anne Taylor Loft; Aeropostale; The Limited; Everything but the Water; bebe; J Crew; Zulily; and Zappos.

10. If you were offered a free designer brand perfume, which would you choose?

Angel; Lovely; A Cqua di Gioia; Cool Waters; Light Blue; Euphoric; Eternity; anything by Michael Kors; anything by Calvin Klein and anything by Coco Chanel or just Chanel.

Fragrance Project: Analysis of the Project in the Real World

Analysis of Survey Results:

     The following result were obtained from ten woman surveyed between the age of thirty-five and fifty-five years of age. My findings were as follows: The average woman could own as many at 12 bottles of perfume and usually no less than 5 different scents.  Most common was the scent of vanilla followed by the fragrance comments such as fresh scent and, light and fresh summer smells: most women in that category did not know what particular smell that made up the fragrance of light and fresh. Those woman usually associated that with the category of a scent reminiscent of "True Love".  Finally the next most popular were the light floral and citrus fragrances.

     The purchases can range from anything purchased at a bath and body store at a price point of $15.00 which was the highest purchase point location. Then followed by a fine retailer like Macy's or Niemen Marcus, which was the purchase price point of usually no more than $125.00. None of my survey individuals purchased fragrances at Target, K-Mart or Walmart.  

      The survey confirmed that women are active and do enjoy a variety of outdoor sports that do sometimes include water sports and they do not have any type of convenient aerosol fragrance that can be applied while at or involved with outdoor activities and that this was a desirable venue for a fragrance. 

      There was also indication that most women associated with a thought of what they wanted not so much as the fragrance its self, for instance the number one reminiscent fragrance was "True Love" followed by "Far Away Lands" and no one wanted the reminiscent scent of "Home".   It showed that women associated with the thought or feeling evoked by a fragrance not so much as what the actual fragrance was its self.

      Fifty per cent of the women surveyed said that they only apply fragrance in the morning while twenty-five per cent applied morning and night and the other twenty five per cent said they applied their fragrance twice a day.  No one only applied at night.  All of the women surveyed answered that they like wearing their fragrances because it makes them feel sexy, covers up body odors, attracts the opposite sex and they enjoy their fragrance. 

Fragrance:             

      Based on the empirical findings of the survey the fragrance will have a 'True Love - Tropical" feel to it, comprised of a top note of tuber rose, a middle note of vanilla bean and a base note of orange blossoms and lime. In adding caffeine it will give the wearer a slight energy boost when sprayed on the skin. This will be created as an aerosol eau de toilette, designed to be a summer fragrance that can be carried in a beach bag. The image of the fragrance will be a combination of the true love and tropical faraway lands.

Marketing Plan:

       As most women in the survey indicated that they shop in smaller mid-range retailer like Banana Republic and Everything but the Water.  I feel that the target purchase point demographic will be well suited for surf and beach wear stores along the coast and at tropical destinations such as Hawaii and the Caribbean.  The aerosol will be sold accompanying a bathing suit bag made of soft blue denim.  When in the stores this will be an impulse purchase so all displays will be counter top displays designed to be located next to the registrar.  The display will be an iron stand designed to hold the bathing suit bags with the aerosol fragrance inside the bag.  To date there is nothing in the market place created for active women.  My slogan for the add campaigns will be, "Just out of the blue" signage and adds will have a picture of a woman carrying a surfboard coming out of the ocean.  These adds will be placed in Women's Fitness Magazines, Facebook, and commercials on the weather channel.  Co-op will be available to retailers as well.

 

 

 

Marketing Plan and Hypothesis

Hypothesis:

          I am creating a fragrance designed for the famine market to cover-up the smell that you get when you have gone in the water either at a pool or swimming in the ocean or lake. I believe that consumers will embrace this untapped market because of its originality.  Women can be self-conscience about their smell especially if they are on a date or meeting friends. This aerosol fragrance will not only make them feel refreshed but give them a sense of confidence no matter what they will be doing after their outdoor activity.

Customer Targeting Market of Demographic and Psychographics:
Segmented Population Target    

         The following demographic and psychographic profiles have been divided up into three sub-categories for better clarification as to the target markets and marketing opportunities that will be most beneficial to reaching the desired results. This research has been provided by Experian Marketing Services in conjunction with Simmons Consumer Research for the focus of this study. My first Tipping Point Segmentation of the population are the: Connectors, Mavens, Salespeople and Innovators.  While all four of the segmented populations would qualify as excellent resources of this fragrance, the two that would be best are Mavens and Innovators. “Mavens are more recognized by their peers as reliable information sources who give the facts and Innovators are those people that are in at the birth of a new trend or idea and have a tendency to embrace things that can set them apart from their peers.” The Maven and Innovatory would be able to embrace the new high end statement that is facilitated by the wearing of a fashionable specialty fragrance  as well as influence their friends to see the benefits of the high end fragrance for their friend’s as well (Tipping Point Segmentation System, 2015). The next category is the Simmons Retail Shopper Segmentation System, this is broken down into six categories which include: Just the Essentials, Status Strivers, Mall Maniacs, Upscale Clicks and Bricks, Virtual Shoppers, and Original Traditionalists.   This demographic populace was chosen to tap into a higher disposable income while still addressing the image conscience individual.  The top pick for this category are the Status Strivers. “Status Strivers are motivated to maintain not only their image but their projected image which would fall under the type of fragrance used.  Shopping is fun to them, a recreational activity. These men and women buy things because they can image is everything to them”, (Simmons Retail Shopper Segmentation System, 2015). Finally looking at Economic Outlook Segmentation System to get a better understanding of households spending habits and viewpoints about the economy. There are five different subcultures which include: Confident Spenders, Fiscally Fit, Financial Nesters, Financial Challenges, and Economically Indifferent.  The segment of the population that would be targeted in this category would be Confident Spenders.  People that have a “confident attitude about the economy and their situation. They are usually more inclined to make those high end impulse purchases. Generally those are the people that are always buying the next new car and they are very conscience about their image”, (Economic Outlook Segmentation System, 2015).

 

 

Week 5 EOC: WSJ

After reading this article I am appalled that this it is legal to mine information to that magnitude from my computer. “As a group, the top 50 sites placed 3,180 tracking files in total on the Journal's test computer. Nearly a third of these were innocuous, deployed to remember the password to a favorite site or tally most-popular articles” (Tsuei, 2010).  I do not believe for one minute that the information is kept anonymously. “Lotame packages that data into profiles about individuals, without determining a person's name, and sells the profiles to companies seeking customers” (Angwin, 2010). If this company has this much information about me and the location of where I am it also knows who I am and where I live along with how I pay my bills.  Is there nothing that is private anymore? Do these people know when I use the bathroom and how many pieces of toilet paper I use?

First it was the phones and having legal access to everything we say. Now I can see where this is all going, before you know it they will be mining information on our computers just like these so called marketing companies. “Tracking files get onto websites, and downloaded to a computer, in several ways. Often, companies simply pay sites to distribute their tracking files” (Angwin, 2010). Who knows how long it will be before the IRS has access to this information.  When is my privacy going to be protected as an individual, who is watching my back?  How long will it be before they use this information not only to manipulate us but worse to control us? It’s like that movie “The Net” with Sandra Bullock.  If you are not afraid you should be because all of this data can be manipulated to the benefit of someone else.

EOC Week 4 Primary and Secondary Research

Projects often will begin with secondary data because the information was already gathered for another purpose by someone else on another project. Secondary data is historically sound and already assembled which saves time and money. This data does not require additional access to subjects or research respondents and it is often considered quantitative research. There are many sources of qualitative data that exist as well.

“The primary advantage of secondary data is their availability. Obtaining secondary data is almost always faster and less expensive than acquiring primary data. This is particularly true when researchers use electronic retrieval to access data stored digitally. In many situations, collecting secondary data is instantaneous” (Babin & Zikmund, 2010).

One of the biggest disadvantages of using secondary data it is not specifically for the purpose in which you are using it. So, the important thing would be that the researchers must ask the relativeness of the information in the research study that is being used.  Here are some of the questions a researcher would ask himself in evaluating the secondary data being used:

Does the data apply to the following, population of interest; time period of interest; correct units of measurement; is it relevant to the research being done; does it cover adequate details and does it have validity and evidence of reliability?

Surveys are a very important part of information gathering. A survey is a method by which primary data is collected for primary research.   This is done through the communication of questions and answers with a sampling of representatives or respondents, meaning the people that ask the questions. “Surveys gather information to assess consumer knowledge and awareness of products, brands, or issues and to measure consumer attitudes and feelings” (Badin & Zikmund, 2010). Marketing surveys usually have many objectives only a few gather a single type of factual information.  Most questions included are; demographic information; product development questions; product use and desirability; media exposure and advertising messages.

In conclusion you can understand why there is a difference in primary research and secondary research along with its practical uses.