Victoria Nicole Smith
C E G D
OVN T ARE N
I really tried to tackle this project with a very open mind. I had visited Covent Garden a couple of times before this project, so I had a vague idea what the area was like, however I still wasn’t really familiar with it. I began my approach to the project very simply by taking images around Covent Garden and the finding simple things which inspired me about the area. I also made notes about who and what I could see, as well as what I really liked and disliked about the area. As I walked around Covent Garden, I became so inspired by all the detail of work which was incorporated into the buildings. On this visit, I didn’t really focus on any different shops or spaces available, this was purely to try and find some elements in which I could find any inspiration from. I decided to create a lifestyle store for BOSE because this would be the first of its kind. I wanted to create something different for BOSE and this brand does not currently exist in Covent Garden, allowing me to fill a gap for something new and interesting.
I knew I really wanted to in some way, incorporate music and technology into my ideas, so I started to think much smaller and think about music as brands. By this I mean, technology brands which have a relationship with music such as: BOSE and Sony. As I started to disregard my ideas, I slowly started to cross them off my list. Sometimes, too many lists can be a bad thing. I think I became so over whelmed with ideas to pick from. I started to think of my ‘umbrella’ and at this stage, I was thinking about speculation, and tourism. I also didn’t want to create another tourist area in Covent Garden; this is another reason why I decided against it.
Aims Project aims // Objectives // Concept onion Brand History Brand Future Target Audience Infographic // men’s shopping habbits // retail market // target ages Competitors Identified B + O: Who + What // SWOT of current campaign Case Study Place in Covent Garden Location 4 Piazza vs 17 Bedford Street What part does innovation play with the BOSE store? Explanation + CD Promotion SMART objectives // Sponsors Case Study The male environment, Electronic Store. Physical Evidence Advertising // Physical Evidence // Coverage Bibliography Apendix
PROJE C T A I M S Covent Garden is known for it’s mix of food and non food retailing, a different kind of location in London compared to Regent Street and Oxford street and the area sees an amazing 45 million shoppers annually. (Thompson, 2013) This will allow men to sit back, relax and watch the different product mix around the room change from So, what’s the problem? Covent Garden is drowned one place to another, showing how each product can with female’s apparel, accessories, beauty shops be set up and installed in his home, surrounded by furand boutiques, offering little to male consumer. The niture, carpets and rugs, every detail to create a warm, BOSE lifestyle store aims target male shoppers aged unthreatening environment. 27-47 years old into Covent Garden and to make them want to say in the area for as long as possible. The quality and the value of the store can be mea-
sured by the in store experience: how easy it is to move around, the level of empathy involved and how integrated the visual merchandising is with its customers. In this case, the quality of the store will be high. The visual merchandising is able to display how different products can be seen in the home, slidThe whole store will be branded accordingly and ing freely around each room. This offers some kind will be minimal in design and the shop floor will be of speculation for the customers, which other Showeasy to walk around. The store will be designed like a rooms don’t offer. The store will be easy for the male showroom and is created for the man so he can escape to get around, causing no obstacles. the busy hustle and bustle of Covent Garden, and find a place where he can go whilst is better half is busy The long-term life of this store poses no threat. Each trying on clothes and browsing. season a new team can cowme into the store and new The brand does currently not exist in Covent Garden and this will be the very first lifestyle store for the brand, bringing something new into Covent Garden and London.
products will be shown, as new products are released The level of engagement for this store is key. The they will be entered into the store. whole space has been designed around the man, making it a relaxing and comforting environment. Above all, the store offers an element other showrooms do not, sliding visual merchandising.
ENGAGING
VISUALLY APPEALING
Provides speculation for the male customer
C O N C E P T ONION
Offers more to the customer through visual merchandsing
First showroom of its kind
Creates a comfy environment for the male shopper. Giving them a place in Covent Garden where they can escape from the women’s shops.
NEW
Shows men where they can put the product mix in their home
INNOVATION
The brand: BOSE
Bose manufactures audio systems and develops sound solutions designed for applications in space programs, home audio systems, stadiums, arenas and auditoriums, department stores, restaurants and the automotive sector. Bose has operations in the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific. The company’s products are classified into the following categories: automotive systems, products for musicians, products for pilots, professional sound, ElectroForce test instruments, military application and homebuilding/remodeling solutions. Bose produces music systems for a wide range of major vehicle manufacturers, including Porsche, Cadillac, Audi, Nissan and Mazda.The company also develops suspension systems for automobiles. The company manufactures and sells professional audio products for musicians and noise-canceling headsets for pilots and aviation passengers. Bose’s professional sound systems are designed for auditoriums, hotels, places of worship, restaurants, schools, stadiums and other venues. The company’s products for the stage include speaker systems, loudspeakers, amplifiers, controllers and cards, and related accessories.
The company’s ElectroForce Systems Group provides materials testing and durability simulationinstruments to research institutions, universities, medical device companies and engineering companies worldwide. Bose also manufactures products for the military such as combat vehicle crewman headsets and other noise reduction military headsets. The company’s homebuilding/remodeling solutions include home theatre systems. The company’s key products include Wave systems, headphones and headsets, televisions, home theater systems, Bluetooth speakers, SoundDock for iPod, speakers, and mobile solutions. Bose’s research and development (R&D) center is located in Framingham, Massachusetts. The company has 10 listening rooms to design, measure and listen to loudspeakers. Bose also operates a bunker to measure noise levels of loudspeakers and an anechoic chamber for measuring speakers’ frequency response without the reflected sounds
The Future of BOSE
From the SWOT on the right it is clear to see that BOSE have many different opportunities in which they can grow as a company. Looking at competitors, also allows us to identify which ways they could grow even further. For example, B + O, and Apple, both have a magazine. BOSE could try and create something visual like this for its target market offering another dimension for its product range. It could be argued that B + O are also a more desirable brand (See appendix for responses) so maybe BOSE could look at using a more sleek, minimal approach to its designs and store. One of the biggest threats to the company is counter fit products. The electronics manufacturing industry is struggling to compete with black market, parallel import and smuggled goods. According to the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Seizure Statistics by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of International Trade, the number of IPR seizures reached 22,848 in 2012. The counterfeit trade in consumer electronics/parts accounted for 8% of the total manufacturer's suggested retail price of the seizures in 2012. China remained the primary source country for counterfeit goods, accounting for 72% of all IPR seizures by domestic value, followed by Hong Kong and Singapore with 12% and 1%, respectively. (Marketline, 2013)
S W O
Strong technological expertise in audio prodocuts. Diverse geographic presence and customer base Various types of shopping options Lack of scale
New product launches Growing e-commerce sales New store openings / launches
T
Showroom opportunities Counterfeit goods Intense competiton.
Target Audience: The outset:
I had pitched my concept to a group of 4 males aged 30 to 55, to try and get as much feedback as possible. (See appendix) Their responses to my questions became very useful as they helped me define my target audiences better and I was able to identify a competitor.
I then conducted a more structured survey online, to see what BOSE customers really did want in a their store, this helped me build my concept further with clear reasons as to why I was creating something.
The questions I asked at this early stage were really broad but I found they still helped me. I found different reports on Mintel and Retail Week, which looked at male shopping behavior, the reasons why men shop and the relationship with home electronics and style.
This is the infograhic I created to showcase all my primary research. I have produced something very visual so all the responses are clear, with small images and large percentages, making all the key information clear as possible. This survey helped me inform some of my decision making: Having free beverages for the event, I decided Carling (See ‘Promotion’ for more information). Creating a space just for men came from a discussion I had with a man and his wife. There was 100% positive feedback about the idea of showroom and the products being displayed, so I knew this was a good idea. See appendix for all the responses and answers.
My infographic
Men’s shopping habbits and the male retail market. ‘Men do not draw the same level of engagement from clothes that women do and have lower levels of expenditure. The challenge for retailers is to stimulate spending from these traditionally more reluctant shoppers. An steps that retailers can take to enhance the fun factor associated with the retail experience, for example by showing sporting events, providing in-store entertainment and refreshments or creating chill-out areas with Ipads would help to draw in male shoppers.’ (Mintel, 2012)
According to a Mintel report from January 2006 males aged 35-44 years old are more concerned about the appearance of their home and the electronics in it, these males are referred to as ‘trendies’. Young males are more likely to buy into the latest technology and females, who are in the older age groups, buy for comfort as this to them is more important than style, these women are known as ‘Comfort cravers.’ (Mintel, 2006) ‘But two generalize that men and shops do not mix just it not true. More often than not, the problem lies with retailers not making life easy enough for male shoppers.’ This is where the BOSE store will come into play, creating an easy going, relaxed store for the male consumer. ere the BOSE store will come into play, creating an easy going, relaxed store for the male consumer.
This is a statement from a report from April 2012, this is suggesting that men need to feel relaxed and at ease in their environment, if I can achieve this, I can, in theory achieve more sales and draw in more male customers. The reports are very useful because they allow us to identify the gaps in the male market and forecasts the men’s clothing sales. Although this report isn’t directly linked to technology, it’s still so important to understand the men’s market, as after all, they are my target consumer.
‘ Older men lose interest in fashion and many feel overlooked within the ‘youth- centric’ fashion arena. As the over-55s are the fastest- growing demographic, it is key for fashion retailers targeting mature men to deliver messages of long-lasting quality and traditional styling, using well-dressed older male icons in their advertising campaigns.’ (Mintel, 2012) Although the target age I have defined is not 47, this information suggests that retailers need to really target mature men to deliver messages which communicate long-lasting quality. Althought this is directed at fashion retail, I think it’s still a very important factor to consider when I am targeting to the older men.
Men’s clothing sales have risen by 12% in the last five years and reached £10.4 billion in 2012. Mintel has estimated that the men’s outerwear market will grow 11% from 2012 to 2017. Mintel have also identified that men are now becoming ‘bargain hunters’ and are purchasing their clothes mostly on sale or special offer. They suggest that males are becoming savvier shoppers and are comparing prices more before buying. Primark still remains the most popular place for men (+16 years of age) to buy clothes in 2013, with four in ten males shopping there due to its clear focus combined with an understanding of the latest fashion. (Mintel, 2013)
Target Market
Target Market
There are two different types of men who are being targeted with the BOSE store, first of all the single man. He is more bothered about the appearance of electronics in his home and has a bigger disposable income. He is 27 years old, the younger shopper of the two. He reads Esquire magazine and takes a keen interest in fashion and culture around him. He has a col. He likes to shop online and in store, he is motivated by new technology and likes to update his home regularly with the newest gadgets available. The BOSE store for him will be to interact with new gadgets, socialize and become involved with the BOSE brand.
Second of all, the BOSE store is targeting the ‘family man’. The man who goes shopping not only for escape but to explore. He is 47 years old, he knows exactly what he is going to buy and likes an enjoyable, relaxing shopping experience. This male reads GQ magazine and spends slightly less a month on technology. This man is employed and likes to surround him self with newest state of the art technology. The BOSE store to him will become an escape. A place where he can come to enjoy the newest technology alone and view all the products on offer with no stress.
Home Integration S
W
O
T
Home integration allows customers change and control every detail in their home. They are able to change music, open curtains and turn lights on and off with the touch of a button. This is done from any smart phone with the use of an app. Easy to use with smart phones and the products are all on display. Showrooms may become boring for the target market, as well as overwelming.
Havng slidng visual merchandising, allows men to watch a speculation and involes the customer more.
If he showroom is too big, people could try and steal the prodcucts.
The showrooms are built around a home, online you can pick a room and see which products are for you and in store you can test these out. With this, I felt customers weren’t able to 100% engage with the products and perhaps the experience could become a bit boring over time. Although the idea is advanced, the in store experience doesn’t offer much else then a showroom and this is where I thought something new could be achieved.
Bang & Olufsen manufactures and markets televisions, music systems, loudspeakers, telephones and multimedia products. The group sells its products through around 816 dealers globally.
Bang & Olufsen was founded in 1925 by two Danish engineers, Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen. Two years later, the group built its first production facility. The group entered into a design partnership with an Italian car designer, Pininfarina and the House of Louis Vuitton, in 2004.
Bang & Olufsen Bang & Olufsen is engaged in producing and selling audio and video products including televisions (TVs), music systems, loudspeakers, telephones and multimedia products. The group’s key products and brands include the following:
(MarketLine, 2013)
The products are: Music systems Loudspeakers , elephones, Multimedia products, Car audio products and Digital amplifier units
The following companies are the major competitors of Bang & Olufsen: Audiovector, Bose Corporation, Harman International Industries and Incorporated
CASE STUDY: Place in Covent Garden
Looking at the future of the BOSE store and the position of it in Covent Garden is very important, this case study reflects the differences and similarities between BOSE and Apple, and showing how the BOSE store could develop like Apple in the area.
Apple Inc. designs, manufactures and markets mobile communication and media devices, personal computers, and portable digital music players, and sells a variety of related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications. The Company's products and services include iPhone, iPad, Mac, iPod, Apple TV, a portfolio of consumer and professional software applications, the iOS and OS X operating systems, iCloud, and a variety of accessory, service and support offerings.
The Company also sells and delivers digital content and applications through the iTunes Store, App StoreSM, iBookstoreSM, and Mac App Store. The Company sells its products worldwide through its retail stores, online stores, and direct sales force, as well as through third-party cellular network carriers, wholesalers, retailers, and value-added resellers
The Apple store in Covent Garden attracts family shoppers and the store located there is the biggest one in Europe. (My retail week, 2013) The future of Apple looks set in Covent Garden, which attracted 440,000 visitors in its first month of opening in 2011. It drives 11% of footfall in Covent Garden and attracts 15,000 customers daily. (Lynch, 2010) To deal with the crowds, Apple has employed an extra 300 people to staff the Covent Garden branch and also introduced new payment system, EasyPayTouch, which can check customers out anywhere in the store with credit card swiping technology connected to employees' iPod touches. There are many differences and similarities to both of these Stores. First of all, we must look at where the Apple Store was located. Regent Street. A similar factor to the BOSE store as there is currently one in Regent Street too, which as it stands is the current flag ship store in London. Secondly, the Apple store in Covent Garden is the biggest store in Europe. The BOSE store in Covent Garden will be the first one of its kind of to open. Looking at the growth and popularity of the Apple’s presence in Covent Garden, we may be able to use this as an example of how BOSE may also work in the area. The same aims can be drawn of the creation and launch of the store. The BOSE store in Covent Garden also hopes to have, if not more, footfall coming in then the Regent Street store. Comparing BOSE and Apple, two competitors, could be useful to work out the not only the future of BOSE but it’s position in Covent Garden. I feel, with the massive sucsess with the Apple store, BOSE could also dominate the area.
The new BOSE store will be located at 17 Bedford Street, a current location that is for sale. The store is located here because of the size, as this allows for a lot of space for all the visual merchandising to move around the ground floor. The other possibility was to place the store in the Piazza, another location that is also for sale. This would be good for footfall as the location is very central and is close to the theatre. The footfall is a key factor for the BOSE store, however the store lacks in size and is only one floor. The SWOT below shows the strengths and weaknesses with both the locations but I feel it is more important to have a larger store for this concept because of all the space needed.
Size10,011 sq ft. 17 Bedford Street is right at the heart of Covent Garden's evolution. Just around the corner you can find the world famous English restaurant, Porters, as well as the largest Apple Store in Europe. Other near neighbours include exciting, innovative brand names such as Burberry Brit, Rugby Ralph Lauren, 7 for All Mankind and Manhattan's iconic Balthazar Restaurant & Bakery, opening late 2012.
S
The store is very large and this is a key factor for the concept to work. This store also has multiple floors and is not just ground floor. The store is surrounded by high-end stores such as Burberry and Ralph Lauren, these brands also cater for male and female customers which ties in well with the promotional event.
W A weakness could be that, this location doesn’t have as much footfall as the Piazza.
O
With this store being as big as it is, this allows for more products and sets to added.
T
The biggest threat to this store is Apple. Apple is one of the biggest competitors to BOSE. The biggest Apple Store is located in Covent Garden, so this is the biggest threat to BOSE.
The innovation process of this project has been demonstrated through the new technology inside the BOSE store. The idea came from two music videos, which showcased sliding visual merchandising. I have attached a C.D, which shows the videos, and hopefully, this can easily communicate what I’m trying to achieve in the store. Moving and sliding visual merchandising has never been done before in a store, so this whole concept for BOSE was completely new. The sliding products add another dimension to the showroom and creates a kind of speculation in the store.
Promotion
The specific aim of this promotion is to create awareness and showcase the new BOSE store in Covent Garden through an event, which will work hand in hand with exclusive discounts in the area. This will give women the chance to receive 20% off fashion stores and men will be given a BOSE card, offering them 10% off in the store on their first purchase.The event will also be sponsored by Carling. The online presence and coverage gained from opening can be measured through utilizing different exÂŹposure online and in print, as well as the footfall in the BOSE store. Sales will also be measured within the first few weeks of opening and compared to the Regent Street store.
The exclusive 20% cards will be given outw for two weeks and the BOSE store will opening in week one.
This is an extremely realistic promotional event because males and females are being targeted, however the BOSE store has been created to offer the men something new and different.
The whole promotion for the store is achievable and it will also generate sales for Covent Garden as whole and generate more footfall for the area.
The main aims for the store are to bring males into Covent Garden and keep them there for as long as possible. However, when promoting the store, it is important to also target female’s too as these are the consumers who will also be in the area and they cannot go unmissed and ignored. The idea of the promotional event is to create ‘bring your husband/boyfriend along too’ and this is where the BOSE store will step in, creating that sense of escape for the male shoppers. The whole BOSE event will be sponsored by Carling, as this will allow for free drinks upon a rival. I decided to have the event sponsored by this particular brand as they are also sponsor Sky Sports TV, and I think working with these two companies will work well for the store because of the target audience. The TV’s in the store will play Sky Sports TV and the beverages available will be Carling. There will be two weeks in Covent Garden that will offer an exclusive 20% off shopping for women’s retail stores. Within this week, the BOSE store will launch and will hold an event for its grand opening. Females will be given a 20% off Covent Garden card and will be given one as they leave the tube station. The card may only be used once and can be used in the following women’s retails stores: Accessorize, Aldo, AllSaints, Calvin Klein, Cos, Dune, H&M, Kurt Geiger, Levis, Mango, Monsoon, Next, Nicole Farhi, Oasis, Reiss, Ted Baker and Zara. The card will encourage women to shop and stay in the area and men will all receive a 10% off card at BOSE, giving them a discount on their first perchase in store.
CASE STUDY: The male environment, Electronic Store.
The BOSE lifestyle store is designed to create a ‘man’s world.’ The final design of the store is based around three factors: Environmental Factors, social activity factors and gender identity factors. (Pellegrin, 2009) These can all be changed to suit the retail environment and the BOSE store adopts them all to ensure a good retail experience for the male customer.
Environmental factors: Comfort: Casual furniture, ‘classy’, wood finishes and soft/dim lighting, comforting. Spectacle: Televised Sports, products are prominently displayed and switched on. Ease of entry: Welcoming, open doors and windows.
Gender Identity factors: Male centred: beer and sports, men are primary audience. Machismo: Men observe themselves in mirrors
Social activity factors: Welcoming: activity defined and interactive. Interactive: Customers are encouraged to engage with the products, customers are encouraged to engage with performers. Activity defined: Technology as ‘reactive toy’, drinking and paying for women’s attention.
The Sports bar and electronic store are made up of each of these characteristics (above), and they each play a role in what makes a male feel comfortable, which is ultimately the experience they want. This kind of environment is about man and machine; customers can explore the miracles of modern technology and glory in their genius mastering them. (Pellegrin, 2009) They are able to try, play and test the different product offerings in the store. The purchase happens when they’ve decided that without it, they will be hopelessly outdated. (Pellegrin, 2009) Like an expensive watch, technology speaks to the modern man who wants to embrace the marvels of engineering.
The BOSE store offers a unique spectacle, moving visual merchandising. Men are able to sit back and relax and watch the spectacle changed around them, men are also able to plug in their own music deceives into the speakers around the store, making it interactive. There will also be free alcohol beverages on offer, something extra for the customer and Sky Sports TV on the television sets. BOSE stores have a minimalist feel to them, with different product offerings on show to encourage the use of engagement, the seats facing the visual merchandising, create comfort within the store. The stores create an ultimate play land where shoppers can interact with the products and easily watch other customer’s try out the different equipment. The apple stores interior is spare and clean, much like the BOSE lifestyle store, there are no claustrophobic aisles and no cluttered signage. The seating area off the store allows men to plug in their own smart phones and listen to them through the BOSE equipment.
Advertising
The Evening Standard reaches an audience that are influential as well as being affluent. From the corridors of Westminster to the heart of the City, the Evening Standard talks to opinion formers, setting the agenda for the capital, providing insight and comment on national, international and regional news through the focus of London.
Official Covent Garden website.
XTP is a 2m high x 3.7m wide High Definition projection across the track on to white vinyl on the facing platform wall.
79% of Londoners have looked up something or purchased a product as a result of advertising on the Underground. People spend around 3 minutes on the platform engaging with cross track adverts and 13 minutes absorbing adverts inside the Tube carriages. (cbsoutdoor)
Physical Evidence The physical evidence can be measured by the amount of people who enter the store. The footfall should increase month by month. However as this is a new store; the amount of people will be measured against the Flagship store in Regent Street. The amounts will be compared and this will give an accurate reading to prove if the aims for the store have been met. If the aims have been met the Covent Garden store figures should be higher than the Regent Street stores. Ultimately, this concept store is to attract male customers into Covent Garden, so if males are coming into the store, the aim has been achieved. DILAX is an official program which allows consumers to read accurately the amount of footfall. This is a brand new technology system in its self. The programme has many other positives to offer retail stores such as, the need for staff training, merchandising, pricing and special promotions.
The retailer or shopping centre manager can actually track movement of customers between different areas of the stores or centres whilst queue management, occupancy of specified areas and dwell times can all now be measured. This level of information has not previously been available using traditional people counting systems. (PRLOG,2013) This new innovative system pioneers a number of new technologies and capabilities, including access to real-time data and a greater range of measurements tracking customer movements through the store, and will deliver significant benefits to the retail sector. (PRLOG, 2013)
The footfall has been measured against the Apple Store’s first month of opening in the area. The Apple store had 200,000 people in the store in the first month and now has 20,000 people daily. Apple have 35 store in the U.K and BOSE have much less. I took the figure from Apple’s first month divided it by more than half to give me a real estimate of how BOSE will do.
Coverage These are the magazines, which will feature the new store. They are appropriate for my target audience because of the readership age.
‘For more than 50 years, GQ has been the premier men’s magazine, providing definitive coverage of style and culture. With its unique and powerful design, work from the finest photographers and a stable of award-winning writers, GQ reaches millions of leading men each month. The only publication that speaks to all sides of the male equation, GQ is simply sharper and smarter.’
Median Age 44.3 Median HHI $82,500 Education - Graduated College+ 48%
‘Esquire.com — the leading men's lifestyle website — is Esquire in real time, with 85% original content, including blogs, original videos, interactive features and tools, contests and polls. Few websites possess the wit, influence, or unique cultural voice of Esquire. Driven by men's passions and curiosities, it ignites and illuminates the lives of our readers.’
Bibliography: PRLOG (2013) DILAX Launches New 3D People Counting System At RBTE. . [Online press release] At: http:// www.prlog.org/12088445-dilax-launches-new-3d-peoplecounting-system-at-rbte.html (Accessed on 10.11.13) Retail Week. (2013) Analysis: London Covent Garden’s approach to successful retailing - UK – April 2013 [online] At: http://academic.mintel.com/ sinatra/oxygen_academic/my_reports/display/ id=590005&anchor=atom#atom0 (Accessed on 10.11.13) Lynch, R. (2010) 'Apple brings healthy glow to Covent Garden.' In: London Evening Standard [online] At: http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2009/jun/15/tracey-emin-drawings-white-cube (Accessed on 10.11.13) Chacksfield, M. (2010) In pictures: Apple Store Covent Garden.' [online] At: http://www.techradar.com/news/ computing/apple/in-pictures-apple-store-covent-garden-707859 (Accessed on 10.11.13) Pellegrin, Bertrand. (2009) Branding the Man: Why Men are the Next Frontier in Fashion Retail. U.S: Allworth Press MarketLine. (2013) Bose Corporation [online] At: http:// advantage.marketline.com/Product?pid=1459C60F-495644AC-8EC7-96E012B4422D (Accessed on 4.11.13 MarketLine. (2013) Bang & Olufsen A/S [online] At: http://advantage.marketline.com/Product?pid=1459C60F4956-44AC-8EC7-96E012B4422D (Accessed on 1.12.13) Completely Retail. (2013) ‘17 Bedford Street’ [online] At: http://completelyretail.co.uk/media/property/41649/ CR_HS_41649_17_Bedford_Street_Covent_Garden_ London_WC2_London_brochure_1.pdf (Acessed on 13.11.2013) Mintel. (2013) Menswear - UK - March 2013 [online] At: http://academic.mintel.com/display/638035/?highlight=tr ue(Accessed on 10.11.13) Mintel. (2006) Impact of Fashion on Electronics in the Home - UK - June 2006 [online] At: http://academic.mintel.com/ display/175431/?highlight=true (Accessed on 10.11.13)
Market Research: I really wanted to get different male points of view on the brand Bose. I asked two men aged 45 years old and 55 years old to see what their views were and what motivates them to shop. Males are my target audience, the age, at the moment is still very broad, however I am hoping with my different responses from my questions I can start to think about a specific target age. Saturday 19th October, 17:55. What do you think about Bose? John: I’ve personally never used or bought a Bose product before, but I’ve heard they are the best. Apparently the quality is very good, maybe the best you can get. Chris: I don’t own anything by Bose, I think Bose is okay, yeah. But if I was to choose Bose or another leading brand, I would pick them. They are the ones everyone wants. What information did I gain from this small conversation? 1) Competitor 2) The brand perception. What motivates you to shop, John? John: I hate shopping. I only ever go unless I have to go. If I can see something which looks similar to what I need, I’ll buy that instead. So, if a brand you loved and were interested in, had a new launch store, would you go? Chris: If I was invited, then yes. Absolutely. I don’t think I would if it was just word of mouth. I want to be invited personally. What do you want to see? Chris: Everything! I’d want to see all of it. Everything they had! What do you think motivates males to shop? John: Free stuff. If men think they are getting something for free, then they will go. Chris: I agree, if a man thinks he might get a free pint or something then they will go. Nygel: If you’re trying to get a male to go shopping then women are always a good idea. Women, football and pints. Chris: and Cars John1: And comics. What about electronics and technology? John1: Absolutely. My brother in law is crazy about them. He’s single and his whole house is all state of the art. He’s all up to date with the newest equipment. Big surround sound with the telle, all of that kind of stuff. John: Electronics, girls, pints and cars. All of them things and you’re onto a winner. --
John 1: When I go shopping with the wife, I hate having to wait for her to try things on. Covent Garden, I think, is very much targeted at families so I think something for the dad’s would be great. Changing rooms are so boring and they’re never comfortable. When the wife tries something on, I look for the nearest pub or café. John 1’s wife: John tends to get very bored when we go shopping. But if men think they are getting something for free then they’ll do it. They are also more likely to part with their money when they are drunk too. John 1: If there’s a store which had free teas or coffees or something, we’re more likely to go there. PEER DISCUSSION: Abby Lake: My dad would defiantly go there! He’s always looking around for places for him to go when we go shopping. Gill: Oh my dad would basically live there! He’d love that.
Online Survey (Results and responses
Each Bose product is meant for a particular purpose, which may or may not be suitable for a given room. For example, the soundlink is great in the bathroom and the sounddock 10 is great in the living room, but not vice versa. I wouldn’t want to have to make another trip back to the shops to take something back that did not go. It terms of size and set up , how unobtrusive some speaker systems could be, after all women generally don’t like living rooms being taken over by ugly speaker systems, as such having somewhere,whether it be a computer sim or a actual mock up living room , would be a bonus Being able to use a program to set up a home system would be a winner Most people are quite particular and need to see examples or scenes in order to make their minds up I like to be able to imagine feeling comfortable at home with nice things around me.
What makes a terrible shopping experience for you?
Would you like something to see and do? If so, what?
Nowhere to get a good lunch.
Equipment demos
Poor customer service.
Demo's
Cramped claustrophobic shops, crying kids, crowds clothes and Christmas all add up to one great big bloody nightmare
Movies trailers on hd screens being played on the best surround sound speaker systems in store
Queuing and being skint ??
Try out different Bose sound setups using my personal music
Time People getting in my way who don’t know what they want
I think enough choice exists in the area already
As I can not visualise products until they are installed
Having no interesting things to look at and buy.
TV with motor sports on and sitting area that you can try diffrent products out in comfort
I’d like to able to have a vision of where the different products can go in my home and how they would look, as there is a lot of product, offering this would help me a great deal.
Walking round for hours with someone who is window shopping and just likes to go through all the racks !!!!
I'd like to be able to test the products out in store before I buy.
the wife does most the shopping but visualising it as your home would make it easier for men, as we struggle have an eye for style and what would look good. Yes! I’d to be able to see where certain speakers/sound systems would go yes it will give me a better idea of what the product will look like and give me a clear idea of what it would look like Yes it would make the buying process even easier for me.
Waiting around, unorganised shops, slow service, unhelpful shop assistants. rude sale assistants Bad customer service, boring store and unable to get around quickly and easily. waiting too long to be served diffuclt service, uninteresting stores.
something interactive you could play on Something to see and touch. Anything which will keep me entertained. yes something interactive maybe not sure, anything that is engaging.