INTRODUCTION
The aim of this report is to explore the improvements that can be made to the Next website in order to bring more traffic to the site and also drive online revenue. Through the use of both primary and secondary research it has become clear that this goal may be achieved by adjusting three specific features on the site. These include improving the functionality, rearranging certain pages in order to improve the design and also using higher quality imagery of clothing and accessories. As Next functions through a variety of different platforms these improvements to the e-commerce site shall ensure that Next provides a seamless experience through all of their channels. From an in store observation it also became clear that the in store service is extremely customer focused. Therefore, adding these features to the site will ensure that the website reflects this and would encourage users to feel more engaged with the site and also valued as a customer when they shop. Moreover, this report shall determine how Next can implement these features to their site and how this will go on to drive sales through the desktop website.
METHODOLOGY Primary research has been a useful tool in finding out what Next consumers perceive of their online shopping channels. A survey of 80 respondents was carried out via social media. This has been very beneficial to research around this topic as it produced a large variety of responses from a range of different ages, genders and professions. As the survey was shared via social media it also produces responses from people who are frequently using the internet and often use the internet for recreational purposes such as online shopping. Furthermore, the survey displayed how many people are shopping online with Next and signified what can be done in order to get this number increased. The results illustrate that out of eighty responses only thirteen percent are actually shopping online with Next. Moreover, the purpose of this research was to find out exactly what Next can do to increase traffic to their website in order to drive online revenue.
What channel did you use to make your purchase 100 0
By featuring both open and closed questions on the survey this produced qualitative and quantitative data which has been very useful with regards to consumer perceptions of the brand. For example, when asked to describe their online shopping experience with Next, the words ‘simple and easy to use’ appeared most frequently. Although this is positive for Next it would be more beneficial for them to make the site more appealing and more of an enjoyable shopping experience with features that stand out and differ from what other retailers are doing. The survey also uncovered that out of all online retailers, 82% of respondents picked Asos as one of the three sites that they use to online shop with. Evidently there are factors from this site that Next could adapt onto their site for example a wish list, easier navigation and catwalk videos which display items of clothing and shoes, in order to improve user experience and therefore drive online and drive revenue.
METHODOLOGY
An in store observation carried out in a Next store has also provided insight into who the general Next consumer is and what they are buying. From going into a Next store and carrying out an observation for two hours, results from this primary research illustrated that a majority of in store shoppers were aged 30+ and that they were frequently in there buying work wear, casual wear and also shopping for their children. This also displayed that many customers do take advantage of the ‘deliver to store’ function where they can come into Next and can collect their online orders without a delivery charge. The information gathered from this is extremely useful as it provides insight into who the Next consumer is and therefore uncovers what features with regards to Next’s online channels can be improved in order to enhance their shopping experience.
Furthermore, a vast amount of secondary research has also been carried out with regards to trends in the online shopping market and also consumer attitudes to online shopping. Forums and review sites such as ‘review centre’ and ‘site jabber’ have been particularly useful as they provide real life reviews from people who have shopped online with Next before. Social media such as; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have also been useful platforms as again they enable the public to gain an insight on what shopping with Next is like and also what level of customer service they provide. From visiting review forum sites immediately what was striking was that a number of experiences consumers had shared about shopping with the Next website were negative.
METHODOLOGY Secondary research displays that some of the most frequent problems with the Next site are issues with delivery and therefore customers not receiving their goods on time. Also the above image displays that the search tool is not as developed as it could be and therefore this particular user was looking for a ladies’ suit but was not provided with what she needed, ‘I tried various combinations to look for a suit, but it mainly came up with options for men and boys!!’ Clearly this is something to be taken into account in order to improve user experience on the Next website.
WHERE IS NEXT NOW?
BRAND MISSION
‘To be the natural choice retailer in the UK for fashion aware men & women who expect style, distinction & quality from their clothing. (Reference for business, [online] 17/01/17)
BRAND HEALTH - The NEXT retail chain was launched in February 1982 and the first store opened with an exclusive coordinated collection of stylish clothes, shoes and accessories for women. Collections for men, children and the home quickly followed. (Next plc, 2016 [online]) - Next now trades from more than 500 stores in the UK. - The Next directory was launched in 1988 and then online shopping was introduced in 1999 and the entire directory became available to shop from the internet. - Next strives to continually improve customer service for example they offer a number of initiatives for exmple next day delivery to home for ÂŁ3.99 which is at a cheaper rate compared with a majority of other competitors. They also provide free next day delivery to store. - Sales in January 2016 increased by 3% as the Next annual report highlights. - Next has an extremely high brand awareness for example from primary research, survey results indicated that 100% of respondents have heard of the brand. - However with regards to social media they do not have as large of a following in comparrison to some of their main competitors. For example on Instagram they have 422,000 followers and 1, 790,228 likes on Facebook. Whereas Asos has 4,531, 893 likes on Facebook and on Instagram they have an impressive 5.4 million followers.
WHAT ARE THEY DOING ONLINE AND OFFLINE?
Next stocks a number of third party brands online and they also sell a selection of Lipsy products both online and in store. In 2001 they introduced ‘Next flowers’ which is an online flower shop where consumers are able to purchase flowers, gift cards and a selection of wines. They also provide next day delivery on these products ordered before 8pm. With regards to social media Next runs through a variety of platforms for example Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest, where they promote products and engage with their demographic. On the Next website they also feature a #sharewithnext section which enables users to upload an image of their favourite Next products and use this hashtag in order to get a chance to be featured on this page of the website and also provides them with an incentive to be entered into a draw with the chance to win £100 to spend online with Next. This section also enables users to shop from that page by clicking on the images, this is an extremely useful feature as it gives a quick shop option and it is also likely to be a strategy that increases sales, as consumers are able to see items displayed on real people.
SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths 1) Adaptability is a key strength within Next as the company has evolved over the years in order to suit their consumers needs and keep up with their competitors. This was achieved by providing a next day delivery service enabling buyers to receive their products at a much faster rate. Evidently ‘actions such as this have helped the company create a trusting atmosphere with their online service, which is seen by Miyazaki and Fernandez (2001) as one of the biggest difficulties in online retailing.’ Therefore by creating an atmosphere of trust Next has gradually built on customer loyalty in order to increase their volume of sales.
Weaknesses 1) The Next website is not as up to date and advanced as their competitors. For exmaple they lack in certain visual elements, such as the image quality of clothing items. Competitors such as Asos also provide a catwalk video showing items which provides consumers with more of a feel for the items as opposed to just seeing a selection of images, which is more likely to encourage them to purchase.
2) The Next ‘fresh flowers’ section is something unique that their competitors are not doing.
Next is also keeping with the need for immediacy of online shoppers and they provide a next day delivery service on orders before 8pm for their fresh flowers.
Opportunities 1) Having discount codes on the website or potentially emailing consumers speical promotions every so often is an opportunity Next could take into consideration as it is likely to drive online sales. This is something that many other succesful online brands such as Missguided and Asos frequeny do. This offers consumers an incentive to go on the site and have a browse and therefore this is likely to drive sales. 2) An another opportunity would be to promote sales more through social media such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter in order to drive traffic to the site.This may also enable Next to appeal to new markets such as a younger demographic as it is this generation who are most frequently
using social media.
Threats 1) A major threat is the highly competitive retail market. As fears of a post EU referendum recession rise this means that people will be more selective with how they are spending their money. Therefore potentially causing a downfall in retail sales. 2) Another threat is the saturated online market as Next face the threat of intense competion from other retailers. Consumers are able to search many other sites for particualr items and often they are likely to go with the cheapest option. Therefore this is something that may affect Next’s volume of sales.
Key issues and challenges (SWOT) Overall, Next is a highly successful organization with a loyal consumer base as shown through their large number of sales and high brand awareness. However, their first weakness is the fact that their website is not as technologically advanced as it could be in comparison with some of their key online competitors such as Asos. For example some of the visuals use on the site are not clear and this may be a reason for discouraging consumers to purchase from the site. The images on the right have been taken directly from the Next website and they signify how this particular top has not been portrayed in the best way. The visuals captured by Next show a white top on a white background which makes it difficult to see what the top actually looks like. These poor quality images may be a reason as to why sales on the website are not reaching their full potential. As the Next 2016 annual report illustrates how a larger profit is made in store as opposed to the online. The third image has been taken from the #sharewithnext section of the site and this is an image which has been uploaded by a customer to their Instagram using the Next viral hashtag. Clearly this image is much clearer, aesthetically pleasing and demonstrates the product in its best light. Therefore, a key issue that Next faces is the lack of good quality imagery. Another challenge identified by the SWOT analysis that Next currently faces is competing in the saturated online market. Now competition online is increasing and consumers can often find what they want on multiple websites with similar price points. Therefore, it is essential for Next to provide their consumers with a unique and enjoyable experience on their site. The key would be to make the site run as efficiently as possible and offer users a personalized experience, in order for Next to increase their conversion rate.
PESTLE ANALYSIS
Political
Economic
Social
An article by the Telegraph quotes‘shopping is no longer our country’s favourite past-time, eating out is.’ (Armstrong, A. The Telegraph [online] 21/01/17). Evidently people are now changing the way they spend their disposable income, chosing to have the experience of eating out over purchasing clothes. This backs up the fact that due to Britains choice in 2016 to leave the EU, many retailers are now in danger. Fashion retailers especially are most at risk as they buy a large amount of goods overseas and pay in dollars, meaning that they will be faced with increased import coss. This is a key issue that may potentially affect Next directly and the products that they sell online. The Rana Plaza incident that killed over 1,100 workers in Bangladesh left consumers more conscious of the fact that it is their responsibility to be aware of where exactly our clothes are produced and who by. Therefore it is evident that in our current society a key macro trend has become ethical fashion. There have been many issues in the past and still today with regards to the use of sweatshops and brands producing garments unethically. Next is one of many brands that do ensure they trade ethically, as they state in their corporate responsibility handbook that ‘92% Next of products are produced in factories with the acceptable audit rating of 1-3.’ (Next plc [online], 21/01/17).
PESTLE ANALYSIS
Technological
Legal
Environmental
The advancement of technology has gradually changed the way we shop, therefore this factor is highly likely to affect a companys performance. According to statistics, shoppers now make 51% of their purchases online, compared to 48% in 2015 and 47% in 2014. (Farber. M. Fortune [online], 21/01/17). Therefor this is a factor that Next must take into consideration as its essential that they keep up with other successful online retail giants such as Amazon and Asos.
Privacy and data collection is an important issue for online retailers, for example before sending marketing emails and messages is it essential for the business to first collect contact information from customers and potential customers. Therefore its essential to have a selection box that users can click when they sign up to agree to the businesses privacy policy. This is a factor that Next must ensure they comply with via their online channels.
Next recognises the current trends in consumers and governements encouraging businesses to reduce their carbon footprints. This is important as consumers are becoming more aware of the implications that this has for our environment. Next state that they have successfully reduced their electricity consumption, ‘we have exceeded our target to reduce consumption by achieving an overall reduction of 36% since 2007.’ (Next plc [online], 21/01/17). They have also reduced their carbon footprint by 33% since 2007.
High quality service
On trend
BRAND PERCEPTUAL MAP
Essential
Poor quality service
Aesthetic website design/layout
BRAND PERCEPTUAL MAP
On trend
Essential
Poor website design/ layout
BRAND PERCEPTUAL MAP
With regards to the quality of customer service Next is placed midway on the first perceptual map, the reason being that some of their online competitors for example Amazon and John Lewis are much more widely recognised for providing outstanding customer service. As an article by the Telegraph ranked Amazon as the top retailer out of 50 for providing the best customer service. Secondary research also found that a number of consumers had turned to review sites such as ‘review centre’ in order to express their dissatisfaction with Next’s online service. A key issue was found to be problems with delivery and that a number of customers had not received their orders within they time frame they should have. As delivery is a crucial part in the online buying process this is a key issue that Next would need to address, in order to become better known for excellent online service. The second perceptual map signifies that Next is perceived to be more of an ‘essential’ and staple brand as opposed to brands that are more on trend. With regards to this section Next’s main competitors appear to be John Lewis, Wallis, Debenhams and House of Fraser. On the other hand, from analysis of the Next website on both desktop and mobile, it is evident that the design and layout is not as aesthetically pleasing as some of their closest competitors for example Zara and Asos. Therefore, this is something Next can improve on in order to produce a larger influx of sales.
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS Research has displayed that a few of Next’s most significant competitors appear to be Marks and Spencer, John Lewis and Debenhams. In relation to product type these highstreet brands all have in common the fact that they stock a variety of men’s, women’s and children’s wear and also a selection of homeware. Evidently the type of products sold by these brands suggest that they all aim to appeal to an older demographic aged 25-44. Online, some of Next’s direct competitors are brands such as Amazon, Asos and Ebay. All of which are hugely successful online retailers. Asos strive to provide extremely high class customer service which one of the reasons why they have such a large volume of customers, their 2016 annual report illustrates that they currently have 12.4 million active customers as opposed to Next falling behind them with 4.6 million directory customers. In their 2016 annual report Asos highlight four key features of their business model as indicators for their success, these include; great fashion at a great price, being awesome on mobile, providing engaging content and a great consumer experience and also providing high class service. Evidently all four of these factors are features that Next could take into consideration in order to improve user experience on their website. In February 2016 Asos introduced a loyalty scheme named ‘ASOS A LIST’ as a thank you to their loyal customers. This works by providing customers with points each time they shop and this enables them to work their way up to different levels. This then gives them access to special benefits such as birthday discounts and free next day delivery codes. Asos express that the A LIST ‘gives customers a much richer experience of ASOS and allows us to thank them for their loyalty, deepening the relationship they have with us.’ (ASOS annual report, [online] 21/01/17]. Evidently this is something that is improving user experience on the Asos website and is something that Next could introduce on their site in order to provide users with an incentive to shop on the Next site more frequently.
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS This graph highlights that another one of Next’s key competitors, Amazon was ranked at number one of the top fifty retailers by website traffic. One key factor which has contributed towards Amazon’s success is the fact that they have recognised the consumer need for speedy shipping. ‘It has kept accelerating its delivery – from 48 hours, to next day, to the evening of the same day.’ (Simpson, P. Supply Management [online], 21/01/16). Next is keeping up with Amazon here as they do also provide a next day delivery service, however their service is not yet as advanced. John Lewis, Marks and Spencer and also Asos have also beat Next here in the ranking another key factor may also be down to the visuals on the website. This particualr graph highlights how consumers are shopping online. Evidently Amazon again is the leader in website traffic on smartphones and tablets. However Next has not made the top fifteen here and this may suggest that they could improve the usability and visuals on their app in order to drive their sales revenue through these devices.
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS: Website design
The Asos annual report portrays that they currently have 12.4 million active users. The purpose of this website design analysis is to uncover the reasons as to why and how they have such a large consumer base and what steps Next can take in order to achieve this. Immediately what is striking about the Asos homepage is the bold use of colour, captivating layout and easy navigation. The large ‘view women’ and ‘view men’ buttons are also features that make user experience simple and efficient, which is essentially what users want. Primary research also uncovered that some of users favourite features of the Asos site is the ‘good design’ and the fact that it is ‘easy to navigate.’ Also the fact that Asos advertises ‘Free delivery worldwide’ in large capital letters is another method of enticing users to make a purchase and also improves their user experience as all the important information they need to know is placed clearly in front of them and they do not have to search for it. On the other hand, an online article quotes that the main factor regarding Amazon’s success lies within the ‘fast and easy checkouts, and in making the customer the heart of the shopping experience by allowing the site to be customised.’ (Mayne, p. Creative intent [online], 21/01/17). Evidently personalization is a key element with regards to the success of any online retailer as when a consumer makes an account with a site they want to feel that the shopping experience is tailored to their unique personal preferences. On the other hand, similar to Asos, Amazon also features easy navigation and a well laid out homepage. There are also two features on the homepage which are highlighted so users can easily and efficiently log into their account. In comparison to Next another key success factor of Amazon is that they provide a seamless shopping experience across their app, mobile site and desktop site. Primary research also found that one respondent highlighted that the Amazon app is ‘very easy to use.’ Which also highlights why the brand is so successful.
TARGET CONSUMER Both primary and secondary research have uncovered that Next’s target consumer consists of males and females aged 28-44. However, their advertising strategies are most often targeted at women and they tend to steer towards marketing themselves as more of a feminine brand. This is evident with regards to the cover of the Next directory over the years, as you can see from the selection of images here. The homepage of the Next website also indicates a female target market, as its currently tailored to displaying women’s work wear. Clearly women appear to be their most important target market. Therefore, the assumption is that Next’s demographic is women who are often buying for themselves and their families. As Next has a large children’s wear selection, it is often women who are come into store and shop online for their children. This fact was uncovered through an observation in a Next store. The Next product range features high quality, contemporary pieces which are affordable to the company’s middle class target demographic. In 2008 Next purchased the young fashion brand Lipsy, which was previously stocked at other trendy retailers such as Topshop. Evidently this suggests that Next is also steering towards appealing to a younger demographic of 18-25 year olds.
WHERE DO WE WANT TO GET TO?
OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEXT Areas of growth: Research has suggested that there are a number of key areas of growth for the Next desktop website. Firstly the brand needs to narrow their focus and adjust certain features on the website which will enhance their target consumers shopping experience with Next. As research has suggested that their demographic is aged 28-44, this is somebody who is likely to have a full-time job and therefore have a lack of free time. In order to drive sales online Next needs to make the user journey more efficient and tailored to the consumer. Therefore this would improve the functionality of the functionality of the website. Secondly, another idea for growth would be to imrprove the design of the website, this could be done on specific areas such as the pages where items are displayed in full, since at the moment these pages appear slighly cluttered. Thirdly the brand could move forward and grow through being more interactive and using their customers as part of their website, this could be done through incorporating user generated content onto the site in order to represent Next clothing. This is something that many highly successful online retailers are doing for example Asos, Topshop and Burberry with their ‘Art of the trench’ campaign. This is something that Next already does with their #sharewithnext hashtag, however they would benefit from moving this to an area on the site which is more visible and more likely to grab the users attention.
The next part of this report shall uncover and explain how next can implement these three marketing strategies onto their online desktop website and what implications this will have for the brand and also how this will improve user experience via the Next website.
MARKETING STRATEGY PLAN: How are we going to get there?
IDEA 1: Favourties option Objective To implement a favourites button feature onto the Next website allowing users to save items to a virtual list which they can later access, the items will be saved to the list for thirty days however this does not mean that the stock will be saved for this period. This will improve the functionality on the site and therefore drive revenue. The success of this will be measured via the number of sales being made and how many customers are making use of the feature. Hypothesis Enabling users of the Next website to save items and add them to a favourites list which they can come back to and access at a later time is an essential feature of a commerce site. This will achieve a higher level of sales on the site as it almost enables users to pick up where they left off. A virtual favourites list may also remind users of products they may have previously forgotten about and therefore may entice them to make a purchase next time they visit the site. The success of this strategy will be clear when the online sales figures rise. Target audience Primary and secondary research has identified that the generic Next consumer is perceived to be a woman aged between 28 and 44 who is often buying for herself and her family. As this is generally somebody balancing a fulltime job and being a parent, the user is often extremely busy and doesn’t have a lot of spare time. This feature would make shopping online with Next a seamless experience as it provides the consumer with a platform to keep all the items they are interested in, in one place. An online survey displayed that ‘49% of parents plan to shop for back to school supplies on their computers, while one out of three will shop on their smartphones and tablets.’ (SOSTOA. 2008 [online] 21/01/17). This figure is interesting as it includes a majority of typical Next consumers. Therefore, introducing a favourites list is likely to enhance this specific groups experience on the site making it more straightforward and efficient. Success metrics The success of this idea shall be measured by the number of sales made on the website and therefore Next will be able to track how many people are making use of the favourites option and how this is affecting sales. Secondly social media will also be a useful tool in measuring the success of the favourites option. For example, Next would need to measure traffic across a range of platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the search bar to discover what user perceptions of this feature is and whether or not this is something they are frequently using.
IDEA 1: Favourties option - Jen - 38 years old - Primary school head teacher - Full-time mum ‘As a consumer, I want a website with great functionality so I can easily purchase items online.’ - Jen is looking online for a new winter coat. - She grabs her tablet and types Next into the google search bar, she immediatly scrolls across the dropdown menu and clicks on coats. - Jen scrolls through the hundreds of coats that appear on the site. - She narrows down four coats that she likes and also believes are partical for her early morning travel to work in the cold weather. - Jen is prompted to log into her next account so she can then click the ‘favourties’ button allowing her to save the four coats to a virtual list. - Jen is then able to have a look at the list and make a comprisson of which coat is the most pratical and best value. -Once she has decided which coat she likes the best Jen then goes ahead and makes the purchase. Benefit to the user: Having the feature of a favourites button which also allows the user to have the items they like saved to a virtual favourites list is highly beneficial as it makes the users shopping experience seamless and efficient. It enables the user to have a platform where they can compare different items that they like and then decide later what excactly it is they want to purchase.
IDEA 1: WIREFRAMES
IDEA 1: Favourties option Final design
IDEA 1: Timeline for implementation
IDEA 2: Re-arrange layout on item pages Objective To increase online revenue via the Next website and improve user experience by rearranging the layout on the item pages. This will be measured by success metrics such as the bounce rate and the amount of traffic on the site at any given time. Hypothesis Having a clear well laid out website is essential to providing a straight forward, positive user experience on the website. This would produce a higher level of revenue and drive more traffic to the website. Which would be measured through engagement metrics for example the time spent on the site, conversion rate and how many pages were viewed per visit and how long users are staying on the site for.
Currently the pages displaying items appear significantly cluttered and there are too many different items on the page at once, which is likely to distract users from the reason they came onto this page in the first place. Therefore the design on this page needs to be made more logical and have a better flow.
At first glance it is very clear that the Asos site is much cleaner and well laid out. Therefore this reccomendation suggests that it would be neccessary for Next to make a slight change to their pages and have the ‘style with’ section across the bottom instead of the side. This leaves more focus on the product that the user originally intended to view and makes the site more aesthetically pleasing.
IDEA 2: Re-arrange layout on item pages
Target audience The 28-44 aged Next target consumer is likely to benefit from the simplification of the layout as the Next target consumer is perceived to be someone who doesnt freuquently shop online and prefers to make purchases instore. For example ‘millennials, those consumers aged 18 to 34, remain the key age demographic for online commerce, spending more money online in a given year than any other age group. They spend around $2,000 annually on e-commerce. This, despite having lower incomes than older adults.’ (Smith, C. Business Insider. 2015 [online] 21/01/17). Therefore improving the layout is likely to appeal to an older consumer and instead of overwhelming them with content they are more likely to chose to shop online with Next more often. Success metrics Firstly website traffic will be analyzed through google analytics in order to provide a snapshot of how many people are using the site and whether or not it has increased and also how long they are staying on the item pages for. Secondly the conversion rate will be looked into in order to uncover if sales are increasingl.
IDEA 2: Re-arrange layout on item pages - Jen - 38 years old - Primary school head teacher - Full-time mum
‘As a consumer, I want to shop on a website with a great design, so it is easy for me to navigate around the site.’ - Jen is browsing on the Next website via her desktop computer for a birthday gift for her husband. - She is looking through the shirts she finds one that suits her husbands taste and so she clicks on the item. - She adds the item to her shopping bag, naturally she scrolls down the page and notices the ‘style with’ options. - So she adds the suggested pair of shoes and jeans to her shopping bag also as she knows these are items her husband will like. - Jen then goes to her shopping bag and makes the purchase Benefit to the user: Adjusting the desgin of the item view page is beneficial to the user as it provides them with a seamless and straight forward shopping experience. The layout of a website is crucial to the success of it as ‘94% of users first impressions are design related.’ (Laja,p. ConversionXL. 2014 [online] 21/01/17). Therefore by making the page clearer and less cluttered users are more likely to spend more time on the site and are also likely to return to the site. Therefore a logical structure to the site improves the journey users take on the site.
IDEA 2: WIREFRAMES
IDEA 2: FINISHED DESIGN
IDEA 2: Timeline for implementation
IDEA 3: UGC positioned on item view Objective - To meet the objective of adjusting the Next website in order to drive online revenue, by providing better imagery on the site. For example incorporating user generated imagery from the ‘#sharewithnext’ page onto the main item display page. Results from the success of this will be collated via tracking the conversion rate. Hypothesis - Using images of real consumers on the Next website in order to portray items of clothing will drive sales of clothing and accessories and also enhance the experience that users have on the site as this enables them to view products in more detail. The success of this will be demonstrated when sales increase by at least 20%. Social media will also be an important metric when measuring this as Next will also be able to measure how many people are using the #sharewithnext hashtag and how many users are submitting images directly via the website. Success metrics Tracking the conversion rate via google analytics in order to display if this has increased the rate of sales. Furthermore Instagram traffic will also be measured, which would show whether or not there is more engagment with the ‘#sharewithnext hashtag.’ As consumers notice that their images could be on one of the main pages they are more likely to engage with this.
The #sharewithnext section would be designed in a similar was to the snapshot of the Asos #asseenonme items. The image on the right features the womens tailored jacket as the item that is currently being viewed. Therefore a snapshot of images taken from the #sharewithnext section would be displayed at the bottom of the page in a horizontal row. This provides the user with an alternative view of the product. They are able to see how it looks on real people not just on a model.
This area is where the selection of images from the #sharewithnext section would appear.
IDEA 3: UGC positioned on item view - Jen - 38 years old - Primary school head teacher - Full-time mum
‘As an online shopper, I want to be able to view a good selection of imagery before I make a purchase, so that I know exactlyhow the item looks.’ - Jen is searching online for some new work wear via the Next website - She is immediatly enticed by the ‘workear redifined’ header on the homepage so she clicks on to this. - Jen notices a pair of grey work trousers which aren’t of her usual style. Usually Jen would go for her safe option of bootcut trousers for work but these ones are a cropped tapered fit. - Whilst she contemplates Jen scrolls down the page and notices the selection of images displayed at the bottom taken from the #sharewithnext page. - She clicks on this and notice an image of a customer wearing the trousers who is of the same hourglass figure as herself and notices that they suit the lady well and are styled extremely well and look great on. - Jen is sold by the trousers and adds them to her cart and goes on to make the purchase. Benefit to the user: Improving the imagery on the site is highly beneficial to the user as it enables them to have a clearer of view of what items look like and also how they can be styled. Often websites fail to provide a true representation of an item and what it would look like on a real person as opposed to a model. User generated content is also useful as it enables users to see what certain products look like on different body shapes.
IDEA 3: WIREFRAMES
IDEA 3: FINAL DESIGN
IDEA 3: TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION