P O LY VO R E
Le o n i e S c o t t M a r ke t i n g Re p o r t FM3025 Wo rd C o u n t : 9068/7,686
MY FEED
CONTENTS
TRENDING
SHOP
CREATE
Abstract
Page 3
Methodology
Page 4
Lit Review Introduction
1.0
2.0
3.0
1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4
SMART Objectives 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5
5 IT’s
3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5
4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4
Page 5
5.0
Product
login
Page 17 - 19
5.1 App Features
6.0
Price
Page 20
7.0
Place
Page 21
8.0
Promotion
9.0
People
Page 27
10.0
Persuasion
Page 28
11.0
Conclusion
Page 6 - 8
General Background The Rationale The Proposed Solution Anticipation of the Conclusion Page 9 - 10
Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Timed
Page 22 - 26
8.1 Campaign plan 8.2 Media plan 8.3 Budget
Page 11 - 12
Get It Do It See It Feel It Share It
Market Segment
4.0
sign up
Market Overview Market Segmentation Target Customer Competitors
Page 13 - 16
Page 29 - 30
11.1 SWOT
Bibliography Appendix
Page 31 - 39
ABSTRACT
Page Women
The campaign reflects Polyvore's commitment to their customer who wants to create online fashion collages with images to discover brands, and interact with other fashion and beauty lovers. This brand extension of an app is a unique opportunity to connect with their customers desires and wants within their own clothes and wardrobes. The brands natural instinct is to promote and persuade customers to buy trendy clothes; which they can continue doing through a new source containing a more personal approach to the women’s market. Aiming to target loyal and new users, this Polyvore campaign offers affordable professional fashion guidance. Personal stylist allocated to each customer will take their existing clothes and mix and match new fashionable outfits accessible to customers through digital collages. This campaign will be available at the start of the Autumn/Winter fashion line.
Men
Home
Polyvore Personal Stylist App
P O LY VO R E
Search
3
METHODOLOGY
Page Women
The purpose of the research was to discover why a gap in the digital market for women’s fashion world exists. Findings justify that women have an issue when it comes to storing clothes within their wardrobes, and as a result, a call to action has emerged. Therefore, a new technology based art direction can be offered to solve this issue and in turn, increase the brand's popularity. A comment from Sue Leeson, a spokesman from the QVC shopping channel, sparked initial research. A survey she distributed explained that “women from London are the nation’s top hoarders, with an average of more than £300 worth of clothes lying unworn in their wardrobes” and that “17 per cent are hoarding particular styles in the hope of a fashion revival.”(1) Indicating an opportunity for brand expansion in helping women with their wardrobe problems. Primary research was collected via a direct conversation with women, as this method confirmed whether the statistics worked for the right Polyvore target market (Appendix 1). As research progressed it delved further into the mind of the customer; multiple surveys were sent out to collect relative responses and used to indicate the effect of a new personal stylist app. Mintel (2011) concentrates on the fact “more than a quarter (26%) of women buy new clothes once a month, and monthly shoppers are most likely to be aged under-45 and in the C1 or C2 socio-economic groups.”(2) The market research company’s stance suggests there is a financially secured target market that tends to spend uncountable amounts of money on clothes. Continuing this thought “four out of nine of the women polled (44 per cent) admit they are hoarding clothes that they will never wear, and one in 10 believe that they 'spend too much money' on clothes.”(3) The working class market will benefit the most from this type of accommodating app; however, there will be a high demand and even higher expectation once the app is downloaded. Findings suggest it is within a woman’s nature to look fashionable. This female characteristic provides brands with the perfect reason to capitalize and release new products frequently. Investigation into the e-commerce and social media markets signify a large amount of competition. Upon understanding the promotional aspects of each brand a gap emerged in the market for a more personable connection with consumers. The available gap is slowly filling up as social media allows users to share intimate thoughts and photos. This finding is supported by the statistic that social commerce platforms acquire “37M visits, which convert into 529k e-commerce orders”.(4) To compete with social media e-commerce brands need to widen their platforms making apps available for handheld devices. Ofcom’s 2015 communications market report illuminates “two-thirds (66%) of UK adults now own a smartphone, using it for nearly two hours every day to browse the Internet, access social media, bank and shop online.” (5) Therefore, this establishes the next best way for the brand to grow and appeal to a wider target audience. It will generate a stronger connection with existing and potential customers.
Men
4
Home
References (1) Poulter, S. (2011) In every woman’s closet, 22 items she never wears - and the guilty complex that stops them clearing wardrobes out. Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1350447/Women-waste-1-6bn-clothes-Guilt-prevents-wardrobe-clear-out.html (Accessed: 10 January 2016). (2) How Often Women Buy Clothes (2011) Available at: http://academic.mintel.com/display/579930/?highlight#hit1 (Accessed: 14 February 2016). (3) Reporter, D.M. (2015) Half of women can’t throw away clothes that don't fit. Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3233241/Half-women-t-throw-away-clothes-don-t-fit-hope-lose-weight-wear-items-again.html (Accessed: 1 March 2016). (4) Inc, S. (no date) Which social media platforms drive the most sales? [Infographic] – Shopify. Available at: https://www.shopify.co.uk/blog/12731545-which-social-media-platforms-drive-the-most-sales-infographic (Accessed: 6 April 2016). (5) Ofcom (2015) The UK is now a smartphone society. Available at: http://media.ofcom.org.uk/news/2015/cmr-uk-2015/ (Accessed: 6 April 2016).
LITERATURE REVIEW The conclusion of both primary and secondary research helped gain an insight into which marketplace suited this campaign. Secondary sources also aided the initial idea and confirmed the rationale for the app. The initial research attempted to discover as to why women possess the demand for fashionable clothing, and if a gap existed in the app market to accommodate their needs. Further research set out to find a new brand extension. Several aspects were analysed including how competitors may affect the process, how the app could connect to the end user, and if it will be as effective and appropriate in today’s fashion conscious world. Highlighting the women’s market, “more than six in ten people (61%) are already watching what they spend although they might not always stick to it. This statistic conveys a prime market that would be responsive to ways which help limit spending levels.”(6) Indicated here is a taxing demand for how much money and time women devote on clothes, whether purchasing them or putting an outfit together. Mintel estimates that “the women’s fashion market will grow by 22% between 2013 and 2018 to reach £30.4 billion, as women’s confidence increases on the back of a recovering economy”.(7) Mintel’s findings suggest that women’s everyday fashion routines will grow in importance. They need to adopt a comfortable routine and learn from errors before the market growth overwhelms them. The gap in the market emerged from Mintel’s ‘Issue and Insights’ in the women’s wear sector. The organisation stated: “Retailers are increasingly looking to use technology to help consumers’ better judge whether garments will fit without them having to try them on. They are using virtual fitting rooms and solutions provided by companies such as Fits.me, Metail and Dressipi”. This generation is digitally savvy, as a result, customers will feel as if they are more influential, being able to closely interact with certain brands that have modified themselves to fit a more wanted purpose within the fashion market. With a demand to improve the businesses sales instead of giving self-assured guidance to the customer, they instead sell to Polyvore who will fill these requirements. Expanding the brand improves customer satisfaction and communication. These two factors then help build a loyalty and trustful nature between both company and consumer. Adopting this technique should improve the overall app and shopping experience for the end user, encouraging them to buy again via this brand. Mintel’s research provides a perfect insight into the fashion world touching upon e-commerce markets and women’s functioning concentration around clothes. Even though Mintel covers a wide range of statistics, other networks and print outlets are used to fill in the research that will shape this strong promotional campaign. The research collected from print industry’s included The Daily Mail, The Telegraph, and The Guardian. Even though these references provide less reliable statistics they still create a connection with the target market of today’s real woman. With a creative perception into the thought process of a women’s wardrobe, these facts structure an effective drive of inspiration to gather further relatable research. Numerous sources helped back up this app campaign providing data that related to the business and target market. Through a comprehensive analysis of the research, this report identifies current and future campaign ideas. Ensuring the campaign plan is reliable; all factors within the report are based on genuine statistical evidence gathered. Studied proof of the women’s wear market gives the proposed future framework of Polyvore's app extension.
Page Women
Men
5
Home
References (6) Mintel group Ltd (2011) Consumer Budgeting Habits Budget Shopper. Available at: http://academic.mintel.com/display/575258/?highlight#hit1 (Accessed: 6 March 2016). (7) Issues and Insights (2014) Available at: http://academic.mintel.com/display/704964/?highlight#hit1 (Accessed: 14 February 2016).
1.0
INTRODUCTION
Page Women
1.1 General Background
“Every woman's wardrobe is part active and part inactive.”(8) Women have clothes that they wear frequently and clothes that collect dust. Countless items of clothing are deemed no longer fashionable or in the eyes of the beholder were worn too many times. The fashion world has not yet tackled this issue or provided forgotten garments a lifeline. This report, therefore, proposes to build upon the business model of a well-established company in the online fashion. Polyvore’s reputation and access to both customers and a wide range of influential brands make it the perfect fit. Polyvore is a community-powered social commerce website, where customers have the chance to create fashionable image collages called "sets". These sets can then be shared with fellow users. This provides the opportunity for users to either showcase their creativity or to gain inspiration from fellow users’ fashion insights. This service, however, does not allow users to simply share the contents of their existing wardrobes and therefore the problem mentioned above still exists. The website caters for fashion needs and wants, and aims to provide brand customer service and satisfaction. The brand has created an app more suitable for today’s trendy woman. The creation of a Polyvore app will aim to fix this ever-increasing issue by adopting a simple approach to styling advice. Through an online digital platform, it will offer users the opportunity to showcase the content of their current wardrobes with fashion experts. The allocation of stylists to users will be based upon fashion preferences, thereby offering a personalised shopping and styling experience which women will be unable to find elsewhere.
Men
6
Home
References (8) Brownie, B. (2015) Why we keep clothes we never wear. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/costume-and-culture/2013/aug/05/why-we-keep-clothes-never-wear (Accessed: 27 February 2016).
Page Women
1.2 The Rationale
Men
7
Home
References (9) Johnson, T. (2015) Polyvore: Why personalized social shopping Apps matter. Available at: http://www.cpcstrategy.com/blog/2015/03/polyvore-personalized-shopping-mobile-app/ (Accessed: 16 February 2016). (10) Bosomworth, D. (2015) Mobile marketing statistics 2016. Available at: http://www.smartinsights.com/mobile-marketing/mobile-marketing-analytics/mobile-marketing-statistics/ (Accessed: 18 February 2016). (11) How Often Women Buy Clothes (2011) Available at: http://academic.mintel.com/display/579930/?highlight#hit1 (Accessed: 14 February 2016).
Polyvore gives customers a unique way to find new fashion and beauty items in various brands and lets them purchase them. “The goal of the e-commerce site is to put the phrase, “I have nothing to wear” into extinction by connecting an online community of style enthusiasts, shoppers and retailers.”(9) It offers the promise of saving money while still looking fashionable within the trendy seasons. The company offers a new and beneficial app with unique styling qualities to assist a matured woman. Polyvore is using visuals in a technological approach to improving interaction with women. When talking about customer preferences Nielsen states that ”89% of their time spent on media is through mobile apps” (Smart Insights). (10) The brand already appeals to a wide market and with a fresh app introduced it will further enhance the brand’s reputation via customer satisfaction and loyalty. The rationale behind this campaign is to drive traffic and improve mobile and social offerings, as well as widen its reach to a mature women’s market. Mintel states: “Monthly shoppers are most likely to be aged under-45 and in the C1 or C2 socio-economic groups” and “four in ten (39%) women aged over 55 go clothes shopping every few months. This highlights that older women are still interested in looking good”. (11) With Polyvore being bought by Yahoo, they drive user engagement through focusing on “four areas — mobile, video, native advertising and social — which it calls Mavens”. Reaching out to new forms of promotions, they need to continue this forceful battle with “the competition from Google and Facebook.” (12) Without the stress of trying on several of outfits before every night out, women can find a suitable outfit choice by the click of a button. “Women aged under-35-years-old are twice as likely to search for fashion online than wander around the high street” (Mintel 2014)(13), showing the difficulty of having the time to find the best-suited outfit for everyday use. “Four out of nine of the women polled (44 per cent) admit they are hoarding clothes that they will never wear” (Daily Mail)(14), proving women need assistance arranging their wardrobes as well as their everyday outfits, otherwise clothes will be classed as waste and only kept for sentimental purposes.
(12) Bennett (2016) Yahoo buys fashion website Polyvore. Available at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-news/Yahoo-buys-fashion-website-Polyvore/articleshow/48305703.cms (Accessed: 10 February 2016). (13) Issues and Insights (2014) Available at: http://academic.mintel.com/display/704964/?highlight#hit1 (Accessed: 14 February 2016). (14) Reporter, D.M. (2015) Half of women can’t throw away clothes that don't fit. Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3233241/Half-women-t-throw-away-clothes-don-t-fit-hope-lose-weight-wear-items-again.html (Accessed: 1 March 2016).
Page Women
1.3 The Proposed Solution.
The company’s solution continues to support customers by letting them discover outfit ideas on their website and additionally in their own wardrobes. Users will be able to style their own looks with products they love from the world’s top brands and retailers. Customers can get involved through importing actual clothes, creating new Polyvore outfit boards, planning in advance what to wear, discovering new makeup and hair tutorials, learning about sizes and figure shapes, and most importantly saving money. Upcoming trends can be accessed with fashion inspirations alongside the help of a personal stylist, allowing the customer to get the most out of their wardrobe.
1.4 Anticipation of the Conclusion This report continues into research into women’s wear market. It will consider how women of certain age groups will express their opinions on the new app and whether or not this will be beneficial after all. New promotion techniques will bring Polyvore out of the shadows and create brand awareness for customers who have never heard of such a website, and intrigue them into purchasing the app. The competition will come through e-commerce sites, social media and networking as well as Google. The brand will profit from such an app with its customer satisfaction, as well as the paid income of the app once purchased. Word of mouth through sharing boards on social media will help the brand identity connect with women of all generations. This report will take the reader through how the company plans to promote this campaign to their consumers.
Men
Home
8
2.0
SMART OBJECTIVE
Page Women
2.1 Specific
Men
9
Home
References
Polyvore personal stylist app is designed to provide customers with a more sustainable approach to their existing wardrobe, by reusing and making the most out of the clothes they already own. This is an opportunity for customers to save money, without the majority of the target market paying “£90+ a month on clothes” (Appendix 2). Formulating customers to have fun and be imaginative with outfits they haven’t appreciated in a long time, alongside inspiration through the subscription of a personal stylist who brings new outfits to life.
(15) Perez, S. (2013) How do you break into iPhone App store top 50? Try 23K free daily Downloads, 950 paid, or $12K in daily revenue. Available at: http://techcrunch.com/2013/06/27/how-do-you-break-into-iphone-app-store-top-50-try-23k-free-daily-downloads-950-paid-or-12k-in-daily-revenue/ (Accessed: 11 April 2016).
By increasing brand awareness through new promotional techniques to reach out to a more appropriate age group of the end user and via social networking. Doing so encourages customers with increased sales that go through Polyvore, among sufficient brand advertisements and links to retailer’s websites. Promoting YouTube makeup and hairstyle artists with suggestions/tutorials within the app, building a reputation for both artists and the brand, encouraging more promotions though YouTube connections. Enables customers to access everything they need and want by a click of a button.
2.2 Measurable The campaign will be measured by the amount of downloads of the app, active users and app position in the charts against competitors. Statistics data and the analysis of sales will also show how many customers sign up for monthly subscriptions. Sources from a “mobile app analytics firm Distimo, based on research performed during the month of May 2013 aimed at discovering what it takes to break into the App Store’s top Free, Paid, and Grossing charts. An iPhone app needed 23,000 free downloads per day to reach spot number 50 in the top Free charts and for paid applications, that number was 25 times lower, at 950 downloads”. (15) Also with the more accounts that share their ‘Sets’ through social media accounts will help verify the success of the apps exposure. Prices will be dignified among the volume of women who purchase through links to Polyvore's e-commerce site.
Page Women
2.3 Achievable
Men
10
Home
References Polyvore
Polyvore is a global community of stylists and a social website that drives sales to the retailers. Due to the success of the brand with the “average basket size across retail partners over $383, which is higher than other leading social networks combined”, (16) makes the budget for the concept and campaign easily obtainable. Backing up social media and the identity of Yahoo, promotion of this app will be essential for the success of the campaign.
(16) Polyvore, Service, T. of and Policy, P. (2016) Polyvore. Available at: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/about (Accessed: 1 February 2016).clothes-never-wear (Accessed: 27 February 2016).
2.4 Realistic As the company already own two fashion related app, branching out into a third won’t be challenging. However, they will be branching out with personal stylists as the main focal point for promotions, which is different to their usual expression of allowing customers do it themselves. Instead, Polyvore needs to encourage consumers that stylist will be incredibly constructive with their time, outfit purchases and styles appropriate. This will be a challenge, however, the app and campaign will be created in-house (by both Polyvore and Yahoo).
2.5 Timed That app will be launched in an appropriate time for the autumn/winter collections and weather conditions. This will prepare customers before they go out shopping for woolly hats and scarves, where they can start making the most of the app and their old clothes. The date of when Autumn starts is 22 September 2016, this will be the campaign launch date. This late date will give Polyvore plenty of time for research, design and promotions to be taken care of. Time taken to meet the objectives, prior to the advertisements promoted, will be defined within 6 months – 1 year to see results accurate through each season. Promotions will be launched the same time as the app, otherwise, the time the concept comes around people would have forgotten about it and moved on to the next interesting app.
Search
3.0
5 IT’s
3.1 Get It
Page
3.2 Do It The app will encourage customers to be bold with their outfits and feel more comfortable when they know what they are wearing looks fashionable. With the aspect of a personal stylist to aid customers into the latest trends as well as inspiring the target market to get involved and be creative with their own wardrobes. Alongside, service into hair and make-up tutorials will make consumers feel poised and beautiful whenever they leave the house. By targeting this age group, it will help them understand the trends of today and future crazes.
Communicate the unique service of the personal stylist, and how the concept will be beneficial to the target markets wardrobe collection. Once customers recognize how to work around the app and through taking advantage from the personal stylist, they will realise how easy it is to become the fashionable artist they have always wanted to be.
3.3 See It
Endorsing this fresh and beneficial app, Polyvore will make their target market aware by generating a focal point through various promotion techniques. The brands awareness can attract the primary and secondary existing customers, which will be directly marketed through above and below the line advertisements.
11
Page Women
3.4 Feel It
Men
Home
App Description
Connecting the customers with their own personal stylist, who understands their fashion needs and wants. Aiding the target market to feel more in control of their wardrobe and appreciate making the most out of purchased clothes, which may have been impulse buys.
Search
P O LY VO R E
Polyvore Personal Stylist Polyvore
GET Details
Reviews
Related
Description Polyvore helps you discover outfit ideas, style your own looks and shop products you love from the world’s top brands and retailers -- it’s fashion inspiration you can buy! Now you can take these inspirations and get the most out of your closet, Polyvore wardrobe will help you curate your closet and get more out of what you own!
3.5 Share It
Import your actual clothes, create new Polyvore outfit boards, plan what to wear, discover new make up and hair tutorials, learn about your figure, save money from buying more clothes and be assisted by a profecional stylist. Available for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. FEATURES • CLOSET: add images of your own clothes • BACKGROUND REMOVAL TOOLS: cut out your clothes for easy collaging • LAY OUT OUTFITS: layer and resize clothing on a free-form canvas • OUTFIT SHUFFLE: shuffle your closet like a deck of cards to reveal new outfit ideas hiding in your closet
To help promote word of mouth, this is an efficient way to connect with the target market, and to get new generations aware of the product. Consumers acting like a media channel, by sharing their own wardrobe mood boards and personal stylist tips, will endorse the campaign and brand identity, but also their own fashion sense. Polyvore already high in the share it aspect, with the main forms of promotion being their website, blog, e-mail, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
• PERSONAL STYLIST: ask for profecional help to help create outfits you may have never thought of before • NO LIMITS: add unlimited clothing, accessories and inspirations to your outfits • CALENDAR: plan what to wear in advance • POLYVORE SHOP: mobile shopping through Polyvore with brands to choose from • LOOKS: track and save your styles and inspirations • TRENDS: Keep up to date with the latest trends • SEARCH: search your closet for keywords or properties like fabric, colour, etc. • SHARE: share outfits and clothes with friends via e-mail, iMessage, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest • Q&A: searchable how-to manuals and demo videos included
Developer Category Updated Rating Family Sharing Langauge
Polyvore Shopping 4 April2016 3+ Yes English
12
4.0
MARKET SEGMENT
Page Women
4.1 Market Overview
This on-demand app will rapidly expand by helping customers eliminating the stress of the day-to-day routines that relate to clothes. To gain the best response from consumers and to ensure the campaign is understood, Polyvore targets different segments of customers. The organisation targets various age groups from 18–45-year-olds, who possess the same fashion characteristics and trend shopping habits. Thereby, creating a campaign that expresses the brand's identity and understanding of the targeted customers desires. Using a campaign that is based around an app will benefit the brand for customers of today and the future. Through the success of technology, WGSN’s 2018 future consumer backs up this factor with “digital connectivity is transforming traditional nine-to-five lifestyles, enabling new live, work and play schedules and creating new markets for on-demand services that will continue to grow in 2018.” (17)
4.2 Market Segmentation
Dividing consumers into ‘Behavioral Segmentations’, it allocates “the market into groups based on their knowledge, attitudes, uses and responses to the product.” (18) Acknowledging buying behaviors of their primary consumers, the brand will use characteristics within the segment to target specific customers gaining both brand and customer benefits. Taking advantage of the user status by categorising consumers into whether they are non-users, potential users, first-time users, regular users, or ex-users of the website. Grouping the market in this way will encounter how many customers are interested in this type of app. Contemplating this thought, the brand will use their promotional aspects to draw customer attention towards an app unheard of and unneeded till now.
Men
13
Home
References (17) WGSN’s 2018 future consumer (no date) Available at: http://www.wgsn.com/myfolders/attach.php?path=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wgsn.com%2F%2Fstorage%2Fvol17%2Ffo_image_store%2Fcached%2Fboards%2F63687%2 F/board.pdf&filename=Future_Consumer_2018.pdf (Accessed: 10 April 2016). (18) Tutor, E. (no date) Study room - business - marketing - Analysing the market Behavioural segmentation. Available at: http://www.examstutor.com/business/resources/studyroom/marketing/market_analysis/9_behavioural_segmentation.php (Accessed: 26 March 2016).
TARGET CUSTOMER
4.3
Page Women
As women are generally known to be the primary customers for having shopping habits, targeting this market is the sensible way for the first installment of a fashion conscious app. Backed up by Polyvore (in 2015) with roughly “60% of users aged between 18–34 years old” giving a widespread of eligible customers, who are interested in fashion amongst “3 million outfits created monthly” (DMI – Digital Stat Articles). (19). “Choosing outfits for work, nights out, dinner parties, holidays, gym and other activities mean’s the average female will spend 287 days rifling through their wardrobe” (The Telegraph).(20) This app will be beneficial for these customers by saving their time spent trying on clothes, as well as defining judgments of their own wardrobe. Not everyone using the app will be a fashion guru, hence, there will be personal shoppers on hand 24/7 giving different daily customers daily suggestions to spice up their wardrobe. Women who download this app are the ones who wish to use up the clothes they already own, which means shopping less. However, there will be suggestions from the stylist and links to shopping websites. Since this app is catered for women to save money, the market level of the app is more likely to benefit the low costs of the high-street stores.
Men
Home
References (19) Smith, C. (2015) 15 amazing Polyvore statistics (august 2015). Available at: http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/polyvore-statistics/ (Accessed: 27 February 2016). (20) Women spend nearly one year deciding what to wear (2009) Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5783991/Women-spend-nearly-one-year-deciding-what-to-wear.html (Accessed: 18 February 2016).
Victoria Gaynor Art and Fashion Student Age: 19 Relationship: Single Income: Studnet loan Favourite Electronic Device: Mobile Social Medai: Twitter and Instagram “I really like Rita Ora's style, it's unique and quirky like my own. I'm wearing Levi's shorts and a jacket from Camden with a top from River Island. I'm also wearing a hat from Monroe and Nike shoes. My earrings are from eBay and Topshop.”
The Student Women aged 18 and over with a small income. Students budget their university lifestyle around studying and partying. They have to categorize time and money and tend to make the most of what they own by reusing clothes within different styling ways. Tips from a stylist will save students time getting ready for social events, as well as making sure they are proud of their appearance. Preventing them from wasting unnecessary amounts of their loan money, planning outfits through this app will save students from buying worthless clothes.
14
Search
polyvore P O LY VO R E
FOLLOW
Polyvore Find Your Style. Style Your Find. Snapchat: Polyvore polyv.re/21cBsRg 2,221 posts
144k followers
1,068 following
Page
15
The Blogger
The Working Woman
The Novice
The fashion blogger has been working in this industry for years. They are very knowledgeable of today’s fashion trends and enjoy sharing their clothing inspirations with others. As it is their job and passion to express their stylish outfit choices, posting on social media comes as second nature to them. These fashion bloggers are today’s free trendsetters; they need their blogs to be popular and promoted, showing their social status is very important to them. A boost from a personal stylist with new outfit ideas can give relief and inspire a fresh mind. This Polyvore app will be another social networking platform to help express their artistic outfits and styles.
This woman is too busy to go through her outfits and plan day-to-day what she is going to wear. This age varies between 25–35-year-olds, who have a large disposable income. They live in busy cities consumed by clothing stores and are swayed into the shopping habit that exists on their doorstep. She wants to look fashionable and professional for work, but also likes to treat herself now and again to new trendy garments.
This is the everyday type of women who is innocent to the new trendy world of fashion. Aging around 35 – 45-year-olds.. She enjoys spending money and by doing so has gathered various clothing items over the years. It is difficult for her to match pieces together. With their wardrobes-bursting full of clothes, the personal stylist can assist in a number of ways to make them feel comfortable with the upcoming trends by using their old garments. By taking into consideration the stylists advice and guidance, this woman can start feeling confident in planning her own outfits.
4.4
COMPETITORS
Page Women
Brand expansion through this app can easily be achieved with a gap in the market. Direct competitions won't be a threat, since even though these apps include similar services; these types of apps aren’t well known to steal the limelight of Polyvore. On the right shows the primary research collected to back up the customers thoughts on any of the apps competitors. Since there is a low demand for this concept, by advertising continuously, women will then be aware of the existing apps (since it’s a well-known company) and then be the first download it. However, the threat of competitors comes from numerous platforms, such as online shops that have started to introduce online fitting rooms. These brands include; Very, M&S and Jacques Vert. These types of business target the older generations, whereas this Polyvore app is flexible for a variation of age groups.
Men
Home
References Perceptual Map
Search
(21) Fits.me (2016) Available at: http://fits.me/ (Accessed: 10 April 2016).
Since new technology has developed into the retail world, physical stores are now in competition with smartphones and social networks. Indirect competition is an increasing problem for Polyvore, an example of this is high street competitors have started to move into a more personal approach to selling. Topshop, for example, has introduced a quiz.
KNOWN
This type of investigation helps women figure out what they are shopping for, including product, size, style, and colour. House of Fraser also uses this idea by creating an extension called “True Fit”. Here men and women enter a few details about their body and favourite brands. Once submitted, the brand will give customer’s personalised recommendations and the size ranges they are for each brand. This will pop up every time customers come to their website to shop. These services bring conflict between the success of this app with the existing brand, as they bring a similar consumer need which is what targets women to this new campaign idea. Overcoming this would be through the app. Since smartphones are used throughout the woman’s day-to-day life, they will have easy access to this type of satisfying assistance. Narrowing down consumer searches, it will increase brand profit since it enhances people's shopping experience. This type of promotion also pushes into the Polyvore app as it saves time as that some women don’t have to spend searching through the continuous pages of clothes. Proving that all retailers’ next strategy is to connect with their target market and see what it is they want and help them to achieve it. By overcoming the competitors fashion retail report explains, “68% of shoppers want retailers to present fashion that is relevant to them”.(21) Using an emotional selling point to the women target market is what competitors are failing to do. The brands new personalization app gives shoppers the virtual experience to figure out what their needs, demands, and desire are. As well as connecting with their customers, this brand will flourish with access to a large budget thanks to the funding of the organization Yahoo. The research found that Yahoo tends to keep this brand the same, but going forward makes it even bigger and better. Their mission will continue to empower people by making them feel good about their style. They also offer new product features and roll out new perks for top members. By developing a tight cooperation with other Fashion Yahoo products (Yahoo Style and Yahoo Beauty) this social platform should progress interest in the growth and empower over the other competitors.
16
P O LY VO R E
Polyvore Remix Polyvore
Stylebook Grabble
StudioPro
LOW
HIGH
Trift
Shopicks
Closet+
UNKNOWN
5.0
PRODUCT
Page Women
Men
Home
App Home Page
Search
Polyvore personal stylist is a new brand extension publicized in an app, solving the problem of unwanted clothes that decay in the back of women’s wardrobes. The app meets the high demand of women age 18 – 45 who are spending money and time they don’t necessarily have.
POLYVORE
Keeping the product in tune with the initial Polyvore website, the style of the app is designed around their existing one. Adding colour to the design of the app brings life back into the brand, as well as helping to relate to a more feminine audience. The colour scheme of pink has been included into the existing modern pallet of black, white and grey. Doing this creates a happier and friendlier vibe, in contrast to the typical dullness of grey and black. The app is presented in clipart and animation style acting as a representation of the fun, flair and imagination the user can have when designing or creating a new outfit from their existing clothes. This makes the concept more user-friendly and less of a stressful task getting ready. The USP is the access to a personal stylist, 24/7, ready to wait on the customers hand and foot. This app includes many features that will assist a woman in her shopping and enhance her enjoyment whilst doing so. With the thin line between USP and ESP, customers can connect with the app and stylist emotionally. Making the app easy to use and for a multipurpose, the user can shop, share, connect and enjoy all aspects of this new trendy app. Inspiring women to enjoy their clothes and share advice given to them from their personal stylist, or revealing variations they have generated themselves. In order to achieve an understanding as to how relaxed women would be sharing the contents of their wardrobes via social platforms, primary questionnaires were distributed. The findings suggested that a number of women are happy to share their personal clothes with anyone and everyone through their online sets. Through this research, not one woman chose the option of sharing with “No one”. Confirming an overwhelming confidence, so much so that they reveal the styles preserved behind closed doors. (Appendix 3)
WARDROBE
LOOKS
TRENDS
MAKE UP
HAIR
CALENDAR
POLY VORE STYLIST
WEBSITE
Q&A
17
Page Women
5.1 App Features:
Icons included in the app consist of meanings: ‘Wardrobe’: Here customers will take individual images of their own clothes and add them to a library on their own account.
Men
Home
Personal Profile
Search
Profile
Pick a Profile Name:
CHOOSE YOUR OWN PERSONAL PROFILE.
‘Background Removal Tools”: this idea helps assist customers with their professional looking images, where it cuts out the messy background making it easier for collaging later on. “Lay Out Outfits”: this is the feature most known on Polyvore. It is known as creating a ‘Set’. Consumers will have the chance to layer and resize clothing on a free-form canvas, as well as seeing the personal stylists opinions and constructions. “Outfit Shuffle”: shuffling the wardrobe bringing random items of clothing to the screen to give ideas of outfits hiding in the wardrobe and if not relevant, the customer can keep swiping until they find one they like. “Personal Stylist”: this main feature is the most useful, consumers can ask for professional help on anything fashion relates. This will be done through messages on the app. They will also create outfits that the customer is unlikely to have thought of before, as well as familiarizing customers with brands unknown to them that can benefit their style. The availability of a personal stylist will be limited unless the full version of the app is purchased. After the one month free trial has passed, the customer will be required to pay £3 a month for unlimited access to a personal stylist. “No limits”: unlimited space on the app for clothing, accessories and inspirations. “Calendar”: giving customers notifications to plan what to wear in advance. “Polyvore Shop”: customers can shop through their mobiles through to Polyvore with plenty of brands to choose from. “Looks”: this is a locked selection where the customers will place their created ‘sets’, so for future references they can remember what they wore with what.
BY CONTINUE TO THE NEXT STEP WITH ADDITIONAL PERSONAL DETAILS, IT WILL GIVE US A BETTER UNDERSTANDING TO HELP MATCH YOU WITH YOUR PERFECT PERSONAL STYLIST.
CONTINUE
18
Page Women
Men
19
Home
References
“Trends”: users will receive notifications regarding release dates for the new seasons clothing. Giving the customer up to date trends that they could inspire style for their own clothes.
(22) Brownie, B. (2015) Why we keep clothes we never wear. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/costume-and-culture/2013/aug/05/why-we-keep-clothes-never-wear (Accessed: 27 February 2016).
“Search”: a simple icon for a quick search through the wardrobe when customers label their clothes works for the name of the items, keyword, brand or properties like fabric, colour, etc. “Share:” this feature helps the brand create an identity and word of mouth to influence other target markets. Customers can share their clothes and outfits in personalized sets. They have the choice to show them with friends via e-mail, iMessage, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest, individuals can comment/give opinions and like the outfit set. “Q&A”: the app includes general searches on how-to manuals that can be answered by the personal stylist “Makeup and Hair Style”: gives customers a more advanced way to improve their looks, by seeing new ideas to go with their new style. “Scanner”: this is an important USP, as when customers go high-street shopping new trendy clothes draw their attention and cause impulse buys, “there are financial reasons for keeping clothes too. Every purchase is an investment. Since we buy our own clothes we are aware of their monetary value, and we expect to wear a garment enough to get our money's worth.” (21) The idea of taking an image of the garment and comparing it with clothes in their existing wardrobes will become available, as well as send the product (image or bar code) to the personal stylist who will compose suitable outfits to see if the purchase is worthwhile. “Buy Button” tool will allow customers to skip several steps and to conduct direct purchases from the app. This creates a strong fighting point between competitors of Pinterest and Facebook, by including this feature it shows the next step for the social platform’s development.
Wardrobe Tops
29 Items
Shorts
10 Items
Shoes 8 Items
Dresses 20 Items
Edit
6.0
PRICE
Page Women
Men
20
Home
References
Polyvore stylist app will be available through the app store as a free download; however, once downloaded there will be a first-month-free trial. Once this has expired, assistance from the personal stylist will also cease. Instead of occasional use the user could pay a monthly subscription fee of £3, granting them full access to a personal stylist 24/7. Calculating the primary research figures has given proof that this specific target market wishes for a monthly subscription where they can choose to pay over the months they wish to use the stylists assistance. (Appendix 4 and 5) This price strategy surpasses the competitors, as the one-month trial will prove that the personal stylist is of the highest quality and that every penny spent on the stylist, in the long run, saves more pennies from being wasted on pointless garments. Customers can decide when to re-install the personal stylist whenever they feel like after the first month is up. Customers will happily download the free app, but once their access to the stylist (a feature they have been relying on for a month) halts they will feel vulnerable and pay the extra to get the desirable feature back. To make this app more wanted to a wider range of women, it will include monthly discounts for various high street stores that might appeal to whoever downloads it. Primary research shows that “37.50% are very likely” and “62.50% are likely” to be persuaded to buy the app if a secret access to discounts was included in the offer. Customers can opt to continue with the free version and its basic features, however, only the monthly subscription customers will have access to the special offer notifications.
Polyvore
Search
Details
Tops
Name - Black lace trim stripe tank top Price - £22.00 Product Number - 680031 Size - UK 12
NOTES AND TAGS Enter notes to use in keyword searches later, e.g. care tips, where and when you bought the item, etc.
The price set gives customers a lenient way to create the app that’s most suitable for them. Comparing this price strategy alongside competitors within the app store, this product opts to be more expensive. The reasoning is because this is a more personal and contributing app for targeted customers. It offers insight into the fashion world and help to adapt their own, as well as trend forecasts, 24/7 assistance, discount offers and shopping options. This campaign is based around wholesale, where Polyvore the retailer is offering an app on a large scale of goods at low prices. The price strategy of a monthly subscription offer gives customers a choice; overall, the price per year will be accountable up to £36. Proving the app at a premium price will help support and promote the quality of the product, stylist, and the brand. Since this business doesn’t include customers paying for their assistance already it will produce a larger profit for Polyvore, and the personal stylists will be paid suitably for their services.
Edit
Worn on 4 days Used in 2 outfits
7.0
PLACE
Page Women
Men
21
Home
References
The app can be accessed worldwide through the apple app store, links on Polyvore's website and announcements on social media accounts, such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook promoting the new campaign. The global scale will increase exposure for the brands identity as well as entice a larger target market to download the app. The success of the brand comes through customer ratings with “20+ million unique visitors per month and sets viewed 1 billion times a month�(23), showing word of mouth will quickly spread awareness.
Polyvore Personal Stylist App
(23) Tarbaj, C. (2013) The ultimate guide to Polyvore for brands and retailers. Available at: http://corp.wishpond.com/thank-you-polyvore/wp-content/uploads/Ebook_polyvore.pdf (Accessed: 7 March 2016).
To get access to this app, platforms such as; Apple iOS, offer a better chance to reach a more engaging user base than with Androids; because they have a broader reach in the emerging markets. In relation to multiple platforms, customers will get the same notifications if they are working on the computer than when on the phone/tablet. The app will be accessible from the 1st September 2016 onwards. Since Polyvore is already a technology-based brand and has two existing apps, they will have an advantage over competitors. This company already knows how to work their apps, and how to promote them to the right target market. The new app will change the brand by bringing them closer to their customers. Instead of a general notification post of expected outfit choices, this time, the brand will have to take into consideration all the aspects of the customers wants and desires. Individuals will be respected through their private clothing items, and Polyvore stylists will have to aid customers on these bases.
Search
P O LY VO R E
8.0
PROMOTION
Page Women
Men
Home
Flyer Information
The promotional techniques aim to increase brand awareness and cater to a larger target market. Promotions will connect and relate to women by intentionally persuading them to download and get involved with the campaign. To make sure the relevant forms of promotions are taken into action, surveys were sent out to the target market to refine the promotional sources. (Appendix 6) To make sure the theme of promotion related to the app, as well as targeting the market in the right way, a survey was conducted. Research found that when asked ‘what type of product advertisement gains their interest most’, women answered with “12.50% Factual”, “43.75% Funny” and “43.75% Relatable”. Providing a mixture of results, Polyvore could include all three of these scenes, with different adverts through all promotions. By receiving these answers, it will help the app connect with an emotional selling point to the right target market. Below the line promotions will come in handy as flyers/posters will be placed in retail high-street stores that are already promoted on the Polyvore e-commerce site. This will go on for two weeks during the start of the campaign to raise initial awareness of the new app. Another method of promotion, direct mail, will help notify existing target markets about the new app and persuade them into how well this concept will benefit their fashion needs. Both promotions to be held post product release. With social media being the target markets relevant promotional awareness, the brand will use this form as a main source of advertisement. The social media market is perfect to bring to light the relationship between the brand and customer satisfaction. Social platforms will allow customers to interact by discussing sets, products, and brands included in the app. It will encourage women to share their boards with friends and the general public through numerous social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest, With word of mouth being expressed through customer interaction, post product promotions will sponsor opinions of the app. (Appendix 7) Continuing with online advertisements, bloggers are a perfect way to capture the attention of a fashion market. They promote on all forms of social media and have a fan base, which will read and listen to anything they have to say. If Polyvore target bloggers to promote the new product, they will reach a wide range of customers through the Internet, and save money doing so as they will be happy to do it for free.
Search
P O LY VO R E S T Y L I S T
Download the app today:
“The average woman has about 22 garments in her wardrobe that she will never wear but absolutely refuses to throw out”
IS THIS YOU?
“Women say that guilt over wasting money keeps them from throwing out unwanted clothes”
“Women hoard particular styles in the hope of a fashion revival”
“Choosing outfits for work, nights out, dinner parties, holidays, gym and other activities mean’s the average female will spend 287 days rifling through their wardrobe”
“A third of women admit that they feel 'bored' of their wardrobe and still think they have 'nothing' to wear”
“Women confess that they 'can't remember' most of what's in their wardrobe”
22
Page Women
To target the more mature woman who tends to lack experience in the use of social media, Polyvore will introduce new promotional techniques with small format billboard advertisements such as outside Adshels/Bus Stops. This is an easy way to target women outdoors when they are on the move. Shopping centres will be a very appropriate area for this form of product promotion. Spotted near the place of action (high-street stores) will encourage potential users into downloading the app. These promotions will be pre-product and post product release; a week before the app is launched and will have a lifespan of 2 months. Consumers will be aware of the campaign and start downloading as soon as the release date. By continuing this form of promotion through the first few months following the launch date, it will maintain customer awareness and measure success rate with “a typical national campaign reaching 70% of the UK adult population in just two weeks” (24). The starting point of interactivity will be that a QR code is placed at the corner of the advert. Allowing links to the app store where customers are encouraged to connect with the promotion and the digital campaign. Promoting through Clear Channel, a live chat with George helped explain the limits of this company’s adshel. With a minimum duration of two weeks needed for a bus shelter advertisement, taking over 2 months of this company’s time is well reasonable. Give rational behind their company; George continued to explain that they have a ‘Minimum Order Value’, to ensure that a campaign rewards the client with a return on investment. Connecting with this advertisement company, Polyvore’s promotions will be tailor made to what the brands requirements are. This will include time, place, the number of ads and panels available. With an open range, the city center would cost a lot more, but also, be additionally beneficial. Promoting in London based areas would capture the more fashionable target market, which might also have a larger income willing to spend on this type of concept. Press releases and press pack will also promote the campaign by giving an insight into what customers can get from using the app. By going through a website called ‘Press Dispensary’, they include a full press release offer, where they will “write the press release and distribute it to a targeted list of journalists and editorial desks, as well as publishing it online and syndicating it across the web.” (25) With the use of press packs as part of the app promotion, products included within the pack will relate to the concept of this campaign. Products will include a diary for customers to plan their outfits, flyer, adshel picture, first interaction voucher booklet, makeup suggestions, and usable Polyvore promoted carrier bag. By primarily sending some bloggers a press pack, it will give them an insight into the campaign. Using bloggers is a cheap form of advertisement and by giving away free products; it will encourage them to promote the app on their blogs. In return for the brand, with bloggers sending images of the starting product (sent from the press pack) will reach the wider range of suitable target markets that will extend the Polyvore brand awareness.
Men
23
Home
References (24) Channel, C. and Limited (2016) Clear channel UK. Available at: http://www.clearchannel.co.uk/our-products/adshel/ (Accessed: 1 April 2016). (25) Ltd, P.D. (2002) Press release services pricing and payments: Press dispensary UK. Available at: https://pressdispensary.co.uk/pricing_and_payment.php (Accessed: 11 April 2016).
LIST OF BLOGGERS - Philippa and Sarah - London-based stylists - “We Are Twinset” - Callie - living in London - “From The Corners of the Curve” - Carrie Harwood, 24-year-old country girl now based in London - “WishWishWish” - Ella Gregory- South West London “Coco's Tea Party” - Alex Stedman - London-based fashion stylist - “The Frugality” - Ella Catliff - London-based writer and model - La Petite Anglaise - Aleali May - @alealimay - INSTAGRAM - Camille Charrière - “FROM LONDON WITH LOVE”
CAMPAIGN PLAN
8.1
Page
24
The campaign plan is critical to making sure all aspects of the apps creations are thought out and in plenty of time. The app itself will be launched on the 1st September. With some aspects of the promotions presented before the launch date will get customer conscious ready for downloads. Once customers download the app and start using its features, it will then be continuous from that date onwards and ready to use whenever they wish. To get customers excited with the beginning of a new app, the notifications for high-street store vouchers will become accessible within the first few minutes of downloads, and will change every month. This is a way to keep the target market interested in the app and make them login monthly. Once this campaign is over with and the advertisements to get awareness have stopped, hopefully, there will be a large quantity of women who have downloaded and then express the app through word of mouth.
MAY 02-May
09-May
16-May
JUNE 23-May
30-May
06-JUN
13-JUN
20-JUN
JULY 27-JUN
04-JUL
11-JUL
18-JUL
AUGUST 25-JUL
SEPTEMBER
01-AUG 08-AUG 15-AUG 22-AUG 29-AUG
05-SEP
12-SEP
19-SEP
OCTOBER 26-SEP
03-OCT 10-OCT
RESEAECH APP DEVELOPMENT PERSONAL STYLIST STAFF REQUITMENT RETAIL BRAND RECRUITMENT ADSHEL DESIGN WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT FLYER DESIGN EMAIL DESIGN CAMPAIGN LAUNCH PRESS RELEASE / PRESS PACK APP LAUNCH ADSHEL RELEASED EMAIL NEWSLETTER FLYER PROMOTION SENT OUT SOCIAL MEDIA TAKE OVER SPECIAL OFFER NOTIFICATIONS BLOGGERS
LAUNCHES - 1ST SEPTEMBER
MEDIA PLAN
8.2
Page
The media plan represents the campaigns paid promotional material and the duration of each. Some promotions will be arranged prior to launch date to gain customer awareness and interest of the app. These include adshels, press packs aÂŹnd press release, direct mail notifications and social media posts. Once the app has been launched, promotions from bloggers and flyer handouts will begin.
AUGUST
Media Type
01-AUG
08-AUG 15-AUG 22-AUG 29-AUG
SEPTEMBER 05-SEP
12-SEP
19-SEP
OCTOBER 26-SEP
03-OCT 10-OCT 17-OCT 24-OCT
31-OCT
APP ADSHEL FLYER PROMOTION WEBSITE DESIGN DIRECT MAIL NOTIFICATIONS PRESS RELEASE / PRESS PACK SOCIAL MEDIA BLOGGERS
LAUNCHES - 1ST SEPTEMBER
25
BUDGET
8.3 PROMOTIONS
ESTIMATIONS
Page
26
COST
APP Apple iOS and Android Social Media Login Personal Profiles In-App Purchases Ranking Systems Application Programming Interface App Design App Icon Total Exchange Rate
$16,000 $8,000 $6,000 $6,000 $6,000 $10,000 $34,800 $13,300 $100,100 £70,847.20
Exchange Rate
$99 / year £70.07
App Store Fees
Here are the figures of the promotion in the media plan, and the costing’s of each one. These budget costs will come from Yahoo since they acquired Polyvore back in July 2015. With Yahoo income, this brand and app can be taken to its highest potential.
ADSHEL Bus Shelter Advertising Amount of Adshels
£120 per panel per week 20
Total for 2 months
£19,200
FLYER PROMOTION 20,000 Printed Flyers
£105.11
Vistaprint Total for 40,000
£210.22
WEBSITE In House
Re-Design and content E-mail
In House
Design and content Media Coverage Social Media Bloggers write up YouTube make-up and hairstyle artists Personal Stylist write up
Free Free Free Free
Press Release/Press Pack PERSONAL STYLIST Press Dispensary - Press Release Press Pack
£260 £100 Total Cost
£90,687.49
References Crew (no date) How much to make an App. Available at: http://howmuchtomakeanapp.com/ (Accessed: 10 March 2016). Mackenzie, T. (2012) App store fees, percentages, and payouts: What developers need to know. Available at: http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/software-engineer/app-store-fees-percentages-and-payouts-what-developersneed-to-know/ (Accessed: 11 April 2016). CO, D.N. (2009) Bus stop advertising. Available at: http://www.outdooradvertisingltd.co.uk/bus-stop-advertising/ (Accessed: 11 April 2016). Vistaprint (no date) Vistaprint. Available at: http://www.vistaprint.co.uk/custom-flyers.aspx?txi=16907&xnid=TopNav_Flyers++(linked+item)_Marketing+Materials&xnav=Top Nav (Accessed: 11 April 2016).
9.0
PEOPLE
Page Women
Men
27
Home
References Q&A with a Personal Stylist
The tone of voice will come from the personal stylist. They will represent the customer satisfaction of the app and embody the brand identity of Polyvore. The brand explains for “work-life balance - We believe that happy, balanced people who have time for their families and hobbies make for more productive employees”. This is what the concept will continue on and keep in mind to create a friendly customer service, “the best marketing is word-of-mouth from passionate fans“. (26) The personal stylist employed will be professionally trained in styling and have a good background knowledge of the brand and different retailers. Each individual customer will be linked to an individual personal stylist. However, the personal stylist will have many clients at once to deal with. This means they will need to have special skills in understanding what the customers want, where they can help find these products, fashion sense, organized, creative/imaginative and friendly. They will need to make sure the customer feels welcome to tell them anything private, especially since this app is very personal. To benefit both the personal stylist and customer, they have the option to reveal more about themselves, by explaining their weight, height etc. This is because it will give the personal stylist a lot more to work with and help narrow down the clothing styles that will suit this customer’s particular personality. In relation to this, the app will include what the customer already owns in their wardrobes. When they are explaining to the customer what they like in their wardrobes, and what items match together, they can also have a particular selling technique of sneaking in different brands that suggest similar meanings of what products would match a certain type of top or trousers that the customer may already own. This will be a way of getting further sales through Polyvore, as well as expressing their familiarity on fashion. Finally, the stylist can wear whatever fashionable outfit they please; they are the stylist and need to look comfortable and trendy in their own clothing. The customer will rarely see the personal stylist, apart from uploads of their own profile picture and their own fashion ‘sets’ created.
Search
(26) Polyvore, Service, T. of and Policy, P. (2016) Polyvore. Available at: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/about.work (Accessed: 17 February 2016).
Q&A
Measurements How to Measure Height
Measure from your toes to the top of your head.
Bust
Measure the fullest part and across the shoulder blades.
Waist
Measure around the natural waistline.
Hip
Measure around the fullest part of the hip.
Inside Leg
Measure from the top of the crotch to the floor (this is a body measurement and garment lengths may vary according to style).
Need more help? Ask our personal stylist for assistance.
CONTINUE
10.0
PERSUASION
Page Women
Men
28
Home
References Makeup Tutorials
Search
(27) De Lacey, M. (2012) Women spend more time checking out OTHER WOMEN than they do men (and it’s their clothes, figures and hair we're most interested in). Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2232842/Women-spend-time-checking-OTHER-WOMEN-men-clothes-figures-hair-interested-in.html (Accessed: 18 February 2016).
With the selected forms of promotions, women of a large age bracket will be persuaded into downloading the free app to see if these features are as beneficial as communicated. Within the promotional aspects, the message is to relate to women. As much as they hate to admit it, women spend a large amount of time preparing their clothes they wear, because “on a day to day basis 42 percent of ladies said they dress to impress their female peers”. (27) Acknowledging this percentage, “the average woman has about 22 garments in her wardrobe that she will never wear but absolutely refuses to throw out”,(28) proving that this app is needed. Communicating these facts through forms of promotion, whether they are visual or mainly factual, it is an intriguing amount of statements which women can relate to and feel obliged to do something about it, which is where this app comes in. “For e-commerce owners, it is a tool to build a reputation of their brand, to involve the consumers into fashion industry, to educate them and to sell their products.” (29) Providing evidence to connect both the brand and consumer together though a multi-purpose app. Promotions are to communicate to the customers that this brand understands women’s struggle every day to look fashionable and keep up to date with trends when they have a busy lifestyle. Through the adverts, they want to explain to the women’s market that this app is the answer to all their clothing problems; it saves time, money, and in the long run gives customers a lesson on how to become more stylish.
(28) Poulter, S. (2011) In every woman’s closet, 22 items she never wears - and the guilty complex that stops them clearing wardrobes out. Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1350447/Women-waste-1-6bn-clothes-Guilt-prevents-wardrobe-clear-out.html (Accessed: 10 January 2016). (29) Ruchko, L. (2016) Promodo online marketing company - SEM, SEO services, PPC, usability & CRO. Available at: https://www.promodo.com/blog/ecommerce-business-strategies-polyvore-for-business-marketing/ (Accessed: 7 April 2016).
Artists
MakeUp
11.0
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, refined research shows that this could be a successful app with a gap in the market that has a large growth for expansion. By targeting the wide range of women, who may not necessarily want help but could do with a few pointers here and there, there is a large market who will be successful at downloading the app. Due to the loyalty of Polyvore’s customers, even if there is just a small percentage using it, the brands app will still come out successful. The initial objective of the app was to help women save money and feel confident with the help of a personal stylist. With this feature involved through the technological revolution, it brings back attention to detail and removes all negative thoughts of when shopping is acknowledged as a problem or burden. This app represents the recreation of that time now lost when shopping was known to be a genuine pleasure and an unusual satisfaction for women. With hopeful returns and loyalty on the customer’s behalf, the app should be well off and continue its lifespan for on-going years. Future developments of this brand and app could move into the men’s market once success rates have been confirmed. In the end, this concept provides a confident belief that the Polyvore personal stylist app will provide a great service for the wholesale and the end user. With endless benefits of the app, it is an effective idea that customers have been waiting for.
Page
29
11.1 Strengths • Popular brand, already with loyal customers • Brings Polyvore into a new and helpful looking light, making life easier and more fun for their target market • Everything a customer will need a shopping buddy • Large budget available • Customer satisfaction of the app will create a loyalty bond with the brand, bringing in more purchases and resulting in a larger profit income
Opportunities • Bringing more chances for retailers on the Polyvore e-commerce to get income as the personal stylist will express style opinions on certain brand products • Creating more exposure for brand awareness • Create competitions for customers to interact and experiment with • Publicity from other retailers in shops and websites and makeup/hair artists on YouTube
SWOT
Page
Weaknesses • Similar app and concepts already exist, but under an unknown/unpopular name • Some of the app features are available online for free • Access to internet/Wi-Fi will be required if customers want to shop, look at trends, share their ‘sets’ or talk to the personal stylist • Polyvore brand isn’t well known through some of the target market
Threats • Online retailers are starting to create free apps, as well as introducing personal stylists for quick questions on their websites (e.g. ASOS) • Customers may not pay for the monthly subscription
30
Bibliography 10 ways A personal stylist can change your life (2014) Available at: http://theschoolofstyle.com/blog/10-ways-a-personal-stylist-can-change-your-life/ (Accessed: 1 April 2016). 12 fashion App and style services that are Reinventing the acquisition of fashion goods (2014) Available at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/sboyd/2014/11/25/12-fashion-app-and-style-services-that-are-reinventing-the-acquisition-of-fashion-goods/#5ade16873a08 (Accessed: 22 February 2016). ASOS insiders | fashion tips & style advice (no date) Available at: http://www.asos.com/discover/personal-stylist/ (Accessed: 16 February 2016). Attitudes Towards Shopping for Clothes (2015) Available at: http://academic.mintel.com/display/752297/?highlight#hit1 (Accessed: 14 February 2016). Barnett, L. (2015) Online clothes-shopping: Is an avatar the answer?. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/shortcuts/2012/feb/29/online-clothes-shopping-avatar (Accessed: 26 February 2016). Bennett (2016) Yahoo buys fashion website Polyvore. Available at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-news/Yahoo-buys-fashion-website-Polyvore/articleshow/48305703.cms (Accessed: 10 February 2016). Booth, J. (2015) 30 life-changing style charts every fashion Newbie needs to see. Available at: http://www.gurl.com/2015/12/22/helpful-style-charts-infographics-for-fashon-newbies-advice/ (Accessed: 4 April 2016). Bosomworth, D. (2015) Mobile marketing statistics 2016. Available at: http://www.smartinsights.com/mobile-marketing/mobile-marketing-analytics/mobile-marketing-statistics/ (Accessed: 18 February 2016). Bree (2013) Understanding Polyvore for business. Available at: http://corp.wishpond.com/blog/2013/02/05/understanding-polyvore-for-business/ (Accessed: 27 February 2016). Brownie, B. (2015) Why we keep clothes we never wear. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/costume-and-culture/2013/aug/05/why-we-keep-clothes-never-wear (Accessed: 27 February 2016). CO, D.N. (2009) Bus stop advertising. Available at: http://www.outdooradvertisingltd.co.uk/bus-stop-advertising/ (Accessed: 11 April 2016). Channel, C. and Limited (2016) Clear channel UK. Available at: http://www.clearchannel.co.uk/our-products/adshel/ (Accessed: 1 April 2016). Closet+ (no date) Available at: http://closetapp.com/ (Accessed: 2 February 2016). Create stunning shopping collections (no date) Available at: https://www.shopicks.com/ (Accessed: 1 February 2016). Crew (no date) How much to make an App. Available at: http://howmuchtomakeanapp.com/ (Accessed: 10 March 2016). De Lacey, M. (2012) Women spend more time checking out OTHER WOMEN than they do men (and it’s their clothes, figures and hair we're most interested in). Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2232842/Women-spend-time-checking-OTHER-WOMEN-men-clothes-figures-hair-interested-in.html (Accessed: 18 February 2016).
Page
31
Del Rey, J. (2015) Yahoo paid around $200 Million for Polyvore, a search engine for fashion. Available at: http://recode.net/2015/08/03/yahoo-paid-around-200-million-for-polyvore-a-search-engine-for-fashion/ (Accessed: 22 February 2016). Facts and figures in the UK fashion industry - statistics about the fashion business in England - size of economic activities (2013) Available at: https://www.fashionunited.co.uk/facts-and-figures-in-the-uk-fashion-industry (Accessed: 22 February 2016). Fits.me (2016) Available at: http://fits.me/ (Accessed: 10 April 2016). How Often Women Buy Clothes (2011) Available at: http://academic.mintel.com/display/579930/?highlight#hit1 (Accessed: 14 February 2016). How do free Apps make money? (2015) Available at: http://savvyapps.com/blog/how-do-free-apps-make-money (Accessed: 16 February 2016). Inc, M.I. and Reserved, A.R. (2014) The highest converting social commerce platform you’ve never heard of. Available at: http://www.masoninteractive.com/blog-social-shopping-site-polyvore-com-leads-in-social-commerce-retail-conversion/ (Accessed: 16 February 2016). Inc, S. (no date) Which social media platforms drive the most sales? [Infographic] – Shopify. Available at: https://www.shopify.co.uk/blog/12731545-which-social-media-platforms-drive-the-most-sales-infographic (Accessed: 6 April 2016). Intelligence report 2011 year in review / style Analytics (2011) Available at: http://www.polyvore.com/rsrc/pdf/PIR-2011.pdf (Accessed: 26 February 2016). Issues and Insights (2014) Available at: http://academic.mintel.com/display/704964/?highlight#hit1 (Accessed: 14 February 2016). Johnson, T. (2015) Polyvore: Why personalized social shopping Apps matter. Available at: http://www.cpcstrategy.com/blog/2015/03/polyvore-personalized-shopping-mobile-app/ (Accessed: 16 February 2016). Login to Mintel reports - Mintel group Ltd (no date) Available at: http://academic.mintel.com/insight_zones/11/ (Accessed: 14 March 2016). Ltd, M.S.S. (2015) Closet+ on the App store. Available at: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id309532414 (Accessed: 2 February 2016). Ltd, P.D. (2002) Press release services pricing and payments: Press dispensary UK. Available at: https://pressdispensary.co.uk/pricing_and_payment.php (Accessed: 11 April 2016). M, J., ago, months 7, T, F., ago, year A., W, T., Padilla, M., Russell, P., Stein, S. and annab (2014) How many clothes do you throw away every year? | care2 causes. Available at: http://www.care2.com/causes/how-many-clothes-do-you-throw-away-every-year.html (Accessed: 27 February 2016). Mackenzie, T. (2012) App store fees, percentages, and payouts: What developers need to know. Available at: http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/software-engineer/app-store-fees-percentages-and-payouts-what-developers-need-to-know/ (Accessed: 11 April 2016). Mintel group Ltd (2011) Consumer Budgeting Habits Budget Shopper. Available at: http://academic.mintel.com/display/575258/?highlight#hit1 (Accessed: 6 March 2016).
Page
Ofcom (2015) The UK is now a smartphone society. Available at: http://media.ofcom.org.uk/news/2015/cmr-uk-2015/ (Accessed: 6 April 2016). Paola, K.D. (2008) Buy My Wardrobe - Home Page. Available at: https://www.buymywardrobe.com/ (Accessed: 2 February 2016). Perez, S. (2013) How do you break into iPhone App store top 50? Try 23K free daily Downloads, 950 paid, or $12K in daily revenue. Available at: http://techcrunch.com/2013/06/27/how-do-you-break-into-iphone-app-store-top-50-try-23k-free-daily-downloads-950-paid-or-12k-in-daily-revenue/ (Accessed: 11 April 2016). Polyvore, Service, T. of and Policy, P. (2016) Polyvore. Available at: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/about (Accessed: 1 February 2016). Polyvore, Service, T. of and Policy, P. (2016) Polyvore. Available at: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/about.work (Accessed: 17 February 2016).
32
Vistaprint (no date) Vistaprint. Available at: http://www.vistaprint.co.uk/custom-flyers.aspx?txi=16907&xnid=TopNav_Flyers++(linked+item)_Marketing+Materials&xnav=TopNav (Accessed: 11 April 2016). WGSN’s 2018 future consumer (no date) Available at: http://www.wgsn.com/myfolders/attach.php?path=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wgsn.com%2F%2Fstorage%2Fvol17%2Ffo_image_store%2Fcached%2Fboards%2F63687%2F/board.pdf &filename=Future_Consumer_2018.pdf (Accessed: 10 April 2016). What Women Buy, by Lifestage (2011) Available at: http://academic.mintel.com/display/579927/?highlight#hit1 (Accessed: 14 February 2016). Women’s Attitudes Towards Clothing Styles Worn (no date) Available at: http://academic.mintel.com/display/579932/?highlight#hit1 (Accessed: 14 February 2016).
Polyvore (no date) Available at: http://www.polyvore.com/ (Accessed: 26 February 2016).
Women spend nearly one year deciding what to wear (2009) Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5783991/Women-spend-nearly-one-year-deciding-what-to-wear.html (Accessed: 18 February 2016).
Poulter, S. (2011) In every woman’s closet, 22 items she never wears - and the guilty complex that stops them clearing wardrobes out. Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1350447/Women-waste-1-6bn-clothes-Guilt-prevents-wardrobe-clear-out.html (Accessed: 10 January 2016).
Zorzini, C. (2015) Infographic: Online shopping habits men vs. Women - Ecommerce platforms. Available at: http://ecommerce-platforms.com/ecommerce-news/infographic-online-shopping-habits-men-vs-women (Accessed: 27 February 2016).
Reporter, D.M. (2015) Half of women can’t throw away clothes that don't fit. Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3233241/Half-women-t-throw-away-clothes-don-t-fit-hope-lose-weight-wear-items-again.html (Accessed: 1 March 2016).
brain, left and brain, right (2016) Stylebook on the App store. Available at: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/stylebook/id335709058?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4 (Accessed: 2 February 2016). +saadahmadtanoli and Ahmad, S. (2018) The right swimsuit for your body type #infographic. Available
Ruchko, L. (2016) Promodo online marketing company - SEM, SEO services, PPC, usability & CRO. Available at: https://www.promodo.com/blog/ecommerce-business-strategies-polyvore-for-business-marketing/ (Accessed: 7 April 2016). SHERMAN, L. (2014) ‘WHY MY-WARDROBE FAILED’, fashionista, 23 December. Available at: http://fashionista.com/2014/12/my-wardrobe-failed (Accessed: 2 February 2016). Security check required (2016) Available at: https://www.facebook.com/Vlechten.met.Daan/ (Accessed: 1 February 2016). Smith, C. (2015) 15 amazing Polyvore statistics (august 2015). Available at: http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/polyvore-statistics/ (Accessed: 27 February 2016). Stylebook closet App (2009) Available at: http://www.stylebookapp.com/demos.html (Accessed: 2 February 2016). Tarbaj, C. (2013) The ultimate guide to Polyvore for brands and retailers. Available at: http://corp.wishpond.com/thank-you-polyvore/wp-content/uploads/Ebook_polyvore.pdf (Accessed: 7 March 2016). Thomas, C. (2012) How do free apps make money?. Available at: http://www.bluecloudsolutions.com/blog/5-ways-free-apps-money/# (Accessed: 16 February 2016). Tutor, E. (no date) Study room - business - marketing - Analysing the market - Behavioural segmentation. Available at: http://www.examstutor.com/business/resources/studyroom/marketing/market_analysis/9_behavioural_segmentation.php (Accessed: 26 March 2016).
Appendix 1
Page
33
References
40
Primary Research
Search
Roughly how many clothing items do you own?
35
AMOUNT
30 15 12 10 5
Tops
Dresses
Jackets
Trousers
Skirts
5
Belts
Shoes
Bags
Appendix 2
Page References Primary Research
How much are you willing to spend on clothes per month?
£150 and Over 16.67%
£30 and Under 16.67%
£120 and Under 20%
£60 and Under 20%
6.1 - specific apendix
£90 and Under 26.67%
Search
34
Appendix 3
Page References Primary Research
Who are you willing to share the contents of your wardrobe with?
Your private personal stylist
General public
18.75%
6.25%
Friends
25.00%
Family only
25.00%
Everyone
25.00%
Search
35
Appendix 4
Page References Primary Research
Search
How much would you pay up to for 24/7 access to a personal stylist within an app?
Upfront Cost 31.25%
Yearly Subscription 6.25%
Monthly Subscription 62.50%
36
Appendix 5
Page
37
References Primary Research
Search
How much would you pay up to for 24/7 access to a personal stylist within an app on a monthly subscription? 42.86%
28.57%
14.29%
14.29%
7.14%
99p
£1 - £2
£3 - £5
£6 - £10
£11 - £15
0.00%
0.00%
£16 - £20
£21+
Appendix 6
Page References Primary Research
Direct Mail
6.25%
Adshels
6.25%
Magazines
12.50%
Flyers
12.50%
Social
56.25%
Online Stores
6.25%
Search
What form of advertisement would make you more likely to download an app?
38
Appendix 7
Page
39
References Primary Research
Search
Which of the following social networking websites do you use most often?
YouTube
Google+
Snapchat
25.00%
37.50%
62.50%
12.50%
43.75%
18.75%
56.25%
6.25%