Overview
The final project in this course is the creation of an organizational plan. The project is divided into three milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Three, Four, and Five. The final product will be submitted in Module Seven.
The digital age has dramatically changed the way that consumers shop. Many brick-and-mortar stores are being replaced with online stores. Companies like Amazon and Zappos have developed pure digital models that have aided in providing a simple shopping experience on desktop computers and mobile devices. The standards set by these companies have raised consumers’ expectations to an extent that requires digital retailers to change their operating models. To keep up with the consumer expectations and drive customers to the online stores, technology has adjusted to support these changes in shopping behavior.
For this project, you will play the role of a consultant working for a company that is struggling with its online business. You will be asked to evaluate the three main components of online marketing: customer acquisition, transactional analysis, and after-sales support. For each of these areas, you will be asked to determine what business systems would be best suited to provide healthy and growing e-business operations.
Prompt
An e-commerce consultant can provide insights, information, and expertise to a small or mid-sized retail business. E-commerce consultants can do many different specialized tasks, from helping a brick-and-mortar retailer plan for the addition of e-commerce to helping an online retailer expand its sales and reach a growing global customer base. To complete this assignment, you will assume the role of an e-commerce business consultant who owns a business specializing in the development of e-commerce business solutions. An entrepreneur requests a proposal from you to identify and implement the necessary tools for a new e-commerce business network.
Use the following attributes of the business and its owner to develop your e-commerce plan:
The sporting goods store has experienced a recent increase in sales at its single location.
The owner has been conducting its online sales through a locally built and hosted website (review the information in the table below).
The owner is considering opening another physical location but is leery of investing money in another location because of the rising and unpredictable costs.
The business owner is concerned of further investing in e-commerce solutions because the current setup is not productive.
The business owner lacks technical experience of online business-development functions and wants to ensure your company can address the following components:
Customer acquisition
Sales transactions
Technical support
Technology List for Business Recommendation (use the following options to complete Section III)
Acquiring
Profiling and personalization
Search management
Content and catalog management
Email marketing systems
Search engine optimization
Transactional
Digital payment services
E-commerce marketplaces
Collaboration and trading
Support
Warranty database
Customer relationship management (CRM)
Online support capabilities
Your proposal should contain a fully developed e-commerce solution with a nontechnical description of each functional area (customer acquisition, transactions, and technical support) to help the business owner understand what your solution can do and how it will work. Your request for a proposal (RFP0 will contain the following sections:
Introduction: In this section, you will briefly introduce the business and the challenges that it is facing.
Clearly state the problem that the business owner is seeking to solve.
Identify and state the technology limitations that keep the e-business channel from growing.
Business Problem: In this section, you will review the company’s business model and technology shortcomings. Determining the business requirements is necessary for improving the e-business operational strategy.
Acquiring Customers: Evaluate the shortcomings of the company’s outdated technology as it relates to acquiring customers. Be sure to address the following:
What are the shortcomings of the outdated technology?
Describe how these shortcomings negatively impact the business.
What data is sought after for making appropriate decisions for acquiring customers?
Transaction Processing: Evaluate the shortcomings of the company’s outdated technology as it relates to transaction processing. Be sure to address the following:
What are the shortcomings of the outdated technology?
Describe how these shortcomings negatively impact the business.
What data is sought after to make appropriate transaction business decisions?
After Sales and Support: Evaluate the shortcomings of the company’s outdated technology as it relates to sales and support. Be sure to address the following:
What are the shortcomings of the outdated technology?
Describe how these shortcomings negatively impact the business.
What data is sought after to make appropriate support business decisions?
Management Concerns: Describe the company’s management concerns as they relate to the old system. Make sure you address privacy laws, financial issues, and the customer’s geographic location, and how these relate to each of the following:
Acquiring customers
Transaction processing
Sales and support
Business Recommendations: In this section, you will recommend two technologies/e-business strategies from the provided list to address the needs of the business and solve business problems. (Refer to the Technology List for Business Recommendation section above for your options in completing this section.)
Acquiring Customers: In this subsection, you will make your recommendations and address their impact on acquiring customers.
Identify and describe the two technologies/e-business strategies that you have chosen specific to acquiring customers.
Explain how these technologies/e-business strategies will address the company’s business problem.
Recommend how these technologies/e-business strategies will be used to exploit business opportunities.
Describe how these technologies address management concerns. Briefly explain the risks and challenges that management must be aware of as these systems are implemented.
Transaction Processing: In this subsection, you will make your recommendations and address their impact on transaction processing.
Identify and describe the two technologies/e-business strategies that you have chosen specific to transaction processing.
Explain how these technologies/e-business strategies will address the company’s business problem.
Recommend how these technologies/e-business strategies will be used to exploit business opportunities.
Describe how these technologies/e-business strategies address management concerns. Briefly explain the risks and challenges that management must be aware of as these systems are implemented.
After Sales and Support: In this subsection, you will make your recommendations and address their impact on sales and support.
Identify and describe the two technologies/e-business strategies that you have chosen specific to support.
Explain how these technologies/e-business strategies will address the company’s business problem.
Recommend how these technologies/e-business strategies will be used to exploit business opportunities.
Describe how these technologies/e-business strategies address management concerns. Briefly explain the risks and challenges that management must be aware of as these systems are implemented.
Milestones
Milestone One: Customer Acquisition
In Module Three, you will review the shortcomings of the company’s outdated technology as it relates to customer acquisition. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.
Milestone Two: Transactional Analysis
In Module Four, you will review the shortcomings of the company’s outdated technology as it relates to completing an online transaction. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.
Milestone Three: After Sales and Support
In Module Five, you will analyze the proper support needed to maintain an e-business. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Three Rubric.
Final Submission: Organizational Plan
In Module Seven, you will submit your final project. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric.
What to Submit
Your proposal will consist of two main content areas: an analysis of the problems that the business is facing with its e-commerce setup and your recommendations to improve those problems. Your assignment should be 5 to 7 pages in length with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and use of APA formatting as necessary.
