Online Kurs beendet

So, mein Onlinekurs “Foundation of E-Commerce” der Nanyang Technological University Singapur ist vorbei. War toll. Habe doch einiges dazugelernt und meine letzte Arbeit abgeschickt. Die beiden vorangegangenen wurden von anderen Studenten bewertete, so wie ich 5 Arbeiten jeweils zu bewerten hatte. Die letzte nun wird von Lehrern beurteilt. Vermutlich schneide ich nicht toll ab, habe etwas herum gesponnen, sogar SF untergebracht, lol. Ich finde sie natürlich trotzdem gut. Es ist kein vollständiger Business-Plan. Finanzielle Daten sollten wir außen vor lassen. Hier ist sie:

Socks saddles and beyond

Our mission is to color up your life.

Business Idea

Global sales of colored socks and bicycle saddle covers via E-Commerce starting with sales offices and fulfillment centers in Europe, Africa and Asia.

1.      Sweat absorbent wool of socks is useful in hot regions. In cold regions the wool part of them plays out its advantages.

2.      Another upside will be a convenient price which distinguishes them from those sold by established players like Burlington.

3.      The most important part will be to generate buzz to mimic the nature of animals which express their mood with colors.

Market friction

Transaction costs buying at brick and mortar locations.

 

  They originate at the moment when a potential customer is forced to look for availability of the desired product. Other transaction costs consist of the way to brick and mortar location the customer has to take. Further TCs could arise from waiting times, when the requested product is not on stock.

Transaction costs buying online.

Terms of delivery can be two to three days longer than buying at a store. However, the customer will be compensated by the lower price. Even though the price of the product shouldn't be too low, otherwise it loses its intriguing properties.

Sales points.

Why would the customer buy colored Socks and saddle covers? It’s the color stupid!

In many countries socks and saddle covers are sold with bleak colors. Colors like dark brown, grey, black. Colored socks and saddle covers will contribute to a colorful life style. They are a fashion statement, which lets users appear in a youthful way. Apart from that we will start an advertising campaign which stresses the point that a customer can express his moods with assigned colors like: red for angry, green for happy, blue for relaxed, black for depressed etc with the result that a client will buy the objects in various colours. A psychologist will explain why it enriches the life to learn to deal with persons in a specific mood.

The lifespan of humans extends, the plasticity of their brains as well as their mental and physical activities degenerate later in life. They feel young in an advanced age, remain flexible in their attitudes and are ready to adapt to a world which is expressed through a multitude of digital processes and gadgets. 

In large cities cars become of minor importance. People tend to use public transport and bicycles. That tendency is intensified by companies like Uber and Google which rewrite the story of urban transport. Uber as a cheaper taxi-service, Google with driverless and self-steering cars. Bicycles will gain preponderance for short distances and with an increasing number of bicycles the sales potential of colored saddle covers has the chance to grow.

The advertisement campaign will have a considerable impact with the slogan: Let colors reflect your mood. According to habit researcher Phillipa Lally it takes about 60 days to form a new habit. Therefore strong initial advertising will last 2 months. The advertising-campaign will be continued later at a lower intensity. That combination of fantastic vision and practical application will make that business disruptive. After a foreseeable time it should extend to and encompass other colorful products like T-Shirts, smart watches, apparel and electronic wearables which in a far future could receive impulses directly from the brain.

Network effect.

In order to get a critical mass of users in a short time, the internationality of the advertising-campaign is crucial. Engaging local Film-, TV- and Sport Stars to emphasize the virtues of the products and advertising in Public Transport and Social Networks with various slogans will create a worldwide buzz which will have a multiplier effect in Social Media.

The number of users will further grow through a feedback loop, like: “Oh, what nice saddle covers, I need a bicycle.” Or: “My bicycles need a saddle cover like the guy has over there.” And “I want to participate in the mood expression craze.” Or: “Granddad be hip, be cool. Buy some colored socks. See, I got them too.”

 

Scalability

The products are easily scalable. We will by the products via Ali Baba from some Chinese companies which can produce high volumes. The more we sell, the less costs will be incurred pro item.

 

Course of action

1.      Select the products

2.      Enter into the contract with a supplier and advertising agencies..

3.      Build a website, apps for smartphones, open an account.

4.      Open sales offices and fulfillment centers on various continents.

5.      Hire

6.      Sell and ship.

7.      Watch and communicate through social networks.

We want to bring color to people, everywhere, anytime.