Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
LXFM 501
PRO. Meeta Roy
Krista Bellardo
Norashley Nicole Lopez
Chuhao Zhou
Table Of Contents
1.0 Executive Summary
2.0 Company Summary
A. About ASOS
B. Brand Identity Matrix
C. Current Market Positioning
D. Current Distribution
E. Current Communication & Promotional Activities
A. Sales Forecast
B. Budget for Execution
8.0 Conclusion
9.0 Appendix
A. Appendix A: Price Accessibility Matrix Worksheet
B. Appendix B: Full Fixture Plan
C. Appendix C: Additional Costing Sources
D. Appendix D: Notable Secondary Sources
Works Cited
A. Company History
ASOS was founded in June 2000 by Nick Robertson and
Quentin Griffiths on the idea that people should have
a place to find the clothing and accessories they see
celebrities wearing. In 2001 the company, ASOS PLC
Holdings, was officially admitted to the London Stock
Exchange as part of the Alternative Investment Market
(ASOS).
In 2004, ASOS introduced its own clothing label for
women and just one year later launched ASOS Beauty
to meet their customers beauty needs. During that
same year, 2005, the company hit a milestone of having
one million unique visitors to asos.com. ASOS also
more than tripled its product offering from 500 to 1,800
items in 2005 (ASOS).
The growth continued in 2006 as the company doubled
its merchandising and buying teams and became
the first retailer in the United Kingdom to launch a
virtual catwalk on the site (ASOS). ASOS launched its
own clothing label for men in 2007 and moved the
companys headquarters to Camden, a city in North
London. That year was also when ASOS launched
ASOS Magazine with 400,000 copies of the magazine,
which discusses fashion and beauty news and includes
features like celebrity interviews, being shipped to
customers each month (ASOS).
The company experienced high growth in 2008. It
launched ASOS Outlet to bring customers last seasons
brands at up to 70% off, took over a 158,250 square
foot warehouse in Hemel Hempstead, and experienced
a retail sales jump of 90% thus increasing profits by
117%. ASOS Magazine also went from only five issues
being produced a year to 11 issues a year in 2008
(ASOS).
6
Company Mission
The mission of ASOS is to become the worlds top destination for the fashion needs of
twenty-somethings (ASOS PLC).
Company Vision
To accomplish their mission of becoming the number one retailer for its target
demographic, ASOS aims to be more than just an online store. ASOS aims to be as
synonymous to fashion for twenty-somethings as Google is to search and Facebook is to
social networking (ASOS).
ASOS will determine how successfully it meets this vision by measuring the companys
share of online traffic, the amount of followers the company has on its various social
media channels and sales totals (ASOS).
Company Values
Ownership Structure
ASOS is a publically owned company and operates as a public limited company (PLC).
This means that the company offers shares to the general public with limited liability on
the London Stock Exchange.
The company has a board of directors that is responsible for the day-to-day
management of ASOS business and financial performance. It is important that the Board
ensure that ASOS lives up to the management and corporate governance standards
put it place (ASOS). The Board of Directors is supported by Audit, Remuneration and
Nomination Committees (ASOS PLC, 29).
Current Status
Source: (ASOS)
ASOS has been continuing to experience growth in both site traffic and financials.
The company closed out 2013 with a reported revenue of 769.4 million (ASOS PLC).
Retail sales saw an average total increase of 40%, with UK retail sales increasing by 34%
to 276.0 million and international retail sales up 44% (ASOS PLC, 1). The company
continued to expand globally, with international sales now making up 63% of the
companys total sales, a 1% increase from 2012.
The total retail sales were broken down as follows for 2013 (Marketline, 10):
U.K. Retail Sales 284.9 million
EU Retail Sales 179.9 million
U.S. Retail Sales 79.1 million
Rest of World Retail Sales: 225.4 million
In the UK specifically, a typical ASOS order has an average basket value of 63.69, with
an average of 2.41 units and an average unit selling price of 26.46 (ASOS PLC).
ASOS is the second most visited fashion website on the planet, with a reported 7.1
million active customers as of August 1, 2013 (ASOS PLC, 1). Asos.com attracts 67.8
million total visits (Yr in Review), with 21.2 million of those being unique visitors (ASOS
PLC, 4).
In 2014 the company delivered a 26% retail sales growth for the eight weeks ending
February 28, 2014 (Pinkerton).
As of October 28, 2014 the ASOS stock (ASC:LN) saw an increase of 12.36% to reach
2,390.00. This is a promising sign for the company, especially since their stock prices
had been falling since March 2013 and lost a third of its value in 2014, despite the
reported revenue growth (Ruddick). Speculation for why this drop has been happening
includes that ASOS has had heavy spending on new services, has been lowering prices
in an effort to reverse a small slowdown in international sales and the damaging fire of
their Barnsley, Yorkshire factory (Ruddick).
ASOS Stock Prices
Source: (Bloomberg)
10
When looking towards the future, ASOS is focusing on more than just financial growth
as they strive be the number one retailer among their target customers.
One thing the company is working on is making its ordering system more user-friendly
for users outside of the UK that dont favor credit and debit cards as their payment
method (ASOS).
ASOS is always continuously updating its technology in order to host different character
sets needed for their language-specific sites. The company hopes that being able to
do this on its existing language-specific sites, as well as a few others, will allow them to
talk to 90% of the worlds potential customers in their own languages (ASOS). For now,
however, the company will put the development of new language-specific sites on hold
while it focuses on strengthening and establishing its current sites (Rigby).
ASOS will also be investing in new technologies to allow it to offer localized pricing
and discounts from one market to the next. The introduction of data warehousing
technologies that will allow the company to have a single view of all of its inventory
worldwide are also in the works (Rigby).
The company is also monitoring distribution to customers outside of the UK. ASOS has
decided that as the company grows it will be important to begin keeping some stock in
other countries (ASOS). Currently the majority of ASOS stock is held at the companys
distribution center in Barnsley (ASOS).
11
When it comes to product quality, ASOS will begin to increase the amount of quality
checking done both before products arrive at their warehouse and while they are at
the warehouse. ASOS is also hoping to confirm that 100% of the products in their ownlabel collections receive quality checks in the near future (ASOS). An increase in quality
control measures will ideally result in increased customer satisfaction and more efficient
problem resolution should quality issues arise.
ASOS also has financial goals in place. The company hopes to hit a sales target of 1
billion this year (ASOS PLC). After they meet their 1 billion goal in 2014, the company
aims to reach 2.5 billion in sales over the coming years and are continuously working
to build an infrastructure to support that goal (McGagh).
To accomplish these goals the company has invested 68 million in areas like
warehousing and IT (Rigby). Some warehousing expenditures planned include enhancing
efficiency in the UK warehouse, creating a new Eurohub in Berlin, expanding the Ohio
facility and opening a new warehouse in Shanghai (Rigby).This increased spending
on warehousing will play a critical role in the growth of ASOS, as it could potentially
allow the company to more than double its sales capacity and positions the company
for international expansion (Rigby). With these new warehouses, ASOS will be able to
better serve the East through China, Europe through Berlin and extend its distribution
capabilities in the US and UK (Rigby).
Further down the line, ASOS will look at expanding into markets like Japan, Korea, India
and Brazil (Rigby). The company currently has no plans to open any permanent physical
locations and will continue to use its cash to invest in its future in the growing online
fashion space (Rigby).
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SWOT Analysis
Strengths
Opportunities
Weaknesses
Dependence on complex IT
infrastructure
Lack of physical stores
Logistical and costing issues related to
production
Quality standards
Shipping & return costs
Potential changes in international laws
Threats
13
Strengths
ASOS has many strengths as a company. ASOS offers extensive product ranges to its
customers that includes a wide selection of unique and exclusive items from roughly 800
brands (ASOS PLC, 2). The 65,000 items offered on the companys site are supplied by
big brands, up-and-coming designers and ASOS private label (ASOS PLC, 2). Every week,
the company lists 2,500 new styles while the ASOS Marketplace also provides customers
with more than 145,000 additional products to choose from (ASOS PLC, 2). The company
also works to find innovative ways to display merchandise on the website and to provide
customers with interactive shopping opportunities (ASOS Blog). Some examples of this
include shoppable customer created looks, company edited fashion trends and ASOS
Marketplace (ASOS Blog).
The multi-channel marketing approach used by the company enables it to reach a
large number of consumers with a variety of information in multiple ways. Through the
ASOS blog it can provide customers with content on topics like music, movies, celebrity
styles and current fashion trends (BLOG). The ASOS Magazine is the companys more
traditional marketing publication that gives 500,000 customers (ASOS PLC, 2) an editorial
view of the sites merchandise and communicates the ASOS brand (ASOS Blog). ASOS
also connects with millions of customers through its presence on various social media
platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr (ASOS Blog).
Another strength for the company is its focus on customer service. ASOS strives to
offer an effortless online shopping experience for every single customer (ASOS PLC, 2).
Customers are they key to ASOS success and to ensure customer service goals are met,
the company invests in training for customer-facing teams and focuses on continuing to
offer various free delivery and return options (ASOS PLC, 37).
All of the employees at ASOS are knowledgeable and passionate about both their jobs
and the company. This helps to ensure that the brand is constantly innovating, growing
and is good for morale (ASOS Blog).
The company has experienced financial success and has plans in place to continue to
grow its revenue and international presence, which is a strength in any company.
14
Weaknesses
15
Threats
External threats are also something that ASOS must consider. There are some ongoing
financial difficulties, particularly in the European market, that could impact the
company. These factors include household disposable income, weather, seasonality
of sales, sporting events and changing demographics (ASOS PLC, 32). One way these
uncertain economic times present a threat to the company is that they could indicate
that consumers have less money to spend on ASOS products. The company is also
susceptible to changing interest rates or foreign exchange rates (ASOS PLC, 33).
The internet fashion retailing market that ASOS operates in is highly competitive. This
presents a threat to the company because they must effectively compete with both
internet retailers and high street stores in order to remain successful (ASOS PLC, 32).
Failure to do so could result in a loss of sales, brand reputation and consumer base.
Consumer tastes could change at any minute and the company recognizes this as a
threat. Failure to effectively predict these changes and an inability to respond to changes
in consumer demand quickly could negatively impact the company (ASOS PLC, 32).
An increasing emphasis is being placed on consumers in-store experience. This is
a threat for ASOS because they do not have any physical stores that can allow for
this experience at the same level as some of its brick-and-mortar competitors (ASOS
Blog). Retailers that have both a physical and online presence are also a threat to
ASOS because they are able to attract more foot traffic and could potentially be more
recognizable (ASOS Blog).
16
17
18
Brand as a Person
Brand as a Product
Fashion lover
Trendy
20-something
Driven by technology and social
media
Pop culture & celebrity obsessed
Loves to score a deal
Avid consumer and communicator
Easily influenced by their friends
Brand as a Symbol
Brand as an organization
Publically traded
Collaborative
UK based
Technology driven
Restlessly innovative
Customer-obsessed
Influential social media presence
International
19
Accessibility
In the market ASOS competitors include retailers like Shop Bop, New Look, H&M, River
Island, Mango and Forever 21. When looking at the average price per item, Top Shop
is the most similar to ASOS with their average price being 146.89, compared to ASOS
185.83. The highest average price per item among ASOS competitors is Shop Bop at
1,830.82 due to the fact that Shop Bop sells high-end designer collections. The lowest
average price point in the companys competitor list is Forever 21 at 15.5.
In terms of distribution, ASOS currently only sells its products online to more than 237
countries while competitor Shop Bop ships products to 165 countries and Nasty Gal to
60 countries.
20
D. Current Distribution
21
ASOS aims to provide fast and efficient delivery to all of its customers, shipping to more
than 237 countries and territories at no charge to customers (ASOS). Orders over 15
delivered free worldwide with express service offered in some countries. Customers
can also pay to become ASOS Premier members to receive unlimited next-day delivery
within the UK for an entire year. In 2013 ASOS spent 115.1 million on distribution costs,
compared to only 79.0 million in 2012 (ASOS PLC). ASOS also has systems in place to
offer free return services in the UK, France, Germany and the U.S. but is continuously
looking for ways to process returns locally (ASOS). This is an effort to process returns
more efficiently and for less.
22
The overall expenses for the annual marketing spending budget nearly doubled from
2012. In 2013 ASOS reported total spending of 40.9 million, an increase from the 21.2
million spent on marketing by the company in 2012 (ASOS PLC, 4). ASOS has focused on
investing more in digital marketing, including pay-per-click and affiliate marketing, a redesigned mobile experience and on country-specific campaigns (ASOS PLC). In addition
to these campaigns, other marketing expenditures from ASOS include local magazine
partnerships in France and Germany. The results of these activities are already visible in
the strong worldwide growth in sales and number of active customers during the year,
and the company expects to receive continued returns on this investment in each of our
strategic markets during the new financial year (ASOS PLC).
Digital
ASOS is well-known for their digital advertising activities. One of their most successful
and innovative campaigns was the Best Night Ever campaign, which targeted fashion
loving girls between the ages of 18-29 located in the UK, US and Australia (Asos.
com). The goal was to engage these consumers with inspiring content and spark their
attention in ASOS during the competitive Christmas period. In order to better grab this
audiences attention and convince them to choose the company as their go-to online
store for all their outfits during this season, ASOS collaborated with three inspiring
and talented women: Charlotte Free, Ellie Goulding and Azealia Banks. Each celebrity
participated in the creation of a unique, interactive and shoppable music video to market
both the music and ASOS products (Asos.com).
ASOS styled these women for the videos and had a product carousel with the worlds
first Want it, Pin it button (Asos.com). For 76 straight hours viewers could shop the
product directly from the videos. From this campaign ASOS was able to directly impact
site traffic and sales by bringing their audience back to Asos.com (Asos.com).
On asos.com, digital marketing also occurs through Fashion Finder. Customers can use a
personal stylist who will select items based on their responses to questions detailing
their product preferences.
Fashion Finder is a marketing tool used by the company, where customers can receive
help finding outfits and look through live feeds from personal blogs created by the
ASOScommunity (ASOS). The interactive channel allows customers to showcase their
own ideas, browse styles created by the ASOS team or other users and build their own
outfits with the outfit builder tool. Customers can then add links to the products
theyve chosen.
Fashion Finder also allows ASOS customers to interact with one another in the
Community section. By commenting on outfits, following each others profiles and
posting completed, shoppable looks for fellow users to buy and discuss (ASOS).
Customers can also find competitions that happen around the world and features on
things like what to wear for occasions ranging from Halloween to date night.
23
Social
ASOS is 100% screen agnostic, meaning that all of their advertising activities can be
viewed on any type of screen (ASOS). ASOS does not use traditional advertising like
catalogs, billboards or flyers. Instead, they use only digital advertising to engage with
their customers across social media outlets like Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Twitter,
YouTube, Pinterest and Tumblr. ASOSearns credibility with 20-something fashion lovers
around the world through these channels by interacting with their customers one on one
and answering questions 24/7 (ASOS PLC, 2).
139,359 Followers
3,497,352M Likes
2.4M Followers
2.4M Followers
30,405 Subscribers
4,755 Followers
3,145 Posts
15,347,993 Views
30 Boards 3,359
Direct
One of ASOS direct marketing initiatives is their ASOS Premier membership program.
Subscribers not only receive shipping benefits, but the company also sends them a free
copy of ASOS magazine (Asos.com).
ASOS magazine is available as a hard-copy, online through asos.com and through the
companys mobile application. The magazine contains content on style inspiration,
current trends and celebrity reviews. Readers also get behind-the-scenes videos, access
to competitions and other exclusive content (Asos.com).
When looking at the magazine online, users have the option of purchasing items straight
from their devices with one simple click. Customers also have the option to save items
they like to a wish list or to share them with their friends through e-mail, social media or
a text message (Asos.com). When viewing the magazine on the ASOS mobile application
readers can search through previous issues or navigate by feature or topic. The ASOS
magazine application is available to customers in the UK, France, Deutschland, Australia
and the US (Asos.com).
Customers also have the option to subscribe to the companys newsletter, which detail
new collections, style news, exclusive offers and fashion inspiration.
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Sales Promotion
ASOS offers promotions on the site quite often, and uses emails and banners on asos.
com to communicate them to customers. Some of the more recent promotions include
(Asos.com):
70% off sale, plus an extra 10% off using a specified promo code (10more)
Win 500 to spend at asos.com by counting burgers on the December 2014 issue
of the magazine and then posting your answer of the amount of burgers seen using
#loveasosmas
Free delivery to over 237 countries
10% off student discount
25
Since the proposed ASOS pop up shop will be located in the UK we will analyze the
fashion retail market in the country. The fashion industry in the UK is growing both in
size and in its importance to the countrys economy and is expected to continue growing
through at least 2018 (One Source).
The apparel retail industry in the UK saw total revenues of 35.5 billion in 2013, which is
a 2.2% compound annual growth rate for 2009-2013 (Marketline Industry Profile, 2).
Source: (Marketline, 8)
The most lucrative segment in this market is womenswear, which saw a total revenue of
20.4 billion. This represents 57.1% of the industrys overall value (Marketline Industry
Profile, 7). Comparatively, the menswear segment had a total revenue of 9.5 billion, or
26.7% of the total value in 2013 (Marketline Industry Profile, 7).
In the UK, the high street fashion industry is valued at an estimated 44.5 billion (Fashion
United). In 2009, retail sales in the country were estimated to be over 285 billion,
generating 8% of the countrys GDP (Fashion United). It was reported that 293,510 retail
outlets were operating in the UK (Fashion United).
The European apparel retail industry as a whole is valued at approximately 268.7 billion
as of 2013. Therefore, the industry in the UK accounts for 13.3% of the total value of the
European apparel retail industry (Marketline Industry Profile, 10).
Retail spending is relatively evenly distributed across the UK with regions where the total
gross earnings of residents are higher accounting for proportionally larger spending
(British Fashion Council, 59). However, London is the one exception to this, accounting
for a disproportionately large share of total retail spending compared to how much
its residents earn (British Fashion Council, 59). The reason for this is the tourism traffic
London gets. London accounted for more than a quarter of retail spending on fashion
products in all of the UK (British Fashion Council, 59).
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Looking ahead, the apparel retail industry in the UK is estimated to reach a value of
42.2 billion by 2018 with a predicted compound annual growth rate of 3.8% (Marketline
Industry Profile, 12).
Source: (Marketline, 8)
Earlier this year the contribution to the UK economy from the UK fashion industry
was reported to be 26 billion. This number is an increase from the 21 billion figure
reported in 2009 (British Fashion Council). These contribution figures incorporate the
direct impact of wholesale, retail and manufacturing on the UKs economy and also the
indirect effect the fashion industry has on things like tourism (Pithers).
The total contribution of the fashion industry, including direct impact, indirect support
for supply chain industries and spending on employees wage incomes is estimated to
be 46 billion (British Fashion Council). The fashion industry therefore contributes more
the UK economy than the publishing, car manufacturing or chemical manufacturing
industries (Business Fashion Council, 12).
Significant contributions to this total are made by marketing costs, the fashion media
and fashion education (British Fashion Council 12).
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In 2009, the overall size of the economic activities of the clothing and textile industry in
the European Union had a value of 440.7 billion, with over 870,000 companies involved
in the wholesale, retail and manufacturing of these products (Fashion United).
The fashion and textile industry in the UK employs an estimated 797,000 people (British
Fashion Council). Employment in the fashion retail sector of the UK is relatively stable,
with roughly 435,000 people actively employed in the retail of textiles, clothing, and
footwear (Fashion United).
Spending on clothing and footwear is approximately 289.9 billion in the European
Union countries combined, accounting for approximately 5.3% of total household
consumption spending (Fashion United). British consumers in general spend about
552on fashion purchases each year per person (Fashion United). In 2009 this number
was reduced in response to the global economic recession but since 2010 this number is
recovering (Fashion United).
The total household consumption on clothing and footwear in the UK in particular 46.2
billion (Fashion United).
Globally, online retail sales have increased at an estimated rate of 17% each year
(ATKearney).
Source: (Euromonitor)
28
In Europe, the online retail sector has been experiencing growth despite the economic
slowdown of 2009. Even during 2009, the internet retail market still saw a growth of 26%
making it one of the retail channels least affected by the slowdown (Fashion United).
Consumers in Europe still continued to utilize the internet as a channel that allowed
them to seek out bargains and compare prices to get the best deal (Fashion United).
Many retailers in 2009 were more cautious about entering that market and chose to only
offer a limited product range online or sold their goods through already well-established
online retailers (Fashion United).
In 2012 the market grew by 20.4% to reach a value of 144.2 billion. It is forecast that
this sector will continue to grow and by 2017 will be valued at 247.7 billion (Marketline
Industry Profile, 7). In the UK specifically, the online retail sector grew by 15.2% in 2012
to reach a value of 32.8 billion. It is estimated that by 2017 the UK online retail sector
will reach a value of 47.05 billion (Marketline Industry Profile, 7).
Retail sales alone in the UK, France, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, Poland and Spain are
expected to reach a combined total of 111.2 billion by the end of this year (Centre for
Retail Research). The UK, Germany and France dominate this European market, together
responsible for 81.3% of the total online retail sales in these eight countries (Centre for
Retail Research).
A growing channel for e-commerce sales is mobile and the tablet applications and this
multichannel retailing has become a priority for many of UKs leading brick-and-mortar
stores (Euromonitor). In Great Britain in 2013 11% of all e-commerce sales were made
from a smartphone, 7% were from a tablet and 82% came from traditional computers
(Centre for Retail Research). When looking at the online retail market in Great Britain
from 2013-2015 it is estimated that 67% of the population has partaken in e-commerce
(Centre for Retail Research).
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B. PESTEL Analysis
Key sources for this PESTEL analysis include a UK PESTEL analysis conducted by S. Warris
Hussain in 2013 and UK Government websites, among other secondary sources.
Political
The UK operates as a constitutional monarchy with the monarchy operating as the
head of state and the prime minister as the head of the government (Baeet, Sarvagod,
and Vaze)
The UK became a member of the European Union in 1973 (Euromove) which allows
it to be part of the worlds largest single market with a total GDP of approximately 11
trillion (Euromove).
Exports to the EU account for 51% of the UKs exports of goods and services (200
billion) while exports to the US account for only 13% of the UKs exports (Euromove)
The UKs relationship with the EU has been somewhat rocky lately, with the UK
considering leaving the EU (Hall)
The reason for this is that UK Prime Minister David Cameron is angered over
the EU demanded that the country pay a large sum of cash since their economy
had performed better than it was forecasted (Hall)
The UK is currently relatively politically stable and maintains good ties with many
countries (Hussain) and a reportedly low political risk (A.M. BEST)
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Economic
The UK is the third largest economy in Europe after Germany and France (Hussain)
Economic growth rate
The UK was hit particularly hard by the global financial crisis in 2008 but the
country has begun to recover slowly with growth between 0-2% and expected
growth of 2.9% in 2014 (A.M. BEST)
Slow economic growth due in part to factors such as high unemployment,
tighter credit conditions and weak demand (A.M. BEST)
The economic growth rate in the UK is 7% per capita, per quarter (Halligan)
GDP
The gross domestic product (GDP) in the UK expanded 7% in the third quarter
of 2014 compared to the previous quarter (Trading Economics)
The GDP growth rate on average is 6.1% from 1995-2014 (Trading Economics)
The GDP in the UK for 2013 was $2.521 trillion USD (The World Bank)
The unemployment rate in the UK was 6% for the three months to August 2014, a
decrease from 6.2% the prior period (Trading Economics)
1.97 million people were reportedly unemployed in the country between June
and August, which was the first time the unemployment rate in the UK had
dropped below two million since late 2008 (Monaghan)
Source: (Monaghan)
31
The governments national debt is now 1,451 billion (Halligan) and it is estimated that
the country will post a sixth successive year of triple-digit, billion-pound deficits
(Yahoo) despite cuts in government spending (Monaghan)
Source: (Monaghan)
The benchmark interest rate in the UK was last recorded to be 50% (Trading Economics)
The rate of inflation in the UK fell to 1.2% in September, marking the lowest inflation
rate in the country in five years (BBC)
The UK imposes a Value Added Tax (VAT) on most goods or services purchased with
the current rate being 20% (UK Government)
32
Social
The total population of the UK in 2011 was 63,182,178 (Office for National
Statistics)
Age breakdown (Index Mundi):
0-14: 17.3%
15-24: 12.6%
25-54: 41%
55-64: 11.5%
65+: 17.5%
Britain used to utilize the class structure with three main divisions: the upper class,
the middle class and the lower or working class but today multiculturalism is slowly
eroding this class system (Hussain)
Leisure activities:
Music, theatre and performing arts play a large role in the leisure activities of
residents (Hussain)
There are cinemas in almost every town or city in the United Kingdom (Hussain)
The UK offers residents and visitors a desirable landscape for walking, climbing,
cycling, mountain-biking and running (Hussain)
Average ratings of personal well-being in the UK in 2013/2014 were as follows (Office
for National Statistics):
26.8% of people in the UK rated their life satisfaction at the highest levels (5.6%
lowest)
32.6% rated their sense that what they do in life is worthwhile at the highest
levels (4.2% lowest)
32.6% rated their happiness at the highest levels (9.7% lowest)
39.4% rated their anxiety at the lowest levels (20% highest)
In the first quarter of 2014 household spending grew by 0.8% to reach a total of 2.0
billion (Office for National Statistics)
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Technological
E-commerce is the fastest growing retail market in Europe (Centre for Retail Research)
The UKs share of online retailing is forecasted to increase to 13.5% in 2014 from
12.1% in 2013 (Centre for Retail Research)
Online retail sales made on mobile devises is expected to grow to by 62% to
reach a total of 7.92 billion in the UK, which is 17.6% of all online retail sales in
the UK (Centre for Retail Research)
Intrusion and privacy are issues that retailers must consider (Mintel)
23% of consumers find video advertisements that target them according to their
internet activity off-putting
59% of consumers agree that online advertising based on their browsing history
makes them feel uncomfortable
19% of consumers are concerned with how their personal data is used by
aggregators
In the UK the average time spent on technological devices is 6 hours and 54 minutes a
day (Woollaston)
The average spending on technology over a three month period in the UK is 218
(Woollaston)
38% of British households now own a tablet (Woollaston)
In 2012 the UK government spent 10.0 billion on science, engineering and technology
(Office for National Statistics)
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Environmental
People in the UK are increasingly concerned with being environmentally conscious
with some of the key environmental issues being air pollution, climate change
and waste (Hussain)
Some of the main environmental regulations put in place by the UK government deal
with air pollution, hazardous substances, packaging, waste and recycling and water
(Hussain)
The government has reported was in which using resources more efficiently will impact
business in the country. These include (UK Government):
Savings of approximately 23 billion a year
Reduction of carbon emissions
Increased resilience to climate change
Rising price of commodities
The government encourages businesses in the UK to provide clear and relevant
information about their companys environmental impact in order to assist consumers
in making more informed purchasing decisions(UK Government)
The UK government is working to create a stronger support system for companies
that produce more sustainable products or services and to provide businesses with
more tools to help them reduce the environmental impacts of their operations and
supply chaing(UK Government)
In 2012 the UK government spent 14.2 billion on environmental protection
activities, with 11.5 billion of that being spent on the collection, treatment, and
disposal of waste (UK Government)
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Legal
Advertising Rules & Regulations:
All marketing and advertising must be legal, decent, truthful, honest and socially
responsible (UK Government)
The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations holds companies
accountable for not misleading or harassing consumers through the use of
things like aggressive sales techniques or deceptive messages (UK Government)
Employee Rules & Regulations:
Minimum wage in the UK is 6.50 for ages 21 and over, 5.13 for ages 18 to 20
and 3.79 for those under 18 (UK Government)
All employees in the UK are entitled to receive a written statement of the terms
and conditions of their employment from their employer within two months of
being hired. These conditions include (Fisher & Phillips LLP):
Date of hire and employment duration
Job title and duties
Amount of pay and pay intervals
Sick pay
Normal work hours
Holidays
Pension entitlement
Disciplinary procedures
Notice of termination requirements
Typically employees in the UK may not be required to work more than 48 hours
per week and employers are not required to pay their employees overtime pay
rates (Fisher & Phillips LLP)
The Equality Act of 2010 is the primary legislation that prohibits discrimination
and harassment in the workplace and prohibits discrimination based
on characteristics like age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil
partnership, race, ethnicity, religion and maternity (Fisher & Phillips LLP)
Some specific laws that would impact the retail industry include regulations
on manual handling, slips and trips, violence, work at height and workplace
transport (Health and Safety Executive)
The corporate tax rate in the UK is undergoing a multiyear tax reform set to
drastically reduce the corporate tax rate. The current corporate tax rate is 23
percent (McBride)
The UK operates under a territorial tax system that largely exempts foreign
profits of multinational corporations from domestic taxation (McBride)
36
Synthesis
The United Kingdom is a good country for ASOS to use as a test market for their
physical distribution through a pop up shop for a plethora of reasons.
Overall, the UK is ranked as being a country with very low levels of political, economic
and financial systems risks by A.M. Bests assessment of these three categories (A.M.
BEST). This is a positive indicator for ASOS as it would not be a smart business decision
to open up a new location in a country that is experiencing turmoil in any of these areas.
Due to the stable nature of the UK, ASOS would ideally have the opportunity to open
more physical store locations if the pop up shop proves to be successful in the country.
The UK also receives many benefits due to their membership in the European Union.
These include potential access to a market of 500 million people, the ability to participate
in free trade with the absence of customs duties or tariffs and the ability to receive
foreign direct investment in the economy from non-UK sources (Euromove). Being a
member of the EU also means that businesses in the country only have to comply with
a single set of business operations rules when exporting or operating in any European
Union member state (Euromove). The UKs EU membership will be advantageous to
ASOS because it helps the economic condition in the country to remain stable and
presents many opportunities for free trade. However, ASOS will need to carefully monitor
the countrys status with the European Union as there has recently been discussion of
the UK exiting the EU (Hall). Leaving the European Union could result in the loss of trade
networks, economic stability and the other advantages of membership described above.
Economically, the United Kingdom is slowly starting to recover and grow after the global
financial crisis that impacted the country in 2008. The GDP in the country is rising, the
unemployment rate is falling and the inflation rate is at a five year low (BBC). These
factors create a positive economic environment for ASOS, as consumers will hopefully
be more willing to spend money on clothing and other purchases as the economy
beings to recover and as more jobs become available to them.
While currently the economy is stable, it will be important for ASOS to continue to
monitor any economic changes in the country, especially in the event they choose to
make the pop up shop more permanent. ASOS will want to monitor the increasing
national debt as well as the rumors and fears that Europe may sink back into a recession
(Bryant). Should Europe be plagued by a recession again, ASOS will likely see impacts
like a decrease in sales as consumer's reduce their spending.
Technology and e-commerce are on the rise in the European retail market and in the
lives of consumers (Centre for Retail Research). With one in ten households in the UK
having four mobile phones and 38% of British households now owning at least one
tablet (Woollaston), it will be important for ASOS to incorporate technology into their
pop up shop. Due to the fact that ASOS is already a strong player in the e-commerce
market and has a successful mobile and tablet application, this should be able to transfer
into the pop up shop. The company could choose to incorporate tablets set up around
the shop to offer customers the full ASOS online offering or they could incorporate
technology and social media into a more playful aspect of the pop up shop.
37
ASOS will also want to consider environmental consciousness when creating its pop up
shop. As people in the UK are becoming increasingly concerned with environmental
issues (Hussain), ASOS will want to consider ways to make its pop up shop incorporate
eco-friendly elements. The company will also need to make sure that it follows all of the
governmental environmental regulations put in place for businesses operating in the
United Kingdom (UK Government).
When staffing the pop up shop in the UK, ASOS will need to make sure that it follows
all of the employment laws and regulations put in place. For example, the company will
need to uphold the minimum wage standards put in place by the National Minimum
Wage Act of 1998 (Fisher & Phillips LLP). ASOS must also ensure that it abides by all of
the laws on discrimination, terminations and hourly restrictions (Fisher & Phillips LLP).
While these standards should not be that difficult for the company to meet when it
comes to staffing the pop up shop, they are still crucial for the success of the pop up
shop in the UK.
38
39
C. Key Players
Based on the Local Business Networks evaluation of brand shares in terms of value
for the apparel and footwear industry, there are five key players in the UK apparel and
footwear market. These retailers are Primark, New Look, H&M, River Island and Topshop.
Primark
Primark is a private subsidiary company,
and provides a diverse range of product
categories, including baby, kids, women,
men, homewares, accessories, beauty
products and confectionery.
The companys annual sales were 2.5
billion in 2013 (Primark Stores Ltd).
Primark only provides in-store shopping
to consumers with 289 stores across the
UK, Ireland and Europe and 9 stores in
London (Primark Store Locator).
Primark ranked number four in UKs brand share of apparel and footwear with 4.5% of
the shares in 2013. From 2010 to 2013, Primarks brand shares of apparel and footwear
value increased from 4.2% to 4.5% (Apparel and Footwear). In the UK, the company
combines a fast fashion design ethic with low unit prices to attract more consumers in
the country.
In 2012, the company also opened a new flagship store on Oxford Street in London.
During the fourth quarter of 2013, Primark began to cooperate with ASOS to offer its
products through the ASOS website. The company also launched its biggest store in
Manchester in May 2013 (Primark Stores Ltd). Primark maintained a leading position in
the apparel and footwear industry in the UK in 2013, making it a strong competitor for
ASOS.
New Look
New Look is a privately owned company
and a fast-fashion brand in the UK. New
Look has over 1,100 stores globally and 10
stores in London. It provides e-commerce
service to over 120 countries (New Look
Store). New Look provides the multichannel presence to benefit consumers,
while ASOS currently only offers
e-commerce.
New Look ranked number five in UKs
brand share of apparel and footwear with 2.9% of the shares in 2013. Womens apparel is
the key product, with 5.8% market share. 44% of the entire UK female population bought
items from New Look in the 2013 finical year (Apparel and Footwear).
40
In 2013, the companys retail sales were a major revenue source with 1.05 billion coming
from brick-and-mortar sales and 94.1 million coming from e-commerce. According
to the New Look revenue report for 2013, the companys revenue increased 2.4% from
2012. E-commerce revenue in particular increased 32% in 2013. The company also set
up a new factory in Lymedale, England to accelerate fulfilment of all e-commerce orders
(Apparel and Footwear).
New Looks core consumer is women from 16 to 30 years old (Store Wars: H&M). In
2013, New Look had 13.7 million active consumers (Apparel and Footwear), which
can be compared to ASOS 7 million (ASOS 2013 Annual). New Look did not provide
a loyalty card for consumers, but introduced a student 10% discount policy to attract
and keep the target consumers. In summary, New Looks e-commerce will be the major
competitive factor for ASOS.
H&M
H&M is a public, Sweden-based company that provides clothing, accessories, footwear,
cosmetics and home textiles to consumers (H&M About).
The companys revenue is 12.6 billion ("H & M Hennes & Mauritz"). H&M has 3,300
stores globally, 28 stores in London and provides online store service to 13 countries
(H&M Store Locator).
In the UK, H&M is focused on expanding their retail presence. In 2013, the company held
large events to draw customers in and to show their products at their flagship on Oxford
Street. They also provided free wireless internet access to customers at the flagship
store, which was a first for the company. H&M also opened on store on Regent Street in
London that offers a higher-end range of products (Hennes & Mauritz (H&M)). These
stores, especially those with the higher-end product offering, will attract more consumers
in the UK, and could impact ASOS pop up shop.
H&Ms UK brand shares of apparel and footwear was 1.5% in 2013, its first gain since
2010. H&Ms target consumers are between 15-40 years old, with those between 1525 representing the most profitable customer base for the company. H&Ms target age
group aligns closely to ASOS which is another way the company will be competition for
the ASOS London pop-up shop.
41
River Island
River Island is a private company that offers
mens and womens apparel, footwear,
accessories and cosmetics. The companys
revenue is 838.6 million (River Island
Holdings). River Island has nearly 300
stores throughout Europe, Asia and the
Middle East and 5 stores in London (River
Island Store).
River Island ranked number 12 in UKs brand
share of apparel and footwear with 1.3% of
the shares in 2013, a 0.1% drop form 2012
(Apparel and Footwear ). River Islands
e-commerce has continually increased since 2011, with 2% (River Island Clothing).
Topshop
Topshop is a privately owned company that offers womens apparel, footwear,
sunglasses, bags, purses, jewelry, socks and accessories. Topshops revenue was 984.0
million in 2013. It sells its products through brick-and-mortar retail locations and online.
The company has 380 stores in a wolrd, and 10 stores in London. Also, offering online
services to worldwilde 100 countries.
Topshops brand share of apparel and footwear was 0.6% in 2013. It increased by 0.1%,
its first gain since 2012 (Apparel and Footwear). In addition, Topshops internet and
non-store retailing shows sustainable growth. Non-store retail raised from 0.2% to 0.7%.
Internet retailing shows rapid growth from 4.1% to 10.5% (Topshop Retailing).
TopShops increasing internet retailing business will make it an even larger competitor
for ASOS. TopShops product offering also competes with ASOS in terms of quality and
price range. Many of ASOS competitors are increasing their focus on e-commerce,
which will make them even larger competitors for the company. All of the key players
listed above will compete with ASOS online and their brick-and-mortar presence in the
UK will compete with the ASOS pop-up shop. The companies not only rank high in value
in the UKs apparel and footwear market, but are also already present in Covent Garden,
where the ASOS pop-up shop will be located. These brands will be some of the strongest
competitors for ASOS.
42
A. Demographic Profile
Gender
London is the largest city in the United Kingdom according to the census released on
March 27, 2011 that found the population of the city to be 7,375,941 million (London
Council). London is considered more ethnically diverse than the rest of the United
Kingdom (Ons.gov).
City of London
London England
Population
7,375,941 m
8,173,941m
53,012456 m
43
Income
In 2011/12 the median household income in the UK across all age groups was 23,200
per year (Ons.gov)
When looking at our millennial consumers, many of them are still in school or are just
beginning their careers. 47% of students in the UKs income consists of money they
receive from their parents, which averages about 64 per week (EURO). Just under a
third of this age group (31%) do part-time work, meaning they work an average of 11
hours each week and earn 91.53 weekly (EURO).
The average gross income of those aged 20-24 declined 3.9% between 2007 and 2012,
to 21,327, while that of those aged 25-29 declined by 5.1%, to 27,020 (EURO).
London residents between the ages of 35-39 made an average of 32,270 in 2012 while
those between the ages of 40-44 made 33,258 (EURO).
Education
As mentioned above, many of our 20- something consumers are still attending
universities. Many of the top universities in the UK are located in or around London
(topuniversities). This will be good for ASOS because many of its target consumers will
already be located in the city.
In 2012, there were 1.9 million college students in the UK, an increase from 1.7 million in
2007. The population of full-time students rose from 61.4% to 68.5% between 2007 and
2012 (EURO). This presents a large market for ASOS to try to attract to come to its pop
up shop.
Most degrees in the UK take three or four years to obtain. The number of graduates rose
from 671,085 to 716,000 between 2007 and 2012 (EURO). Some of the top degrees are
social sciences, business and law, health and welfare, the humanities and the arts (EURO).
In 2013, 3.0 million people aged 16-24 were enrolled in full-time education programs in
the UK (Office for National Statistics).
44
B. Psychographic Profile
Employment
Young people in the traditional ASOS target consumer age range in the UK that are in
school full-time typically do not maintain full time employment because much of their
time is spent on their studies (EURO). If they do have jobs it is typically a part-time job.
When it comes to the more extended target consumer of the full millennial generation
and London population within this age range, they are employed in industries like the
public sector, business and administration and professional or technical positions (West
End Commission).
Leisure Activities
In the UK in general watching TV remains a popular activity for residents when they are
at home, with many using sites like the BBC iPlayer or Netflix to watch TV whenever or
wherever they want (EURO). Many consumers, particularly younger ones, also download
content (films, TV shows and music) illegally from the internet (EURO).
Our target consumers tend to go often to nightclubs or to enjoy movies or live music
(EURO). Many of our target consumers are also active, having gym memberships or
frequently working out (EURO). They also enjoy traveling any chance they get and often
take a gap year between when they finish school and begin working in order to travel
the world (EURO).
Funding for this travel in the case of millennials is often their savings accounts, loans or
gifts from their parents (EURO). This desire to travel represents a common theme among
millennials to experience new things and obtain new experiences (EURO).
Football is the countrys most popular spectator sport, with many of the countrys
population avid followers (EURO).
45
Almost all middle youth in the UK have computers or Internet access in their homes and
a growing number has smartphones. They are more comfortable shopping, banking and
even communicating online (EURO).
These market segments combine an interest in gastronomy and organic/ natural foods,
with the occasional indulgent takeaway and frozen pizza. Some are interested in growing
their own food and have a vegetable patch in their garden. They are more likely to
consume alcoholic drinks at home than 20-somethings, with wine increasingly favored
over beer by some. (EURO)
When looking at the tourist population of the UK, the activities most often done during
their visits include (Visit England):
Special shopping 17%
Visiting friends or family, going out for a meal, 14% each
Going out for a night out, 9%
Going out for entertainment and visiting attractions 7% each
General day out 6%
With a total spending figure of 46,024 millions the highest spend was reported in
London with a 20% of spend of 9,223million 19% of the trips.
C. Behavioral Profile
Shopping Habits
UK smartphone users spent an average of 134.8 minutes per month using m-commerce
apps (EURO). The most popular m-commerce app in the UK was found to be eBay,
followed by Amazon (EURO).
Fashion remains a major concern for women in their 30s and 40s and they are often
looking for items from designers and high-street companies.
Some millennials spend money frivolously, accepting that they are already in debt from
student loans so they arent afraid to continue to go into debt with their shopping
purchases (EURO). They look at it in terms of enjoying life today and paying for it
tomorrow (EURO). Others in our target age group of the wider millennial generation are
less likely to spend money as freely, as they facing bills and student loan repayment.
Many consumers in London are becoming increasingly value conscious. They are doing
things like shopping at discount supermarkets and looking for designer items at a
discount, looking to stores like TJ Maxx (EURO).
Overall, the ASOS pop up shop will target not only their company segment of
20-somethings, but also the wider millennial generation in the London area and tourists
that come to London.
47
48
Source: (Capco)
The West End as an entire region was reported to include the shopping and
entertainment districts near Oxford Street, Regent Street, Bond Street, Leicester Square,
China Town, Soho and Covent Garden (West End Commission, 15). It also includes the
retail stores and other attractions on the 22 adjoining streets (West End Commission,
16).
The Covent Garden area in particular is a popular shopping, dining and cultural
destination in Londons West End (Thomson). Currently the area sees an almost 50:50
ratio of locals to tourists visiting the area (Conti). This is in part due to the fact that the
company that owns a large amount of real estate in the area, Capco, has been working
to draw Londoners to shop and dine in the area (Thomson).
Part of the way Capco is doing this is by carefully curating a retail mix that would draw
Londoners who are looking for entry-level luxury or accessible luxury items (Thomson).
Another focus is on making sure that it is a unique, interesting mix of retailers by
bringing new brands to the UK or having high-end labels like Chanel try something new
at their stores (Thomson). This undergoing transformation in Covent Garden also focuses
on bringing more youth to the area (Conti). This mix will create an ideal environment for
ASOS, as our product offering can be on the more unique or edgy side and as this is our
first store opening in the world.
The Covent Garden area is also aiming to become increasingly residential, with the
introduction of luxury apartments drawing affluent Londoners to the area (Capco).
49
Demographics
In London as a whole, the resident population as reported in the 2011 Census was
7,375,941 million people (Office for National Statistics). As one of our target customer
groups is local London residents between the ages of roughly 18-34 years old, it is
important to note that the population of London tends to be younger than the rest of
the UK, with almost two-thirds of residents being under the age of 44 (London Councils).
The West End of London is increasingly residential, with the resident numbers in
the three wards of West End and St. Jamess in Westminster and Holborn and Covent
Garden being approximately 40,000 people (West End Commission, 17).
We anticipate that the Holborn and Covent Garden ward is where a large portion of
our pop up shop customers will come from due to its close proximity to Long Acre. The
Holborn and Covent Garden area is categorized by the Office of National Statistics as a
Prospering Metropolitan area and is also categorized as being within a city or larger
town surrounded by inhabited countryside (UK Census Data). Additionally, the overall
average demographics of the area are City Living: Transient communities (UK Census
Data).
The population of this area is 13,023 million people, with 6,908 being males and 6,115
being females (Office for National Statistics). The median age in the Holborn and Covent
Garden area is 33 (Local Stats UK).
The Covent Garden area sees 45 million visitors annually, all of whom will be potential
customers for our pop up shop, as the area is just a few blocks from our Long Acre
location. In the Covent Garden shopping area specifically, the average age of consumers
is 39 with a 50:50 male to female ratio (Capco). 56% of all of these shoppers are
Londoners, while 27% are international visitors from the US, Australia, Europe, China and
Brazil and 17% are domestic visitors (Capco).
Of the locals that visit Covent Garden, they tend to be from two demographic groups,
the ABC1 category and the AB category (Capco). The AB category consists of people
with higher to intermediate managerial, administrative or professional positions while
the C1 group consists of people with supervisory, clerical and junior managerial,
administrative or professional positions (Street Check). ABC1 shoppers make up 89% of
the total visitors (Thomson).
When looking at the demographic information for the exact Long Acre area in which
we will operate our pop up shop, which is still in the WC2E zip code, it is an urban area
with 36% of people being in the AB demographic and 33% being in the C1 demographic
(Street Check). In this specific area, 57% is males while 43% is females (Street Check).
The largest age groups in the Long Acre zip code are those between 30-44, followed by
those between 45-59, 25-29 and 20-24 (Street Check).
50
Psychographics
In London, 38% of people in the city are reported to have degree-level or higher
qualifications. The proportion of those aged 16 and older that have no recognized
qualifications when it comes to working is one of the lowest in the UK, being reported at
18% (Office for National Statistics). When it comes to housing in London, 24% of people
reportedly reside in socially rented accommodations, 24% rent privately from a landlord
or agency, 21% own a home and 27% have a mortgage on a home (Office for National
Statistics).
In the West End, there is a focus on business as the area accounts for 20% of all
employment in London (West End Commission, 46). The people working in the West End
area are employed in the following sectors:
51
Of those people living in the Holborn and Covent Garden area, 51% were born in
England while others reported being from the US, Scotland, Ireland and Australia to
name a few (Local Stats UK). Only 20.5% of people in this area are married, while 48.5%
are single (Local Stats UK). The occupational breakdown for those living specifically in the
Holborn and Covent Garden area can be seen in the chart below (Local Stats UK).
As we noted in the previous section, our target consumers for the pop up shop tend
to go to out and enjoy movies or live music events (EURO). Due to the fact that these
opportunities are widely available in the Covent Garden area, we are hopeful it will draw
in our target 20-something and millennial consumers to the region.
Londoners who are in the demographic of shoppers in Covent Garden tend to be quite
willing to spend money and are more likely to come back to the area to make a purchase
again, whereas tourists are more likely to be one time or infrequent visitors (Thomson).
When looking at our typical 20-something though, especially those on the younger
end of this age group, we note that they are often not making a large sum of money
and may have to choose between an ASOS product or a meal out, for example. This
reinforces our notion that we must work extra hard to attract these customers to our
products.
The average dwell time of shoppers in Covent Garden is 92 minutes on average (Capco)
while the average retail spend in the area is 100 per visit (Thomson).
52
Sales Potential
London attracts 16.8 million visitors from overseas, as last reported in 2013 (Office for
National Statistics).
The West End area attracts over 200 million visitors and generates 7.6 billion each year
(West End Commission, 16). The West End also has a plethora of attractions that will
hopefully bring foot traffic to our pop up shop. In addition to entertainment, retail and
restaurants, the region is also a key location for UK finance and professional businesses,
includes residential communities like Covent Garden and Soho, and is home to creative
firms and companies (West End Commission, 16). This is important for our shop because
it has the potential to draw locals that are working or living in the area.
Covent Garden in particular was one of the most popular destinations in London,
receiving 45 million visitors in 2013 (Capco). This is compared to the 35.5 million people
that visited the Sloane Street and Knightsbridge area, the 17.5 million that visited Bond
Street and can even be compared to the 39 million people that visited Times Square in
New York City (Capco). In 2013 the area was reported to be valued at 1.1 billion (Capco).
Our location on Long Acre sees an estimated 1,000 visitors each day (daily traffic based
on Long Acre Gap traffic). Due to the rise of Christmas sales, events and festivities that
will be held in Covent Garden during the Christmas season, we anticipate an increase in
traffic to the area during the time of our pop up shop (Wallace).
Nearby Kings College of London could also bring in our target customer at least during
the first few days of our pop up shop. The term for these students will end December 5,
2015 just a day after our shop launches. Ideally, we will be able to see sales from these
students, albeit a potentially small portion, before they head home for the holidays. We
may also have the potential to draw sales from students who do not leave the campus
for the holidays.
Estimating Competition
When estimating competition for our ASOS pop up shop, we will look at both direct and
indirect competitors. Our direct competitors on Long Acre include (Google Maps):
H&M
Muji
Zara
Gap
Marks & Spencer
Jack Wills
French Connection
Next
53
54
Area Factors
Pedestrian Traffic
We anticipate a high amount of pedestrian traffic due to the high tourist traffic of the
Covent Garden area. The Covent Garden area attracts 45 million visitors annually (Capco).
Transportation
The West End region lies at the core of Londons underground transportation and bus
network, which will provide visitors to the area with good accessibility to the pop up
shop area (West End Commission, 36).
When it comes to transportation to and from the Covent Garden, the Covent Garden
station is the most centrally located option and is on the Piccadilly Line of the tube (Visit
London). Just a short walk away are the Charing Cross, Leicester Square or Holborn tube
stations (Visit London).
Many London busses travel near the Covent Garden area but will not drive through the
actual area (Visit London). However, our customers will have the option of taking a bus
to nearby Trafalgar Square then walking to Covent Garden (Visit London). The RV1 bus
stops at Covent Garden while six additional busses stop at Trafalgar Square and bus 24
will stop at nearby Leicester Square (Covent Garden).
Customers can also get to our pop shop location by foot or bike and it is just a few
blocks away from the center of Covent Garden (Covent Garden).
Parking
Parking in the Covent Garden area is available but limited. There is Pay & Display
parking on the streets off of Henrietta Street, King Street, Southampton Street and
Tavistock Street (Covent Garden). There are also parking garages on Drury Lane and
Shelton Street (Covent Garden). This lack of guaranteed parking could deter or hinder
our pop up shoppers that will be using a car to get to our shop.
Availability of Required Human Resources
When building and staffing our pop up shop we will need to consider the availability of
human resources in the area.
For any of the building or remodeling projects for our new space we will hire a local
contractor firm. When it comes to the design and roll out of the interior of the space, we
will use members of the ASOS merchandising team from the corporate office.
To manage the day-to-day operations of the pop up shop we will use managers from
the ASOS corporate office. This will save us time as we can avoid the training that would
be required for a manager-level employee.
We plan to acquire our sales staff through a hiring event our People Team will hold
three weeks prior to the opening of our pop up shop to ensure we have enough time to
properly train these new employees. In order to ensure that we have the minimum of
8 staff needed to staff our sales floor during each weekday and 10 sales associates on
Saturdays and Sundays, we will look to hire approximately 25 employees. Our employees
will be paid at minimum wage of 6.50 (UK Government). The training will be a total of
24 hours over a three day period, resulting in a cost of 3,900.
55
Our pop up shop will be open from 10 a.m. 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and
from 11 a.m. 6 p.m. on Sunday. During the business hours of our pop up shop, it will
be ideal to have three associates on our downstairs level to service our fitting room and
assist customers. On the upstairs level we will need 5 employees to operate registers,
recover the store, assist customers and greet them. On weekends we will add one
additional employee to each of the two levels. We are also accounting for our employees
beginning their shifts 30 minutes before the shop opens and ending their shift 30
minutes after the shop closes.
On the opening weekend we will have ten staff on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Our managers will be responsible for developing the schedule, however based on our
hours of operation, number of employees needed and the minimum wage pay rate we
estimate our staffing costs for the three weeks of our pop up shop to be 11,310.
We will also have one manager work from 9 a.m. 6 p.m. and another manager work
from 12 p.m. 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Only one manager will be needed on
Sundays from 10:30 6:30. In order to account for days off and emergencies, it will be
ideal for us to have a total of four managers on our team. These managers will make
their normal salary and will therefore not need to be factored into our budget.
56
Legal Issues
When setting up and operating our pop up shop on Long Acre, there are legal issues
that we must consider in order to ensure we abide by all laws while operating our shop.
We will need to obtain a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) in order to serve alcohol at
our launch party. This must be done at least ten days before our event and will cost 21
(City of London).
In order to abide by the health and safety laws in London we will need to ensure we
carry out a risk assessment of our shop and train our staff to make sure they are aware
of the proper health and safety practices (Poppleston Allen).
It is also part of the required tenant responsibilities in the UK that our health and safety
risk assessment includes fire safety, electrical equipment safety, gas safety and asbestos
(UK Government).
To ensure our shop abides by the additional tenant responsibilities put in place by the
government we will take on the responsibility of managing a reasonable temperature for
our store, ensuring there is enough space, ventilation and lighting, safe equipment and
facilities (UK Government).
The United Kingdom requires that businesses be registered for VAT if they will charge
consumers this tax (UK Government). When selling the items in our pop up shop we will
follow the practices of asos.com and include the VAT into the price only when applicable
(ASOS).
At our pop up shop we will also follow the payment guidelines used on asos.com. This
includes the stipulation that all purchases must be paid in full at the time of purchase
(ASOS).
For discount codes and promotions we have terms and conditions put in place that will
be communicated to customers to avoid any legal issues. These include ensuring that
we specify the conditions of use at the time of issuing the promotion (ASOS).
Our pop up shop will abide by the returns and refunds regulations put in place by the
UK Government. Therefore we will make sure that our return policy is communicated
to our customers and that it includes the required stipulations, such as only having to
offer returns for certain items that are faulty and not being required to grant a return if a
customer changes their mind (UK Government).
Prior to opening our pop up shop we will have the ASOS corporate legal team assess
any other legal issues that could arise with the set up and execution of our pop up shop.
57
Ambiance
We have created an ambiance in our pop up shop that aligns with the ASOS brand
identity. The wall behind the cash register area is black and white, similar to the ASOS
logo. We used wood paneling on the ceiling to mimic the ASOS head office and the
white laminate flooring and walls add a modern, clean feel to the space. There are
touches of red throughout to amplify the holiday season.
The light fixtures throughout the space serve a dual purpose. Not only do they provide
the lighting necessary for customers to properly shop the space, but their silver color
and spherical shape add to the modern, trendy vibe of the space.
Our associates will not have a required uniform and will be allowed to express their
own personal style within reason. This will allow them to display the uniqueness and
trendiness embodied by ASOS.
The playlist for the store will be an important factor in the ambiance. ASOS has had close
ties to the music industry in the past, for example with their Best Night Ever campaign,
and we want to show our musical tastes in the pop up shop. We will feature music from
artists Azealia Banks and Ellie Goulding to name just a few. The playlist will also include
tracks from local artists to showcase ASOS familiarity with the area and knowledge of
our consumers. We are hopeful that this will appeal to the locals that frequent our shop
and make them repeat customers.
In addition to the sound, we will use visual stimulation for our customers in the form of
music videos, ASOS catwalks and live social media feeds being played on the screens
throughout the shop. Not only will this add to the modern, trendy ambiance but it will
also allow consumers to see ASOS technological components.
Visual Merchandising
Our visual merchandising will be a combination of mannequins, fixtures and window
displays. The mannequins in our store window and throughout the space will be used to
create the holiday ambiance in the shop. By dressing our mannequins in holiday party
outfits and everyday winter looks we will be able to display ASOS products that embody
our fashion-forward nature while also reinforcing the holiday theme of our pop up shop.
In our store window, this same effort is put forth. Some mannequins are atop fixtures
and will be used to showcase the featured merchandise. We included a Christmas tree
and mannequins outfitted for the perfect winter occasion in our shop window display
to reinforce the ASOS brand and holiday theme. We have arranged all elements of
our visual merchandising, including mannequins and fixtures, to allow for a clear and
unobstructed view and to guide our customers towards the merchandise.
Art
Art in our pop up shop will be in the form of ASOS product pictures, the ASOS logo
and images from social media feeds. We have included fixtures on the walls that allow
for large posters to be displayed. The black and white striped paneling behind the cash
register creates an artistic element while also embodying the ASOS brand. We have used
a red and white holiday pattern in certain places throughout the shop to add a pop of
color to the space. The screens on the wall will depict videos and images that align and
communicate the culture of ASOS.
59
60
Floor Plan
61
62
63
Exterior
no.119
64
Retail Space
65
66
67
Cashier Area
68
Cashier Area
69
Fitting Room
70
71
C. Product Plan
The product plan for our ASOS pop up shop will offer womens tops, bottoms, dresses,
outerwear, footwear and accessories. We will also offer mens tops, bottoms, outerwear,
footwear and accessories.
When it comes to stocking our ASOS pop up shop we wanted to be able to change our
styles each week, especially because we anticipate repeat customers. Having a frequently
updated product offering also aligns with the ASOS philosophy. Online we offer 75,000
different products with more than 2,000 new styles being added each week (ASOS plc)
and we wanted this wide range to be expressed in our pop up shop.
Due to the high number of items we will need in the shop throughout the three week
period, we have chosen to highlight the main product offerings within each category
that show the varying price and functionality of the selection. For example, in womens
tops we offer different styles of tank tops, short sleeve tops, long sleeve tops and
sweaters. Products in this category range in price, with the lowest price being 8 and the
highest top being 190 to create an average price in this category of 99.
We used this method to show a select number of the specific items across all categories
that we will have in our pop up shop in our product plan. As mentioned, each category
offers a selection of different price points and functions. In our product range we also
tried to show that the ASOS pop up shop will offer apparel, footwear and accessories for
daywear and evening wear, with a strong focus on holiday outfits.
Category
High
Low
Average
Womens
Tops
Bottoms
Dresses
Outerwear
Footwear
Accessories
190
150
250
250
120
220
8
8
35
28
18
5
99
79
143
139
69
113
150
210
260
230
179
6
18
20
20
8
78
114
140
125
94
Mens
Tops
Bottoms
Outerwear
Footwear
Accessories
We have hand selected our product range to provide customers with items from
different categories that can be put together to create complete outfits. When selecting
the necessary 21,000 total units needed for the duration of the pop up shop we also
tried to ensure that the fashion forward and trendy identity of the ASOS brand has been
depicted in our pop up shop products.
72
Picture
Price
Price
Func8on:
Low,
Medium,
High
Func8on
Womens
Tops
ASOS
T-Shirt
with
V
Neck
10.00 Low
Short
ASOS
Crop
Top
with
Bardot
Sweetheart
Neckline
14.00 Low
Short
Glamorous
Boxy
Crop
T-
Shirt
in
Folk
Floral
24.00 Low
Short
Criminal
Damage
Oversized
T-
Shirt
with
Love
Victory
Print
The
Ragged
Priest
Hologram
T-
Shirt
30.00 Mid
Short
30.00 Mid
Short
Pepe
Jeans
T-
Shirt
with
Lace
Back
45.00 Mid
Short
ASOS
T-Shirt
with
tear
Drop
Embellishme
nt
60.00 High
Short
The
Ragged
Priest
All
over
Holographic
65.00 High
Short
73
with
tear
Drop
Embellishme
nt
65.00 High
Short
10.00 Low
Long Sleeve
Only
Cropped
Checked
Shirt
22.00 Low
Long Sleeve
Cheap
Monday
Denim
Shirt
with
Tie
Front
50.00 Mid
Long Sleeve
Pepe
Jeans
Red
Top
65.00 High
Long Sleeve
Whistles
Chay
Crop
Shirt
in
Lace
135.00 High
Long Sleeve
ASOS
Christmas
Jumper
in
Fairisle
with
Collar
35.00 Low
Sweaters
ASOS
Christmas
Cardigan
35.00 Low
Sweaters
BCBGenera8
on
Sweatshirt
in
Jacquard
Print
and
Leather
Look
CuBaker
Ted
95.00 Mid
Sweaters
119.00 High
Sweaters
190.00 High
Sweaters
The
Ragged
Priest
All
over
Holographic
Sequin
Cropped
T-
ASOS
Long
Sleeve
Top
with
Crew
Neck
Sweater
with
Embellishme
nt
Collar
74
2nd
Day
Jumper
with
on
Sweatshirt
in
Jacquard
Print
and
Leather
Look
CuBaker
Ted
119.00 High
Sweaters
190.00 High
Sweaters
ASOS
Cropped
Cami
Top
with
V
Neck
8.00 Low
Tank Tops
ASOS
Twist
Neck
Shell
Top
25.00 Low
Tank Tops
Michelle
Keegan
Loves
Lipsy
PU
Front
Peplum
Top
with
Lace
Trim
BLACK
ASOS
45.00 Mid
Tank Tops
55.00 Mid
Tank Tops
French
Connec8on
Shell
Top
with
Beaded
Neckline
70.00 High
Tank Tops
Ted
Baker
Cami
Top
with
Sequin
Front
99.00 High
Tank Tops
New
Look
Longer
Lenth
Legging
7.99 Low
ASOS
Co-ord
Skirt
in
Holidays
Fairisle
Knit
25.00 Low
Skirt
ASOS
Jameson
Low
25.00 Low
Jean
Sweater
with
Embellishme
nt
Collar
2nd
Day
Jumper
with
Sequin
Panel
Crop
Top
with
Gem
Collar
Boaoms
Legging
75
Cami
Top
with
Sequin
Front
Boaoms
New
Look
Longer
Lenth
Legging
7.99 Low
ASOS
Co-ord
Skirt
in
Holidays
Fairisle
Knit
25.00 Low
Skirt
ASOS
Jameson
Low
Rise
Denim
Jeggins
in
Mid
Wash
Blue
BLACK
ASOS
25.00 Low
Jean
45.00 Mid
Skirt
Pippa
Lynn
Joggers
with
Paneled
Knees
48.00 Mid
Joggers
Warehouse
Sequin
Jogger
65.00 High
Joggers
French
Connec8on
Gazelle
Pencil
Skirt
in
Wax
Coa8ng
65.00 High
Skirt
ASOS
Premium
Prom
Midi
Skirt
in
Bonded
Sa8n
75.00 High
Skirt
Warehouse
Leather
Peg
Pant
150.00 High
Leather Pant
35.00 Low
Short/Casual
39.00 Low
Short/
Evening
Mini
Skirt
in
Gliaer
Dresses
76
Fashion
Union
V
Neck
Shib
Dress
with
Jewel
Embellished
Shoulders
True
Decadence
Legging
Leather
Peg
Pant
Dresses
Outerwear
35.00 Low
Short/Casual
39.00 Low
Short/
Evening
Oh
My
Love
Plunge
Neck
Skater
Dress
in
Lace
40.00 Low
Short/
Evening
ASOS
Midi
Dress
in
Kniaed
Fairisile
Paaern
40.00 Low
Long/Casual
Motel
Plunge
Skater
Dress
with
Floral
Mesh
45.00 Low
Short/
Evening
ASOS
Ribbed
Peplum
Hem
Dress
with
Embellished
Collar
55.00 Mid
Short/Casual
ASOS
Metallic
Check
Shib
Dress
55.00 Mid
Short/
Evening
ASOS
Embellished
Shell
maxi
Dress
85.00 High
Long/
Evening
Needle
&
Thread
Contour
Ornate
Long
Sleeve
Dress
250.00 High
Short/
Evening
New
Look
Oversized
Acid
Wash
Denim
Jacket
27.99 Low
Fashion
Union
V
Neck
Shib
Dress
with
Jewel
Embellished
Shoulders
True
Decadence
Sa8n
Prom
Dress
Hip Height
77
New
Look
Biker
Jacket
39.99 Low
Hip Height
Thread
Contour
Ornate
Long
Sleeve
Dress
Outerwear
78
Evening
New
Look
Oversized
Acid
Wash
Denim
Jacket
27.99 Low
Hip Height
New
Look
Biker
Jacket
39.99 Low
Hip Height
Vila
Shaggy
Faux
Fur
Jacket
45.00 Low
Hip Height
ASOS
Faux
Fur
Gilet
60.00 Mid
Sleveless
Lavish
Alice
Duster
Jacket
in
Grid
Print
60.00 Mid
Over Knee
ASOS
Classic
Trench
60.00 Mid
Over Knee
Goldie
Oversized
Faux
Fur
Leather
Vest
75.00 Mid
Sleveless
The
Fibh
Raise
The
Bar
Bomber
Jacket
82.00 High
Hip Height
Eleven
Paris
Foncho
Poncho
with
Fringing
in
Plaid
Check
83.00 High
Past
Knee
Length
ASOS
Oversized
Coat
in
Ombre
Boiled
Wool
120.00 High
Past Knee
The
Laden
Showroom
X
120.00 High
Hip Height
Length
Foncho
Poncho
with
Fringing
in
Plaid
Check
ASOS
Oversized
Coat
in
Ombre
Boiled
Wool
120.00 High
Past Knee
The
Laden
Showroom
X
Gemma
Goldstone
Fun
Faux
Fur
Bomber
Alpha
120.00 High
Hip Height
185.00 High
Hip Height
Alpha
Industries
Fishtail
Parka
Coat
with
Shearling
Lining
&
Faux
Fur
Hood
Religion
Metallic
Biker
Leather
Jacket
with
High
Shine
200.00 High
Heavy
Weight/
Over
knee
250.00 High
Hip
Height/
Evening
ASOS
Low
Down
Loafers
18.00 Low
Flat
ASOS
Second
Chance
Heels
28.00 Low
Low
Plahorm
ASOS
Party
On
Pointed
High
Heels
60.00 Mid
S8leao Heel
ASOS
Empire
Chelsea
Ankle
Boots
42.00 Low
Chunky Heel
ASOS
Empire
state
of
Mind
Peep
Toe
Shoe
Boots
45.00 Mid
S8leao Heel
ASOS
45.00 Mid
Industries
Chunky
Flight
Coat
Footwear
79
Sneaker
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
This communication and promotional plan was developed using the secondary
information we collected about both ASOS and our target consumers (section 4.0).
This research showed us that social media would be our best and most effective
communication tool, not only because our consumers are high technology users but
also because prior to this shop ASOS only operated online. However, to ensure we reach
our customers offline as well, we will utilize communication and promotional elements
such as a launch party, an advertisement in the tube and direct marketing via email.
We believe that this pop up shop will benefit ASOS in more ways than the expected
1,063,380 revenue it is going to bring in. Our pop up shop serves as a test market to
see whether or not it makes sense for ASOS to open brick-and-mortar locations in the
future and it also spreads awareness of ASOS in the UK. Our ability to make connections
with customers in the pop up shop and the promotional card given for 10% off their
next purchase on asos.com when they make a purchase will lead more people to the
ecommerce site. This will increase sales dollars on asos.com, thus further justifying the
benefit of our pop up shop.
Pre-Launch
Social Media
Social media will be an integral part of our communication and promotion plan for our
pop up shop. Currently ASOS has millions of followers across its social media pages,
including 3.4 million Facebook likes, 758,000 Twitter followers and 2.4 million Instagram
followers. We will utilize our various social media channels throughout all three stages
of our promotion, meaning all six months, as we feel it is the most effective way to reach
our customers. All of our social media initiatives will be cost-free to execute.
During pre-launch the main goal of all of our social media initiatives will be to create
buzz and excitement for the pop up shop.
Using Facebook we will be able to create posts that allow customers to follow the pop
up shop both before during and after its creation. Our posts will be created by our
corporate marketing team and posted at least once a week during August November.
Our Facebook posts pre-launch will also feature content such as product highlights of
items that will be sold in the pop up shop. Our Facebook page will also serve to provide
information on the hours, dates and location of our pop up shop.
The ASOS Twitter page will feature similar posts to Facebook such as logistical
information, behind-the-scenes posts and product-related content. All of the Tweets
regarding the pop up shop will use the hashtag #ASOSOffline. We will also encourage
our followers to use this hashtag when talking about the shop. We will incorporate
Tweets regarding the pop up weekly during the pre-launch months.
Our Instagram page will focus on more visual posts compared to Facebook and Twitter.
Here, we will post images of the in-progress pop up shop to get our followers excited
about the final reveal. We will also post outfit ideas featuring products that will be
available in the pop up shop. All weekly Instagram posts will use "#ASOSOffline."
87
As we get closer to the launch we will increase the frequency of the posts to generate
even more buzz and excitement. This increased frequency will ideally result in a high
turnout for our launch party.
We will also use our YouTube channel to reach customers prior to the launch of our pop
up shop. The video post in September will be a teaser-style short video to announce
the pop up shop. We will then create a video for October with an update on the pop up
shop progress that will encourage viewers in London to get excited about the quickly
approaching opportunity to interact with their favorite online retailer right in their city.
The November video will be released at the end of the month, just days before the
December 4 launch. This video will be flashy, enticing and exciting. It will give quick
glimpses into the pop up shop space and products to peak the viewers curiosity enough
to make them visit the shop.
ASOS magazine
ASOS magazine is the companys publication that features style inspiration, current
trends, behind the scenes articles and exclusive content. The magazine is available in
hard copy, online through asos.com and on the ASOS mobile application (Asos.com).
We will utilize this pre-existing marketing channel when promoting the pop up shop.
During pre-launch we will place advertisements, sneak peak articles and behind-thescenes pictures in all editions of the magazine. This will be done for October and
November at no additional cost to the company.
Sponsored Blog Posts
To ensure that we are reaching customers aggressively prior to the launch of the pop
up shop we will pay three popular London fashion bloggers to write a blog post on the
pop up shop. These bloggers will be Liberty London Girl, Peony Lim and Ring My Bell.
We chose these bloggers in particular due to their popularity in the London fashion
community and the fact that they have been involved with ASOS before (BOE Magazine).
We will have Liberty London Girl write the first post towards the end of November. This
post will be a pop up shop preview.
The cost for this post will be 217.55 (Castellani, converted on xe.com 11/17/2014).
Traditional Advertisement Tube Advertisement
Although ASOS does not currently use traditional advertising such as billboards, we will
be placing an ad in four tube stations surrounding the Covent Garden area. More than
50% of all tube riders in London are between the ages of 18-34 (Exterion Media). It is
for this reason we feel it will be appropriate to place an advertisement in the Covent
Garden, Holborn, Leicester Square and Charing Cross tube stations. We will be able to
inform both our target market and a much wider audience about the pop up shop.
We will have our marketing team develop an advertisement that will run for the
last week of November and the three weeks of our pop up shop in December. The
advertisement will be consistent with the ASOS brand identity and also be holiday
themed to echo the theme of the shop.
To run this advertisement in all four stations for four weeks will cost 680 (The Marketing
Donut).
88
Launch
Launch Party
On the opening day of our pop up shop, December 4, we will host a launch party at the
Long Acre space. The party will run from the shops hours of 10 a.m. 8 p.m.
The theme will be to make the space feel like customers are at a Christmas party while
showcasing the ASOS merchandise. For the launch event we will hire a DJ for the entire
day for a cost of 1200 (Damion LeCapplain). We will also hire a caterer for the event
from 4 p.m. 8 p.m. at a cost of 39415.20 for 1,000 people (Penni Black).
The music will be a mix of updated holiday songs sung by popular artists as well as local
music and tracks that reflect the trendiness of the ASOS brand identity. For food we will
offer finger foods and holiday desserts, like candy cane brownies, cookies and Christmas
pastries. We will also have beverages, potentially including alcohol in the evening hours.
ASOS will obtain the required Temporary Event Notice need to serve alcohol at this
event for 21 (City of London).
The concept for the party will be adapted from the theme of the ASOS Christmas party
held at the companys headquarters in the past (Paula).
89
Social Media
We will continue to use all of our social media channels to promote the launch event
on December 4. We will also use our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels to post
daily updates on the pop up shop and product introductions. During the launch term
we will continue to encourage our customers to post and interact with us on Twitter and
Instagram using #ASOSOffline.
During the three weeks the shop is open we will release a final reveal and update
YouTube video to let viewers see what the pop up shop looks like, with the goal of
encouraging them to come to the space. We will have a video be released each following
week to update customers on what is going on in the shop.
These videos will also be shared on the UK-specific asos.com site and through our other
social media channels. We will continue to utilize our other social platforms, like Twitter
and Facebook, throughout the launch to keep our customers updated and excited about
the pop up shop.
This continued promotion on social media, our website and blog will be at no additional
cost.
Sponsored Bloggers
During the three week run of the pop up shop we will sponsor two more blog posts
done by popular fashion bloggers that have conducted business with ASOS before
and fit the brand's aesthetic (BOE Magazine). Peony Lim will write a post discussing the
launch party event and pop up shop. During the third week of December Ring My Bell
will write another post depicting her favorite finds from the ASOS pop up shop.
These posts will continue to keep the buzz around the pop up shop going. They will
reach customers in London and the surrounding areas to bring more business to our
pop up shop. The cost for these posts will be 217.55 each (Castellani, converted on
xe.com 11/17/2014).
Promotions Lookbook
With every purchase at the pop up shop customers will receive a lookbook of holiday
styles. This lookbook will serve to communicate the fashion trends the company has
available for the holiday season. In each lookbook there will be a coupon for customers
to receive 10% off their next purchase on asos.com.
This will lead to an increase in sales on asos.com, further justifying the benefit of the pop
up shop.
To determine how many copies of the lookbook we need printed, we analyzed our daily
traffic and conversion to calculate the number of transactions we anticipate. To allow for
variations and to ensure we dont run out of lookbooks we will print 6,000 copies for a
total cost of 1428 (Print Express).
90
91
Post-Launch
Social Media
After we close down our pop up shop we will post a thank-you post across all of
our social media channels, including a YouTube video. This video will thank all of the
customers that visited our pop up shop and encourage them to keep in touch on social
media and at asos.com. This will be done to thank all of our customers for making our
pop up shop a success and will foster goodwill among our customers. These posts will
run at the end of December and potentially into the first week of January and will be
shared on the ASOS website and blog. Post-launch social media will play a large role in
hearing feedback from our customers, thanking them for purchasing from ASOS and
encouraging them to stay connected with us. This will hopefully not only leave them
feeling more positive about ASOS but also more enticed to visit and purchase from
asos.com.
Email
We will utilize email capture during the sales transactions at the pop up shop. This will
allow us to keep in touch with our customers and potentially lead to future sales on
the asos.com site. We will send a thank-you email blast to all of the email addresses we
captured at the pop up shop. This will not only show our customer appreciation but will
keep our relationship with them going.
Promotion
During the last two days the pop up shop is open we will offer a 25% off discount on
the majority of the items left in the shop. This sale will be broadcast on our social media
channels to help us sell off any products left in the store to avoid having to pay to get
them back to the warehouse.
92
October
Launch
Post-Launch
November December
January
Cost
Communication Type
Social
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Instagram
Digital
ASOS blog
ASOS website
Sponsored bloggers
E-mail
ASOS magazine (online)
653
Out of home
Tube
170
680
Event
Launch Party
39,415
Direct
ASOS magazine (hard copy)
Lookbook w/ coupon
Total Costs
42176
41,666
1,428
93
When determining our sales forecast, we first found the daily traffic of the Gap store just
down the street from us on Long Acre. Using this we were able to determine our weekly
traffic rate. Our conversion rate was provided based on industry standards. On asos.com
the average units per basket is 2.66 units (ASOS plc). To account for impulse buys and
the purchasing of gifts for the holiday season, we anticipate an average basket of four
items per transaction.
To determine the percentage of mens items to womens items we adapted UK averages
to find that 68% of our offering would be womens items while 32% would be mens items
(Marketline, 9). We used industry standards to calculate a 4-to-1 top to bottom ration
for both men and women. We also allotted for a higher percentage of dresses at 15%,
compared to the industry standards discussed by our advisor. However, due to the fact
that our pop up shop will operate during the holiday season we wanted to incorporate
more dress styles for our fashionable customers to wear for all of the seasons events.
For our accessories categories we wanted to provide ASOS customers with both
accessibly and somewhat higher pricing in all product categories. Our lower price points
will hopefully boost our units per transaction, as they can be impulse buys. We also
included a variety of handbag and jewelry styles that can be purchased to accessorize
outfits for differing occasions or as the perfect holiday gift.
Shown below is our sales unit spreadsheet.
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Daily traffic
1,000
1,000
1,000
Weekly traffic
7,000
7,000
7,000
Conversion rate
Number of items purchased (4 per)
Total Units
25%
25%
25%
7,000
7,000
7,000
21,000
1,400
1,400
1,400
4,200
Womens
Tops
20%
Bottoms
5%
350
350
350
1,050
Dresses
15%
1,050
1,050
1,050
3,150
Outerwear
10%
700
700
700
2,100
Footwear
3%
210
210
210
630
Accessories
15%
1,050
1,050
1,050
3,150
68%
Mens
Tops
94
10.5%
735
735
735
2,205
Bottoms
2.5%
175
175
175
525
Outerwear
6.0%
420
420
420
1,260
Footwear
3%
210
210
210
630
Accessories
10%
700
700
700
2,100
32%
7,000
7,000
7,000
21,000
We then used the numbers provided by this spreadsheet to determine our sales forecast
and total projected sales revenue. For the average pricepoint per category we used the
sum of the highest and lowest product in each category and divided that by two, due to
the fact that our entire product plan will include a large amount of differnt styles. This
showed us that the total projected revenue of our pop up shop is 2,324,910. This is in
part due to the rise in sales that accompanies the holiday season and the increase in
traffic that will bring to our store on Long Acre.
95
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Total Units
1,400
1,400
1,400
4,200
Bottoms
350
350
350
1,050
Dresses
1,050
1,050
1,050
3,150
Outerwear
700
700
700
2,100
Footwear
210
210
210
630
1,050
1,050
1,050
3,150
Tops
735
735
735
2,205
Bottoms
175
175
175
525
Outerwear
420
420
420
1,260
Footwear
210
210
210
630
Accessories
700
700
700
2,100
UNIT SALES
Womens
Tops
Accessories
Mens
UNIT PRICE
Womens
Tops
99
99
99
Bottoms
79
79
79
Dresses
143
143
143
Outerwear
139
139
139
Footwear
69
69
69
Accessories
113
113
113
Tops
78
78
78
Bottoms
114
114
114
Outerwear
140
140
140
Footwear
125
125
125
Accessories
94
94
94
Tops
138,600
138,600
138,600
415,800
Bottoms
27,650
27,650
27,650
82,950
Dresses
150,150
150,150
150,150
450,450
Outerwear
97,300
97,300
97,300
291,900
Footwear
14,490
14,490
14,490
43,470
Accessories
118,650
118,650
118,650
355,950
Tops
57,330
57,330
57,330
171,990
Bottoms
19,950
19,950
19,950
59,850
Outerwear
58,800
58,800
58,800
176,400
Footwear
26,250
26,250
26,250
78,750
Accessories
65,800
65,800
65,800
197,400
774,970
774,970
774,970
2,324,910
Mens
REVENUE BY CATEGORY
Womens
Mens
96
To determine the potential profit or loss of our pop up shop we had to subtract all of the
execution expenses from the projected 2,324,910 revenue.
Our budget includes the prices discussed previously to achieve the build and design
of our space, our promotional activities and human resources. We also accounted for
utilities, rent, licensing and internet costs. For our cost of goods sold, we based it on
ASOS reported gross margin of 45.9% (ASOS plc).
The total cost of all our expenses are 1,262,040. While this seems like a large amount
of money, we had to renovate our space to properly reflect the ASOS brand to our
customers. It also includes our launch party, an expense that can be justified by its
potential to draw customers to make purchases at our pop up shop. Additionally, once
we factor in these expenses, we are still making a profit of 1,062,870 for the company.
Not only does this amount of projected profit justify our costs, it is also a valuable
indicator of the potential for ASOS to succeed in brick-and-mortar retailing.
97
8.0 Conclusion
This proposed pop up shop will serve as an indicator of the potential profit ASOS could
make by opening brick and mortar stores. The proposal incorporates secondary research
conducted on the company, its target customers and the United Kingdom market,
which is both where the company is based and where the pop up shop will be located.
Using this information, we were able to identify the habits of ASOS target consumers in
London and incorporate this into all aspects of our pop up shop.
Using our knowledge of the ASOS brand we were able to ensure that the ASOS brand
identity was reflected in everything from our pop up shop design to our product
assortment. It was essential that we carry as many different products and styles as
possible and that our space was trendy and fashion-forward. By using social media,
digital marketing and hosting a launch party it is our hope that our London target
customers will flock to the ASOS pop up shop, just as they do to asos.com.
We chose to do this pop up shop for the three weeks beginning December 4, 2015. By
opening during the holiday season, we aim to capitalize on the increased traffic and
sales that accompany the holiday season. It also allows us to have a clear theme for our
pop up shop and to incorporate that theme into our planning of various aspects of the
pop up shop, including a holiday party launch event and holiday items in the product
range.
After creating a proposed budget for this project that included projected sales and the
cost of goods sold, we determined that this pop up shop could result in a projected
revenue of just over 1 million for ASOS. This further proves the ability of our pop up
shop to serve as a test location for permanent ASOS locations in the UK.
98
9.0 Appendix
Appendix APrice Accessibility Matrix Worksheet
99
Display
100
Amount
Price
Per
Unit
Total Cost
Source
330.99
992.97 hFp://
www.lightsw
orld.co.uk
206.99
620.97 hFp://
www.lightsw
orld.co.uk
531.99
3191.94 hFp://
www.lightsw
orld.co.uk
79.99
159.98 hFp://
www.lightsw
orld.co.uk
159.99
1279.92 hFp://
www.lightsw
orld.co.uk
11.95
40
478.00 hFp://
www.lightsw
orld.co.uk
165.00
330.00 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
165.00
990.00 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
47.99
239.95 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
32.99
296.91 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
179.00
537.00 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
99.99
199.98 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
179.00
537.00 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
99.99
199.98 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
50.45
100.90 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
94.45
188.90 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
112.45
224.90 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
399.00
798.00 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
441.75
883.50 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
159.00
318.00 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
90.00
180.00 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
0.72
2200
1184.00 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
0.46
300
138.00 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
119.99
239.98 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
106.19
10
1061.90 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
29.99
11
329.89 hFp://
argos.scene7
.com/is/
101
350
Costume
Fixtures
102
Digital
119.99
239.98 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
106.19
10
1061.90 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
29.99
11
220.47
15
329.89 hFp://
argos.scene7
.com/is/
image/
Argos/
1719053_R_
3,307.05 hFp://
www.display
sense.co.uk
Rack
Horizontal
double
entrance
0.92sqm
100
per
sqm
92.00
552.00 hFp://
www.sperlin
gretail.com
Rack
Horizontal
wall
large
1.49sqm
100
per
sqm
149.00
447.00 hFp://
www.sperlin
gretail.com
Rack
Small
Circular
1.11sqm
100
per
sqm
111.00
222.00 hFp://
www.sperlin
gretail.com
Rack
horizontal
Wall
Small
0.74sqm
100
per
sqm
74.00
148.00 hFp://
www.sperlin
gretail.com
Rack
Large
Circular
1.48sqm
100
per
sqm
148.00
296.00 hFp://
www.sperlin
gretail.com
Interac\ve
Bench
1.95sqm
100
per
sqm
195.00
195.00 hFp://
www.sperlin
gretail.com
Fi_ng
Rooms
18.58sqm
100
per
sqm
1,858.00
1858.00 hFp://
www.sperlin
gretail.com
Cashier
5.02sqm
100
per
sqm
502.00
502.00 hFp://
www.sperlin
gretail.com
Shelng
10.22sqm
100
per
sqm
1,022.00
1022.00 hFp://
www.sperlin
gretail.com
479.00
16
7664.00 hFp://
store.apple.c
om/uk/buy-
iPad Air
Shelng
Digital
10.22sqm
100
per
sqm
1,022.00
1022.00 hFp://
www.sperlin
gretail.com
479.00
16
7664.00 hFp://
store.apple.c
om/uk/buy-
ipad/ipad/
ipad-air-2
63.00
378.00 hFps://
squareup.co
m/register
2499.00
Mirror
(3-
way)
29.99
Mirrors
in
_ng
room
12.99
7497.00 hFp://
www.sony.c
o.uk/
electronics/
televisions/
x9000b-
29.99 hFp://
www.homeb
ase.co.uk/
en/
homebaseuk
/homeware/
103.92 hFp://
www.homeb
ase.co.uk/
en/
homebaseuk
/homeware/
11410.12 wickies.co.u
k
iPad Air
Square
iPad
Register
TV Screens
Materials
Flooring
407.65sqm
27.99sqm
Ceiling
407.65sqm
29.99sqm
12225.42 wickies.co.u
k
Fi_ng
Room
Doors
Paint
41.99
14sqm
407.65sqm
335.92 wickies.co.u
k
24.99
10187.17 wickies.co.u
k
Total
Fixture
Cost
Installa\on
73346.18
Electrical
Engineer
574.75
weekly
1 worker
574.75 www.paysal
e.com
Contractor
9.18
per
hour
5 workers
2754.00 www.paysal
e.com
www.homed
epot.com
ASOS
Team
Decorate
103
Paint
14sqm
407.65sqm
24.99
10187.17 wickies.co.u
k
Total
Fixture
Cost
Installa\on
73346.18
Electrical
Engineer
574.75
weekly
1 worker
574.75 www.paysal
e.com
Contractor
9.18
per
hour
5 workers
2754.00 www.paysal
e.com
www.homed
epot.com
ASOS
Team
Decorate
104
105
Source: BT Business
106
Electricity Quote
107
Gas Quote
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
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158