GSRM7223 Marketing Management

Reflective Quiz 2
Student Name: ______________________________________________

Matric Number: _________________________

The 'Reflective Quiz' below is based on Chapter 11 on McGraw Hill CONNECT. Make sure
you have done your reading to complete this quiz. This quiz carries 10% of your carry marks.

*Refer to Management Decision Case: Restoration Hardware—Using the Brick-and-Mortar

Store as a “3D Catalog” (McGraw Hill Smartbook)

1. RH’s CEO believes that the Internet is limited in its ability to facilitate differentiation
among retailers. Do you agree? Which retailers do a particularly effective job at
presenting their products through their websites?

Answer: it’s so much easier and comfortable to order anything and everything online
in this era especially during this current pandemic situation.

Turns out, not as often as you might have guessed, as the recent bankruptcies and
closures of The Limited, American Apparel, Wet Seal, Aeropostale and Pacific
Sunwear can attest.

Nowadays that technology has advanced enough, stores such as a la Levi’s Made to
Order jeans to show us how do we look like on particular clothes based on body
measurement. and we can design a house or a particular room on a screen in this
current world. Amazon, Lazada, Alibaba has spoiled us with the convince to order
most of the thing just with a click. Besides Wayfair and ikea is another leading
furniture store online not they just have nice furniture but they have amazing design
ideas where we can inspirations.

2. Does the RH strategy work only for high-end/prestige products or are there elements
of its approach that would be appropriate for retailers at all price levels? Choose one
of your favorite retailers and discuss how that company could best apply the
approach that RH is using.

Answer: Rh strategy will work for any range of product I would suggest RH approach
will be suitable for Etsy since they are completely online based. Etsy have range of
products such as jewellery, clothing, shoes, furniture, wedding, party, toys, craft
supplies and tools. Since they have variety of product with range of price it will be a
good idea if Etsy have huge store such as RH where customers can see, touch and
even try the product. For such a huge store café and childcare will be a plus. This will
increase the sales of Etsy.

3. Is it environmentally responsible for RH to produce and distribute such large paper

catalogs? Are there ways it could mitigate the environmental impact of this
 program? How could it best deal with the likely negative reaction from “green”
customers?

Answer: Responding to environment issue is always a way to win in business scheme.

By supporting and protecting the environment will never be any harm to business
because it only increases the profit due to many consumers are nowadays into
supporting eco-friendly business and they also aware the importance of it. In this
new world both business and environment can win. Going green is no longer a huge
cost for business. In the case of RH it would be a major cost saving if they never had a
catalogue which is called as a source book which weighted 17 pound and contain
3000 pages. Being green is a catalyst for innovation and way to new market
opportunity. The only way to deal with negative reaction from green customers is
redesign the business model to environmentally friendly business and promote the
business towards it.

4. What are some other novel ways that retailers could define the role of their brick-
and-mortar stores to optimize their effectiveness in contributing to increasing firm
revenues and profits?

Answer: Brick-and-Mortar Store has to join the battle in E – commerce, it makes easy
and convenient for the customers. brick-and-mortar can continue to run the business
while diversifying the business revenue streams by combining features such as
shipping where the company doesn’t have to hold inventory, and you can still
participate in the e-commerce marketplace by selling products that are in adjacent
product lines.
Add value to customers by doing free delivery to customers in 10 to 15 KM range
rather. Provide pick up in store service. offering a better deal in-store could be a
double-edged sword, but it can drive traffic to brick-and-mortar stores and creates
an opportunity to engage with customers in a more meaningful way.

Reference
1. https://www.housebeautiful.com/shopping/furniture/g22548814/best-
online-furniture-stores-websites/

2. https://www.wayfair.com/discover

3. https://www.forbes.com/sites/marciaturner/2017/01/31/is-brick-and-
mortar-obsolete/#1f385abf37ce

4. https://www.etsy.com/c/home-and-living/furniture?ref=pagination&page=2

5. https://hbr.org/1994/07/the-challenge-of-going-green