Shoppers Stop - New Media Proposal

UMA DATYE STUDENT ID: 77102166

(Word count: 1634)
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Index

1. Executive Summary ...................................................................................................... 3 2. Situation Analysis ........................................................................................................... 4 3. Problem Statement ......................................................................................................... 6 4. Campaign Goals and Objectives ...................................................................................6 5. Audience identification and messages .......................................................................... 6 6. Strategies ...........................................................................................................................7 7. Communication Tactics .................................................................................................. 9 8. Budget and Time Scale .................................................................................................. 9 9. Evaluation ........................................................................................................................10 10. Appendix ........................................................................................................................11 11. Bibliography ............................................................................................................... 12

Executive Summary
This report is the second part of Shoppers Stop and the New Media. The earlier report looked at Shoppers Stops online interaction with its clients and audience. This report is a new media proposal to Shoppers Stop to improve their new media skills. The earlier report mentioned that Shoppers Stop had some drawbacks and some flaws, for which measures are suggested in this proposal. The main flaws pointed out earlier were: Inactiveness on blogs, YouTube and some other networks No response to negative feedbacks Less offers This report basically tries to tackle these issues. After looking at the situation of the company and realising the problem faces by the company, this report reaches to a concrete plan as to how Shoppers Stop should deal with these problems and also presents a rough budget for these activities.

Situation Analysis:
As mentioned in the earlier report, Shoppers Stop is a chain of retail stores in India owned by K. Raheja Corp. It was established in 1991 and is presently spread across the nation. Shoppers Stop is considered as one stop multi-brand retail outlet providing leading international and national brands in clothing for men, women and kids, accessories, cosmetics, footwear and home furnishing.

Corporate profile:
Vision: To be a global retailer in India and maintain its No.1 position in the Indian market in the Department Store category Mission: Nothing but the best ...To strive to achieve nothing but the best in terms of processes, practises and deliverables. Values:

We will not take what is not ours. The obligation to dissent (against a viewpoint that is not acceptable). We will have an environment conducive to openness. We will believe in innovation. We will have an environment conducive to development. We will have the willingness to apologise and forgive. We will respect our customers' rights. We will create an environment of trust. We shall be fair. We will be socially responsible.

New Launches: For all the rejoicing cricket fans in India, Shoppers Stop launched Timex's new ICC World Cup 2011 watch collection. The Timex ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Collection is a tribute to the ultimate event in world cricket and the one tournament cricket teams from all over the world strive to win.

SWOT Analysis: Strengths 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Variety Range Different brands Pioneer of retails stores in India Loyal customers Low risk Good financial position Presence across various segments Parikrama The Festival Weaknesses 1. Very high prices: Since they provide international brands also. 2. Less schemes: Schemes are run only on special occasions like Diwali, Independence day, etc 3. Less Discounts: They provide discount only up to 10% or 20% 4. Competition from standalone stores 5. Late entry into value retailing 6. Store makeover expenditure Threats 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Government policies Entrance of new players High attrition Lesser consumers spending Entry of foreign players Unorganised sector Independent store

Opportunities 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Awareness about the brands Quality Youngsters High disposable income Collaborate Private level Tier 2 and Ties 3 cities Enter new consumer goods segments

In the earlier report, we came to a conclusion that even though Shoppers Stop as a brand is very sociable, it needs to pick up momentum. While, they are very active on social networks like Facebook and Twitter, they need to pick up the pace on LinkedIn, on blogs and also Orkut. The recommendation pointed out the earlier report were that Shoppers Stop needs to get more active on networks such as LinkedIn, YouTube and also on blogs since their target audience is more connected these networks.

India, as a country is not as advanced with respect to social media. Some reports read that as per 2011, the most popular social networks in India are (in order of popularity): 1) Facebook 2) LinkedIn 3) Orkut (See Appendix 1.1) Now, as we can see, Shoppers Stop has successfully managed to tap two of the most widely used networks in India Facebook and Orkut. It still needs to build itself and its network on LinkedIn and also on blogs since majority of the youth in India is now getting hooked to the blogging culture.

Problem Statement
Shoppers Stop as a brand, is not very active on social networks which are very popular in the Indian market today.

Campaign Goal and Objectives

To make presence felt on networks like Facebook, Twitter on blogs and social media in general To do interactive projects with different target group through the medium of social media To make the Shoppers Stop staff more efficient in dealing with customers and more aware of their presence on social media networks

Audience identification and messages

Shoppers Stop should selectively identify its audience since they are promoting themselves online. They should target the net savvy generation and also people who run most of their businesses online.

Strategies
The strategy that Shoppers Stop should use to build their image and name should be an Interactive strategy which will involve their publics to help them head off their problems. Regular updates on Facebook and Twitter: o Shoppers Stop gets active on Facebook and Twitter only when they have offers, sales, discounts, etc. They should start posting randomly on Facebook and Twitter. They should start discussing some topics on Twitter, using a hash tag for identity and should regularly follow what their followers have to say and also regularly pitch into the conversations following those hash tags. On Facebook, they should not only put up posts about their offers and discounts; they should put up pictures of the kind of clothes that are currently on sale and they could also have hyper-links on those pictures which will take the viewer directly to the online shopping website if they like that particular clothing range. This might help changing the perception that people have about Shoppers Stop not being a net savvy brand. More offers: o As already noted in the weaknesses above, Shoppers Stop does not run many offers. They run offers only during occasions like Diwali or Independence Day. I think they should run more offers like discounts on women wear for Mothers Day and the same with mens clothing and kids clothing on Fathers Day and Childrens Day respectively, etc. This will help them not only hike their sales, but it will also help them increase interaction with their customers online once they start talking about such regular offers regularly on the social circuit. Advertise on various websites: o Shoppers Stop should tie up with website that their different target group frequent and should and try and advertise on such sites. For example, to attract children to their Kids collection they should put up advertisements on website which allow kids to play to games; to attract the attention of the teenagers, Shoppers Stop should target social networking sites and promote themselves there by putting up advertisements there, etc. By this, they will be in constant view of the public which will help them better their social presence. Another benefit that Shoppers Stop can derive from this is the revenue they will make every time someone clicks on the advertisement. Blogging: o Shoppers Stop is not completely out of the blogging world. They blog regularly about their stocks, shares, market fluctuations, etc. But this attracts only investors and not customers as such. Blogs is the best way to
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attract youth to your products since todays youth is easily influenced by bloggers. Shoppers Stop has their maximum buyers between the age of 26 and 30 (See Appendix 1.2). Youngsters from this age group are very net savvy and are very active on blogs. Shoppers Stop should start blogging not only about their stocks and shares but also about their products, services, brands they sell, price ranges, etc. They should publicise about their blogs on Facebook and Twitter which will bring them to the notice of their customers. Staff efficiency: o In the earlier report, we pointed out that Shoppers Stop does not respond to any negative feedback posted either on their website or on their Facebook page. This builds a negative reputation for the company in the eyes of its public because the public feels neglected. Shoppers Stop should appoint someone from the communications team to monitor these feedbacks and send out suitable response. However, if any of these feedbacks seem like they are serious and could be blown out of proportion, the senior management should be contacted immediately. With regards to negative feedbacks, it always works in favour of the company to be proactive than be inactive.

Communication tactics
Shoppers Stop should rely on networks like Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, Google, etc as a tool for communication with its audience. Different networks have a somewhat different genre of people on it. To be able to attract all the genres of people on the social network will be an evidence of its popularity on the social web.

Budget and Timescale

Activities Budget

Time
1 month for recruitment and 3 months (one quarter)

Facebook and Twitter Rs. 10 lacks per annum updates Hiring an experienced communications team Manager and Assistant Manager Paying owners to allow Rs. 10, 000 per ad them to advertise on their websites

3 months

Evaluation
Shoppers Stop will be able to evaluate themselves on the basis of: Increase in number of footfall into their various outlets Increase in the number of followers and friends on Twitter and Facebook respectively Considerable increase in the quantity and quality of conversations on Facebook, blogs and Twitter Number of comments on their blogs Revue they make on the advertisements on various website

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Appendices
Appendix 1.1

Appendix 1.2

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Bibliography
http://www.shoppersstop.com/index.jsp.vr http://corporate.shoppersstop.com/ http://money.sulekha.com/shopper-s-stop_blogs

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