Buying and Merchandising Operations Research Project
Located in Monument, CO Jackson Creek Shopping Center Surrounding businesses include Wal- Mart, Kohl’s, Chili’s, It’s a Grind, & various other small restaurants and stores Products Include: Plumbing, Electrical, Building Supplies, Paint, Landscaping Materials, Tools, Appliances, Home Décor and Lighting Services Include: Tool Rental, Delivery, Installation
To analyze the effectiveness of the current branding activities used by Home Depot Determine effectiveness of current use of logo, advertising, and social media Identify potential improvements in the branding activities used by Home Depot
Internet Research (secondary data) Company background and history Identification of current branding activities Customer reviews and feedback regarding Home Depot’s products, services, and customer service Management Interview (primary data) Evaluation of current branding activities Explanation of current brand image and mission Future development of brand Customer Survey (primary data) Effectiveness of current logo, advertising, and social media Current brand image of Home Depot Potential improvements that would improve products, services, and brand image
Residents of Tri Lakes area (87% live within a 10 mile radius of the store) 80% male Middle to upper income 92% own single family homes Psychographic Characteristics Desire to improve home interior or exterior Completing a home improvement project Improving home landscape Desire to increase property value Need to repair something in the home
Current logo and slogan Use television and newspaper advertising Seen by customers as a “do it yourself” store Sales people are sometimes helpful, sometimes not available Use of social media is limited
Website: www.homedepot.com Facebook fan page Twitter page YouTube videos Monthly emails to credit card holders
42% of customers surveyed like the selection of products and services 38% feel brand image is positive 43% rated customer service as good or excellent 34% have seen television or newspaper advertisements 8% are fans on Facebook 9% receive monthly emails 12% have viewed YouTube videos
57% of customers rated customer service as fair or poor 42% had a difficult time finding merchandise within the store Only 18% have used website to purchase products Social media use is low – on average, one in ten customers use social media related to Home Depot No links to YouTube videos on website – 75% of customers said they would view videos, if available on website
Lowes has registration feature Lowes website is less cluttered Lowes has better selection of appliances on website Lowes has better selection of lighting on website Lowes has “how - to” videos in each product category Lowes has “Clearance” section on website
Improve brand image of Home Depot Increase number of customers accessing website for product information and purchasing products Benefits: increased awareness of Home Depot’s products, services, programs, and promotional events; increased customer traffic; increased sales & profits; increased customer loyalty Increase amount of “how - to” information on website Benefits: increased effectiveness of advertising; increased awareness of products, services, and store programs; increased sales & profits
Increase interaction with customers Benefits: improved products, services, customer service, store organization, advertising; increased customer satisfaction; improved reputation; increased sales & profits; increased customer loyalty Use more contemporary logo and slogan Benefits: will attract a younger customer base and increase sales
Create updated logo and advertising slogan Add customer registration to website – offer weekly coupons and sale information as incentive Semi-monthly electronic newsletter Produce new “how - to” videos from in-store demonstrations Add “how - to” videos to each product category Offer incentives on website – coupons & frequent buyer discounts Add rental equipment scheduling request feature to website Add “Clearance” section to website
Promote in-store demonstrations on social media sites and through email; offer incentives for attending demonstrations Promote Eco-Options program through website Add blog to website Discussion topics include: electrical repairs, plumbing repairs, flooring installation, landscaping tips, selecting appliances, and others. Summarize & distribute blog feedback to staff
Estimated Costs of each Activity:
“How - to” videos will give customers confidence to do home repairs/improvements Leads to increase sales of products Registration and newsletter will provide incentives for purchasing and will increase sales of products, as well as develop loyal customers In-store demonstrations increase product sales Eco-Options information will attract environmentally conscious customers Blog will improve customer service, leading to increased customer satisfaction and sales Clearance section on website will increase sales Rental Equipment scheduling will increase equipment rental revenue
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