The Hundreds Online Store Report
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Explain your main strategy (approach) in building this online store in relation to the products/services you offer, the persona of your customers/potential customers, and why do you think your approach in designing the website is the best approach?
The Hundreds Store is a consignment store revolving around the hypebeast or sneaker, hip-hop and basketball culture. The main approach in building the online store was to cater to the needs of collectors and fashion enthusiasts which also happens to be the highest percentage of consumers in our target audience. The hypebeast culture mainly revolves around high end or streetwear fashion, sneakers, sports and the love for hip-hop music. Catering to an audience of this community means being well versed with all the aspects of the culture, its community and also being able to possess items for the consumer; as the items that revolve around this hypebeast culture is most often limited and if sold out it is then sold at resale prices.
Consignment store exist so that the people of this hypebeast community get these limited and exclusive items regardless of the circumstances of it being sold out by the retailer. The scope for a consignment store is massive due to the existence of this community as the items being sold even though being sold at a premium is always bought out at our store due to the high demand. The high demand mainly exists due to the community’s love for the artists, brands, exclusivity, etc. involved and associated with the items. By designing a website for this consignment store we can make it easier for the audience of this community to be able to get their hands on the earlier mentioned items, this creates a fan base for the store itself and also guaranteed sales too.
The store name “The Hundreds” in itself is a story telling name, which refers to the masses of the community. “The Hundreds” are the people in the community and the masses that follow this culture and make a lifestyle out of it.
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Full description of your target/potential customers: demographically, social, culturally, preferences wise, etc.
The primary target customer of The Hundreds store will be the teen/young adult. We believe they will make up the largest percentage of our customer base. Another target customer of The Hundreds store will be, due to the popularity of the store, hypebeasts, and the audience in the community that revolves around the streetwear fashion, sneakers, basketball and hip-hop culture. Via social media, consumers are also encouraged to be the first to purchase items that are only available directly from the manufacturer, in-store or online. The expectation of a time-limited purchasing chance tends to build a tight-knit and near-cult-like streetwear partnership. Brands, and users thereof. We expect to see an assortment of local residents from the community as well as seasonal purchasers during all seasons. Growing demand among the the community for exclusive items would fuel consumer demand in the market.
Additionally, Influence democratization is a core aspect of streetwear, with retailers and business leaders taking the lead straight from customers and especially those under 25. Streetwear's or the communit’s daily supply of new items, relative affordability, and real-world rather than runway-based looks make it a good fit for social media too. Before blogs such as Facebook appeared in the early 2000s, streetwear enthusiasts started online communities to address trends and labels not featured by traditional fashion magazines. Instagram is now the dominant platform, with 96 per cent of customers using it.
In the next two years, Gen Z will come into purchasing control and is expected to make up 40 percent of customers by 2020. The internet shopping will be at the most streamlined yet by then, with related items being recommended by a virtual chatbot, face recognition purchases made, and driverless vehicles delivered within the hour. All this talk may have bricks and mortar retailers quivering in their boots, but research reveals that this generation is really pining out for real physical brand connections.
Having an online consignment store for this particular niche in this market of high demand due to social media and the hype cultural influences is the perfect opportunity to attract such consumers and build customer loyalty.
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What did you do to make your website intuitive and to improve the user experience?
Designing The Hundreds store, we made sure the home page was accessible and out consumers can easily navigate through to find the item they are looking for. Additionally, the store’s design language is very comfortable and minimal which is straight to the point and is also appreciated by the target audience.
The simplicity of the website makes its target audience to stroll longer at the products and store, as they are not bombarded with information everywhere and they stick to purchasing exactly what they were looking for. The Hundreds Store carefully displays all necessary information regarding all the products, so the target audience is never left confused, by providing all possible information the target consumer is looking for, including interactive images, etc.
The layout of the online store focuses on customer interaction and simplicity, everything has its own place in the website including the availability of the product and how to get your hands on them. Segments of the website are minimalstically laid out with the right colors and fonts, so it is easier for the consumer to navigate through and give them a more satisfactory response.
The Hundreds store is a purely consumer based online store which revolves around the streetwear and hypebeast culture and also draws heavy inspiration from it too which is implemented in the design language of the website. The website also has an online FAQ section on the website to assist the consumers with further help, proving the customer focused aspect of the website and information about the store so the consumer can trust the brand.
By: Eshaal Khan (20180006841)