Research Portfolio Assignment

Amelia Loader
Student #4307322

Research Question: As an aspiring retail owner in the fashion industry, how will I define and seek the

guaranteed attention from my target-market so that I have a greater chance of managing a successful business?

Two Sources: 1. The Sensory Retail Environment of Small Fashion Boutiques

Author(s)- Daniel Wade Clark, Patsy Perry, and Hayley Denson

Year of Publication- 2012

Publisher- Emerald Group Publishing Limited

2. Making Sense of Market Segmentation: A Fashion Retailing Case

Author(s)- Lee Quinn, Tony Hines, and David Bennison

Year of Publication- 2007

Publisher- Springer Science & Business Media

Part 1: I chose this topic because in the near future and after furthering my post-secondary education I aspire to

becoming a retail fashion-merchandiser. I would like to own and successfully run my own small business and in

doing so would like to dedicate this assignments topic to learning a more in depth style of how to create a

successful target-market profile (specifically in the fashion industry). By taking an initiative to gaining extra
knowledge of the marketing anatomy will help build and establish my ideal customer for my small business

and thus will assist me on how to develop an appealing marketing strategy to draw my consumer into the store.

Part 2: Clarke, D. W., Perry, P., & Denson, H. (2012). The sensory retail environment of small fashion

boutiques. European Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: Liverpool, UK: Emerald Group

Publishing Limited

Summary: This journal article revolves around the key concepts of why small businesses and stores must

appeal to all five senses; sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. The consumer decision-making process has

shifted from rational to emotional and experiential, which gives an open opportunity for fashion retailers to

invest their efforts into creating the best-fit store environment for their ideal customer, this creates a larger

consumption on selling items and products. Additionally creating a positive environment stimulates the

customers physiological activity, which encourages increased interest levels and buying motives. This article

creates the awareness of the design/methodology approach intertwined within stores environmental features to

optimize a greater percentage of sales.

Evaluation: I chose this article because I think it related to my research question on creating a successful

business. This includes the business atmosphere for both retail owner/operator and the valued customer to be

successful in the fashion-orientated pathway. Having a sense of providing not just what a retailer sells but what

internal and external methods they use, this article describes the characteristics based upon strengths,

weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis) to maintain both a supportive and welcoming

environment so customers feel comfortable within the establishment to purchase your selling items within the

store.
 Quinn, L., Hines, T., & Bennison, D. (2007). Making sense of market segmentation: a fashion retailing

case. European Journal of Marketing: Heidelberg, Germany: Springer Science & Business Media

Summary: This journal article focuses on the ongoing dynamic relationship between the retail operator and

their consumer. Certain stores represent certain customers such as; potential customer, new customer, impulsive

customer, and loyal customer. For small businesses, retailing operations are crucial to communicate new

updates and features within the store, this allows the relationship between the consumer, selling employees, and

the owner to build trust and establish early stages of brand loyalty and generating positive feedback by creating

a great and comfortable shopping experience based on the specific segmented markets preferences best suited

for the fashion store.

Evaluation: I chose this article because it also relates to my research question on achieving, managing, and

sustaining the inner functions of a fashion store. Some of these functions include; location, gender and age

orientated, product costs, and the amount the target market is willing to spend. These segments help better

promote and achieve a successful target market and increases customer value, revenue, and loyalty due to the

early stages of finding your market segment within the community the fashion store is located in. If the retailer

operates based on their findings of their market segmentation and the store is contributing to societys needs

and wants, the business will grow to be success and maintain its success.

Planning a Detailed Outline Essay:

Research Essay Outline COMM 1133 W17

Introduction

Hook/Attention Getter:

Becoming a small business owner requires the aspiring duty to comfort your target audience into their inner

desires of needs and wants. Anna Wintour, the British- American Journalist and editor in chief of vogue

stated, Create your own style, let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others. Wintours famous

quotes speak a lot for small business owners and individuals running their own businesses.

/1

***Add background information between these 2 pieces to develop

your introduction***

Thesis Statement: (Subject + 3 main points. What you are arguing and why. Use

parallel structure

Owning and operating a successful small business focused on the fashion-retail industry is dependent on thre

key factors; the retail environment, market segmentation, and the use of media for an independent business.

These three components offer a heightened and sustained success for an entrepreneur and business owner.

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 Body Paragraph #1

Topic Sentence Main point #1

The retail environment is an essential aspect to creating an appealing store to the consumers eyes enough to

draw them into the store. Few in store observations took place and this is what was discovered.

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Proof: Two pieces of evidence you will use as proof for this point. Include in-text

citations.

The study uses photoelicitation to examine the experience of the sensory retail environment of patrons

of a small fashion boutique in the North West of England. Participants were asked to show me how it

feels to shop here by taking photographs to depict their sensory instore experiences. Follow up

interviews were carried out to explore the participants sensory experiences and then qualitative content

analysis was used to identify the typical likes and dislikes regarding aspects of the sensory

environment (Daniel Wade Clark, Patsy Perry, and Hayley Denson, 2012).

The findings reveal that it is not just tangible things that can affect a shopper's experience, but store

traits such as smell, lighting and presence of ownermanager can also influence a consumer's experience

(Daniel Wade Clark, Patsy Perry, and Hayley Denson, 2012).

/2
Comments: Give your personal thoughts/arguments/opinions on this point: you will use

the proofs to support your points. Use point form only you will expand this when you

write the essay

 Creating a sense of comfort for a fashion store is essential especially when an owner has self-

conscious and nervous individuals whom arent entirely thrilled with the idea of undressing, fitting,

and buying clothes due to personal discomfort and uneasiness.

The relationship between the stores interior/exterior is usually the first step that draws new and

unknown customers into the store. This makes it extremely important to be abstract and attract the eye

and make it creative and artistic to interest the person(s).

/1
Transitional Sentence(s): Conclude your thoughts on this point and then refer to the

next point in a sentence or two: prepare to introduce the next point.

The retailing environment creates a sense of who you are as a small business owner and tells your potential

customers what your store stands for and values. By creating and knowing your market segmentation the

business will generate a business to bloom and develop.

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Body Paragraph #2

Topic Sentence Main point #1

Market segmentation allows for a business owner to divide an entire market into different customer segments

This will allow for the business owner to have a better idea of potential customer segments to focus on.

/1
Proof: Two pieces of evidence you will use as proof for this point. Include in-text

citations.
The article provides case studies examining practices in the fashion retail industry and makes a contribution

to current market segmentation debates (Lee Quinn, Tony Hines, and David Bennison, 2007).

A specific research of evaluating commercial context, dynamism, and complexity within fashion-retailing

(Lee Quinn, Tony Hines, and David Bennison, 2007).

/2
Comments: Give your personal thoughts/arguments/opinions on this point: you will use

the proofs to support your points. Use point form only you will expand this when you

write the essay

Market segmentation will aspire the small business owner to develop where to locate their business

and what they will be contributing to their community and how the market will view it based on

customer types, geographical location, and purchaser buying habits.

Providing an analytical survey will help a small business in the future outcome of first starting the

business to how the store will operate to still be successful further down the future.

/1
Transitional Sentence(s): Conclude your thoughts on this point and then refer to the

next point in a sentence or two: prepare to introduce the next point.

To provide a market segmentation research, media will be of assistance in providing popularity and

advertisement to the consumers near by. This will also allow the business to get a heads up on competitors

and how the business will differentiate from others.

/1

Body Paragraph #3

Topic Sentence Main point #1

Media provides the access to learn about new ventures and businesses. The access to

online webpages via smartphone, tablets, and laptops/computers give instant information

to curious consumers. It also enables business owners to attract new customers and build

a platform for their business where unknown people can view their work.

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Proof: Two pieces of evidence you will use as proof for this point.

Include in-text citations.

Social media generates a staggering amount of data and can tell a business owner more

wealth of information about their customers such as; who they are, what they like, and

how they feel about your brand(HootSuite Media Inc., 2017).

In the past, business owners and entrepreneurial individuals faced the challenge of

ensuring their content reached customers in the shortest possible time. With the help of

social media, especially when sharing about your business all you need to do is create and
share it on your brands social network accounts (HootSuite Media Inc., 2017).

/2
Comments: Give your personal thoughts/arguments/opinions on this

point: you will use the proofs to support your points. Use point form

only you will expand this when you write the essay

Social media is an amazing way to connect with people globally and spread your

message and thoughts across.

You can establish an imaginative and thoughtful web display for your business,

this can even increase the amount of customers you had before.

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Concluding Sentence(s): Conclude your thoughts on this point ONLY.

Media is a very important investment to make when deciding to open up a small business

this can attract people from different areas such as tourists who are looking to do some

shopping and are not sure where to look. Media provides enough information to plan

daily agendas and schedule and to make a business more successful and organized at the

end of the day.

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 Conclusion

Concluding Statement: Remind readers of your argument and your main points.

Paraphrase and summarize your thesis in one or two sentences

Having a small business in the fashion-retail industry requires these key components, this enables personal

connection with others and providing a story for your store online to grab researchers and readers attention to

take the time to browse and go into your store which is the first step to creating future sales and revenue for

your business.

/1

***Add concluding ideas/insights to develop your conclusion when you

write the essay***

Memorable concluding strategy: End with a bit of drama or a flourish. Tell an

anecdote, offer an appropriate quotation, ask a question, make a final insightful remark

I would preferably shop at a boutique and/or store that invested its time into connecting with their target

market and audience and providing a unique experience for myself and for others just like me.

/1

Paragraph Copies of Sources for Essay:

 Both journal articles are shorter then 5 pages however I will not be using just these quotations for my final

essay but I will be using them as a resource among others that fit into my topic.

Source 1: The Sensory Retail Environment of Small Fashion Boutiques

"Brand satisfaction expectations about a brand's product or service are met

(Rowley, 2009). Obtaining high levels of brand satisfaction leads to a long-term

commitment to purchasing certain products and brands (Clarke, 2012). As a result,

retailers conduct regular market research to evaluate the exact level of customer and

brand satisfaction, both of which are vital to a company's growth. "

When consumers are sufficiently captivated (Quester and Lim, 2003), they are

more likely to get involved in their buying experience (Flynn and Goldsmith, 1993).

Across one familys generation, a multi-sensorial strategy (Clarke, 2012) highlights its

specificity and the relation to the corporate values, family reputation, and cultural

identity. This amplifies a long term authenticity and prestige, and brand awareness

increasing the exclusivity of the goods offered (Kapferer, 2002) and improving the

regional identity.

In retail design literature, fashion stores are often dealt with as a special case

within retail store generally. Examples include the marketing communication of fast

fashion (Barnes and Lea-greenwood, 2010), fashion store atmosphere (Parsons, 2011;

Ballentine., 2015), fashion store personality is the relationship between hedonic and
 utilitarian fashion shopping, sensory aspects of fashions stores produce the role of visual

merchandising vs. brand attitude in fashion store which ultimately create the retailer store

image perception (Herstein, 2013).

Source 2: Making Sense of Market Segmentation: A Fashion Retailing Case

"The literature confirms that segmentation strategies may be planned or intuitive

(Lee, 2007). With increased globalization and advances in information technology,

successful marketers are adapting and evolving their strategies to compete in a rapidly

changing marketplace (Kolson, 2007), especially in such a specific commercial context

noted for its dynamism and complexity, as fashion retailing (Lee, 2007). Therefore, a

review of all ways of consumer segmentation is needed to develop a theoretical

framework for future consumer studies.