Zalora Retail Marketing

Question 1 (a)Brands and Products Zalora carries ranges from prices as low as $15 to brands that are more of high end or luxury styles. The brands that they carries exceeds over eight hundred various brands and they are being classified clearly into the various wide category such as women, men and children and they are further being classified into the various apparels types so that it is easier for their consumers to choose the products that they want to purchase.It enhances the simplicity of shopping and makes shopping easier. The probability of their success depending on the brands and products is high as they have various brands that are exclusive and not available in major shopping malls such as Feiyue which is popular with sneakers as well as Australian brands Ladakh and cult label Ksubi. Thus, the exclusivity would be one of the major factors that will bring the online boutique to its success. The online store does not only sell clothing.They have diversified and carry much mo re than apparels. They sell items such as exclusive character sun screen from famous cartoon characters as well as ear phones to cater other needs of their consumers. Thus, they have provided more options for their consumers and it creates a one stop shopping outlet for their consumers. Therefore, Zalora has also created another benefit to their customers such as convenience as a wide range of different types of products are available. (b)ShippingOne of the major selling points of Zalora is free Shipping Island wide in Singapore. They also do free delivery within 48 hours so that their customers could receive their items as soon as possible after purchasing it online. It would close up the gap of the waiting time for their purchase items to bring the shopping experience of their customers a better one. This could bring success to Zalora provided that they maintain the standards of their delivery time and keep the delivery period within the promised duration which is 48 hours.As ther e are complaints from customers that there has been late delivery, it could affect the credibility and reputation of the online store and creates a bad image or doubts from online consumers. Other channels such as online forum or facebook sites could be areas of discussion or sharing for consumers and word of mouth could cost the company to lose credibility and sales due to the late delivery of their products. Hence, although the 48 hours shipping is a good selling point for their store, upholding what they have promised their consumers is important as well to contribute to the success of their business. c)Prices Zalora carries have a relatively wide range in prices from an affordable low range price up to SGD$250 and above, the online store is not looking so much into market penetration however, they wish to do more than that to include market skimming as well as consumers’ expectations into their pricing strategy. As online boutiques are rather saturated in the market nowad ays, pricing is an important factor to determine the success of the boutique. There are products that are more affordable and lower in prices.This pricing strategy is to attract more of the consumers that are looking for items that are of better deals and have more of an intention to shop budget. Zalora had looked into this factor and catered for the needs for this group of consumers. Next, Zalora had also products priced at a higher price. The company however, said that it was a â€Å"deliberate move†. As there are various different kinds of consumers in the market, Zalora hopes to capture all of them. There are also consumers that look for some items that are premium and exclusive.The items that Zalora offers that are of a higher price range are leather products such as python skin clutch bag and alligator leather bags. These will attract consumers with needs such as exclusivity even though the pricing may be steeper than regular bags offered in other websites or market. (d )Level of consumer service As online boutiques are different from shopping in a physical store as the consumer largely depend on photos and measurements to decide on their purchase, consumer services are important to the online boutique. In Zalora’s website, they have included five areas in their customer service section in their boutique.The sections that are included would be contact information of the company, frequently asked questions, size measurements, shipping details as well as fashion glossary. Zalora had done well in this aspect as all the information provided in the various segment are detailed and specific. An example would be in the size measurements, there are pictorial guides as well as illustrations accompanying the photos. It helps consumers to minimise the confusion over what sizes they should buy and decreases the disappointment upon receiving the product if the product is not the size that the consumer wants.They have also included a section which is fash ion glossary that many other online boutiques do not have. It helps consumers understand the products better as it explains the various terms or materials of the product sold in the boutique. It helps the consumer to understand the product better. Lastly, they provide a lot of channels for payment methods such as by credit card, NETS as well as cash. It gives consumers options to choose from when deciding on the mode of payment. Hence, the probability of success is rather high in Singapore.