Analysis of the E-Business-Website of http://www.furnitureexpressions.co.uk

Content

1. Executive Summary

2. Introduction

3. Methodology

4. Findings
4.1. Structure, design and underlying concept of the website
4.1.1. Structure and underlying concept
4.1.2. Design of the website
4.2. The “product” of the marketing mix under scrutiny
4.3. Social media and networking as success drivers
4.4. Branding analysis

5. Conclusion

6. Recommendation

7. References
7.1. Books
7.2. World Wide Web
7.3. Journals and Articles

Figures

Figure 1: Cube of core electronic commerce applied to FE

Figure 2: Hierarchical Diagram of the FE website structure

Figure 3: 7 C´s by Rayport and Jaworski

Figure 4: Transactional facilities overview

Figure 5: Purchase process steps

Figure 6: Contact possibilities

Tables

Table 1: Chaffey and Smith´s e-product analysis

Table 2: Branding promises analysis

Table 3: Brand analysis with the help of Edems theory

1. Executive Summary

This assignment analyses the e-business FurnitureExpress in regard to its product features, branding and usage of social media. FurnitureExpress is scrutinised with the help of common theories and practical online trends as well in order to reveal weaknesses. Findings are interlinked and backed up and precise recommendations are given. FunitureExpress is an e-business that is sufficient but has to adapt modern tools of product presentation, brand enrichment, communication and loyalty creating possibilities with the help of new media.

2. Introduction

More than 800 Million people routinely used the WorldWideWeb in 2008 (Devezas et.al., 2008, p. 311). The Internet transformed society and by changed economy and business. Analysing the e-commerce research outcomes and literature (Wang and Chen, 2010) it becomes clear that electronic commerce exhibits an exploding growth and many business transaction can not be done without it. Most of the businesses expand by implementing an additional e-business to their traditional business (bottom- up e-business transformation) or create a self-contained new digital business model (top-down e-business transformation) (Gloor, 2000, p.3). The top- down developed e-business this assignment deals with is the online furniture shop FurnitureExpressions (http://www.furnitureexpressions.co.uk), based in

UK (Burnley, Lancashire) and registered in England and Wales

(http://www.furnitureexpressions.co.uk/aboutus.aspx, 19.05.2010). In following FurnitureExpressions is abbreviated with FE.

The company was chosen, because it is a UK company that sells traditional physical products through the web. It is currently not using all opportunities new media offers. The author was intrigued to see how new design and web

2.0 options could be integrated in order to create a more appealing e- business and brand.

Referring to Choi et al (1997) FE characteristics can be described with the help of allocating FE to the three dimensions of business. Therefore FE is an digital agent (does not show up in person) who sells physical goods (that can not be send through the internet) via a digital process (because customers do not visit the store in person, they shop online).

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Figure 1: Cube of core electronic commerce applied to FE

Figure in the basis of Barness and Hunt (2001), E-Commerce and V- Business, Figure 2.1, Oxford, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann, Reed Educational and Professional Publishing Ltd

3. Methodology

After an introduction into e-business and the FurnitureExpress the structure of the website will be discussed to give an overview of what the assignment deals with. Additional the design of the website will be analysed and the product - as one of Chaffeys P´s - is scrutinised. After that factors and tools of social media that will contribute to FurnitureExpress´ success are discussed and a brand analysis follows. A conclusion summarising the revealed measurements is given. The recommendation chapter abstracting findings and their impact on FurnitureExpress closees this assignment. An insight into used theories, sources and the academic structure of this work can be read from the following figure:

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Figure 2: Methodology (own figure developed by the author)

4. Findings

4.1. Structure and design of the website

4.1.1. Structure and underlying concept

The key element holding the underlying concept of a website is the structure revealed by the navigation. The navigation is determined by the amount of content the site has to allocate (Potts, 2007). According to Potts this structure can be described with a hierarchical diagram that displays the information of the website in a top-down structure and gives an insight into the depth of a website. In general there are two main basic structures according to Jacobsen et al (1994): a narrow and deep scheme and a shallow and broad structure. The narrow and deep scheme is focussed in depth of a website. The profound content is hidden which on the one hand makes a website clear arranged. On the other hand the visitor normally needs more clicks to get the desired information but the site is normally less cluttered (Jacobsen et al, 1994 and C. Dennis, T. Fench and B. Merrilees, 2004). FE has got a wide product range and therefore a lot information to communicate. Therefore it is reasonable that the FE website has a more narrow and deep scheme. The depth is more distinctive than the width but the structure is balanced. Visitors can get a quick and easy overview and access needed information within an acceptable adequate amount of clicks. The website is divided into two main navigations. The horizontal navigation provides general information. The vertical navigation shows the main categories of their product range. This partition provides a quick orientation. The underlying concept of the FE website and its structure is appropriate and shown in the following hierarchical diagram.^[1]

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Figure 3: Hierarchical Diagram of the FE website structure (figure drawn by author)

If the structure of the Website is in fact (and not only in theory) adequate should be measured in regard to consumer friendliness and usability. Therefore it is advisable for FE to undergo an “on-road-test”. Nielson (2000) explains how to carry out such a usability test identifying whether the website is effective, productive and satisfactory (in regard to customer satisfaction) enough and reveals possible improvement areas. Those three criteria are the basis of a good website usability (Bevan, 1999) and therefore the effectiveness of the e-business website.^[2]

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^[1] This diagram makes no claim to be complete. It rather shall give an overview of the basic structure.

^[2] Accomplishing such a usability test would go beyond the scope of this assignment. The author just want to mention the importance that all theoretical findings and strategic measurements has to “stand the proof” of the practice and feasibility.