Lesson 3' Aligning Experience Economy Strategies of the Business and ECommerce Website

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Lesson 3. Aligning Experience Economy Strategies
of the Business and E-Commerce Website
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3.1 Importance of a Consistent Image for a
Multi-Channel Business
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3.1 Importance of a Consistent Image for a
Multi-Channel Business

• A Multi-channel business markets or sells
  through more than one distribution channel, such
  as physical stores, catalogs, direct mail, and
  Websites. A Website may not be set up to complete
  an actual online sales transaction, but the site
  is still marketing the business to the existing
  and potential customers. It helps the customer
  develop impressions about the business.
• To clarify definitions, the image entails the
  message the business endeavors to project
  including the experience it plans to create for
  the customer, whereas the impression is what the
  customer actually perceives (believes or feels)
  about the business including experiences fostered
  by the image.

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Figure 3.1 Differences between Website image and
impression
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3.1 Importance of a Consistent Image for a
Multi-Channel Business

• First impressions created by your Website are
  important to your business for many reasons
• A first impression is a lasting impression. First
  impressions are very powerful, can color how a
  person or a business is perceived for a long
  time, and can be very hard to change or correct
  (Creek, 2002 Sterling, 2005)
• A first impression determines whether the
  customer further explores a Website or goes to
  another site. Online browsers and shoppers
  quickly go to another Website if they cannot
  easily find what they want or find something to
  hold their interest.

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3.1 Importance of a Consistent Image for a
Multi-Channel Business

• A first impression sets up for the customer what
  to expect from the business and customer
  satisfaction is based on the business ability to
  meet or exceed these expectations. These
  impressions include expectations of experiential
  value. For instance, an online description of a
  lakefront rental can set up expectations of an
  esthetic getaway retreat. Imagine the customers
  dissatisfaction when arriving at the rental and
  finding an old shack overlooking a brackish
  lagoon (see next slide).

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3.1 Importance of a Consistent Image for a
Multi-Channel Business

• First impressions created by your Website are
  important to your business for many reasons

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3.1 Importance of a Consistent Image for a
Multi-Channel Business

• Even if the Website is not the first introduction
  to the business, it is important to create a
  consistent image between the firms Website and
  what the customer will encounter in other
  channels of the business, such as the physical
  establishment. The clear message sent by a
  consistent image helps customers recognize and
  recall a business and helps the business
  connect with the targeted customers (Schmitt
  Simonson, 1997).

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3.1 Importance of a Consistent Image for a
Multi-Channel Business

• Customers today increasingly use multi-channels
  of a business and expect a consistent experience
  among these channels (Wagner, 2005). For larger
  companies, a consistent experience between
  channels may require integration of extensive
  marketing campaigns, customer relationship
  management systems, and inventory systems
  (Wagner, 2005). For smaller firms lacking these
  complex Website features, efforts should focus on
  creating a consistent multi-channel image that
  repeats the distinctive 4E offerings of the
  business.

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3.1 Importance of a Consistent Image for a
Multi-Channel Business

• As noted previously in our discussion about
  competitive advantages, experiential offerings
  should be repeated through the business Website
  to attract customers and set up appropriate
  expectations. For example, if a retailer uses
  Educational experiences as a competitive
  advantage in the physical store, the Website
  should also offer Educational experiences.
  Mundts Candies in Madison, Indiana
  (http//www.mundtscandies.com/) is a small
  retailer that presents the stores Educational
  experience on its Website.

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3.1 Importance of a Consistent Image for a
Multi-Channel Business

• The Educational experience offered by the
  historical setting and historical information
  shared in the store is reinforced on the Website
  through
• Content about the history of the company
• http//www.mundtscandies.com/
• Content about the history of its signature candy
  fish
• http//www.mundtscandies.com/candy.html
• Content and images of traditional candy making
  processes
• http//www.mundtscandies.com/more.html
• Content and images of historical sites of the
  Madison, Indiana area
• http//www.mundtscandies.com/flavors.html

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3.1 Importance of a Consistent Image for a
Multi-Channel Business

• Link to the Historic Landmarks Foundation of
  Indiana
• http//www.historiclandmarks.org/

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3.2 Summary of Lesson 3

• This lesson focused on key Website development
  strategies for multi-channel businesses that
  market and sell through physical stores,
  catalogs, direct mail, and Websites. To begin,
  businesses create customers first and the most
  favorable impressions on Websites. Then,
  businesses deliver consistent business images
  throughout various channels. And finally,
  businesses offer their distinctive and memorable
  4Es and repeat them throughout multi-channels in
  order to emphasize their competitive advantages.

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References

• Creek, L. (2002). First impressions on the
  Internet. Web Developers Virtual Library.
  Available July 5, 2005 at http//wdvl.internet.co
  m/Internet/First_Impressions/
• Schmitt, B. H., Simonson, A. (1997). Marketing
  aesthetics. New York Free Press.
• Sterling, M. (2005). Do you make your first
  impression your best impression? Available July
  5, 2005 at http//entrepreneurs.about.com/cs/marke
  ting/a/uc051603a.htm

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References (continued)

• Wagoner, M. (2005, March). Channel shift.
  Internet Retailer, 20-24. Retrieved from
  http//internetretailer.com/article.asp?id14838
• Images
• http//www.hotelbuganvillas.com/turismo/pantanal.p
  hp
• http//www.mundtscandies.com/more.html