Proposal for an Innovative Online Retail Store for Customers in Lockdown

Demonstration of Critical Reflection on Innovation Concept

Upon the successful completion of this module, the student should be able to demonstrate the ability to:

• critically reflect on the innovation concept;

• recognise, analyse and apply creative thinking at the individual, team, organisational and industry level;

• critically explore and differentiate between different models of innovation;

• critically assess characteristics of organisational knowledge and organisational knowing

Because of the global coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown, you are restricted to come up with a saleable innovative product OR a deliverable unique service that can ONLY be provided remotely. You are therefore expected to propose a suitable online retail store which will appeal to your customers in lockdown.

MAIN REQUIREMENTS:

I. Identify an innovative product to sell OR a unique service to provide

II. Propose an eCommerce website and that will enable you to reach out to your customers

THREE major Issues to consider:

1. The innovative product OR unique service proposition:

• What innovative product will you sell OR what unique service will you provide?

• Who are your customers?

• Where and how will you sell your product OR provide your services?

• Do you have a name for your venture?

• How do you intend to sustain your innovative business proposition

• Are there any competitors in this area? If so, what are they doing? How do they sell their product OR provide their service?

E-commerce - propose to setup an online website and consider:

• Using SaaS e.g. Shopify • Using a marketplace e.g. Amazon or eBay • Creating content, including copy and photograph • Using a Payment Services e.g. card, PayPal • If accepting card payments be aware of PCI-DSS compliance issues.

• How will you promote your product OR service?

• Who are your target customers? How will you reach them?

• Consider the use of social media e.g. Facebook • Consider the use of paid search engines e.g. Google • Understand the role of customer journeys • Consider the use of email  marketing • Consider pre-launch promotion to gather email addresses (but be aware that you cannot just email everyone).

Interactive interview

Students are required to take part in a 15-20 minute interactive interview to defend their written submissions. During this interactive interview, they will have to answer questions on the following topics:

• Procedures followed to complete the assignment. For example, what type of research was carried out? How relevant information was searched for and sorted? What concepts/theories/class notes were explored and how? Which external sources were most useful in writing the assignment?

• What were the main challenges faced in completing the assignment and how those challenges were overcome?

• What are the practical learning outcomes of the assignment and how it can benefit in the future?