2. Index
Cover Page…….…………………………………………………………………………………….1
Index…………………………………………………………………………………………………….2
Mission Statement………………………………………………………..……………………..3
Meet the Team………………………………………………………………..…………………..4
Executive Summary………………………….……………………………………………….5-6
Marketing Study…………………………………………………………………………….7-10
Online Survey Questions and Responses…………………………………….…11-12
QFD…………………………………………….……………………………………………………..13
QFD Analysis………………………….……………………………………………………..14-16
Product Description……………………………………………………………………………17
Technical Study/Material Research…………………………………………………….18
Cost Analysis……………………………………………………………………..………………19
Product Design………………………………………………………..……………………20-22
Group Minutes………………………………………………………….………………….23-26
Original and Revised Name/Logo……………………………….………………………27
Final Action Plan.....................................................................................28
Emails…………………………………………………………………….…………………….29-32
2
3. Company Name:
GreenBox
Mission Statement:
To increase company profitability while incorporating green technology.
3
4. Meet the Team
Andrew Sharkey
Supervisor/Communications
Pavel Tzonkov
Technical/Design
Michael Hilchey
Design/Advertising
Thomas Sanders
Public Relations/Marketing
Andrew Warren
Research/Public Relations
Rizwan Merchant
Accountant/Research
4
5. Executive Summary
Each year, one of the events most kids dread to is going back to school.
Summer is over and everyone has to get back to work. One component of returning to
school is back to school shopping, which both kids and parents dislike. All the shopping,
running up and down aisles looking for folders, pens, pencils, etc. If only someone could simplify
this process. That is where GreenBox comes in. GreenBox has developed a brand new school
supply kit, which includes supplies such as paper and pens, but will also include a USB flash
drive. The package itself serves as a bag, eliminating the need for individual packages for items
such as pens and paper. Not only do we simplify back to school shopping for the consumer, but
we also help reduce cost and waste on the production side as well.
The target market for our product is high school and college students. These consumer
populations should benefit greatly from a cheap, convenient solution to school shopping.
College students are constantly looking for an inexpensive and fast solution to their daily tasks.
No student wants to have to spend 1-2 hours shopping for supplies when he or she has
Chemistry homework due the next day in addition to tons of reading. In addition, textbooks are
so expensive as is, spending money for supplies is usually limited. High school students are in
a similar situation in that shopping for school supplies is not a high priority, and neither parents
nor students want to spend too much on supplies.
You may ask yourself; why not market the product to younger students as well? The
main reason for this is the differences in their school supply needs. College and high school
students typically use similar supplies. The supplies they purchase are usually pertinent to
classes through all four years. Younger students are in a different situation: middle school
students, and especially elementary school students, will get a list of necessary supplies from
their teacher; these lists vary from teacher to teacher and from class to class. Included on these
supply lists are colored pencils, markers, even crayons, supplies rarely used by older students.
Trying to develop a product with so many variations leads into the development of a
customizable kit. Our team decided that, from a business perspective, customization would
drive up costs, so we opted to focus on older students, as this would allow us to keep the
product simple, in turn allowing for a lower price for the consumer, as well as lower production
costs for our company. With our target market determined, GreenBox was ready to take the
project to the next step.
In order to steer the project in the right direction, GreenBox conducted a survey in order
to see what students want from a school supply kit/package. This survey was distributed online
to college and high school students. In addition, a focus group was organized to get personal
responses from target consumers concerning which features they consider most important in a
school supply package.
5
6. Initially, the company’s goal was to create a “green” package that included almost all of
the supplies a student would need. However, after surveying our market, we determined that
students were not concerned about a product being green, but rather on how much green
(money) they will save.
Despite wanting an inexpensive product, students wanted the product to look modern,
which led us to develop our product in a new direction. Though we continued to put some focus
on creating a green package, the direction of the project changed. Cost reduction became a
main concern, since the majority of the students said cost would make or break the sale for
them. Certain supplies like a calculator and white-out were removed based on feedback from
our surveys. Furthermore, materials for the package were changed in order to save on cost:
originally, PLA polymer was to be used in order to keep with a green image. However, based
on survey results, our team decided to use PET since it is not only recyclable, but cheap as
well. Ultimately, due to our survey analysis, our design for this project took a 180 degree turn in
the right direction.
To conclude, GreenBox’s School Supply Kit is the next step in school shopping.
GreenBox is confident that, as a result of thorough research and analysis of survey and focus
group data, our project will be a success in today’s market.
6
7. Marketing Study
In order to find out how to best market our school supply kit to the high school/college-
age demographic, we conducted a survey and a focus group. Both the survey and the focus
group provided valuable information about exactly what our target consumers want from a
school supply kit.
Our survey was distributed online to 55 people in our target demographic. The survey
proved to be extremely valuable as a source of information about which specific supplies our
target market wanted: pens were slightly more important than pencils, mechanical pencils were
preferred over wooden pencils, and three-ring binders were chosen over pocket folders. The
survey also indicated that our target market had very little interest in the more arts-and-crafts-
oriented supplies, which proved to be a major factor in our decision to cut supplies of this
nature, such as glue and scissors. Respondents also indicated significant interest in the
inclusion of a USB flash drive for data storage, a product not commonly seen in school supply
kits that we decided would be useful to students, as schools are becoming increasingly
technologically integrated. One of the most significant findings of the survey was that almost
75% of respondents said that a product being recyclable would not make them more apt to
purchase said product, and that most would be willing to pay very little to a moderate sum of
extra money for a more environmentally-friendly product. This caused a major shift in the
development of our school supply kit, as our original plan was to develop a 'green' school supply
kit.
Our focus group also provided a wealth of useful information that we used in developing
our product for the market. While our survey focused largely on the contents of the kit itself, the
focus group discussed a much broader range of features. Our five focus group participants
helped us determine that PET plastic was the material most suited to our kit. Our original plan
was to use a biodegradable PLA polymer, but there was a strong consensus that price would be
an overwhelming factor in any student's decision to purchase a product such as ours. Just as
well, environmental friendliness would always take a back seat to inexpensiveness; this made
the decision to switch from the more expensive PLA to the cheaper PET extremely easy. Our
focus group also helped us pinpoint aspects of our product that would allow us to increase its
appeal to college- and high school-age students. Our focus group provided suggestions that
allowed us to cut expensive supplies that would not differentiate our product, such as
calculators and whiteout, from the kit. Customization was another contentious aspect of our
product that our focus group helped us solve. Allowing for full customization would have
required online sales, which our focus group members said would decrease sales drastically, as
they said most students would simply go to a department store for school supplies. This,
combined with claims that full customization would drive up product costs and thus make it less
practical for students, led us to choose limited customization: a range of case colors as well as
some region-specific cases with school logos became our model of choice. Finally, our focus
group was able to provide us with ideas for small, but useful, tweaks that our team had never
considered. Participants appreciated the organizational aspect of our package as far as
textbooks and papers were concerned, but also suggested specialized compartments for
accessories common to college- and high school-age students - iPods, cell phones, sunglasses,
etc.
7
8. Ultimately, GreenBox's marketing research proved to be a fruitful exercise. Our focus
group and online survey provided excellent insights into cost-cutting measures and methods of
increasing our product's appeal to our target market, making them invaluable resources
throughout the course of this project.
Focus Group Questionnaire
#1) What material would you prefer for the package?
- Hard Plastic (PLA, PET)
- Cloth
#2) What supplies do students really use...
- Pencils (Mechanical)
- Pens
- Flash Drive
- Paper
- Backpack
- Calculator
- Erasers
- Divider Tab
- Whiteout
- Stapler
# 3) Would you prefer a backpack or just a kit/binder?
#4) Discuss what type of graphics students might want.
#5) What price range are you as a student willing pay for kits? How much do you spend now?
#6) Is customization something that what entice you to buy a product such as a school kit?
#7) What storage aspects would you like to see on a binder/ bag (i.e. 3 ring binder, pocket
folders)?
8
9. Focus Group: Notes and Observations
List of Participants
1. Male, gray shirt
2. Male, blue sweater
3. Male, dark blue polo
4. Female, braided hair
5. Female, glasses
[Materials]
#2: preferred plastic, easily cleaned, said cloth is old-fashioned
#3: said cloth was more flexible and therefore easier to store
#2: concerned with material's effect on how securely the case can be sealed
#4: magnet clasp/seal is bad, zipper or elastic opening best
[Customization and Graphics]
#2: prefers customizable graphics
#1: suggested marketing graphic customization for different schools, such as a Gator logo for
UF students
#4 and 5: suggested graphics to broaden the age range to which the product might appeal
#1: said that most college-age students would not bother to put extra work into customizing
themselves
#2: concerned by added cost of graphics, suggests this may turn away potential customers
[General Consensus - Online Marketing]: too much of a hassle and too costly; would prefer to
buy product at a retail chain such as Wal-Mart
[USB and Miscellaneous Technological Elements]
#4: liked USB idea
#3: 'maybe’ on USB - unsure why, possibly too costly?
#3 and 4: calculator is unneeded
#1: suggested specialized calculators for science, finance, etc., but that generic 4-function
calculators would be an unneeded extra cost
#3: iPod/cell phone holder
#3: eraser unneeded
#4 and 5: liked eraser
#2: suggested pencil-style eraser, others liked this idea
9
10. [Divider tabs, miscellaneous others]
#2: need for divider tabs depends on the size of the overall product - might make it too thick
#4: white-out is useful, but not a distinguishing feature
#3: recycling/environmental friendliness unimportant
#2: would buy an environmentally-friendly product over another if the cost difference is not
excessive
#1: suggested that college student budgets generally prohibit spending extra money on green
products
#2 and 5: said pockets were important for temporary, easily accessible storage for important
papers
#3: opaque casing for privacy
#2: said a catchy name might differentiate the product
[Closing thoughts]
#3: concerned with quality of supplies, but suggested that college students on a budget may not
discriminate
[General Consensus - Price]: Price would be the most important factor in purchasing the
product
#4: suggested specialized products
#3: suggested miscellaneous storage compartments for sunglasses, etc.
#3: liked the idea of a detachable strap/sling
10
11. Online Survey Questions and Responses
1. Would you be more apt to buy a product if it were recyclable?
Yes: 74.5%
No: 25.5%
2. How important is a USB/flash drive in a school starter kit?
1. 3.6% (not important)
2. 5.5%
3. 14.5%
4. 30.9%
5. 45.5% (very important)
3. How important is the compact size and weight of the product for you?
1. 0.0% (not important)
2. 5.5%
3. 12.7%
4. 40.0%
5. 41.8% (very important)
4. Which supplies would you most like to see?
-Pencils: 81.1%
-Pens: 92.5%
-Ruler: 35.8%
-Paper: 73.6%
-Calculator: 64.2%
-Scissors: 34.0%
-Glue: 18.9%
-Divider tabs: 43.4%
-Eraser: 49.1%
-Stapler: 45.3%
-White-out: 39.6%
-2GB Flash drive: 81.1%
-Pencil sharpener: 30.2%
-Bag: 64.2%
5. How important is cool graphics/design in your purchase of a school supply kit?
1. 13.0% (not important)
11
12. 2. 18.5%
3. 31.5%
4. 20.4%
5. 16.7% (very important)
6. How much more would you be willing to spend for a school supply kit made with
recycled materials?
-None: 7.3%
-Very little ($0.01 - $0.50) : 9.1%
-Moderate ($0.51-$1.50) : 34.5%
-More($1.51-$3.00) : 30.9%
-Much More($3.01+) : 18.2%
7. Is having customizable options important in the purchase of a school supply package?
-Yes: 70.4%
-No: 29.6%
8. Do you prefer mechanical or wood pencils?
-Mechanical: 72.7%
-Wood: 10.9%
-Both: 16.4%
9. Do you prefer the use of pocket folders or 3 ring binders?
-Pocket Folders: 14.8%
-3-Ring Binders: 44.4%
-Both: 40.7%
12
14. QFD Analysis
The QFD analysis was a very resourceful tool used in the development of our
product/package. It allowed us to organize our market research and focus group results
in order to determine what aspects needed to be improved from our original design. In
addition, it helped determine which aspects of our package were most important, what
technical aspects need to be changed and how they will affect each other, and how our
product compared to other competitors on the market.
To begin, after the completion of our market and focus group research we were
able to determine which “what” factors were the most important in our product. We
found that consumers were most concerned with the price, durability, and the USB
accessory in our kit. Since our target market was focused on college students and
teenagers, it was no surprise that price and computer accessories were amongst the
most important to students. Surprisingly, whether our product was recyclable or not
was the least important in our research. Most students we asked for would not pay a bit
more for a recycled product. In addition, students were not concerned with the brand
names of the supplies. If generic names were used to keep price down, they were all
for it. Other “WHATs” that concerned consumers but not as drastically, was the
appearance of the package and how easily it was opened, organized, and carried.
In order to tailor to the needs of our consumers, our team developed “HOWs” to
deal with the “WHATs” that students were most concerned with. Our HOWs included
weight, size of bag, type of material, amount of supplies, impact resistance,
customizable, security of openings, handle location, brand name supplies, Handle/strap,
and designs. Price being the number one importance of our consumers, the type of
material, amount of supplies, customizable and brand name supplies were the most
relevant HOWs that will affect the price our product. As far as durability is concerned,
the weight, type of material, and impact resistance are the factors that will determine our
products durability. As far as how easily the package can be carried is effected most by
the weight, size of bag, and handle location. Each WHAT had at least a couple of
HOWs that helped steer our product in the proper direction.
These HOWs also helped in configuring the aspects that consumers were not so
concerned about. We needed to consider things such as type of material and weight of
the product when looking at recyclability. Since consumers were not so concerned with
a recyclable product were able to choose different materials that might make our cost
14
15. cheaper. To add, since our consumers were not so concerned with quality components
we did not have to include brand name supplies, can increase the amount of supplies
we have, and the type of material used can be somewhat cheaper since price is the
most important to students. In our graphical representation of the QFD analysis the
interaction between each WHAT and HOW was rated to see which HOWs were the
most important to focus on based on the importance of the WHAT’s.
When developing our final product and package, when focusing on certain
HOWs a tradeoff had to be made with other HOWs. For instance, if you increase the
size of the bag the weight of the package will increase, the security of the opening must
be better, and you will have less impact resistance. However, you can also increase the
amount of supplies you have and might have to change the type of material used.
There were tradeoffs made almost every time when manipulating one or more HOWs.
Here, we will focus on some of the more important tradeoffs. For a complete list, please
reference the QFD graphic. Since consumers wanted a cheaper product, we focused
on the type of material, amount of supplies, and brand name supplies. If we change the
type of material, our cost will go down but we effect our products impact resistance, the
weight of our product, and possibly the designs we can include. Since consumers were
not concerned with quality products, we don’t include brand name supplies that in turn
allow us to increase the amount of supplies we can have. As can be seen, by changing
one HOW several tradeoffs are made in other aspects. Again, a complete list of how
each HOW interacts with one another can be found at the top of our QFD graphic
represented by the pyramid with blue pluses and red minuses.
Lastly, the QFD allowed us to compare our package and product to other
competitors on the market. Our top two competitors in school supply kits were The
Green Office. Our team determined how each competitor currently dealt with the HOWs
of our product. For instance, type of material both competitors were using a corrugated
box as their package and one competitor allowed for customization while the other did
not. Corrugated boxes were easily punctured, hard to carry, and did not really fit with
consumer needs of a cool appearance. Allowing consumers to customize their product
adds significant cost to the product. By examining each aspect of our competitors, our
team was able to decide what and how to change aspects in our design. In addition,
the program allowed us to determine which HOWs to improve based on how they
compared to our competitors and how important these aspects were to our consumers.
Ultimately, the factors that we changed to try and improve from our competitors were
the size of the bag, the type of material used, and the type of security openings. These
15
16. three items will help make our product more environmentally friendly, more secure, and
easier to carry.
To conclude, based on our QFD analysis, our design for our product and
package was changed in many aspects. Originally, we had a binder that contained
supplies you can customize in store. It was sealed with a zipper, fit in a book bag, and
was made from PLA. After our research and QFD analysis, our final product is very
different. Our package is now an entire bag. It can fit a laptop, books, and a binder.
Fewer supplies are included with unwanted items eliminated. Features such as an iPod
holder and sunglass case were added. In addition, the package was now made from
PET and is no longer customizable in stores. With these changes made, our product is
not only tailored to our consumers needs, but differentiates us from our competitors and
allows our sales to outperform the competition.
16
17. Product Description
• Product will be a Shoulder Bag with handle and removable shoulder
strap.
• Bag will be made of hard, flexible plastic (HDPE) with unconventional
shape to maximize comfort, style, and storage space.
• Product will have secure locking mechanisms for each of 2 openings.
o Opening 1 will include binder, paper, divider folder, as well as
provide storage for laptop and textbooks.
o Opening 2 will include 3 pens, 2 pencils, eraser, 2GB flash
drive w/ carabiner as well as provide storage for calculator,
iPod, cell phone, and sunglasses.
• On shelf, product will be secured by a single zip tie to deter petty theft
of supplies.
17
18. • Product will be provided in shrink-wrap (shrink-bag) to protect against
water during shipping as well as secure paper label with Barcode,
internal photo, and product description.
Product intends to reduce amount of excess supplies and packaging
materials by obtaining a modest amount of each supply before they are
packaged by the supplier/manufacturer. In our bag, these supplies are
each placed in their designated location before the bag is sealed by zip tie
and shrink-wrap, thereby eliminating the need for individual packages.
Technical Study
Material Research
Our product’s outer casing will mainly be composed of high-density polyethylene
(HDPE), a variety of durable plastic. This sleek material is recyclable while, at the same time,
has a high tensile strength. It is used for a variety of containers due to its ability to resist many
different solvents. It is cheaper and more appropriate than polylactic acid (PLA) material, which
is advertised as a compostable “plastic”, but in reality is slow in its composting process and,
therefore, not worth the extra money. HDPE also withstands higher temperatures, about 120
ºC, and is harder than lower-density polyethylene.
The inside of the case will utilize a cotton/polyester mix cloth. This synthesized fabric
contains the elasticity and texture of cotton, but also the strength and all-around durability
provided by polyester.
18
19. The product will be secured in a casing consisting of shrink wrap. Shrink wrap is
comprised of a polymer plastic film, and shrinks when heat is applied. It has low density and low
intermolecular strength, but strong enough to keep the product completely secure. The low
strength will make it convenient for the buyer to remove the plastic in order to use the product.
Zip ties will also be used in order to secure the product. Zip ties are comprised of nylon
tape, a very sturdy material that will withstand a great deal of pressure. The gear track imprinted
on the zip tie will allow the tie to adjust to the size of the product being secured. The zip tie is so
secure, it will most likely have to be cut off from the product using scissors.
In order to secure the pens, pencils, and calculator in the product, a strip of elastomer
will be used. This elastic polymer is known for its ability to deform well at ambient temperatures.
Its adjustability, coupled with its high intermolecular strength, will be ideal for securing these
items within the product.
19
23. Group Minutes
1/21/09
• Discussed possible products we would want to work with
• Exchanged contact info
1/24/09
• Rizwan and Andrew S. researched possible products at Super Walmart
1/26/09
• Worked on Logo
• Developed team mission statement
1/28/09
• Redesigned logo
23
24. • Discussed product to work with
o Vitamin water bottle
o Cereal
1/30/09
• Discussed further product ideas
o Kashi products
o Electronics
o Fresh Foods
o Clothing
o Medicine
o Liquids
2/2/09
• Further discussed final product ideas to determine what we will work with
2/4/09
• Determined final product to work with… bread
• Discussed possible package changes
2/6/09
• Presented idea to JP and TA’s
• Discussed feedback and possible product change
2/11/09
• Discussed new product ideas
o Laundry Detergent
24
25. o Laptops
o School Supply Kits
• Created pros and cons of each product
2/13/09
• Settled on our final product….. School Supply Kit
• Began to discuss possible packaging changes
2/16/09
• Began discussing WHAT’s of our package
• Determined our target market
2/18/09
• Created action plan for group
2/20/09
• Delegated tasks to every team member
• Setup meeting time for the weekend
• Discussed further WHATs for package
2/23/09
• Discussed WHATs
• Began setting up survey and questions
• Discussed competitor products
2/25/09
• Finalized Survey Question
• Finalized Competitors
• Discussed HOW’s
25
26. • Worked on possible focus group questions
2/27/09
• Discussed further HOW’s
• Finalized Survey
• Discussed Focus Group
3/2/09
• Discussed possible cost issues
• Developed further questions for Focus Group
3/4/09
• Analyzed survey results
• Setup meeting time to discuss focus group
3/5/09
• Pavel, Andrew S., Andrew W., and Thomas met outside to discuss focus group
• Setup location and time for focus group
• Finalized questions to be asked at focus group
• Delegated responsibilities for focus group
3/16/09
• Discussed design concepts for package
• Possible handle/strap concept discussed
3/18/09
• Went over procedure for focus group
• Discussed important ideas/questions to include in focus group discussion
26
27. 3/19/09
• Andrew W., Thomas, and Pavel ran focus group
3/20/09
• Discussed focus group results
• Brainstorm new design for package to be consistent with consumer wants
3/27/09
• Reviewed finished QFD
• Discussed final design of package
3/30/09
• Reviewed team member drawings of final packaging design
• Settled on final design of package/product
4/1/09
• Began working on cost analysis
• Began to draw/design final product on Rhino
4/3/09
• Settled on final dimensions of package
• Finalized what supplies will be included in kit
4/6/09
• Worked on cost analysis
4/8/09
• Calculated total cost of all materials and supplies of our product
27
28. 4/13/15
• Worked on executive summary
• Went over final design of package in Rhino. Made small changes
4/15/0
• Worked on letter head design for company
• Discussed final details of project as far as what still needs to be finished
4/17/09
• Reviewed Technical Study, Final Designs, and Team portfolio design.
• Discussed sales pitch idea and advertisement for class presentation
28
29. Here's the (tentative/flexible) game plan:
(Pavel, Thomas, Andrew, and Myself previously worked on the focus group.)
By Friday 03/27:
-Rizwan- currently working on, and will provide prices/costs for our product/package
-Everyone- work on individual QFD's. these will be overviewed, agreed upon, and combined to
form a "master" QFD
-Everyone- start technical product/package drawings(on paper)
By Monday 03/30:
-Pavel and Michael- work on final technical model of our product/package on paper
-Everyone- overview technical drawings of entire group
-Andrew, Thomas, Myself- start working on pitch ideas/ commercial ideas/ etc...
By Friday 04/03:
-Pavel and Michael- start final technical model of our product/package on computer
-Rizwan- supplier side Cost Analysis complete(start the production side)
By Monday 04/06:
-Everyone- work on pitch/presentation
-Rizwan, Pavel, Andrew, Thomas- final cost analysis complete
By Wednesday 04/08
-Pavel and Michael-continue work on final technical model
-Rizwan, Andrew, Thomas, Myself-continue presentation
29
30. By Friday 04/10
-Everyone Complete-help others catch up if necessary
-Practice presentation
----
04/13 -Turn in Report with prototype
04/20 –Be prepared to give presentation
Sender: weslxa@gmail.com Add to address book
To: "SHARKEY,ANDREW F" <asharkey@ufl.edu>
CC:
Date: Sat Feb 28 12:13:13 EST 2009
Subject: Re: Pkg information
Looks fine, go ahead and start distributing. Remember, it's due Wednesday.
------Original Message------
From: SHARKEY,ANDREW F
To: weslxa@gmail.com
To: trubaser@ufl.edu
To: rizwan92@ufl.edu
To: hilcheym@ufl.edu
To: boomer24@ufl.edu
To: andrewtwarren@ufl.edu
Sent: Feb 28, 2009 12:07 PM
Subject: Pkg information
Sry if this is late. Studying for an exam that my grade in the
class and my job actually depends on me doing well on this, so i'm
extremely busy. Here's what i have.
30
31. Here's the new and revised link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=DJ7L3Ikn8ccDMhFijxYKDQ_3d_3d
(Wes-comments were extremely helpful. Thanks. I disagreed with
comment on question 2 about the Flash drive, I think this question
is mostly just to determine whether to have a computer component.
However, I definitely agree that it should have been more specific
on the (later) question, so i narrowed it down to a 2 Gig Flash
Drive. I think this should be sufficient, I never really need more
than 2 Gigs for 20 college hours, 3 jobs, and personal use.
I also disagree slightly with question 6, but took your
advice anyway and added a price range to each of the answer
choices. As far as to address you recyclable comment: Our goal is
to make our product's package and components ReUsable, but also
out of as environmentally friendly components as possible)
WHATS:(I still need to fine tune these WHATS and HOWS, but after
my exam monday. no time now)
Recyclable
Easy to carry
Durability
Lightweight
Computer accessories
Organizational ability
Quality components
Cool Appearance
Easy to open/access
HOWS:
Size of Bag
Amount of Supplies included
Brand Name/Generic Supplies
Number of pens
Handle/strap comfort
Weight
Impact Resistance
Number of ways to customize
Object Quantity/Size Ratio
Designs
31
32. Security of openings
Type of material
Handle Location
Competitors:(Group-these are the most agreed upon my responses.
Although NSSEA was close with school kidz)
The Green Office
School Kidz
WES-let me know if you need anything else. and thanks again for
all your help!
g2g study as my job depends on it
--
SHARKEY,ANDREW F
Sender: "MERCHANT,RIZWAN A" <rizwan92@ufl.edu> Add to address book
To: "SHARKEY,ANDREW F" <asharkey@ufl.edu>
CC:
Date: Wed Apr 01 01:31:59 EDT 2009
Subject
Re: old email
:
1. Mechanical Pencil Comfort Grip Metal Clip .7mm Blue : .25$ and it sells for
1.55$ brand : Integra
Pack of 5 would cost less than 1.00 $
2. uni-ball Power Tank RT Retr Ball Pen 2 pack: 3.37 $ . unit price $5.81
3. Sanford Magic Rub Drafting Film/Tracing Paper Art Eraser: $ .24 unit price:
$.58
I think we decided we weren't going to have 3 ring binder . and as for the usb prices
are concerned manager stated its a 30% mark up so the cost would be to us 30%
less than the selling price. and the whole sale prices we only get if we get them
delivered and if we are licensed business.
On Wed Mar 25 20:51:38 EDT 2009, "SHARKEY,ANDREW F" <asharkey@ufl.edu>
wrote:
32
33. Alright so here's some of the notes I got down about what we want with our package,
and some questions at the end for us to think about? we can go over this monday in
class
Our package should be CHEAP!!!
if we can "go green" w/o increasing the price by more than about a $1.50, then do it.
otherwise cheapness is good.
We need a cool name for the package!
Cool Graphics/designs
As compact as possible, no too much extra of anything that is unneeded or unused
possible zipper(over magnets,etc...)
Included in our package:
Laptop bag w/ removable sling
2 GB USB drive
Mechanical Pencils
Pens
Paper
Eraser
3 Ring binder
Divider tabs?
Pocket folder?
Whiteout (useful but unneeded feature)?
Additional storage compartments:
extra pocket(s) for quick access to important/temporary papers
Sunglasses
Laptop
iPod
Calculator
phone
Additional Packaging???:
[[I'm worried not about theft of our supplies. but that when someone buys a package
to find they are missing the internal supplies/USB drive/etc... they won't want to buy
from us because our packages are un-secure? So i feel we need something
additional so people at the store will be less tempted to just open up the bag and take
stuff out.]]
Our best idea so far is just a plastic bag/sleeve over the bag/binder/or just supplies,
rather than adding a lock for protection. We could also add a sticker or something to
the front of our product that would show a list of everything that is included, a picture
33
34. of what it looks like inside with all of our supplies in their proper spot, as well as our
COOL name.
Questions to think about:
What would be a cool name for our product?
What kind of graphics/designs should be included w/o increasing budget
significantly?
How many pens/pencils/paper?
Should we include Eraser/divider tabs/pocket folder/white-out?
what type of eraser?(block eraser, stick/pencil eraser, etc...)
How could we distinguish petty theft of our supplies from each package?(plastic wrap/
lock/other)
Anything additional to be added to this email and our list???
I believe our product will be successful if it is CHEAP, PRACTICAL, and COOL! This
is what will distinguish us among college students.
--
SHARKEY,ANDREW F
34