1. Katie Brumfield
5/19/15
Global Retailing
Writing Assignment II
In order to gain a larger market share, there must be a focused effort to keep up
with modern customer trends. I am proposing that Savvy Shopper do just that. To begin,
the owner of Savvy Shopper must reevaluate her current customer and evaluate the
customer she wants to have. I suggest she gather data through the Consumer Price
Index to gain an understanding of income levels in Ames and the surrounding areas.
Further, this would help the owner understand how much discretionary income her
target customers have. The owner wants to target college students, so her price points
must coincide with lower levels of income. However, it is understood she doesn’t want
to lose any of her existing customer base. I recommend having a higher priced line for
the older customers, a middle priced line, and a lower priced line to cater to college
students. This will allow her to reach poor college students and more financially secure
customers.
Generally, consumers are always looking for the best deal they can find, and
they love to utilize comparison shopping. The easiest and preferred way consumers do
this is through the internet (Miller, 2012). In this day and age, it is essential to have an
online presence especially for the 17-45 year old demographic. In order to gain market
share while retaining existing customers, launching an online store would be a smart
move. This makes way for customer convenience, reaches a larger area, and allows for
the coveted comparison shopping many consumers crave. In order to capture the

2. essence of the consumer of today, I strongly recommend making the online store
mobile friendly. Mobile phones are the future of retailing (Leonard, 2013). Over two-
thirds of Americans now use a smart phone and are using apps to browse (Fingas,
2014). By having mobile capabilities, it allows the store owner to tap into a flourishing
market. Further than a mobile friendly online store, Savvy Shopper should establish a
social media presence. We live in a connected world where social media sites rule. By
starting a Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, it gives Savvy Shopper a chance to further
develop their brand. These three social media sites will expand customer reach, and will
reach different types of customers. Older users are more likely to use Facebook, and
younger customers are more likely to be reached through Twitter and Instagram. By
utilizing social media sites, it would be easier to interact and reach new customers.
Once established on Facebook, you could also use Facebook Ads which target
customers in the surrounding areas.
Savvy Shopper has been running for 10 years, so it is an established business
with a recognizable name. I propose sending coupons through mail and email to attract
new customers. A good deal is always attractive to broke college students and to out-of-
towners looking for a reason to drive. The key will be to provide excellent customer
service and to create a positive shopping experience for all customers regardless of
age. While we are moving towards a mobile shopping experience, customers crave the
human touch in stores, so it is important to maintain a high quality sales team.

3. References
Fingas, J. (2014, February 11). Two-thirds of Americans now have smartphones.
Retrieved May 20, 2015, from http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/11/two-thirds-
of-americans-now-have-smartphones/
Leonard, H. (2013, March 11). BII MOBILE INSIGHTS: Mobile Is The Future Of Retail.
Retrieved May 20, 2015, from http://www.businessinsider.com/mobile-is-the-
future-of-retail-2013-33
Miller, G. (2012, February 14). 8 Reasons Consumers Like To Shop Online – Cater To
Them For Online Retail Success. Retrieved May 20, 2015, from
http://upstreamcommerce.com/blog/2012/02/14/8-reasons-consumer-likes-shop-
online