module specification

MC5062 - Online Fashion Retailing (2024/25)

Module specification Module approved to run in 2024/25
Module title Online Fashion Retailing
Module level Intermediate (05)
Credit rating for module 15
School Guildhall School of Business and Law
Total study hours 150
 
105 hours Guided independent study
9 hours Assessment Preparation / Delivery
36 hours Scheduled learning & teaching activities
Assessment components
Type Weighting Qualifying mark Description
Coursework 100%   Individual report word count 2,000 words
Running in 2024/25

(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change)
Period Campus Day Time Module Leader
Spring semester North Wednesday Morning
Spring semester North Thursday Morning

Module summary

The fashion industry operates in a dynamic environment resulting in a rapid change in the online retailing and service offering.  Increasingly consumers are switching between channels in their purchasing of Fashion. The module will deal with a range of theoretical, practical techniques in understanding and researching the management of fashion on line retailing. The module examines the various factors, which influence on line customer journey, trends in multichannel approaches and strategies.
This module has been designed to build on level 4 knowledge with a focus on the understanding of the management of fashion on line retailing. This module aims to develop a critical understanding of the importance Internet retailing and its contribution to Fashion retailing.
The module aims to:
• Develop an understanding and demonstrate the scope of digital retail issues both operationally and theoretically in designing and implementing successful internet retailing strategies.
• Enable and develop student’s technical skills and knowledge in applying market research methods using appropriate digital metrics.

The module also aims to assist students in the acquisition of the following skills:
1. Digital literacy and IT skills
2. Researching & analysing
3. Application of Knowledge

Syllabus

The principles and drivers of On line retailing - The relationship between digital and traditional retailing concepts

• E Environment – Social , legal factors, emerging  technological factors digital transformation and  digital disruption

• Fashion e-tailing business models - pure player strategy , multi-channel strategy aggregate player strategies, Market place, wholesalers Online/Bricks & Mortar, Departments stores Outlets Fashion internet retailing and multi-channel retailing, omni channel retailing

• Fashion E-Retailing supply chain ,Logistics & distribution order fulfilment ,Intermediaries and services

• Security and privacy issues

• International on line Fashion retailing

• Fashion retailing  merchandising

• Platforms -Mobile platforms and apps. Managing Infrastructure –platforms desk top, mobile, Apps, Domain name

• Marketing Mix  & 5 Is1s

Learning Outcomes LO1

 

Indicative syllabus LO2

• Integrating different web services - Shopping Cart ,payment  credit card processing  customer profile databases, Content Management systems CMS, Customer relationship management systems CRM, Enterprise Resource planning ERP Customer experience management systems CXM

• Acquisition strategy - Traffic generation techniques – SEO, paid search, social affiliates, On line PR, social media marketing customer reviews. On line Value proposition


• Conversion strategy – Merchandising  , social commerce, marketing automation ,content customer journeys- mobile, in store desktop mobile

• Retention & loyalty strategy – The digital sales funnel. Customer experience, customer service support , Customer lifecycle  customer contact , ECRM, relationship  & loyalty


• Customer insight & customer journey – Developing personas. Understanding touch points. The influences of  online fashion consumer behaviour on line, decision-making process of  the fashion consumer purchasing online, On Fashion e tailing & order fulfilment process& payment

• Customer experience management- Desk top website experience, Mobile web site experience, Email mobile messaging, and customer service integration, in store digital devices.

• E marketplace – Customer segments, search intermediaries , Horizontal portals, Aggregates and super affiliates , small affiliates ,destination site and OVP

• Fashion e tailing content & design  - Product information management- Site design, web atmospherics ,aesthetics ,page design, navigation mobile design content strategy and copy writing

• Fashion e-retailing product strategy range, sourcing and selection Online merchandising , Payment systems

• Supporting activities for fashion e tailing –SEO, pay per click,  affiliates, social networking

Learning Outcomes LO2

Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity

The module will be delivered over a 12- week period and consists of a 1 hour lecture and
2 hour seminar per week.
The lecture will focus on key theories, concepts models and frameworks of e-consumer, e- fashion retailing principles and methods.
The seminar sessions will cover discussions, debates, cases, quizzes, questions and answer sessions to build on the contemporary issues covered in on line Fashion retailing.  At least 4 seminar workshop sessions will explore & evaluate on line analytics & on line site design. The seminars  serves to anchor knowledge imparted in taught element of the lectures and provides a forum for on depth discussion
• A better understanding of  the taught element of the lectures  through small group discussions, case study/ journal article/problem solving analysis and interchange of questions and answers.
• Assist students in relating their knowledge to the fashion retailing discipline and profession
• Applied understanding of technical skills required for carrying out research in order to assist in employability skills for future careers in fashion retailing. Students will need to consider this aspect of the module as part of their personal development
• The facilities of Web Learn will be used as part of a blended learning approach and will be central to the delivery of module handbook, case studies, journal articles, and external web links learning. In particular, students will be encouraged to use the leading portals covering the on line retailing market developments, which contain live up to date information and white papers on the subject

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
1.  Critically discuss and apply e-retailing  concepts and theories to current practical fashion retail situations and issues LO1
2. To engage in depth analysis of  On line Fashion Retailing using both practical & theoretical principles & concepts LO2

Bibliography

Textbooks:

Core Text:
Chaffey D. Hemphill T. Edmundson-Bird D. (2019) Digital Business and E-Commerce Management 7th Edition Pearson
Laudon K. and Traver  C.(2020) E-Commerce 2020-2021: Business, Technology and Society, Global Edition, Global Edition, 16th Edition Pearson
Pantano E. Nguyen B. Dennis C. Gerlach S.(2017) Internet Retailing and future Perspective 2nd Edition Routledge
Harris C. (2017) The Fundamentals of Digital Fashion Marketing Bloomsbury


Other Texts:
Additional  supporting helpful reading
Koumbis  D. (2021) An Introduction to Fashion Retailing from Managing to Merchandising Bloomsbury 2nd Edition
Diamond J.  Diamond E.  litt S. (2015) Fashion Retailing a Multichannel approach
Berman B.  Evans J.   & Chatterjee  P. (2018)  Retail Management: A Strategic Approach, 13/E Pearson
Grant D.  Fernie J. (2019) Fashion Logistics: Insights Into the Fashion Retail Supply Chain Kogan page
Goworek H. McGoldrick (2015) Retail Marketing Management principles & Practice Pearson’s
Bendoni, W.K., (2017) Social Media for Fashion Marketing: Storytelling in a Digital World. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Hughes T.  And Reynolds M.  (2016) Social Selling Techniques to Influence Buyers and Change Makers  Kogan page
Phillips J. (2016) Ecommerce Analytics: Analyze and Improve the Impact of Your Digital Strategy FT Press Analytics Pearson’s Education
Blunt Hill- Wilson (2013) Delivering Effective Social Customer Service Wiley
Laseter, T.  Rabinovich E. ( 2012)  Internet Retail operations  Integrating Theory  and practice for managers Taylor and Francis Group
Harris J. Lipschultz  (2014)  Social media communication : concepts, practices, data, law and ethics 
Crawford L. (2012) The Shopper Economy: The New Way to Achieve Marketplace Success by Turning Behavior into Currency, 1st Edition McGraw Hill
Ståhlberg, M. Maila V. (2013) Multichannel Marketing Ecosystems Creating Connected Customer Experiences Koran page
Solomon  M. Rebolt N (2008)  Consumer Behaviour in Fashion 2nd Edition Prentice hall
Claudiu V. Dimofte C.   Haugtvedt C.,   Yalch R.  (2016) Consumer psychology In a social  media world Routledge

Journals:
Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management
Journal of Business & Retail Management Research
International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management
Journal of Retailing
Journal of Retailing & Consumer Services
International Journal of Electronic Commerce Studies (open access)
Journal of Internet commerce
Journal of Internet Business
Journal of Interactive Marketing
International Journal of Mobile marketing
The Journal of Mobile User Experience
Journal of Direct, Data and Digital Marketing Practice
The Journal of Database Marketing and Customer Strategy Management
Journal of Targeting, Measurement and Analysis for Marketing
Journal of consumer Behaviour : an international research review
Journal of Consumer Research
Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services
Journal of Consumer Psychology
Computers in Human Behaviour
  
Drapers, Retail Week, The business of Fashion, , Retail Gazette , Internet retailing  Retail Focus,

Websites:
Internet retailing  http://internetretailing.net/
Fashion network  https://uk.fashionnetwork.com/
Drapers on line https://www.drapersonline.com/
Business of Fashion  https://www.businessoffashion.com/
Ecommerce times  http://www.ecommercetimes.com
Fashion United https://fashionunited.uk/
Fashionista   https://fashionista.com/
Fashion Capital  http://www.fashioncapital.co.uk/
Ecommerce times  http://www.ecommercetimes.com/
Mobile commerce http://www.mobilecommerce.co.uk/
Luxury daily www.luxurydaily.com/category/news/
eMarketer - http://www.emarketer.com/
Smartinsights - http://www.smartinsights.com/
Clikz -http://www.clickz.com
Social  media today http://www.socialmediatoday.com/
Search engine land  http://searchengineland.com/
Retail Technology http://www.retailtechnology.co.uk/
Retail Focus https://www.retail-focus.co.uk/
Retail week https://www.retail-week.com/
Retail Gazette https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/