Case study of Netaporter and Topshop - Essay Example

As Net-a-porter is based on online retailing, it is providing the services 7 days a week, 24 hours a day (refer as '24/7') with 120 international designers' luxury goods (clothing, shoes and accessories) to its customers throughout world. During the year 2005 sales was 21.3 million, which was 9.5 million increased compared to the previous year (Net-a-porter Limited, 2006). On the company's website, the front page links to "Home", What's New", "Magazine", "Designers", " Clothing", "Bags", "Shoes", "Accessories", "Gifts", "Sale" and "Explore" pages.

These pages provide a wide array of information depending on the links that an individual may click. Among the web pages the most informative and a direct link for the customers is the "Magazine" page. It provides customers the overviews of each month fashion tendencies in six sections; "Most wanted", "IT list", "Get the look", "Style report", "Features" and "Profiles". There are also fully-explained information about the product by size chart (US, UK, FR, IT size), various images, fabrics, washing guide and price.

These information adds value to the products and services of the company. Direct links are also provided when a customer clicks on the item in the fashion news sections, it automatically uploads the product information page. In that page you could see the pictures of the products, the detailed description of the product and the small shopping bag just on the top of the product you are reviewing. Once you click the shopping bag it automatically sends the products price and adjust the total in the Shopping Bag on the upper right corner of the page.

This gives added convenience to the customer concerned. The customer does not have to waste their time seeking an item among thousand of items that the company carries. Natalie Massenet, founder of Net-a-porter said, "It was always my dream to be able to click on the pictures in a magazine and buy" (Anonymous (e)).4.2.3.3 Choice The company carries a wide collection of designers products as we could see in its "Designers" page. There are over a hundred designer companies and businesses linked in their respective names.

Customers may alternatively browse the page by category aside from browsing by designers. These links alone offers a collection that is robust enough to be browsed in just a day. The more the choices of collection of available products, the better for the company for it satisfies the freedom of choice among its customers. The website is also well designed in the way that it could only present the most appropriate products available for a given customer, for it considers the profile of an individual based on the records kept by the company in its databases.

This factors lead the customer for a better line to choose from with the assurance that the choices they made is suited on their individual needs.4.2.3.4 Delivery System Net-a-porter delivers to more than 50 countries around the world. Since the price of the products are based on UK/EU, non-EU country customers take advantage of the VAT, and the customer will be clearly informed about this during the transaction. It offers free shipping cost for purchases that cost over 1,000 (www.Net-a-porter.com).Table 3,