Impact of Digital Marketing Strategies on Customer Base and Performance in the Online Retail Sector in the UK

This research aims to analyze the impact of digital marketing strategies on the increase of customer base and performance in the online retail sector in the UK. The study focuses on Amazon company and aims to understand the concept of digital marketing, evaluate the strategies used, identify challenges, and determine recommendations for increasing customer base and performance. The research methodology includes qualitative research type, inductive approach, interpretivism philosophy, and data collection from primary and secondary sources. Data analysis will be done using thematic analysis.

Research portfolio

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Research Title:...........................................................................................................................3
Research Aim:............................................................................................................................3
Research Objectives:..................................................................................................................3
Research Questions:...................................................................................................................3
Background to Research Topic:.................................................................................................3
Background to Research Organization.......................................................................................3
Research Rationale.....................................................................................................................3
Research Methodology...............................................................................................................4
Research Type........................................................................................................................4
Research Approach................................................................................................................4
Research Philosophy..............................................................................................................4
Data Collection.......................................................................................................................5
Research Sampling.................................................................................................................5
Data Analysis.........................................................................................................................5
Ethical Considerations...........................................................................................................6
Reliability and validity...........................................................................................................6
Limitation...............................................................................................................................6
Timescale...............................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES...........................................................................................................................8
ONLINE SECONDARY SOURCES........................................................................................9

Research Title:
“To analyze the impact of digital marketing strategies on the increase of customer base and
performance in the online retail sector in the UK. A study on Amazon company.”
Research Aim:
To identify the effects of digital marketing strategies in increasing the customer base
along with the performance in the online retail sector in the UK. A study on Amazon
company.
Research Objectives:
 To understand the concept of digital marketing.
 To evaluate the strategies used in digital marketing to increase the customer base and
performance of the company.
 To evaluate the key challenges faced by the company while carrying out digital
marketing.
 To determine the recommendation to increase the customer base and performance of
the company.
Research Questions:
1. What do you understand by the digital marketing?
2. What are the strategies used in digital marketing for increasing the customer base and
performance of the company?
3. What are the challenges that might come across while implementing digital marketing
strategies?
4. What are the various ways for increasing the customer base and performance of the
company?
Background to Research Topic:
This research topic highlights the current need and the business scenario. This is the
changing phase depicting how the business organizations are dealing with it. This research is
important as it undertakes the study on analyzing the impact of various digital marketing
tools on customers along with the performance of the company which is very important in
respect to the changing trends and customers expectations. This research study will help in
gaining knowledge in respect to the advantages of digital marketing for a company and its
growth.

Background to Research Organization
Amazon is a MNC based in the Washington and is into 4 segments which are e-
commerce, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and digital streaming. The company come
under the top 5 corporations in the US IT industry which also includes Google, Facebook,
Microsoft and Apple (Who We Are? 2020). Jeff Bezos founded it in the year 1994 which
started as the online marketplace with the core business of selling books and then it was
further expanded into software and electronic products, food and furniture, toys and jewellery
which happened in the year 2015. Amazon is called as the disruptor of the entire industry.
Research Rationale
The reason for choosing this topic is that there is an increase in competition in the
market along with the increase in the usage of the digital marketing tool. There is a change in
the era of promoting the products and services and grabbing the customers which is due to
emergence of digital marketing tools. It is important now because the outcome of it has
resulted into improving the performance of the company along with increasing customer
base. Hence, this study will assist in examining the impact of digital marketing tools on the
customers and performance of the company.
Research Methodology
Research Type
Research refers to the process of collecting information and data which helps in
effectively evaluating the result with justification (Zangirolami-Raimundo, Echeimberg and
Leone, 2018). There are two of research, one is quantitative research which is mainly related
to the numerical values and other statistical aspects while the other is the qualitative research
which is relied on the aspects such as quality of products and services, expectations of the
customer etc. for this research, qualitative research type is selected for effectively completing
the research project (Daniel, Kumar and Omar, 2018). This will assist in understanding the
various internal factors of the business resulting into achieving the objectives.
Research Approach
There are generally two forms of research approach that can be made use of while
conducting the study which are inductive and deductive approach (Gear, Eppel and Koziol-
Mclain, 2018). Inductive approach initiates with the observation and the implication of
theories which is being proposed. It involves carrying out the research for the pattern of
observations. In contrast to it, deductive approach refers to developing the hypothesis which
is based upon the existing theory and after which designing the research strategy. In this

research project, the researcher will use inductive approach for determining the impact of
digital marketing practices on the performance of the company.
Research Philosophy
The research philosophy is bifurcated into two, one is interpretivism and positivism.
The former is referring to the analysis and interpretation of the human interest into the
research project. It highlights the philosophical situation of the idealism which involves
various approaches. On the other hand, the positivism philosophy is based upon the natural
phenomena along with its various properties. Under this, information is derived from the
sensory experience and is evaluated through logic and reasonings. In this research project, the
researcher will be using interpretivism philosophy which is the most suitable approach that
concentrates mainly on the qualitative analysis in respect to the research problem.
Data Collection
There are majorly two sources for the purpose of gathering data which are first hand
and the other is published sources (Cunningham, Menter and Young, 2017). In the first-hand
sources, the data is directly gathered from the participants in relation to the research topic. On
the other hand, under the published sources, the relevant information and data is collected
from the already researched articles, books, journals, papers etc (Knezevic, Naletina and
Damic, 2016). For this research, the researcher will be using both primary and secondary
sources through the way of conducting surveys, filling questionnaires, extracting from
articles, internet sources, newspaper, magazines, research journals and books.
Research Sampling
The research sampling is also of 2 types which involves probabilistic and non-
probabilistic technique of sampling. The probabilistic sampling method refers to the
technique in which the entire population has an equal chance of getting selected (Taherdoost,
2016). In contrast to it, non-probabilistic sampling means that the sample is being selected
relying upon the subjective judgement and is not on equality basis (Walton, Petrovici and
Fearne, 2017). This this research report, the scholar will make use of simple random
sampling which is a method under the probabilistic technique and it takes into account the
probability theory where an entire population has the equal possibility of being selected. In
this research, sample of 20 customers are selected for answering the research questions. This
will result into acquiring accurate and reliable data resulting into gaining more achievable
and desired outcome.

Data Analysis
For the purpose of assessing the data collected, there are two approaches or methods
which includes SPSS and thematic analysis (Aithal, 2017). The SPSS software is used by the
researchers for the purpose of undertaking the quantitative research or study as it involves
implementation of different statistical tools or tests for getting desired results. In contrast to
it, thematic analysis refers to the method in which various themes is being prepared for
investigating the different aspects of the research topic (Mogaji and Yoon, 2019). The
researcher will use thematic analysis which will assist in creating theme based on the title in
the desired pattern which is in relation to the responses of the respondents in respect to the
research problem (Blackley, Resnick and Cassidy, 2017).
Ethical Considerations
In preparing the research-based report, it is very crucial for the researcher to take into
consideration all the critical and ethical aspects while undertaking research (Ngozwana,
2018). The researcher ensures that the participants are not subjected to any type of harm and
consent of the have been undertaken for recording their responses which highlights their
voluntary involvement. The scholar will avoid using any of the tactics which mislead or
involves offensive language (Bairagi and Munot, 2019). Along with that, confidentiality of
the information and protection of privacy is ensured. Also, all the other important elements in
regard to the ethical consideration is being complied in order to ensure that the research is
being carried out on a fair basis and not unwanted or unethical strategy is being used for
completing the research project.
Reliability and validity
It refers to the extent to which the outcome obtained is accurate and reliable by making
use of the more than once. In other words, it means that if the research is involved to the
higher level of reliability then the other scholars are required to attain the same outcome
while making use of the same research methods under same circumstances (Cuervo‐Cazurra,
and et.al., 2017). Validity refers to the extent to be data collected is correct and accurate in
respect to the timeliness. The researcher will ensure that the greater level of validity is
attained in the study. The data collected will be from the reliable sources and the content will
not copied from any of the previous work of the other authors. All the authentic sources of
information are being utilized for carrying out the research in effective and reliable manner
(Pruzan, 2016). The work of other researchers has been properly cited and all the ethical
ways has been used for collecting the data.

Limitation
Due to the limited availability of time and the current situation of the economy due to
pandemic has resulted into making use of the secondary sources of data for undertaking the
research instead of primary source of data (Verma and Gustafsson, 2020). Along with that,
with the limited availability of resources and cost, the research has been conducted within
UK.
Timescale
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Selection
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Developin
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Creating
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Data
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Final
submissio
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Aithal, P. S., 2017. Industry Analysis–The First Step in Business Management Scholarly
Research. International Journal of Case Studies in Business, IT and Education
(IJCSBE). 1(1). pp.1-13.
Bairagi, V. and Munot, M. V. eds., 2019. Research methodology: A practical and scientific
approach. CRC Press.
Blackley, N., Resnick, S.M. and Cassidy, K., 2017. Improving UK retail academic-
practitioner research: insights from relationship marketing. International Journal of
retail & distribution management.
Cuervo‐Cazurra, and et.al., 2017. Research methodology in global strategy research. Global
Strategy Journal. 7(3). pp.233-240.
Cunningham, J. A., Menter, M. and Young, C., 2017. A review of qualitative case methods
trends and themes used in technology transfer research. The Journal of Technology
Transfer. 42(4). pp.923-956.
Daniel, B., Kumar, V. and Omar, N., 2018. Postgraduate conception of research
methodology: implications for learning and teaching. International Journal of
Research & Method in Education. 41(2). pp.220-236.
Gear, C., Eppel, E. and Koziol-Mclain, J., 2018. Advancing complexity theory as a
qualitative research methodology. International Journal of Qualitative
Methods. 17(1). p.1609406918782557.
Knezevic, B., Naletina, D. and Damic, M., 2016. The changing structure of retail industry:
Case studies on competitive advantage of small companies in
Croatia. Entrepreneurial Business and Economics Review. 4(4). p.171.
Mogaji, E. and Yoon, H., 2019. Thematic analysis of marketing messages in UK universities’
prospectuses. International Journal of Educational Management.
Ngozwana, N., 2018. Ethical Dilemmas in Qualitative Research Methodology: Researcher's
Reflections. International Journal of Educational Methodology. 4(1). pp.19-28.
Pruzan, P., 2016. Research methodology: the aims, practices and ethics of science. Springer.
Taherdoost, H., 2016. Sampling methods in research methodology; how to choose a sampling
technique for research. How to Choose a Sampling Technique for Research (April
10, 2016).
Verma, S. and Gustafsson, A., 2020. Investigating the emerging COVID-19 research trends
in the field of business and management: A bibliometric analysis approach. Journal
of Business Research, 118, pp.253-261.
Walton, B., Petrovici, D. and Fearne, A., 2017. Factors Impacting the Success of new Product
Development in the UK Grocery Retail Industry: An Empirical Examination of
Product Innovation Performance. In The Customer is NOT Always Right? Marketing
Orientationsin a Dynamic Business World (pp. 182-185). Springer, Cham.
Zangirolami-Raimundo, J., Echeimberg, J. D. O. and Leone, C., 2018. Research methodology
topics: Cross-sectional studies. Journal of Human Growth and Development. 28(3).
pp.356-360.
Online
Who We Are? 2020. [Online]. Available Through:< https://www.aboutamazon.com/about-us
>.

ONLINE SECONDARY SOURCES
https://www.webfx.com/internet-marketing-grow-business.html#:~:text=Internet
%20marketing%20helps%20your%20business,for%20earning%20leads%20and%20sales
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/how-digital-
marketing-operations-can-transform-business
https://www.ie.edu/insights/articles/digital-marketing-profitability-impact-management/
https://www.brightedge.com/blog/digital-marketing-strategy