E-commerce Customer Journey Report: ASOS vs Matches Fashion

This report provides a detailed analysis of the customer journeys of two prominent online fashion retailers, ASOS and Matches Fashion. The report begins with an introduction to e-commerce and its impact on business-to-customer interactions, followed by an overview of the two companies, highlig...Read More

Marketing
Global-e-business
3/26/2020
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Marketing 1
Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Overview of the companies.............................................................................................................2
ASOS...........................................................................................................................................2
Matches fashion...........................................................................................................................2
Customer journey.............................................................................................................................3
Easy-to-convince model..............................................................................................................5
Conclusion and recommendation....................................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................8

Marketing 2
Introduction
E-commerce is the activity of electronically buying or selling of the different goods on online
services over the internet. The e-commerce services have allowed for the business-to-customer
which is the process of selling the products and services directly between the business as well as
customers who are considered as the end-users of the products or services. The report aims to
present the analysis of the customer journeys of the two similar retail e-businesses which include
comparison and contrasting of the features and processes of the two e-commerce website that
makes it each less or more effective and making the particular recommendations related to the
improvement within the website of every business. The online retail businesses that are selected
for the analysis include ASOS and Matches Fashion who deals in online fashion as the retailer
with the motive to offer the products and services to the customers.
Overview of the companies
ASOS
ASOS is a well-known British online fashion as well as the cosmetic retailer. The company came
into existence in the year 2000 in London with the primary which is aimed at young adults. The
e-commerce brand believes in the world where there is total freedom to the customer without any
kind of judgement (ASOS, 2020). The brand is offering unique and wonderfully services to their
audiences.

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Matches fashion
The company is one of the recognized modern luxury shopping destinations for the confidence of
the global fashion customer. The company has the viewpoint of fashion with more than 450
established as well as innovative design from the different brands. The purpose of the company
is to make the personal luxury shopping experience across the world which makes the customers
join either through online, store or app (Matches Fashion, 2020).
Customer journey
In this section, there is an investigation, analyses and evaluation of the effectiveness of the
different features and process of the two businesses for each of the phrase of the business
(Magrath and McCormick, 2013). The customer journey experience for both the brands is
presented below which include: -
Awareness: - The first and the foremost element of the customer journey which generate the
awareness about the potential customers to be aware that they have a requirement of the problem
and the way they are now researching for the data. The minimum online searchers, as well as
navigation of both ASOS and Matches fashion, is required to understand as they are competitors
(Craft, 2020). ASOS is considered as a one-stop destination for all the fashion as well as the
needs of beauty available at a reasonable price. On the other hand, the company promises to offer
more than 176 countries and to provide 24/7 advice with the help of the fashion-concierge team
that is MyStylist and also at the London stores. The company stops for the different customers
who want the best clothes for them.
Evaluation of what to buy: - The next stage of the customer journey is to consider the
evaluation of what is required to purchase. In the UK, the customer compares the website of

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ASOS and Matches fashion so that they can meet their desire needs. Most of the customer selects
the ASOS as they have more than 30 sizes and they are committed to offering all the sizes at a
similar prize (Bhasin, 2019). The brand provides fashionable goods from the various brands and
then groups them with their entire brand. While some of the customers from outside the home
country selects the Matches fashion as they can get the personal luxury shopping experience
across the world which underpinned by insight, technology and unique fashion point (Halliday,
2018).
Decision (Purchase decision): - The stage of decision is one of the vital elements in customer
journey which allows the client to take the final decision and select one of the brands dealing
online for the purchase (Lemon and Verhoef, 2016). The revenue of the ASOS Company is more
just because of their designing of the outfit with quality. Also, the decision towards the ASOS
brand is taken with the motive to assure that customers are not manipulated by the brand as
whatever they show to their customer they sell the same. On the other hand, Matches fashion is
focusing on the luxury rewired and they are investing at the scale to attain all these evolving
needs of clients (Matches Fashion, 2020).
Retention (Post-purchase): - The retention of the customer is vital as for the brand as they are
the one who grabs the attention of the customers and then they try to retain them for the longer
period which includes maintaining loyalty (Baranova, 2016). Both the clothing retail e-
commerce companies try to retain the customers with them by offering improved services. ASOS
Company has the holistic approach of marketing that helps them to retain the customers in the
market. The brand is offering the personalised services to their clients and also they want to
enhance the shopping experience due to which they provide the personalised suggestion to the
client that helps in completing the entire outfit. Comparing it with Matches fashion, the e-

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commerce retail offers 24/7 advice through MyStylist, its dedicated fashion-concierge team
(Matches Fashion, 2020).
Advocacy: - This is the last stage of the customer journey and it is considered as hardest to
attain. This stage of the customer journey is when customer promotes about the website through
different ways which generally include word of mouth (Temkin, 2010). ASOS customer who
gets the comfort of different sizes, personalised services, quality products and many other
facilities will make the customers more likely to promote within the UK market. However
comparing with Matches fashion, the brand is highly used by the customers out of UK due to
which they get the promotion of their services across the different areas which will help the
company to maintain the business internationally.
Easy-to-convince model
This model is used to understand the buyer journey which reflects the purchase that needs less
consideration such as impulse buys that is driven by the habit. Choose from the purchase by
brand loyalists and purchase one decision-maker. This model shows that before being into the
customer journey process, there is a moment of inspiration that triggers to the buyers to make a
purchase (Stenitzer, 2016). For example; the change in the pattern and needs of the customers for
wearing fashionable clothes is a trigger that makes the customers purchase the product. The e-
commerce companies who are performing the business by offering fashionable clothes
understand these triggers and apply the same. The trigger can also make the buyers switch from
one brand to another for meeting their needs. For example; customer needs to go to the party for
which he/she would go for the brand that can meet the need of the party wear clothes which
might lead to change in the brand.

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It has been determined in the UK market, both ASOS and Matches fashion tries to understand
the trigger that can make the purchase of the product from their brand without going anywhere
else. ASOS Company has some touchpoint which includes the delivery of the company which
makes the customer purchase products. The brand tries to make fast delivery and communicate
before delivery. Further, there are the insiders of the company which include a group of 20-year-
old millennial who post an outfit on social media. All these groups present the best outfit on
social media which is good for the marketing of the product and customers can get the featured
products straight from the different social media accounts (Bhasin, 2019). Thus, this shows that
social media trigger for this. Matches fashion is at the stage of growth and requires improvement
in the market. However, the personalised services that the company is offering in the
international market. The e-commerce model has allowed the company to bring certain changes
which trigger the people to make a purchase which includes forming the website in different
languages. The brand adds the different languages for the website which helps them to grab the
attention of customers and this is a touch point for some customers and enhances their
experiences.

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Conclusion and recommendation
In the end, this is concluded that it is vital for the e-commerce business to understand the
customer journey as it is the only way through which they can attain the high revenue in the
market. The comparison of two retail e-commerce has been done based on the customer journey.
The analysis shows that both the online companies are giving a tough fight to each other in the
market. However, the analysis shows that ASOS Company is leading as well as dominating the
market than Matches Fashion.
It is recommended to Matches fashion that they need to improve their brand value in the market
which is possible with the help of effective marketing technologies. In addition to this, Matches
fashion should improve the way they are offering services in the UK market. The company
should expand and bring more awareness about the needs and demands of clients. On the other
hand, ASOS Company should enhance the personalised services that they are offering to their
clients who all are present within the market. There is a wide scope of opportunities for both the
company which should be adopted by them.

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References
ASOS (2020) Who we are [Online]. Available from: https://www.asos.com/about/who-we-are/?
ctaref=aboutus|whoweare [Accessed on 26th March 2020]
Baranova, P., 2016. Understanding the customer journey through the prism of service design
methodology. Routledge.
Bhasin, H. (2019) Swot Analysis of ASOS [Online]. Available from:
https://www.marketing91.com/swot-analysis-of-asos/ [Accessed on 26th March 2020]
Craft (2020) ASOS Competitors [Online]. Available from: https://craft.co/asos/competitors
[Accessed on 26th March 2020]
Halliday, S. (2018) Matchesfashion booms on ‘luxury rewired’, US is key market [Online].
Available from: https://uk.fashionnetwork.com/news/matchesfashion-booms-on-luxury-rewired-
us-is-key-market,979469.html [Accessed on 26th March 2020]
Lemon, K.N. and Verhoef, P.C., 2016. Understanding customer experience throughout the
customer journey. Journal of marketing, 80(6), pp.69-96.
Magrath, V. and McCormick, H. (2013) Marketing design elements of mobile fashion retail
apps. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal.
Matches Fashion (2020) About us [Online]. Available from:
https://www.matchesfashion.com/intl/bio [Accessed on 26th March 2020]
Matches Fashion (2020) Matches Fashion [Online]. Available from:
https://www.matchesfashion.com/intl/ [Accessed on 26th March 2020]

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Matches Fashion (2020) Matches Fashion [Online]. Available from: https://shop.virgin-
atlantic.com/en/clothes-and-fashion/matchesfashion-uk [Accessed on 26th March 2020]
Stenitzer, G. (2016) 4 Ways to Model the Buyer’s Journey [Online]. Available from:
https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2016/05/model-buyers-journey/ [Accessed on 26th March
2020]
Temkin, B.D., 2010. Mapping the customer journey. Forrester Research, 3.