MBA 690 Project: Macey's Retail Stores Business Opportunity Analysis

This project provides a detailed analysis of Macey's retail stores, focusing on the operationalization of a business opportunity through mobile app development. It examines significant forces such as cost reduction and increased consumer base, key obstacles like economic status and outdated app features, and business operations including rebranding. The project also discusses key trends and the potential impact of the app, including its appeal to a broad audience and integration with social media. The work breakdown structure, milestones, deliverables, and resource requirements associated with operationalizing the business idea are identified. The analysis concludes that the app is a successful addition to Macey's retail chain, enhancing the shopping experience and combining technology, shopping, and fashion.

Project
Retail Stores
Macey's

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Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Significant Forces: 2
Reduction of cost 2
Increased consumer base 2
Key Obstacles 3
Economic status: 3
In the past 3 years, the slow growth rate of the organization: 3
The current app being outdated: 4
Business Operations: 4
To concern the economic state of the organization 5
Rebranding the organization: 5
Changes: 5
Key Trends: 6
Impact: 6
Conclusion: 7
References 8

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Introduction
The paper is supposed provide a comprehensive baseline of what has to be achieved by the
project related to Macey retail stores. It also includes the purpose statement along with a detailed
communication statement that needs to be transmitted to the stakeholders. It is considered as a
strategy to develop an application for any kind of business, for enhancing the expansion of the
business. Planning is the bedrock on which any successful project is built. When we are
executing our project management plan or any business plan, we can begin with the
improvisation strategies (Nerkar, 2013). For the businesses in spite of the physical stores, they
are found to implement the strategy of developing the mobile and web applications. Planning,
managing, and construction of a major retail store like Macy's, requires users to be able to handle
and work with the projects. Creative computing worked with Macy's for over years and years are
there to provide easy to use, a good and scheduled system,. These allow users to easily maintain
and review on the going project's information for numerous retail construction projects. The
project management plan is a document, is much more than a scheduled chart, that defines how a
project is monitored, executed and controlled. Since the establishment of Macy's in the year
1858, this retail industry business is a popular chain in the departmental stores (North and
Stengel, 2012). When the business was established, there has been a vast change in the business
and technology world. Driving the strategy, through the significant forces during the
implementation the arising key obstacles the changes would be implemented. As a result, the
impact of the implementation of the mobile apps and the running of the business operations
would be analyzed.
Significant Forces:
In the United States of America, Macy's had been one of the most significant chain
businesses. To implement ideas in marketing, it invented some ways. Every time, it has been a
successful venture to reaching out to customers. The business wanted to grow its customer base,
depends on the expansion of the business. Behind the implementation of the Macy's retail
solution app, there are some driving forces--

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Reduction of cost
For the organization, it is much more convenient and economical strategy to open a web
portal. It is also important to make sure that the utility of the expenditure is kept as minimal as
possible. The mobile applications and web applications do not involve the organization, like the
opening of new stores, to get associated with the costs incurred.
Increased consumer base
In the United States of America, Macy's retail business had a huge business consumer base.
The customers were satisfied with the services provided by the physical stores. To gather the
attention of the potential customers, the organization wanted to implement another strategy that
makes the previous customers be engrossed more within the services of the organization and
make it easier (Pahl, 2009). The organizational experiences provide the customers through the
mobile application through the physical presence of the stores were to be made available to the
people.
Key Obstacles
Macy's mobile app had the potential of making a huge market area for the organization.
According to the reports, various obstacles have the potential to create various problems within
the system of development of the application within the organization. There are some key
obstacles that are listed below:
Economic status:
Due to a particular problem in the organization, there was a slow growth rate found in the
entire organization of business. That resulted in a moderate amount of business status. To make
sure that a new physical store is set up that would bring in new customers focused on the
particular area, the retail chains and organizations invest a lot of money in that. To invest in the
opening up of a physical shop at the current point of time, Macy's was not in the appropriate
business status (Kenny, 2009). A mobile app had more market approach than a new set up store.

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Compared to the physical store, a mobile app was not in need of a huge investment. In opening a
new store, having a moderately low business economy rate barred the organization. But for the
organization, the alternative idea of developing a mobile application added to the competitive
advantage. For the development of the app, the economic condition of the organization only had
enough provision.
In the past 3 years, the slow growth rate of the organization:
According to the annual reports in the organization, it has been found that in the past 3 years
the organization could not perform its yearly achievements. The achievements were directed at
the beginning of the business years were not achieved as per expectations (Nair, 2015). After a
lot of problems, sometimes moderately achieving the target or sometimes fairly passing the
target. It needed an implemented strategic plan (Hubbard, 2009). it would help in bringing more
customer involvement and attention. This is to be done to make sure that as per expectations, the
set goals are fulfilled for the organization (Norton and Bass, 2012).
The current app being outdated:
The rapid exponential advances made in the technological world had moved further away.
The features displayed within the application were outdated after the development of the
application. It would create a disadvantage for the organization. The other retail stores
implementing better features in their mobile applications may fare better than Macy's. The
problem identification would make it sure that the relevant changes are made within the
application. So that, the competitive advantage could be gained by the organization.
Business Operations:
The retail stores available in the market is different than the stores available online. Both
business operations are different from each other. This is due to the fact that the retail stores have
an opening and closing time, but the organizations with online and mobile applications have no
particular time, so it is much more satisfying and comfort for the organization to serve to the
customers (Hill, Jones, and Schilling, 2009). It is much more efficient and time sufficient as the

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utilities to be available to the customers at any given point of time. Like other discount retailers,
it has been unable to convert its vast network of warehouses and stores into a seamless and
highly profitable enterprise (North and Stengel, 2012).
To concern the economic state of the organization
In the past 3 years, the economic condition of Macy's has not been feasible enough to gain
appropriate business needs and gain economic success. It was also a priority to develop Macy's
app. So, proper measures like the financial contingency plan. By this, to make most of the money
get invested in the development of the application, the major business operation can make a lean
approach.
Rebranding the organization:
Innovative rebranding expansion makes sure that to bridge all the gaps between its
competitors, the organization is available. The first and foremost operations strategy is that the
rebranding of the logo marketing the change as soon as possible to the general mass. The
trademark of the changed logo needs to be protected. All the employees about the organizational
development and publication visuals must be communicated well (Greeberg, 2007).
Changes:
After the researches on the mobile applications, it is clear that the company need of changes
within the application itself to make it clear this was comparable enough To find the shopping
experiences that people were having through the mobile app for Macy's, other mobile
applications of the retail stores were studied enough. To get the attraction of the customers more
and to highlight the major products there were no other measures taken. To intrigue the new
customers and loyal customers as well, the strategy needed to be changed, the most anticipated
product could be highlighted. The app is also not live to the customers. So it needed to be
changed that to make it available to the customers. There should be a facility for the customers
called feedback section which is about their experiences which they are having with the use of
the mobile app. Since Macy's has to beat everyday sales figures it achieved in the previous years,

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it cannot stop promoting. Other retailers have taken aggressive action, trying to turn the fortune
of Macy's around (Oliva, 2009).
Key Trends:
To make the Macy's app as an influential part of the day to day life of the people and to
advance the current condition of the app, the financial contingency would help the organization.
There are some general features of the application like shopping for retail items like clothes,
foods, furniture and many other at a given point of time. The Macy's app enables multiple
accesses to the website. That would enable a user to continue their shopping in which they can
pick up the shopping on a different device from where they have left their shopping in any other
device. Macy's app is an organic app that when a user wants to download the app, it does not
charge users. The app would also target social media websites to market the application. The
primary focus of this application was to make the people spend money on the items to be sold
out via its application.
Impact:
The appeal for Macy's app was not restricted to the market and also not for individuals
according to the researchers. To them, it is also revealed that the service providers hosted the
apps like the Apple Store and Google Play Store. This app is expecting to be appealing to all of
the people like baby, male, female and all other people. The Macy's consolidated departmental
store flattened into a single, national brand, the more the company has drifted away from the core
customers. A distinct market knowledge has rolled up into a singular corporate branding and
buying approach (Drejer, 2002). Macy's rolled out its new backstage concept recently, that was
first identifying for freestanding locations. But now Macy/s app will soon in fifty basement
locations of full-line stores.
Conclusion:
To create an impact, the Macy's was developed. The planning team of Macy's is responsible
for the merchandise planning functions across all purchasing channels. They are also available to

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develop and to improve the business. They are highly analytical, highly quantitative and also
very much system oriented. To the retail chain of Macy's, the effect of the application was
considered a very successful addition (Wessis, 2014). After crossing all the hurdles and
problems, now Macy's is the one of the biggest retail stores in the United States. By the web
application the consumers are satisfied and benefitted at a high chance with the entire shopping
experience as well as the consumers are provided with all the amenities and help needed with
their shopping experiences. Macy's have combined technology, shopping, and fashion together
anyone to use and be organized. Macy's is not just giving up on the changes in the business
environment (Nilakanta and Scamell, 2010). Macy's is the one of the top business company in
the United States. The vision of Macy's is to give the shopper the best experience for shopping
and keeping organized when it comes to their closet. With the cell phone app, there are
opportunities to revenue with the cell phone app (Olsen, 2011). Customers will see that they can
trust Macy's for the fashion trends. The key obstacles help while making the application gets
developed. The key trends and the impact of the entire plan of developing the Macy's app would
helpful for the people as well as the customers who buy and use the products of Macy's.
References
Drejer, A (2002). Strategic Management and Core Competencies: Theory and Application.
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Greeberg, B. (2007). Environmental Policy Analysis and Practice. Rutgers University Press,
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Hill, C., Jones, G., and Schilling, M. (2009). Strategic Management Theory: An Integrated
Approach. Boston, U.K.: Cengage Learning, 54-56.
Hubbard, N. (2009). Acquisition Strategy and Implementation. London: Macmillan Press
Limited, 64-68.
Kenny, G. (2009). Diversification Strategy: How to grow business by diversifying
successfully. New York: Kogan Page, 28-34.

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Olsen, Er. (2011). Strategic Planning for Dummies. New Jersey, U.S.A.: Wiley Publishing
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Pahl, N. (2009). SWOT Analysis: Idea, Methodology, and a practical approach. GRIN
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