An Evaluation of Online Marketing's Impact on Marks and Spencer Sales

This research report investigates the impact of online marketing on the sales of Marks and Spencer, a leading retail company. The study formulates a research proposal, including background information, aims, objectives, success criteria, and a Gantt chart for project management. The research utilizes both literature review and a survey based research methodology to explore the importance of online marketing in the retail industry, identify current marketing trends, and evaluate the impact of online marketing on Marks and Spencer's sales. The findings are presented with interpretations and analyses of the collected data, including the advantages of online marketing, current trends like social media and mobile marketing, and the impact of marketing on buyer behavior. The report also provides recommendations for improving online marketing strategies to generate sales and enhance customer satisfaction, followed by a reflective log discussing personal growth and recommendations for skill improvement. The references include academic sources supporting the research, and the appendix includes supporting data and visual representations of the survey results.

Research for Strategic Development
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Table of Contents
Task 1 – Formulate a Research Proposal.........................................................................................3
Background of the research area............................................................................................3
Aims and objectives...............................................................................................................3
Success criteria.......................................................................................................................4
Gantt chart..............................................................................................................................4
Task 2 Carry out the research using different research methodologies 800....................................6
Literature review....................................................................................................................6
Research methodology...........................................................................................................7
Research Philosophy..............................................................................................................7
Task 3 – Presentation of Research Findings....................................................................................8
Findings..................................................................................................................................8
Recommendations................................................................................................................13
Task 4 – Reflective Log.................................................................................................................13
Personal reflection................................................................................................................13
Recommendations to improve skills....................................................................................13
References......................................................................................................................................14
Appendix........................................................................................................................................15
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Task 1 – Formulate a Research Proposal
Background of the research area
One of the main source of national income in UK is retail companies. There are wide
range of products and services provided to customers in respect to make good profit and
enhances sales. At present, marketing has become one of the internal parts of business that helps
in attracting, targeting and influencing a large number of customers (Li and Kannan, 2014).
Changing trends in the marketing lead to affect all companies positively and negatively. Online
marketing has become an evolutionary modification in the marketing prospect which assists
companies to increase sales and profit of firm. In the present research, the scholar aims to
evaluate the impact of online marketing in respect to increase sales of a firm. Marks and Spencer
is one of the leading firms in a retail sector that makes best utilisation of developing trends for
promoting products and services for better demand and enhance satisfaction.
Aims and objectives
Aims:
To explore the effectiveness of online marketing on the sales of retail company- A study of Marks
and Spencer.
Objectives
 To understand the importance of online marketing in retail industry
 To identify present trends in marketing
 To evaluate the impact of online marketing on sales of Marks and Spencer
 To indorse strategies to improve online marketing for generating sales of Marks and Spencer.
Research questions
Here below questions are formulated based on research aims and objectives.
Q1 What is the importance of online marketing in retail industry?
Q2 What are the recent trends in marketing?
Q3 What is the impact of online marketing on sales of Marks and Spencer?
Q4 What are the strategies to improve online marketing for generating sales of Marks and Spencer?
Success criteria
There are various number of factors due to which the present research project was selected.
Among them one of the them is firm is using online marketing for generating sales. From the literature
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review it can be easily identified that literature that online marketing is become one of the current trend.
There are number of organisation who observe that online marketing help them in increasing profit.
Hence it can be stated that there are various number of factor that contribute toward the research project
selection.
Gantt chart
Activit
y
1th
Week
2nd
Wee
k
3rd
Week
4th
Wee
k
5th
Week
6th
Week
7th
Week
8th
Wee
k
9th
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k
10th
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Identif
ying
topic
for
resear
ch
Secon
dary
resear
ch
Differe
nt
metho
dologi
es
Compl
ete
propos
al
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Frami
ng
questi
onnair
e
Result
s of
survey
Condu
cting
analysi
s
Concl
usion
and
recom
menda
tion
Submi
ssion
of the
report
Task 2 Carry out the research using different research methodologies 800
Literature review
According to the view of Aaker, (2006), marketing can be stated as one of the
significant forms of communication in between customers and companies. In the present
scenario, online marketing has become one of the important aspects for companies to make
customers more aware about their products and services. Blokdijk, (2015) stated that there are
various contemporary trends in the marketing which are needed to be adopted by the firm while
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planning a marketing and promotional strategy in generating better results. Among current
trends, online marketing has become the important tool that assist in promoting the goods and
services. At present, marketers make can effectively use various marketing tools in order to grab
attention of large number of customers and share information related to new products among
them. Though, an individual can easily use the internet and site of firm to image offers and order
goods. Online marketing platform has provided one of the great opportunities to companies to
target a large number of customers in less time and cost.
According to the view of Chaffey, (2008), looking the present environment, it can be stated that
digital marketing has become effective way to deal with customers and it is considered as one of
the important aspects in marketing. Further, it is recognised that PPC is considered as effective
pricing strategy. As it helps companies in promoting products in effective manner in order to
generate higher demand. Hanafizadeh and Payam, 2012 indicate that there are many selling
organisations who lead to generate higher amount of revenue using social marketing. Reversing to this Li
and Kannan, (2014), states that with the dissimilar welfares of operational marketing the perception
toward the traditional marketing has not changed among marketing managers. Still they are suing various
traditional methods such as advertisement on newspaper, print media etc. Arguing this author illustrate
that there are most of the marketers who use social media as well as electronic newspaper.
From the above works review it is concluded that online marketing is creating a huge impact on
the sales of business. However, it is a responsibility of higher department of the firm to ensure that
marketing team effectively use internet marketing to generate profit and sales.
Research methodology
Research Philosophy
Research Philosophy is basically defined as a value and belief of the researcher on the accomplishment of
desired outcome. Most of the investigator pay attention while choosing a philosophy because it assists in
carrying out data analysis in an effective manner.
There are two types of Philosophy that are interpretivism and positivism which can be selected for the
research. For the present research positivism Philosophy is selected (Badke, 2012). The reason behind
selecting this is that it lay focus on quantifiable observations.
Research design
Research design is one of the essential element which help in presenting the findings of the research.
There are three types of research design that are descriptive, exploratory and explanatory (Bell and
Bryman, 2003). For the present research descriptive research design is used which help in
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describing the population which is covered in the study. The reason behind selecting this design
is that it provide depth information related online marketing and its impact on sales of the firm.
Data collection
To accomplish the research aims and objectives it is important for investigator to collect
the information from the appropriate sources. It helps in gathering depth information related to
the project and assist in reaching the valid outcome. There are two methods of data collection
that are primary and secondary (Khotri, 2008). The present research is based on the effectiveness
of online marketing on the sales of retail company therefore both primary and secondary method will
be used for completing the project. On the other side primary information will be collected
through survey in which questions will be asked from 15 employees of Marks and Spencer. All
the secondary information is collected by researcher from books, journals, internet and articles.
Data analysis: After collecting the information it is important to properly analyse in order to get
valid outcome of the selected topic. There are two methods can be used for analysing the data
that are qualitative and quantitative (Kothari, 2011). For the present research qualitative method
will be used under which thematic perception will be considered. On the basis of result different
themes, tables and charts is prepared for interpretation.
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Task 3 – Presentation of Research Findings
Findings
Theme 1: Marketing has become very crucial for business
1. According to your view is
online marketing one of the
most crucial aspects of
business in retail industry?
Number of respondents
Strongly agree 5
Agree 4
Neutral 1
Disagree 3
Strongly disagree 2
Interpretation and analysis: From the information collected, it has been found that out of 15
participants, 5 are strongly agreed, 4 only agreed that marketing has become very crucial for
business. According to their view they understand the importance of marketing because they
work in marketing department. They also know the way marketing help in grabbing the attention
of large number of customers. On the other side 1 among them is neutral who is neither agreed
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nor disagreed with the given statement. However, 3 of the total number of participants strongly
disagreed and remaining 3 only disagreed with the above-mentioned statement. It may be
possible that they do not work in marketing department so they do not have proper knowledge
regarding marketing. Hence it is analysed that marketing play significant role in respect to
increase the sales of the firm.
Theme: 2 There are several advantages of online marketing
2. What are the key advantages
of online marketing?
Number of respondents
Attract customers 2
Increases sales and profits 5
Provide Competitive
advantage
3
All the above 7
Interpretation and analysis: The above present chart indicate that out of 15 participants, 5 said
that increase sales and profits is one of the key advantage of online marketing. On the other side
3 said it help in providing competitive advantage while remaining 7 replied that all the above.
Hence it is analysed that online marketing provide lots of benefits to the firm. It helps in seeking
attention of large number of customers. Along with this, people usually prefer to buy those
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products which they are aware. Hence online marketing makes people aware of products and
services which help in increasing sales and profit.
Theme: 3 Social media and mobile are the current trends of online marketing which is used
by Marks and Spencer
3. According to your view
which current trend of online
marketing is used by Marks
and Spencer?
Number of respondents
Email marketing 4
Social media marketing 5
Mobile marketing 5
Other than this 1
Interpretation and analysis: from, the information collected, it has been found that out of 50
participants 4 said that Social media are the current trends of online marketing which is used by
Marks and Spencer. On the other side there are 4 who state email marketing while 5 said mobile
marketing. However, remaining 1 state other that Marks and Spencer use this all aspect online
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marketing. Hence it is analysed that different employees have different information related to the
online marketing used by the firm. Among all the social media marketing and mobile marketing
play significant role in grabbing the attention of large number of customers.
Theme 4 Marketing of products has direct impact on buyer behaviour Marks and Spencer.
customer
4. Marketing of products and
services impacts buyer
behaviour of Marks and
Spencer customer?
Number of respondents
Yes 12
NO 3
Interpretation and analysis: from, the information collected, it has been found that out of 50
participants 12 said that marketing of products and services impacts buyer behaviour of Marks
and Spencer customer. It shows that employees know the way mobile marketing can impact
buyer behaviour. They understand different marketing factors that can easily influence customers
to make purchase of their company products. On the other side, there are 3 among them who do
not think any impact of marketing on buyer behaviours. Hence it is analysed that marketing play
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crucial role as because it provides information related to new products and services to customers
which influence them for making purchase.
Theme 5: Online marketing has increased profits and sales of Marks and Spencer.
5. Does Online marketing has
enhanced sales and profits of
your Marks and Spencer?
Number of respondents
Strongly agree 5
Agree 4
Neutral 1
Disagree 3
Strongly disagree 2
Interpretation and analysis: Interpretation and analysis: From the information collected, it has
been found that out of 15 participants, 5 are strongly agreed, 4 only agreed that online marketing
has increased profits and sales of Marks and Spencer. It clearly indicates that employees have
noticed growth in the sales because of online marketing. On the other side 1 among them is
neutral who is neither agreed nor disagreed with the given statement. However, 3 of the total
number of participants strongly disagreed and remaining 3 only disagreed with the above-
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