Inquiry Based Learning: Analyzing Retail Trends and eBay Strategy

This report explores the impact of evolving trends on the retail sector, focusing on eBay's strategies. It identifies key political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors influencing eBay's operations. The analysis highlights the increasing importance of e-commerce, digital transformation, and customer-centric approaches. Recommendations include leveraging digital supply chains, focusing on online availability, catering to the emerging home economy, and consolidating digital strategies. The report also emphasizes the need for enhanced customer engagement, utilizing big data for personalized experiences, creating smart supply chains, understanding customer emotions, ensuring seamless shopping experiences, and implementing effective loyalty reward programs to build long-term customer relationships and maintain a competitive edge in the evolving retail landscape. This document is available on Desklib, where students can find a wealth of study resources, including past papers and solved assignments.

Inquiry based
learning

Contents
Introduction..........................................................................................................................................3
Trends in retail:.....................................................................................................................................3
Analysis of the organization.................................................................................................................4
Recommendations:...............................................................................................................................6
Conclusion............................................................................................................................................9
Reference............................................................................................................................................10

Introduction
The changes taking place in external environment two nutrients that are affecting the present
functioning of retail sector. There is massive growth in influencer marketing social commerce
and advancements in augmented reality shopping experiences. As a result of the pandemic
various E-Commerce brands are working towards expanding their present online shopping
experience. Present report is based on new innovative trends that are being adopted by the retail
industry so that they are able to go along with the trends (Cui and et.al., 2017). As per analysis of
the present report is based on analyzing the key trends that are part of retail sector. Further as per
study of the organizations based on it for their recommendations that are drawn in the present
scenario.
Trends in retail:
For the purpose of analyzing the present trends affecting E bay there is need to make analysis as
mentioned below:
Political factors: E bay is having strong brand image but it is affected by the changing political
scenario that is part of the external environment (Bansal. and Kaur 2021). There are several
political factors that include the brexit scenario as now all the present policies and functioning of
eBay has to be as per the newly formulated rules.
Economic factors: there are several economic factors such as the present scenario of covid-19
has affected the functioning of retail sector organizations. There is decreasing personal
disposable income of people that is leading to difficulty in the process of having preferences
towards
Social factors: The out spread of covid 19 virus has lead to difficulty in the process of managing
the physical space in organizations (SilvaHassani and Madsen, 2019. E bay has launched
wearable technology aspects it is associated with the rise and consumer trends that are covered in
recent series. The growing demand and market for wearable technology is attracting attention of
many different brands.

Technological factors: There are several technology factors that include artificial intelligence
and emerging technologies for improvement in E commerce. E bay is focusing on using latest
technology especially with the outbreak of covid-19 there is shift towards digital transformation
in retail sector (Parvatiyar, ., Donthu and Gruen, 2018). People are now focusing on using online
mediums that are leading to online payment system which are implemented by eBay.
Legal factors: There are several legal implications which may possess impact on the present
functioning of organizations. That includes following of health and safety act, anti discrimination
cat to prevent it long term implication on the functioning of brand.
Environment factors: There are some of the factors of a part of external environment and is
having a direct impact on the functioning of eBay in long run. The brand is focusing on
supplying of green products to have higher environment sustainability.
Analysis of the organization
Ebay: E bay is an American multinational E-Commerce brand that is based on California it
facilitates customer to customer and business to customer sales to their website. It was founded
in the year 1995 and till the time it has attained a success story. It is a multibillion dollar business
having operations across 32 countries.
The brand is managing the eBay website shopping website and online auctions that is helping
businesses and people to buy and sell a wide variety of goods and services worldwide. This
website is freely available for buyers and sellers are charged fees for listing items after a limited
number of free listings
With time eBay has evolved its original option style says and they have expanded to include buy
it now shopping. ebay is a brand that does everything in a power to offer education and resources
for the sellers to thrive in the marketplace (Tamini, 2018). There is focus on three major trends
that are affecting the present scenario of TV as a leading E-Commerce brand.
1) Bright future eBay sellers are to enhance their investment across online marketplace

2) Covid-19 has affected the customer behaviour specifically in retail sector so there is
requirement to create new parameters for decision making in the shopping journey
3) Salazar possessing a holistic marketing strategy for the upcoming 2021 that is the holiday
season that may help in taking advantage of this shifting E-Commerce approach.
E-Commerce brands are adding a whole lot of complexity in the buying process. There are more
opportunities for sellers at a required to be discovered and further expand their customer base
across channels like review sites blogs and social media. Based on these analysis eBay sellers are
willing to solidify their place in The E-Commerce future by investing the resources and time in
marketing their products (Maamoun, 2021). Ebay is focusing on best entry point for
development of a new marketing strategy by using of promoted listing standards.
(Source: 3 emerging eCommerce trends eBay sellers need to know, 2020)
The above-mentioned graph clearly presents E-Commerce change that is as a result of 2020
boom. The Mount of online shopping people during the pandemic has grown in e-commerce
sector by 30%. At the end of 2020 E-Commerce has accounted for 20% of all the retail
purchases. Various E-Commerce brands are also adding a lot of complexity to the buying
process because of digital touch points. Because of this reason eBay sellers were willing to
solidify their place in e-commerce future has to invest more resources and time in marketing the

products and services so that they are able to achieve competitive advantage. The best entry point
for clicking of a new marketing strategy is using promoted listing standards. In present scenario
Brands have started using this strategy where they are offering sellers the best jumping off point
to get their listings in front of eBay shoppers (Desai and Thakar, 2018). It is one of the
innovative ways their budgets can be set and there is building done on competitive and relevant
keywords. It is critical in making sure that listing shows up through others shopping journey
across the eBay marketplace.
As per analysis new shopping area usually reflects the way present attitude of customers is
moving towards economy (Hoff, 2018). Customers are dedicating more time in researching the
products before clicking the buy now option. They are willing to have quality products at a good
value so that they are able to take time to find the right items.
Recommendations:
There are some of the recommendations that are drawn based on the above made analysis as
mentioned below:
 It is recommended that the management in E Bay can have focus on having a digitally
enable supplies in that is the only way to respond to the demand of customers. There are
critical consideration is to have a customer centric approach towards supply chain
process.
 It is suggested that without break of present covid-19 scenario the main focus of
customers is to have proper online availability of products so that they are able to
properly have prevention measures. For this purpose eBay has to work on having their
online channels available so that there is proper and timely interaction with customers. It
is also going to help in having proper customer engagement to maximize the way overall
productivity can be raised in long run.
 Emerging home economy: one of the customer trends that are continuing in 2021 is
going beyond the growth of at-home economy. Customers in context of retail sector how
to focus on prioritizing the spending on necessity products. For this purpose retail sector

brands like eBay can offer a wide range of products that are essentially required to fulfill
the daily requirement of their customers.
 It is suggested that for E bay the main focus of brand has to be towards digital
consolidates. At the end of 2021 online sales are having a remarkably boost because of
the opening up of non essential retail. It is expected that online sales will continue to
grow above market rates in coming forcible future time period. It is driven by both retail
investment and customer demand in an answering the capability and capacity of
transforming the retail sector organizations.
 It is advisable for E bay that the brand assists to emphasize on having required amount of
transformation for this purpose there is offering of a compelling case for first digital
approach. Digital accelerations can be done by having proper investment in development
of digitally focused approaches.
 It is recommended that Ebay has to focus on hire customer engagement process. For this
purpose the retail brand must create customer recommendations based on their
purchasing history. It may result in to having personalized shopping experiences
marketing strategic decisions and forecasting on trends based on the present marketing
analysis.
 Ebay as one of the most trusted retail brands can increasing use the big data to learn more
about their for instance many times competitive organizations are using big data to
understand the quantity of clothes that are required to produce or manufacture at a
particular point of time based on the future customer demands. This process is very
helpful in the process of having effective optimum utilization of resources because there
will be lower cost of holding inventory. It also ensures that there is reduction in the
number of re stage improvement in overall environment impact and high profitability
margins can be kept. Big data in a bus organization to generate a 360 degree view of
customers.
 Smart supply chains: retail sector organizations are already embracing digital platforms
and social media marketing strategies to reach a new base of customers. Apart from this
there is requirement of supply chains to increasing the agile and adapts to unseen trends

that may take place in coming time future. There is also need to have proper data-driven
readily available and accurate technologies to drive the decisions and insights. It is going
to ensure maximum value from each and every sale for eBay and retailer will have a
proper supply chain models to deliver the real-time data.
 Understanding customer’s reaction: retail brands like e way have to invest in technology
that enables to build up emotional connection with the customers. Emotionally connected
buyers are more valuable as compared to the satisfied ones in the coming time period till
the year 2030 organizations have to master emotional connections in the digital era.
 Seamless shopping: Seamless shopping is a process of engaging people in a meaningful
experience. It is associated with the context content and commerce. In context they have
to set an environment or event where customers are constantly participating. In content
there is focus on information and data that may support the products and of a required
personalization that may drive the business model (Testa and Karpova, 2021). Another
aspect is commerce at is a transaction involving the exchange of value that is generally
financial. People have to engage with business so that they are able to you have proper
product services and economic transactions through social platforms by the year 2030.
 Loyalty rewards: In case of large retail brands like eBay the organization has to focus on
development of loyalty programs that is often overlooked aspect of customer experiences.
It is very vital in the process of building loyalty and relationships with customers in long
run. Rise of digital technology online medium may help customers in having accessibility
to unprecedented number of products brands and services. Adding a loyalty program to
E-Commerce platform and add the average order quantity. Retailers are investing to
retain customers and provide loyalty that is one of the primary reasons for joining a
loyalty program so that they are able to create an expectation that loyalty comes with
rewards.

Conclusion
From the above made analysis it is concluded that the present economic situation and external
environment scenario period retail sector brands are working towards using the opportunities in
order to expand their marketplace. This purpose there is need to avail opportunities and minimize
the threats which may affect the functioning of organizations in long run.

Reference
Books and journal
Cui and et.al., 2017. Strategy, resource orchestration and e-commerce enabled social innovation
in Rural China. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 26(1), pp.3-21.
Bansal, A. and Kaur, P., 2021. Measuring retail service quality: an empirical study of pantaloon
and reliance trend in Yamuna Nagar. International journal of economic
perspectives, 15(1), pp.233-248.
Silva, E.S., Hassani, H. and Madsen, D.Ø., 2019. Big Data in fashion: transforming the retail
sector. Journal of Business Strategy.
Parvatiyar, A., Donthu, N. and Gruen, T.W., 2018. Value of outsourcing sales and marketing by
CPG companies in the age of retail disruptions. Handbook of advances in marketing in an
era of disruptions: essays in Honour of Jagdish N. Sheth, 256.
Tamini, L., 2018. Re-activation of vacant retail spaces: Strategies, policies and guidelines.
Springer.
Maamoun, A., 2021. Bold and Beautiful: Ulta Beauty Thriving in the Retail Apocalypse. SAGE
Publications: SAGE Business Cases Originals.
Desai, S.S. and Thakar, A., 2018. Changing Waves of Indian Retail Industry. NOLEGEIN-
Journal of Information Technology & Management, pp.25-29.
Hoff, T., 2018. Next in line: Lowered care expectations in the age of retail-and value-based
health. Oxford University Press.
Testa, D.S. and Karpova, E.E., 2021. Executive decision-making in fashion retail: a
phenomenological exploration of resources and strategies. Journal of Fashion Marketing
and Management: An International Journal.
Shi and et.al., 2018. The impact of retail format diversification on retailers’ financial
performance. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 46(1), pp.147-167.
Online
3 emerging eCommerce trends eBay sellers need to know, 2020 [online], Available through<
https://www.ebayads.com/2021/09/14/3-emerging-ecommerce-trends-ebay-sellers-need-to-
know/>