Leisure Time Activity - Online Shopping ASOS

www.asos.com

Technology
The technologies involved in online shopping are the internet and photography (probably digital).
Using the internet for shopping is essentially replacing going to shops in order to purchase clothes, being able to by order clothes online is revolutionary because it saves time and money (companies provide clothes cheaper if they have less workers and shop space to pay for). It is relevant because it provides so many benefits and it means that people can work their retailing around their lives, instead of the other way around – which has many constraints, e.g. shop opening hours, journeys etc.

Media Content
The only media content involved in asos.com is the website and then within this digital photography is used for advertising the clothes.

The Website http://www.asos.com/
The website is very clearly laid out, with a white background and black text. It has 2 main headings – men and women. The website is designed for you to find exactly what you’re looking for. Down the left hand side you refine your search under the following sub-headings; product type, colour, price, brand and celebrity. Under each of these is a complete list, for example for brand there is Cath Kidson, Calvin Klein, French connection etc. Celebrity is quite an innovative feature which is clothes they sell which have been spotted on celebrities or inspired by celebrities’ personal styles. This feature is extremely use because it allows you to completely personalise your shopping. For example, if you want a black, evening dress and your budget is £30, it will show you any products like this that it has. If you click on an item it will also show you all availability and other colours on offer. On the right hand side of this page it also has 2 other features; stylist’s choice and other customers bought. Stylist’s choice is a good feature because it shows other items which go with the item you are looking at from a currently-fashionable point of view. ‘Other customers bought’ allows you to see what other people think is fashionable, although these features could easily become corrupt - with companies offering to pay to be put in this feature.
The website also allows you to shop by trend; it distinguishes 2 major trends at the moment; retro resort and orient rose. This helps shoppers as it shows clothes that go together, and helps them to co-ordinate their wardrobe and follow a trend they like.

Audiences
A rough target audience for ASOS.com is quite young 20s-30s gathered from the style of the clothes and the people that are modeling them in the photos. The age of the audience is also indicated by the fact that the website has a lot of emphasis on celebrity fashion and following trends. Although online shopping in general probably attracts slightly older audiences – as they the majority no longer shop for a fun day out with their friends.

Audiences are using online shopping to relieve stress from the experience of going to busy destinations, queuing for changing rooms, decrease the time they spend on shopping and so they can work their retailing around their busy lives (easier and more convenient). So it offers them the benefits of convenience, more choice in one place, less stress and more free time.

However a negatives of online shopping experienced from audiences are that they can't try things on and it is often complicated to return items. It also produces quite a problem for people who work all day (which is what the website is mianly targeted at) - the package will often to be sent to the local post office if no one is in and it cannot be fitted through the postbox.

Institutions
The institutions involved are ASOS.com and the other brands that the website sells (e.g. Calvin Klein).
ASOS.com uses the website to provide an easy platform from which to sell their products. Being entirely online also means that their price can be lower as they don’t have to pay for floor space and shop assistant wages. It allows them to make the shopping experience simpler, particularly with their refining search features. It also gives them a more modern image. As ASOS.com is purely online, they rely completely on the website to distribute and exhibit their products. Their own features – such as, ‘Other customers bought’ and ‘Stylist’s choice’ – also helps them to market their products.
For other brands, however, the benefits are purely profitable, as ASOS.com is just another store (even though is it online) from which their products are sold. To a certain extent is also helps them to market their products, as more customers are viewing them.

Key Concepts
Online shopping at asos.com is a good examples of; Personalisation, Non-Linear, Proliferation, Immediacy, Vertical Integration, Online Surveillance and Analogue vs. Digital.

Personalisation
This website is a great example of personalisation because it allows you to categorise the article of clothing you are looking for from 5 categories; type, colour, price, brand and celebrity. Your experience is personalised almost like having a personal shopper to navigate you through the store.

Proliferation
This website is an example of proliferation because of the huge range of products available from such a wide range of designers. Instead of spending hours going through all different shops, these products are clearly displayed, by every category, all in one place.

Non-Linear
As a website it is already non-linear but because of the search features it is particularly so. Normally, shopping involves a lot of browsing and looking around because aside from asking a shop assistant for a particular article, you have to find items you look yourself – this is very linear. Where as with this website you can search by your favourite celebrity or trend and consume the website in any order you want.

Immediacy
As a website it is a form of immediacy because it can be accessed from anywhere at any time, and you can get next day delivery. It is also immediacy because with normal shopping you normally plan the day out, and then you have to travel there and back, and it all takes time. Where as a website is instant gratification.

Vertical Integration
The features ‘Other customers bought’ and ‘Stylist’s choice’ make the website an example of vertical integration. These features lead you to other products you would probably be interested in and this means synergy within asos.com.

Online Surveillance
The feature ‘other customers bought’ suggests that the website is tracking or surveying peoples retailing habits, and then recording them. This sort of online surveillance allows the company to know their target audience more and helps to increase profit with features such as ‘other customers bought’.

Analogue v. Digital
Online shopping is the digital version of shopping because it is all done online and all the ‘stores’ are stored in digital website form. Where as physical shops are the analogue version, because you go there, and look around and purchase items.