Wing Yan Lui Cheryl

Doutique is the ultimate online destination for those who are looking for something different. We focus on providing a diverse and exclusive experience through our combination of online shop and relaxation. As an online service provider, we aim to make ‘live in style’ possible for our customers, even staying indoor.

– Mission Statement

Inspired mainly by the new norm that was begun by the current pandemic, Doutique is a development to help cope with the situation in a distinct way.

Due to lockdowns and other restrictions on people’s mobility, the time spent indoor has increased significantly. Among the various demographic groups, millennials and Generation Z (Gen Z) have been affected notably as the restrictions oppose their lifestyle. Other than their daily activities being affected, their emotions are as well under a negative turn. Therefore, here comes Doutique.

We create a space for customers to experience something different, fun, and exciting. Doutique also acts as a tool to help them cope with negativity. We create Doutique in a portal that suits their lifestyle, aiming to deliver a digital recreation of outdoor living by simulating the actual activities. An experience that millennials and Gen Z can get through their portable mobile devices.

Our Value

Doutique is for people to live in style to create ‘Dou’ Style of Life’.

The core service of Doutique is as a lifestyle store. With a creative and innovative mindset, what we provide is not a traditional online shop but an immersive experience. We also designed an area specifically for calming and relaxation with a multi-sensory touch in a cafe setting. No matter what moods the customers are having, we have the right cure. We want to give customers a unique journey through our app and other social media channels and create a space for them to share the indoor life being not a negative thing. The online platforms are with relevant messages and posts to engage and interact with them.

Our Belief

Life indoor can be exciting and positive, and this is what we stand for.

We believe that space is not a limit and indoor does not equal boredom. Life staying indoor can be interesting. Doutique offers both the lifestyle store and relaxing space in different styles. We want to give customers a different experience each time when they enter Doutique. We also believe that there is no need for online shopping always to be the same and in one dimension. In Doutique, the customers can experience a real-life simulated experience instead of simply browsing, put in the basket, and pay.

“Staying in is the new going out” (Lal, 2021, no pagination)

COVID-19 has significantly affected the demographic groups of millennials and generation Z (Deloitte, c2020), leading to the customer need for an outdoor activity alternative. They want to experience a sense of escaping and relieve their negative feelings, such as stress, indoors. However, their needs are not met as the targeted competitors. It has formed a gap in the market, and here comes Doutique.

Within the above demographics, Doutique is specifically targeted to the Asian female customers whose shop-at-home behaviour is intensified in recent times (Lung, 2021). Also, more direct-to-consumer brands have been working closely with online marketplaces than before (Lung, 2021). These consumer trends in Asian countries match Doutique’s beliefs and concepts, making them the ideal audiences. For the Asian females who live overseas, the targeted customer need is even more significant due to the geographical boundary. It is much harder for them to connect/meet up with people in their home countries. Hence, it gives potential and good market size for Doutique by offering what they need.

The overall style is minimal, modern, and feminine, considering our target customers are females. The style is favoured by most of them. Also, for the image of Doutique, the minimal and modern design can reflect the trendiness of Doutique. It is also incorporating the “less is more” concept.

Our USPs & Competitive Advantages

With XR (extended reality) being more popular than before and with financial growth (Marr, 2020), Doutique gives customers a real-life simulation through an augmented experience they can visit indoors. Unlike other relaxation apps and online retailers, we give all types of customers a solution, no matter whether they are searching for relaxation or a unique shopping experience. We are is an all-rounded one-stop destination providing an exceptional experience that customers cannot find elsewhere.

Doutique offers the lifestyle store and cafe (relaxing space) in various styles, considering that customers have different preferences. By providing them options, it allows them to have a more personalised experience.

– Comic:
Inspired by the popular 2D cafes in Asian countries, such as 2D CAFE in Japan (2D CAFE Shinokubo, 2021), this style option will have a black and white interior, giving an experience of walking into a comic book. It can create a fun and trendy journey for customers.

– Minimal: The lack of clutter and simplicity of minimalism can achieve a stress relief effect in our brain (McMains and Kastner, 2011, cited in Goncalves, 2018). The overall interior will incorporate simple decorations and a light earthy tone to create a clean atmosphere. As for the background music, sounds such as the ocean waves will be used.

– K-pop: With K-pop becomes a global phenomenon (Pantony, 2021), especially in Asian countries, it is a beneficial style to be included. It can attract customers who are K-pop fans or interested in the music genre. The key point of this style is the K-pop playlist created by Doutique. The playlist will include popular K-pop music for customers to listen to.

All the provided functions are designed to give the best enjoyable customer experience. They can create their journey within the app by having their function combinations, from simply listening to relaxing music to having fun interactions.

Option 1

Option 2

Teasers will be released before the launch date to generate and raise customers’ awareness over Dou’ Kit to achieve a positive result and capture audiences’ attention. Advertisements on social media will be purchased to increase the impressions and views (the detailed released dates can be referred to the timeline) to promote the product further.

The launch time of Dou’ Kit is set after the app launch. The reason is to make sure that there is an existed Doutique customer group. Releasing after the app launch can maintain the excitement over Doutique and increase the desire to join.

A new version called Dou’ Kit Renew will be available six months later. The renew version will be provided to match customers’ wants and needs further, utilising the customer reviews, and feedback received. Hence, more sales can be generated.

Channel

Dou’ Kit will be promoted on all Doutique’s official social media channels to reach the target audience. The information about Dou’ Kit will as well be available on Doutique’s website. The website is also one of the purchase channels for Dou’ Kit. Another purchasing method is through the Doutique app.

Measurement/KPIs

To measure the effectiveness of the project, KPIs include the click-through rate and the number of returning visitors and new visitors on the Dou’ Kit information page will be looked at to keep track of the traffic. The location of where people drop off during the purchase decision-making process will be measured to identify any problem. In relation to the sales, conversion rate and return on investment (ROI) will be studied.

Expected result

Dou’ Kit increases the monetary income of Doutique. It successfully attracts new customers joining the Doutique family, including those who with other interests other than online shopping. Through Dou’ Kit and Dou’ Kit Renew, customers can see Doutique as a brand with its style, not just an online retailer.

Objective

The core objective for Dou’ Journey is to generate 20% of social media conversation and coverage by the end of the first year.

Target customer

For Dou’ Journey, it is focused on the customers who follow lifestyle influencers/vloggers on social media and YouTube. They are interested in influencers’ daily life and enjoy fun, relatable content. They are the ones with a solid online presence.

Strategy

Dou’ Journey is the launch event for the Doutique app. The project is to gain customers’ interest and to increase the traffic to the website and other social media channels. It is separated into two phrases with a different participant type.

Phase 1: Influencers

The first phrase of Dou’ Journey is applying influencer marketing. Dou’ journey #1 collaborates with lifestyle influencers/vloggers to share their journey (i.e., experience) of using the app. We invite them to create videos of them using Doutique. The videos will then be posted on YouTube and social media. Besides videos, we also invite them to create their curated product collections using what we offer in the “Shop” area with Doutique. Through promoting with the right influencers, the message of Doutique launch can be shared with their followers/subscribers.

They all have a broad Asian audience, from Korea to Japan and Hong Kong. Many of their subscribers/followers are also living overseas, other than their home country
(i.e., our target audience).

How it works

Phase 2: Customers

For the second phrase, Dou’ Journey #2 is about customer involvement. We encourage and invite customers to share their Doutique experience through posts or videos on social media or YouTube. The participation will be rewarded with online vouchers to increase the intention of joining and the purchase intention.

Tactic

For the launching of Dou’ Journey, there will be teasers before the launch date to increase the awareness and excitement over the project and the app. The project will utilise the hashtags of #DouJourney (for phrase 1) and #DJYourJourney (for phrase 2) to capture customers’ attention. The hashtag for phrase two can clearly show the personalisation of the customer experience. Customers can also easily understand the hashtags and use them.

The videos will be arranged and released in different phrases. Instead of posting all of them at once, the ongoing release can maintain the customer conversation and excitement for the project (the releasing schedule can be referred to the timeline).

Advertisements will be purchased and promoted on social media to ensure Dou’ Journey has sufficient exposure. The project will also work with a launch promotion. During the period of Dou’ Journey, customers can enjoy a 10% off discount on their first purchase in Doutique. It can help to generate purchase intention.

Channel

Dou’ Journey mainly takes place on YouTube and social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The videos will be posted on the channels mentioned earlier. Short versions of the videos will be put on our official website under the specific tab – “Video” – on the navigation bar. For the influencer-curated collections, they will be posted under the “Product’ tab.

Measurement/KPIs

The KPIs that will be used for measuring the traffic include the impressions and views on the posts and videos. The number of clicks and click-through rate will also be studied to keep track of the project’s performance, for example, whether it can generate people’s interest. The impressions and mentions on social media, such as the number of the hashtags used will also be used for reviews.

Expected result

Dou’ Journey brings a successful launch of Dotuique by increasing the awareness and impression to the target audience. Through the power of the influencers and the exposure they bring, it leads to a good amount of Doutique’s app download number and followers on all social media channels. Customer participation also brings a positive brand-customer relationship, which is beneficial for our long-term business development.

Tactic

The setup and release time of Doutique official social media channels will be before the app launch to generate awareness.

There will be a regular posting schedule that can ensure a sustainable exposure and impression rate. The posts will be an easy approaching and outgoing tone like talking to a friend to form a positive brand-customer relationship.

For the photos, the images are designed and edited using the Doutique visual elements. It is to continue and showcase the specific brand style through imagery. Visual presentation is essential, especially for the Instagram profile page. Therefore, using the standard design elements, such as the colour theme, can make sure all posts go well together.

Other than the previously shown samples, the posts will also include teasers for upcoming events, and product sneak peeks. To increase the interaction, we will collect and post customers’ photos with their permission. It is an excellent way to incorporate and show the actual users’ experience and purchased products to potential customers.

Channel

Doutique will set up an official account on the chosen social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The handle name @doutique will be used to ensure both existing and potential customers can find and notice our accounts.

Measurement/KPIs

The KPIs that are going to be measured are the follower numbers and the impressions and views of the posts. They can help identify the popular post types and contribute to future exposure. The click-through rate will also be looked at to check the post effectiveness, such as whether they can help direct customers to locations like the downloading site and official website.

Expected result

Social in Dou’ Style further establishes and showcases the Doutique style to existing and potential customers through the specifically chosen images. More customers have been aware of, attracted ,and followed Dotuique on social media. Hence, it increases the app download number and customers’ purchase intention of our products. Through interacting with posts, Social in Dou’ Style brings a high customer conversation rate.

Objective

The website’s objective is to increase brand awareness by 15% at the end of the first year.

Target customer

For Dou’ Web, out of the target market, it is specifically targeted to conscious consumers. They would like to understand the brand and are interested in the brand’s beliefs and values. It is also focused on the customers with the behavioural preference of using the website as the medium to obtain detailed information.

Strategy

As Doutique is a brand new development, Dou’ Web provides customers all essential information about the brand from the rationale behind the establishment to the available products. It also acts as a platform to acknowledge customers about any upcoming events and updates. Compared to other online platforms like social media, a website has the advantage of higher design flexibility, increasing the importance of hosting an official website. It can accommodate and be input with more content. For example, more variations of photos and videos can be provided without restriction.

Tactic

Same as the previous project “Social in Dou’ Style”, Dou’ Web will also be released before the official app launch to raise awareness. Dou’ Web will work closely with all social media channels mentioned in “Social in Dou’ Style” to generate traffic.

Dou’ Web is designed using the brand-specific style. The overall design uses the set colour palette and fonts as shown in the below samples.

Simple but specific tabs are used to create straightforward navigation for customers to reach their targeted destination easily without any confusion.

Dou’ Web will be one of the first touchpoints for customers to be aware of Doutique. Therefore, other than simply providing the basic essential information, Dou’ Web also gives a preview of the app. Under the tab ‘Styles’, customers can briefly look at the app experience with images to show and recreate the customer journey.

Dou’ Web is also a channel for customers to sign up for weekly E-newsletters. The E-newsletters will provide customers the latest information about Doutique. The links to all official social media accounts are also provided. The primary function of the E-newsletters is to remind customers of any upcoming events or sales in case they have missed any related announcements on social media.

Channel

Dou’ Web is an accompanying online platform being provided for Doutique. Being an individual channel, the link of Dou’ Web will also be available on all the official social media channels. It will be linked in the bio and post captions for easy access and drive traffic without solely depending on the searching engines’ algorithms.

Measurement/KPIs

To measure the performance of Dou’ Web, the KPIs include the website’s click-through rate ,and E-newsletters’ total sign-up numbers will be looked at. These numbers can give an understanding of the current impressions and views. The bounce rate and total time spent will also be studied to identify the hit and miss of Dou’ Web. The results can help with future development and improvement.

Expected result

Dou’ Web increases customers’ awareness and interest in Doutique. Hence, it successfully leads to a growth in the E-newsletters sign-up number and the download number of the app. Through Dou’ Web, customers get a more in-depth understanding of Doutique, such as the behind story and the expected experience/journey, which secure customers with the same belief, interest, and value and help form a customer base.

Strategies:

1. Planning and development

2. Increasing awareness

3. Generating purchase intention

4. Measurement and review

A risk analysis is carried out to identify potential problems with relevant solutions to ensure a smooth running of the business.