1) I am a senior in the college of business, with an area of specialization in mass communication and a minor in retail. My talents are working with customers and talking to people as well as organization and management. I feel that I am becoming more skilled in learning product placement and merchandising, to increase sales. I have in customer service positions for about 3 years total and I am continuing on in fields that are heavy in that area. I feel that it would play a role in the business aspect and my interest in marketing. Learning what market this product is geared towards and how to appeal and advertise to them. That is the area I am most interested in.
2) I am offering a service and a product here. The customers will pay a flat rate fee, that is much cheaper than they are paying now, for their textbooks. All the textbooks would be more standardized in their format to better suit students and they would be all accessible in the same place. Essentially it is a new way to get your textbooks that is cheaper, more convenient, and better.
3) The customers would all be students. There is a typical range for college students that people have in mind, around 18-26, however the actual range is much larger. I will be targeting students in classes that require textbooks and students that feel they must have the books in front of them and accessible at any time.
4) It is valuable because it will be more convenient, cheaper, and make the format for these textbooks more standardized and consistent.
5) That it would be an online database with all textbooks accessible from this website. The students don't have to register more than once, pay separate fees or worry about shipping them themselves.
I feel that these concepts do work together, however I feel that there are many small details I have to consider if this were to be a business. In order to get the schools and the textbook companies on board I would have to have agreements and I would have to pitch the idea to them in a way that is beneficial for them as well. I feel that this is a weak part of my idea and the part that could potentially destroy the idea altogether. These textbook companies are making so much money and how would I offer the same if I am trying to sell them to students for cheaper?
Hi Kayla. I like how you explained that your service would provide an easy and standardized format of textbooks. A lot of times textbooks have multiple editions so it's always a hassle to find exactly what you need! I also I think an important part of your success will be how you are able to pitch it and make it seem different than other textbook renting websites.
ReplyDeleteKayla,
ReplyDeleteI like your idea. I would love if textbooks were cheaper and more convenient, but I do see how this could be complicated. I like that you recognize that in your final paragraph. Seeing the flaws in an idea is one of the most important things to be able to do in order to make an idea fully complete. Good job.
I like your idea, Kayla. I'm also glad that the one main concern that I had with the idea, you already brought up. The textbook companies are able to profit due to minor changes in a new edition, rendering old editions "obsolete" in a sense, forcing people to pay a higher price for the new editions. Perhaps one way around this is to use older editions and then ask the publishers for a list of changes that people can purchase if they would like to.
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