Overview: My idea is to create a delivery service that delivers groceries to college students with a website that keeps track of what they have previously ordered as well as provide ideas for recipes they can use based on what is ordered.
As an internet based business, my idea would use cloud computing to essentially work. Cloud computing would first enable people to be able to access and use my site. Users would not have to worry about where they were when they were trying to access the site because of cloud computing, essentially the internet. Because of cloud computing, my clients would not have to download anything onto their computers to be able to use my service. Having access to the internet is all that they need to be able to use my service.
Cloud computing would also enable my clients to make an account and have their information be saved to their profile so that each time they came back it would still be there. It would be very annoying if every time a user logged into the site they had to reenter their information, address, email address and credit card numbers. People would find it unnecessary and annoying and would choose to take their business elsewhere. Additionally, I could eventually create an app to go along with my website and cloud computing would enable users to have access to the app. As most internet sites do, my site would use cloud computing. Without it, I do not think my idea would be able to work as well.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
How the Pros do it- The Verge
The Verge (http://www.theverge.com/) is a blog that focuses on the topic of technology. They discuss anything and everything about new technology products, companies, conferences and news relating to technology. They are the place to go for a review of a product or a major technology company. And their knowledge doesn't seem to be limited, they discuss products from cellphones to cameras to headphones and speakers. Their articles range from regular text and picture articles to galleries and video clips. One video clip series is what The Verge calls their show "On the Verge." The show is run like a talk show where guests can come on and talk about technology. The latest episode featured Jimmy Fallon who vented about his dislike for a camera that he had purchased to use at the Super Bowl and at the White House. The camera he bought ended up having some flaws and the host and Fallon discussed them. I thnk this aspect of the blog is a very interesting and unique one. I also think it is very informative to watch video rather than reading articles all the time.
The layout of the blog is very organized and easy to navigate. The home page is similar to a magazine in that the headlines and latest articles are highlighted. You can click on the picture and title of the article and you will be brought to the full page. On that page, there are links for Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and a place to leave a comment if you log in or create an account with The Verge. Additionally, the articles are easy to read and use a language which the average consumer would be able to understand. All along the top of the main page is an header with different tabs that further organizes the website. Tabs include the latest articles, different products and reviews as well as a place to search the website. Overall, I think this blog is very professional and informative. It is organized and is up to date. I would use this site as part of research if I were going to buy a product and wanted to get a professional opinion on it.
The layout of the blog is very organized and easy to navigate. The home page is similar to a magazine in that the headlines and latest articles are highlighted. You can click on the picture and title of the article and you will be brought to the full page. On that page, there are links for Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and a place to leave a comment if you log in or create an account with The Verge. Additionally, the articles are easy to read and use a language which the average consumer would be able to understand. All along the top of the main page is an header with different tabs that further organizes the website. Tabs include the latest articles, different products and reviews as well as a place to search the website. Overall, I think this blog is very professional and informative. It is organized and is up to date. I would use this site as part of research if I were going to buy a product and wanted to get a professional opinion on it.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
The Competition
Overview: My idea is to create a delivery service that delivers groceries to college students with a website that keeps track of what they have previously ordered as well as provide ideas for recipes they can use based on what is ordered.
After doing some research, I found two companies that are in the same market as my idea. One is Campus Food and the other is One Click Grocery.
Campus Food
http://www.campusfood.com/campus.asp?campusID=117
Campus Food is not exactly the same as my idea, however it taps into the same market. Campus Food specializes in delivering meals from local restaurants to students. Their website offers links to menus from many restaurants in the Syracuse area. From Chinese and Japanese to pizza and Italian, as well as other local restaurants such as Alto Cinco. Their website provides convenience for the customer in that they only have to make an account with Campus Food to be able to order from the multiple restaurants on the site, as well as many discounts and specials only available to those ordering through the site. The website also gives information about when the restaurants are closed, or are about to open to make the decision making process a little easier for users. Campus Food also gives an incentive to ordering through the company with their idea of "Foodie Points." Each time you make an order, depending on the amount of food and price, you are awarded so many Foodie Points. After you have gained so many points, you can redeem them for discounts or coupons. My idea focuses more on the delivery of actual groceries to students, not so much meals. I have thought about incorporating my idea with the local Meals on Wheels to donate groceries to the elderly that receive meals from the Meals on Wheels service. I have also thought about being able to deliver hot meals to students who would like them in a way like Campus Food does with restaurant delivery. The obvious difference is the fact that Campus Food coordinates restaurant delivery and my service would deliver groceries.
One Click Grocery
https://www.oneclickgrocery.com
One Click Grocery would be a direct competitor to my idea. They specialize in delivering groceries to homes, apartments, dorms, and offices. Their website is very interactive and they have many great ideas. They have pre-made lists with different themes, Italian, Breakfast, Fiesta, Football Sunday and a Dorm Food list to name a few. They have also targeted parents by giving parents an option to put money in an account for their son or daughter to withdrawal from throughout the year or semester while they are at school. They have frequent sales, many delivery times and a recipe tab to look up recipes based on what you order, or to help you decide on what to order. This company would be a fierce competitor with my idea because they very similar. I would definitely have to look more at what they offer if I was to put my idea into action.
These two businesses would definitely be competition for my business idea. Although Campus Food coordinates the delivery of local restaurants, that could potentially take away clients from my idea if they just wanted the convenience of meals being delivered rather than groceries. One Click Grocery has a lot of the aspects that my idea has, and is already in existence. it would be very hard to compete with them, and I would have to think of different ways to make my idea better and different to attract customers. Overall, this market of food and grocery delivery has many companies and ideas already and it would be challenging to get into a market such as this.
After doing some research, I found two companies that are in the same market as my idea. One is Campus Food and the other is One Click Grocery.
Campus Food
http://www.campusfood.com/campus.asp?campusID=117
Campus Food is not exactly the same as my idea, however it taps into the same market. Campus Food specializes in delivering meals from local restaurants to students. Their website offers links to menus from many restaurants in the Syracuse area. From Chinese and Japanese to pizza and Italian, as well as other local restaurants such as Alto Cinco. Their website provides convenience for the customer in that they only have to make an account with Campus Food to be able to order from the multiple restaurants on the site, as well as many discounts and specials only available to those ordering through the site. The website also gives information about when the restaurants are closed, or are about to open to make the decision making process a little easier for users. Campus Food also gives an incentive to ordering through the company with their idea of "Foodie Points." Each time you make an order, depending on the amount of food and price, you are awarded so many Foodie Points. After you have gained so many points, you can redeem them for discounts or coupons. My idea focuses more on the delivery of actual groceries to students, not so much meals. I have thought about incorporating my idea with the local Meals on Wheels to donate groceries to the elderly that receive meals from the Meals on Wheels service. I have also thought about being able to deliver hot meals to students who would like them in a way like Campus Food does with restaurant delivery. The obvious difference is the fact that Campus Food coordinates restaurant delivery and my service would deliver groceries.
One Click Grocery
https://www.oneclickgrocery.com
One Click Grocery would be a direct competitor to my idea. They specialize in delivering groceries to homes, apartments, dorms, and offices. Their website is very interactive and they have many great ideas. They have pre-made lists with different themes, Italian, Breakfast, Fiesta, Football Sunday and a Dorm Food list to name a few. They have also targeted parents by giving parents an option to put money in an account for their son or daughter to withdrawal from throughout the year or semester while they are at school. They have frequent sales, many delivery times and a recipe tab to look up recipes based on what you order, or to help you decide on what to order. This company would be a fierce competitor with my idea because they very similar. I would definitely have to look more at what they offer if I was to put my idea into action.
These two businesses would definitely be competition for my business idea. Although Campus Food coordinates the delivery of local restaurants, that could potentially take away clients from my idea if they just wanted the convenience of meals being delivered rather than groceries. One Click Grocery has a lot of the aspects that my idea has, and is already in existence. it would be very hard to compete with them, and I would have to think of different ways to make my idea better and different to attract customers. Overall, this market of food and grocery delivery has many companies and ideas already and it would be challenging to get into a market such as this.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Computer Forensics and the Grocery Delivery Service
Overview: My idea is to create a delivery service that delivers groceries to college students with a website that keeps track of what they have previously ordered as well as provide ideas for recipes they can use based on what is ordered.
Computer Forensics and the Delivery Service:
This idea is primarily based through a website that users can sign into when they would like to make an order. Users will have to create something similar to a profile to use the service. This way, all of their past orders will be kept track of and be easily readable for review. However, with the creation of a profile, privacy becomes an issue, especially when using the internet to purchase something. Many people have become very good at stealing people's credit cards and other information from the internet and profiles. As a company that uses online purchasing and some sort of a profile, I would have to utilize some sort of privacy for my customers so that they know I am taking steps to ensure their personal information not be available for anyone who wants it.
To ensure the customers that their information will not be available for anyone who wants it, I will utilize software and other protection to keep their information private. I would hate to buy something off the internet only to find out a few days later that my credit card number has been stolen because of an unsecured website. And as a business, it would not be good credibility if one of my customers had their credit card number stolen.
On the other hand, if there was an issue in which case the government contacted me about on of my customers, I would be obligated to give that information away. But i would make sure my customers know that their information will be kept confidential and that the service and website is a safe and secure one.
Computer Forensics and the Delivery Service:
This idea is primarily based through a website that users can sign into when they would like to make an order. Users will have to create something similar to a profile to use the service. This way, all of their past orders will be kept track of and be easily readable for review. However, with the creation of a profile, privacy becomes an issue, especially when using the internet to purchase something. Many people have become very good at stealing people's credit cards and other information from the internet and profiles. As a company that uses online purchasing and some sort of a profile, I would have to utilize some sort of privacy for my customers so that they know I am taking steps to ensure their personal information not be available for anyone who wants it.
To ensure the customers that their information will not be available for anyone who wants it, I will utilize software and other protection to keep their information private. I would hate to buy something off the internet only to find out a few days later that my credit card number has been stolen because of an unsecured website. And as a business, it would not be good credibility if one of my customers had their credit card number stolen.
On the other hand, if there was an issue in which case the government contacted me about on of my customers, I would be obligated to give that information away. But i would make sure my customers know that their information will be kept confidential and that the service and website is a safe and secure one.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Social Media and The Grocery Delivery Service
Overview: My idea is to create a delivery service that delivers groceries to college students with a website that keeps track of what they have previously ordered as well as provide ideas for recipes they can use based on what is ordered.
How social media plays in..
In today's work environment, it seems that everyone who is anyone is involved in social media in one way or another. You can go on Twitter and follow entire companies to see what they are up to. You can "Like" a Facebook page with the hopes of getting the inside scoop of when the big sale is happening or find out first when a band is going on tour. It seems as though if a company wants to be successful, they are turning to the social media route to help them do so.
My idea is no different. One of the hardest things I believe with an idea like this is to get the word out that something like this exists. As a member of the college society, one of the quickest ways I find out about what's going on on campus or about many things in general is through social media. One person makes a status on Facebook about a certain thing and in five minutes, hundreds of people know about it. If i made a Facebook page and Twitter for the Grocery Delivery Service, my advertising costs would significantly decrease and all I would have to do is get a few people to find out about the service and they would tell their friends and so on. I would have to work at it, but I wouldn't have to do nearly as much work if I didn't make use of social media.
Facebook chat could also be a great way for users to place last minute orders if they are in a bind for something. We could have an employee by the computer to see if anyone sends a message with a small order or even starts a chat. This would create great customer service and encourage the users to want to continue doing business with us.
We could also send out special promotions and coupon codes through Facebook or Twitter. Only those that have liked our page or are following us would get the message, creating an incentive to follow us. All in all, social media is a great tool for companies, especially service companies, to keep up with their customers and to give them something special for following the company. It also provides a very easy way for companies to get feedback from the users. Facebook wall posts and Tweets with ideas or even complaints would enable the company to keep up with what is wanted and to make sure the customers are getting the most out of the experience.
How social media plays in..
In today's work environment, it seems that everyone who is anyone is involved in social media in one way or another. You can go on Twitter and follow entire companies to see what they are up to. You can "Like" a Facebook page with the hopes of getting the inside scoop of when the big sale is happening or find out first when a band is going on tour. It seems as though if a company wants to be successful, they are turning to the social media route to help them do so.
My idea is no different. One of the hardest things I believe with an idea like this is to get the word out that something like this exists. As a member of the college society, one of the quickest ways I find out about what's going on on campus or about many things in general is through social media. One person makes a status on Facebook about a certain thing and in five minutes, hundreds of people know about it. If i made a Facebook page and Twitter for the Grocery Delivery Service, my advertising costs would significantly decrease and all I would have to do is get a few people to find out about the service and they would tell their friends and so on. I would have to work at it, but I wouldn't have to do nearly as much work if I didn't make use of social media.
Facebook chat could also be a great way for users to place last minute orders if they are in a bind for something. We could have an employee by the computer to see if anyone sends a message with a small order or even starts a chat. This would create great customer service and encourage the users to want to continue doing business with us.
We could also send out special promotions and coupon codes through Facebook or Twitter. Only those that have liked our page or are following us would get the message, creating an incentive to follow us. All in all, social media is a great tool for companies, especially service companies, to keep up with their customers and to give them something special for following the company. It also provides a very easy way for companies to get feedback from the users. Facebook wall posts and Tweets with ideas or even complaints would enable the company to keep up with what is wanted and to make sure the customers are getting the most out of the experience.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)