Consumer Choice | Create WebQuest

Introduction

This is a virtual fieldwork study of consumer choice. You will be virtually immersed into the Mt Druitt Westfield, and use it as a case study to help you complete the activities. Upon the completion of all of the tasks, you should be savvy in your understanding and application of issues regarding consumer choice and consumer decisions.

Good luck, and have fun.

Task

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw5rirDayZ8 align:center]

You have been selected to become a new commerce expert. As a part of your training, you have been selected to go on a virtual fieldwork experience based at Mt Druitt Westfield. You will need to analyse the environment of the area, and how it impacts on commerce, consumer choice and consumer decisions.

Process

Lesson 1

Activity 1

The main types of retail outlets that can be found in a shopping complex such as Mt Druitt Westfield are:

Specialty stores
Department stores
Discount variety stores
Supermarkets.

Open a Word document, and define what each of these retail outlets are. You will also need to compare and contrast them, explaining how they are similar or different to each other.

Open an Excel spreadsheet. Make four columns, and label them after the retail outlet types. Then make four rows, and number them from 1 to 10.

Throughout this virtual fieldwork study, you will watch ten short virtual fieldwork videos. As you watch them, you are to keep count of how many different shops you see. Tabulate your findings in the table that you have just made in your Excel spreadsheet. Some shops may appear in more than one video, so be careful not to count the same shop twice.

Activity 2

Watch the first video, and tabulate the number of shops that you see.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkhjEmUT2dg align:center]

Select one of the four types of retail outlets. Identify one shop of that type that you saw in the video, and note the time that it appeared in the video. In your Word document, explain:

Why it is of that particular retail outlet type
What the main products (goods or services) being sold are
Who the main consumers (target market) for the shop are.

Activity 3

Watch the second video, and tabulate the number of shops that you see.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LUdj4qCHck align:center]

Select one of the four types of retail outlets, but one that you have not yet selected. Identify one shop of that type that you saw in the video, and note the time that it appeared in the video. In your Word document, explain:

Why it is of that particular retail outlet type
What the main products (goods or services) being sold are
Who the main consumers (target market) for the shop are.

Activity 4

Watch the third video, and tabulate the number of shops that you see.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSWsjE7gbxQ align:center]

Why it is of that particular retail outlet type
What the main products (goods or services) being sold are
Who the main consumers (target market) for the shop are.

Activity 5

Watch the fourth video, and tabulate the number of shops that you see.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3IIrlQmvTY align:center]

Why it is of that particular retail outlet type
What the main products (goods or services) being sold are
Who the main consumers (target market) for the shop are.

Activity 6

The key factors affecting consumer decisions are:

Service
Price
Convenience
Marketing
Gender
Finance
Environemtal
Age.

From the four shops that you have selected, nominate two and select a key product (good or service) from each of them that they sell. Using your Word document, compare and contrast the two products with reference to the key factors that affect consumer decisions regarding the purchasing of the products.

Do not forget to save your Word document and Excel spreadsheet.

Lesson 2

Activity 7

Woolworths is shown in the next three videos. Just outside of Woolworths are a few small shops that compete against Woolworths with certain products. Open your Word document, and note down any competitors as you watch the next three videos

Open your Excel spreadsheet. Watch the fifth video, and tabulate the number of shops that you see.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSdotDLT1F4 align:center]

Watch the sixth video, and tabulate the number of shops that you see.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpKEKNMyEB8 align:center]

Watch the seventh video, and tabulate the number of shops that you see.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qte1MlZCqtg align:center]

With reference to at least two of the competitors of Woolworths that you have found in the previous three videos, explain and analyse:

Which products are being competed against
How the products are being competed against (with reference to the key factors affecting consumer decisions).

Activity 8

Watch the eighth video, and tabulate the number of shops that you see.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGFpGtEmuRg align:center]

This video showed the food court. Compare and contrast at least three food providers within the food court with reference to the key factors affecting consumer decisions.

Activity 9

With reference to your analysis of both Woolworths and its competitors, and the competition within the food court; analyse and explain why businesses have competitors, and how and why different competitors influence consumer decisions differently.

Activity 10

Watch the ninth video, and tabulate the number of shops that you see.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdSKM9xFZsU align:center]

Watch the tenth video, and tabulate the number of shops that you see.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCb9eXZnf0E align:center]

Using the data that you have collected in your Excel spreadsheet, add up the total number of shops for each of the types of retail outlets. Then convert your final results into a bar graph and a pie graph.

Activity 11

Analyse your results in your Word document:

Why do you think there is a variation in the number of shops within each type of retail outlet?
How does competition and consumer decisions affect this?

Do not forget to save your Word document and Excel spreadsheet.

Lesson 3

Activity 12

The two main supermarkets in Australia are Coles and Woolworths. Some argue that one is better than the other, and others argue that they are pretty much the same. What do you think?

Open your Word document. Watch the following video about comparison shopping at Coles and Woolworths, and then answer the following questions in your Word document.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xaACzuhQi8 align:center]

Explain is comparison shopping, and how it was conducted in the video.
Why can you not compare similar products of different sizes? How was this issue overcome in the test?
Based on the test, which supermarket was the better place to shop?
Why is this test not conclusive? What would have to be done to get conclusive results?

Activity 13

Several shops in the Mt Druitt Westfield sell electronics. You are now required to select an electronic product that can be bought from at least two shops at the Mt Druitt Westfield. For example, you can select a television, camera, laptop, gaming console, etc. However, the product must be identical in each shop; having the same brand and model. Note your results in your Word Document.

Activity 14

Open your Excel spreadsheet. Now select one of the shops that you have compared, and compare your selected product with other similar products within the store. Compare them with their characteristics such as price, warranty, features, etc. Display your results in a new table in your Excel spreadsheet; naming the columns after the products, and naming the rows after the characteristics of the products that you are comparing.

Which product do you feel gives you the best deal? It is vital to note that price is not always the most important characteristic when buying products as the other differing characteristics of products may make them better by comparison.

Activity 15

Watch the final video, and answer the following questions in your Word document.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SuC6FcTfnU align:center]

Explain what impulse buying is, and how it is different to comparison shopping.
How does the design of shopping malls encourage impulse buying?
From a business perspective, explain and analyse why it is important for shopping malls to be designed to encourage impulse buying.

Do not forget to save your Word document and Excel spreadsheet.

Evaluation

Marking Criteria

Criteria

Fail

Pass

Credit

Distinction

High Distinction

0-25

Description, analysis and understanding of the different types of retail outlets.

0-12

Poor description of the types of retail outlets. Demonstrates poor understanding.

13-16

Basic description of the types of retail outlets. Demonstrates basic understanding.

17-19

Sound description of the types of retail outlets, and application of understanding using examples. Demonstrates sound understanding and application.

20-22

More in-depth description of the types of retail outlets, and application of understanding using examples. Compares and contrasts the types of retail outlets. Demonstrates great understanding and application.

23-25

Excellent description of the types of retail outlets, and application of understanding using examples. Compares and contrasts the types of retail outlets. Demonstrates excellent understanding and application.

0-25

Analysis and understanding of the key factors affecting consumer decisions.

0-12

Poor analysis of the key factors. Demonstrates poor understanding.

13-16

Basic analysis of the key factors. Demonstrates Basic understanding.

17-19

Sound analysis of the key factors, and application using examples. Demonstrates sound understanding and application.

20-22

More in-depth analysis of the key factors, and application using examples. Compares and contrasts examples. Demonstrates great understanding and application.

23-25

Excellent analysis of the key factors, and application using examples. Compares and contrasts examples. Demonstrates excellent understanding and application.

0-25

Creation and analysis of graphs.

0-12

Unable to create graphs. No analysis. Demonstrates poor understanding.

13-16

Graphs created. Basic analysis of the data. Demonstrates basic understanding.

17-19

Graphs created. Sound analysis of the data. Demonstrates sound understanding.

20-22

Graphs created. More in-depth analysis of the data. Demonstrates great understanding.

23-25

Graphs created. Excellent analysis of the data. Demonstrates excellent understanding.

0-25

Description, analysis and understanding of comparison shopping.

0-12

Poor description of comparison shopping. Demonstrates poor understanding.

13-16

Basic description of comparison shopping. Demonstrates basic understanding.

17-19

Sound description and analysis of comparison shopping. Demonstrates sound understanding.

20-22

More in-depth description and analysis of comparison shopping. Demonstrates great understanding.

23-25

Excellent description and analysis of comparison shopping. Demonstrates excellent understanding.

Total: ____/100=____/10

Conclusion

Congratulations. You have just completed your training as a commerce expert. Through your virtual fieldwork experience based at Mt Druitt Westfield and your analysis of the shopping complex, you should now be savvy with regards to consumer choice and consumer decisions.