The challenge

A well-established UK retailer with a strong physical store presence aimed to capture growth in the online market. In a competitive digital market, the challenge was identifying the right customer segments to target online. They needed a digital proposition that would drive growth and profitability, whilst remaining aligned to their brand promise.

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Our approach

To develop a focused and impactful strategy, we undertook a comprehensive analysis of the online market potential, competitor landscape, and the retailer’s unique brand strengths. Key steps included:

• Target segment identification and mission analysis: Through in-depth market research, we identified three online customer segments with the highest growth potential. For each, we mapped primary purchasing missions and key drivers, ensuring the proposition would resonate with customer needs and expectations.

• Competitive positioning and proposition differentiation: Conducted competitor research to pinpoint strategic gaps and opportunities that would allow the retailer to stand out. A proposition was shaped by combining these insights with the brand’s existing strengths.  

• Development of online proposition statement and sub-propositions: In close collaboration with stakeholders, we crafted an online proposition statement aligned with the retailer’s broader objectives. This was supported by five targeted sub-propositions, providing specific areas of focus to drive the online business forward.

• Capability assessment and marketing plan: We identified business implications and capability gaps necessary for successful implementation. To ensure seamless execution, we provided the retailer with a clear roadmap outlining capability gaps across departments. Additionally, we delivered a tailored marketing plan to effectively communicate the online propositions to target segments.

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The results

This online growth strategy empowered the retailer to confidently expand its reach and revenue through a carefully tailored, research-backed digital proposition, bringing the brand promise to life in the online market.

• Targeted and differentiated online proposition: Grounded in extensive research, the final online proposition was tailored to resonate with selected segments, strengthening the retailer’s competitive position in the digital space.

• Execution-ready roadmap: The handover package included a well-defined plan with department-specific business implications and capability assessments, acting as a practical guide for future implementation stages.

• Enhanced growth potential: By focusing on high-potential segments and aligning online offerings with the retailer’s brand strengths, the strategy positioned the retailer to capture new digital growth opportunities and improve profitability.  

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