Sales and Merchandising Commons^™

Advising Communication In Finance, Jordan J. Schumann

Communication Studies

Communication is an important factor in relationships. When it comes to financial advising and the advisors’ relationship with their clients, it is no different. However, the driving factor of what makes a client choose one advisor over another remains in question. As such a question builds: what does an advisor do to maintain a client and promote gaining new ones? This study examines the experiences current advisors have had in their respective careers. To examine this topic, communication theories (Social Cognitive Theory, Source Credibility Theory, and Uncertainty Reduction Theory) are called upon to inform the outcomes of advisors' experiences. The …

Fortnite Crew Subscription Box Process Book, Eleanora M. Gravert

Graphic Communication

Expand Epic Games’ “Fortnite Crew” monthly subscription service to incorporate a deluxe edition which will include physical merchandise as opposed to digital merchandise only. This project will help Epic Games create a more mainstream output of physical products and will help simplify the gamers’ search to find and purchase products that are connected with accuracy and quality to the game they enjoy playing. This opportunity is important to me because it allows me to explore my interest in both the gaming industry and the marketing, production, and design field.

Victoria's Secret, Rachel M. Granger

Journalism

Founded on June 12th, 1977 in San Francisco, CA by husband Roy Raymond and wife Gaye, Victoria's Secret has grown to become a renowned company in the fashion industry with a cult following for its lingerie, loungewear, activewear, and beauty products (Victoria's Secret, 2021).

Victoria's Secret aims to develop customer loyalty and an exceptional consumer experience through their high quality, sophisticated, and sexy products that appeal to every consumer's taste and budget with a variety of price points: bras from $19-$150, loungewear $29-$200, activewear from $20-100, and beauty products from $10- $21 (Victoria's Secret, 2021). Their products are designed "by …

Establishing A Brand: How To Create A Household Name For A Wine Brand Through Social Media And Image, Megan Rodrigues

Journalism

This paper was conducted as a Senior Project for the Journalism Department at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California during a 10 week quarter. This paper explores the topic of wine branding through social media and image. The research for this paper consisted of interviews with three experts that are currently working in the wine industry as well as a literature review of several articles and books that support the topic. The questions that arose about wine branding, brand recognition, social media, wine label and image during the literature review were then asked to the three experts: …

The Impact Of Local On Meat Purchasing Decisions, Steven Mclennan

Master's Theses

The research examines the target market for a meat product produced by the local university. Further, desirable attributes of meat and how consumers definition of “locally produced and/or raised” are identified. A total of 290 personal interviews were completed in San Luis Obispo County, California on the consumers’ willingness to purchase Cal Poly meat. Likely purchasers are found to be 31 percent of the San Luis Obispo population. The target buyer of Cal poly meat products are both male and females, who tend to be older, and make more than $60,000 a year. Local is defined by 31 percent of …

The Effects Of Social Media & Web Development On Product Promotion & The Effects Of Branding On Sales And Building A Startup, Scott Toshiro Burns, Galen Quan Tran

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study was to identify the key components needed to make a startup. This included created making a landing page and also driving traffic to the page through Facebook. On the landing page section, there was a test to see what would provide the best user experience using Squarespace. This entailed looking into different layouts and using analytics to determine how effective the landing page was in converting customers. In terms of Facebook research, went into looking into creating a method into driving leads into the prospect pipeline. A campaign was run to gather all the data …

Competitive Marketing Strategy: A Best Practices Examination Of Convention Hotels In San Francisco, Jennifer Hardy

Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration

The expansion of convention hotels in metropolitan areas has been steadily increasing in recent years. This expansion causes competition between hotels in the same market. The purpose of this study was to examine the best practices for competitive marketing strategies used by convention hotels in San Francisco. The hotels studied were: Westin St. Francis, Fairmont Hotel, Ritz-Carlton, and Four Seasons. These organizations were analyzed based on several questions developed by the researcher. Data were collected from organizational websites and social media pages. The results demonstrate that the companies use many similar marketing practices. In order to market themselves more competitively, …

A Reusable Wine Package That Also Serves As A Wine Rack, Mariah Cochiolo

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study was to design and create a prototype of a reusable wine package that would be used primarily to transport a bottle of wine home, but also serve as a piece to build a wine rack when it reaches the consumer’s home.

This study investigated the factors to take into consideration when designing a wine package and coming up with a plan to build a product that met all those needs. One hundred questionnaires were sent to people over the age of twenty one to find out what they thought of the prototype and idea. The …

Women And Their "Food Time" An Investigation Into Food Purchases, Preparation, And Consumption Atmosphere Using Smartphone Survey Technology, Garland Jaeger

Master's Theses

Women’s food purchasing and eating habits have been studied in detail, but are still not entirely understood. Prior research has sought to segment the female food shopper market, but typically use only demographic characteristics. In this study, fifty females were recruited in San Luis Obispo, CA from March 2012 to May 2012 to keep an electronic food-time diary for one week. By collecting information through surveys distributed using a smartphone application, SurveySwipe, the study investigated the amount of time expended for each meal, as well as the manner in which the meal was prepared or purchased, and the context surrounding …

A Business Plan For The Production Of Artisanal Cheese, Caitlin Curren

Dairy Science

The objective of this study was to determine how an artisan cheese producer could be successful in California’s current economy. The significance of location, product type, and pro forma financials were examined in order to construct a complete business plan. A business plan was created using an outline of financial proposals, desired terms, use of funds and equity contributions. A company description was originated with a brief history, description of products, description of customers, business location, key strengths, mission statement, goals and objectives. Lastly, an analysis of the industry was made, focusing on main characteristics, the size of the market, …

Music Industry Market Research - The Effect Of Cover Artwork On The Music Industry, Kendall Cook

Graphic Communication

The creation and use of the Internet has revolutionized the marketing and consumption of music in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Past and current marketing tactics were researched to see why the music industry has declined in sales in recent years. Cover art has been apart of the traditional marketing of tangible goods such as vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, and other media. It grabs the attention of the consumer and is their first impression of the album. The Internet has utilized cover art, but not in the same manner. It exists but is not widespread. This theory to …

Design, Fabrication And Manufacturing Analysis Of A Rollover Protection System, Nikolas Paris

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This senior project discusses the design, fabrication and manufacturing analysis of a rollover protection system specifically designed for early body style Ford Broncos (1966-1977). The rollover protection system, or roll cage, is an integral safety feature on vehicles which commonly encounter extreme terrain conditions. Many vehicles which attempt to traverse terrain such as this are not always properly equipped with a rollover protection system. This is the case with the early body style Ford Bronco. This system will be designed to market the niche of early bronco parts.

Feasibility Analysis Of A Microbrewery, Dylan Warren Snyder

Agribusiness

No abstract provided.

Sales Process And Training Overview, Thomas Holcomb

Communication Studies

Overview of the sales process as established by the National Collegiate Sales Competition (NCSC). This paper details Cal Poly's Sales Development Program and covers the ins and outs of what makes an effective salesperson. Would be beneficial for anyone who is considering sales as a career, looking to improve their sales abilities, or just searching for a senior project idea.

The Sustainability Movement And Its Effects On The Trends Of Beauty Product Packaging, Sarah Danley

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study is to examine industry professionals’ standpoints along with consumer demands and expectations pertaining to sustainable packaging, materials currently used in beauty product packaging, and advances in emerging trends within this sector. Using the information derived from these examinations, this study will predict the industry’s future direction and identify how the industry leaders should change in order to adapt their business practices to remain competitive and profitable within the industry.

This study made use of several research methods to gain insight on the impacts that the sustainability movement has had on the beauty and health packaging …

The Dimensions Of Source Credibility And Salesperson Persuasion, Eric Jaso

Communication Studies

No abstract provided.

Observational Study Of Retail Wine Venues In San Luis Obispo In Relation To Shelf Space And The Amount Of Wine Sold, J. (James) Calvin Mead

Agribusiness

This study was conducted in order to gain valuable information related to the retail wine industry and find similarities and differences in wine shelf space from store to store. All the stores were unique to some degree, but they also shared several aspects of the wine display. For example, some stores were similar in relation to the number of wine brands they offered, structure of the wine displays, prices of wines, types of promotions, types of packaging, number of sections based on varietals or countries, and overall ratings. Averages, frequencies, one-way analyses, multiple comparisons, and descriptive statistics were all calculated …

Analysis Of Wine Label Design Aesthetics And The Connection To Price, Molly Webster

Agribusiness

Can certain artistic and design characteristics on wine labels be analyzed to have a correlation to a wine’s price?

A Marketing Plan For An Artisan Bread Bakery, Audrey Campana

Agribusiness

This study was undertaken to determine whether there is market potential for Word-of-Mouth Bakery to expand its current operation in food retailing in Modesto and the surrounding areas. A Case Study was conducted on Panera Bread Company to use as a competitive analysis to compare Word-of-Mouth Bakery with an established nationally known artisan bread company. An expert opinion poll was also conducted to assess the market potential in supermarkets from the observations of in-store bakery managers in Modesto and the surrounding areas. A SWOT analysis was used to determine the internal strengths and weaknesses, and external opportunities and threats that …

A Marketing Plan For Main Street Small Animal Hospital In Templeton, Ca, Lisa Karcher

Agribusiness

A marketing plan was developed for Main Street Small Animal Hospital in Templeton, CA using client survey research. The surveys determined the possible marketing avenues to improve the current marketing status of Main Street.

Consumers And Benefits Of Genetically Modified Vegetables, Megan Carter Judge

Master's Theses

With the adoption of biotechnology in many agricultural products with first-generation biotechnology traits such as increased pest resistance, greater herbicide resistance, and increased yields the growers have accepted them. The next wave of biotech crops have second-generation traits, such as improved nutrient content, extended shelf life, reduced pesticide and herbicide application (a consumer demanded trait), and better taste. Will these consumer benefits offset any concern that the consumer has regarding biotechnology? What are those benefits and how should the information be communicated to the consumer?

Three focus groups give insight to the proposed questions. The focus groups were done in …

Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Hughson Nuts’ Marketing Strategies In India And China, Christopher Douglas Angle

Agribusiness

This analysis for this study was undertaken to determine if Hughson Nuts’ Marketing Strategies were effective in India and China. The study was also to assess Hughson Nut’s marketing mix internationally to China and India, to evaluate the marketing mix based on projection and comparisons, to assess potential improvements of the marketing mix, and to determine how Hughson Nuts sales to India and China compared to the rest of states sales. The report represents four techniques that make up the marketing mix; place, price, product, and promotion. The research involved getting data from the California Almond Board and making a …

Sales Departments In The Graphic Communication Industry, Kendra Searle

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study is to show how many different variables go into building a strong sales department and the effect it has on the overall success of a company and the graphic communication industry as a whole. This study will show what sales departments are doing to maintain their client base and reach their sales goals even in the midst of changes within the industry. It will also show the impact of the sustainability movement on sales and marketing efforts.

The study showed the most recent sales figures for two of the top companies in the print industry. …

Interactive Print - The Application Of Synergy To Restore And Enhance The Value Of Print, Amy Mcgiven, Jeanne Ngo

Graphic Communication

With the emergence and increasing role of technology in today’s society, many questions are raised about what is the future of print. This study set out to research the term “interactive print,” which, for the purposes of this study, includes Personalized Uniform Resource Locator (PURL), GossRSVP, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and other sources of technology that refer an end consumer to online sources via print.

This report was written in order to research the current trends and knowledge in the industry as it relates to interactive print technologies, as well as to foresee the role of interactive print in the …

Simpler Packaging, Tomiko Oden

Graphic Communication

This project explains how product packaging is become more "green", and thus more simple. Packaging needs to go beyond just simplifying materials and graphics - it needs to create a simpler process in order to reduce wasted time, energy, and resources.

The Sacred And The Secular: Blending Borders To Maximize Product Success, Karen R. Deross

Journalism

In a society where a person can choose anything he wants from a vast literary buffet, the products that appeal to varied audiences with differing values and interests stand out among the masses. The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren is a prominent example of a product that became explosively successful in two starkly differing markets: the secular and the religious.

This research paper explores the history and controversy surrounding the combination of these two markets and the implications they have for each. The triumph of The Purpose Driven Life, as well as other prominent Christian titles, is focused on …