What have you learned about your product or service in this unit? How did you learn it? What went well and what would you want to improve in the future? How did you give and receive feedback?
In this unit, I’ve learned a lot about my product (which is black-themed clothing and accessories), and I’ve gained insights through various means. For example, here is what I discovered:
– There is a demand for black-themed clothing and accessories. I realized that there’s a market niche that appreciates the elegance and sophistication associated with the color black. I will need to explore trends and consumer preferences more to tailor my product offerings accordingly. I learned it by checking different online stores of famous brands that sell similar products, creating anonymous polls on social media, and reading several articles. For example, in the famous British daily magazine, Evening Standard, the authors mentioned that black is very popular because it is slimming and versatile, and works best to hide sweat (McCarthy, 2020).
– I learned about customer preferences by gathering feedback from potential customers to ensure that my products align with their needs and preferences. As soon as I know Chinese market better than others at the moment, I decided to create a list of questions with open answers and ask my Chinese friends and colleagues to discuss them. In the end, I found out that most of the girls prefer not only comfortable fitness clothes but also the ones that look good. At the same time, males preferred stretchy and comfortable clothes and paid more attention to the fact that they would feel more comfortable if their sweat was not easily seen.
– I learned about the importance of web presence, especially having a website. First of all, it helps make people aware of your brand and showcase it to the customers. Websites and social media are useful tools that can set you apart from your competitors. I learned it by reading Week 5 and 6 reading materials, by looking at the statistics of such websites and online communities, and by asking people I know about how they learned about different brands, products, and services, and what they use to get them.
I think that what went well this week was my research, as soon as I was able to gather valuable information and think about product diversity. Offering a diverse range of clothing options, including different variations of tops, bottoms, dresses, outwear, and accessories, provides a wide selection for my customers to choose from. By catering to different styles and preferences within the black-themed fashion niche, I can increase my chances of attracting a broader range of customers. I also started thinking about the appearance of my future website.
However, there are also areas for improvement. First of all, I’d like to improve my feedback collection and analysis methods. While I received valuable feedback from surveys and interviews, I believe there are more effective ways to gather and analyze the information. I also need to start spending more time on this project, therefore I need to work on my time management. It is difficult to study a lot and work at a full-time job, but many people find a way to do that properly, and so can I.
Finally, speaking about giving and receiving feedback – I hope I understood this question properly and it is about the feedback on our discussion forum. Unfortunately, this week I didn’t receive any feedback again because my essay got lost among many others. However, in general, I read feedback I accept carefully and try to see how to improve my work by using advice from the feedback I received. First of all, I always keep in mind that all kinds of feedback – negative or positive – is good for improvement and no one wants to offend me. When I give feedback myself, I also try my best to be helpful. However, I always start by saying about the strong points, and only then add how the person could improve (if I have any idea about it). When the essays are especially interesting, I may even ask some questions.
Overall, it was a very tough week full of new information, and I’m trying my best to keep working.
References
McCarthy, E. (2020, March 2). Why wearing black is gym kit gold. Retrieved from https://www.standard.co.uk/escapist/health/why-wearing-black-is-gym-kit-gold-a4375781.html