Key External Factors
Before the Internet, consumers were exposed to and educated about fashion trends by department stores and specialty shops, along with fashion magazines and celebrities. In other words, fashion was “pushed” to the public. All this has changed, and in a big way. Today, the consumer is empowered by technology: a steady flow of new “apps,” or mobile applications, can minimize shopping stress and optimize one’s budget. (Kumar, 2006)
Social media enable businesses to listen to their customers in real time, which in turn arms them with information to alter their products, prices, and marketing mix, and helps them manage brand perception and consumer sentiment. Engaging in a dialogue with consumers in this format is a social endeavor and a platform for building relationships. Most important is the ability to understand what the customer perceives as valuable and respond with appropriate product/service/quality bundles. Another top challenge is providing the consumer with a seamless cross-channel experience. Engaging in social media supports improved customer service, the brand proposition, brand equity, and market share for the consumer, which in turn enhances customer engagement, loyalty, and traffic—all in all, a win-win situation for retailers. (Kumar, 2006)
The Strategic Position of NEXT Plc
At NEXT, cash is at high sustainable levels, but it will have tendency to erode in years after the product is launched. The main reason for this is the idle cash which is not generating returns and excess capital investments in 2013-2014. This is based on the assumption that company will be in expansion mode in those years. Cash flow levels are at healthy and sustainable positions and the wealth will be created if company can launch further products in the next two years. The numbers are based on some critical assumptions and are subject to change, given the way market conceive the product made by NEXT. (John Struat Mill, 2011)
关键的外部因素
在互联网出现之前，消费者接触和教育关于时尚潮流的百货商场和专卖店，时尚杂志和名人一起。换句话说，时尚“推”向公众开放。所有这一切都发生了变化，在一个大的方式。今天，消费者有权技术源源不断的新的“应用程序”，或移动应用，可以最大限度地减少购物压力和优化的预算。 （库马尔，2006年）
社交媒体使企业能够认真听取客户的实时，反过来武器，他们提供信息，以改变他们的产品，价格和营销组合，并帮助他们管理品牌的认知度和消费者信心指数。这种格式与消费者进行对话，是一个社会的努力和建立关系的平台。最重要的是了解客户感知什么是有价值的，合适的产品/服务/质量束回应能力。另一个最大的挑战是为消费者提供一个无缝的跨渠道体验。从事社会化媒体支持改善客户服务，品牌主张，品牌资产和市场份额，对于消费者而言，这反过来又增强了客户参与度，忠诚度和交通这一切的一切，一个双赢的局面，零售商。 （库马尔，2006年）
一个PLC的战略地位
在NeXT，现金是在可持续的水平高，但产品推出后，将有倾向侵蚀多年。这是最主要的原因不产生回报和过剩资本投资在2013-2014年的闲置现金。这是基于这样的假设，在那些年里，公司将在扩展模式。现金流量水平在健康和可持续的位置和财富将被创建，如果公司能够在未来两年推出更多的产品。这些数字是基于一些重要假设，如有变更，市场的方式受孕制造下一步。 （约翰Struat磨坊，2011）
