BUSINESS CASE

BUSINESS GOALS

Short term goals (3 months) The main goal of a web-based solution is to reach more prospective buyers in a shorter span of time. It will also be the medium to attract other prospective sellers to enter the market by “introducing” themselves at the website through a Registration page which will prompt them to complete an online form. By continuously following up on these new contacts, we will be able to add them to our selection of artists and their paintings. Both these goals will reduce the time, money, and energy spent getting the buyers and sellers together.

Long term goals (6 months) Serene Art envisions broadening their product line to artwork from other countries to better serve their clients and maintain them on a long-term basis. This will be extremely crucial in that it has to compete with the brick and mortar galleries that provide this service on a continuous basis. It also plans to introduce personalized and customized stationery depicting the artwork already in our selection, which will prove to be an excellent gift idea. This will be a unique feature in that galleries only offer generic stationery without customization. In addition to this, other merchandise will be made available which will have artwork depicted such as umbrellas, folders, notebooks, and other items in the same genre. These products will be ideas for gift-giving. Serene Art will incorporate a gift-giving option whereby buyers can request packages to be gift-wrapped in unique gift wrapping (another product that will be offered) with personalized gift cards.

Long term goals (12 months) Based on some rudimentary analysis of e-commerce, the client has established the following specific annual goals for entering the e-commerce market: 1. to reach a minimum of 100 loyal customers which will be monitored by the features of the website 2. to draw a minimum of 5,000 customers which will be measured by the number of hits 3. to satisfy those who visit the site both in terms of the physical goods offered and sustaining their interest at the site – all of which will be monitored by the features of the site 4. increase the number of artists to at least 20 in order to provide a wider selection of art pieces on the website Her intention is to have more galleries linked all over the country to display her clients’ artwork. She will make a commission on all the pieces sold. The more galleries are linked to sell her selection, the more revenue will grow.

INTENDED OUTCOMES

In line with the business goals, the main outcome will be the creation of new market on the web - introducing unknown artists and their artwork from a specific country. It will increase the number of buyers and sellers, and consequently, the generation of increased income for the intermediary (the client) in a shorter span of time. The savings of time, money, and energy will be redirected into the maintenance of the website to ensure its 'freshness'.

MARKET COMPETITION

There are many websites on the Internet with “galleries” of paintings but none have the objective of bringing buyers and sellers together. They are merely placed there for viewing and appreciating art “virtually”. As such, Serene Art's website will be a forerunner in the market as it will represent a unique model for e-commerce.

Advertising Since the targeted audience will not be aware of the unique service and products of the client, it is incumbent on Serene Art to advertise this site. To do this, it behooves the client to invest in banner advertising on related sites in the e-commerce arena. It will be just as vital to revert to traditional forms of advertising such as television, radio, magazines (art- related), and newspapers (Arts section) to draw attention to the client’s ‘existence’ on the web. Conversely, Serene Art will provide links to other sites. Since the target audience is the art enthusiast, it would be advisable for pamphlets to be distributed or posters to be displayed in the lobbies of art galleries. All these methods will be implemented both here in the United States and overseas.

In addition to the promotional methods described above, the site will also be accessed from Web Aesthetics' website. As a customer service feature to our clients, there will be an icon on each client's website which gives them access to our site instantly in order to have their questions answered. This is a value added service for our customers. Due to the small business nature of Serene Art, this service will prove to be invaluable in that it will allow it to network with our customer base, some of whom would probably not have known about Serene Art without our 'prodding'.

RATIONALE FOR INTERNET

The Internet is a medium that will open up the market for our client throughout the United States and overseas. Prospective art sellers, gallery dealers and art buyers can all view the available artwork and network with our client instantaneously. It will reduce the cost of our client traveling throughout the country and overseas to visit galleries and introduce her portfolio of paintings to them. Prospective artists may decide to hire our client as an agent if they like her site and the type of work she represents.

BUSINESS MODEL AND STRATEGY

This website will substantially have the intermediary business model of e-commerce in that it brings two parties together and forms a relationship which other means might have eluded. We will utilize the generic strategy of focusing on a target audience, mainly art connoisseurs and collectors, outstanding artist with interest to sell their work, and gallery owners with intent to become dealers for Serene Art. Although the initial cost and time involved in creating the website will be high, the increased revenues will more than cover these costs.