Blue Team

Business Case

Project Overview

The Blue Team is developing a website for Java Stop, a gourmet coffee house located in Chicago’s Printer’s Row neighborhood. Java Stop is set apart from the competition in part because they travel to farms and growers around the world building relationships with them, learning about the coffee they grow and their processes. Java Stop features products from local vendors including treats from Bridgeport Pastries and Beavers Doughnuts, lending to Java Stop’s North Star of providing exceptional coffee to customers while creating a community of growers, local business and customers who value fair, sustainable and equal trade practices. The website will focus on providing customers with detailed information about Java Stop’s mission and North Star. The website will provide:
  • customers with an overview and history of Coffee
  • details on the coffee served, individual growers, and the newest brew
  • an E-Commerce platform to purchase Java Stop products
  • details on locally sourced items such as pastries, doughnuts, etc., cross-linking to partner websites
  • and a platform to brings the community together to learn more about coffee through monthly community classes, a newsletter, private events and an online community bulletin board highlighting neighborhood events

Value Proposition for the Web

Java Stop provides customers with exceptional coffee while creating a community of growers, local business and customers who value fair, sustainable and equal trade practices. Java Stop’s website translates their North Star on the web by creating a clean and simple experience that allows customers, growers and staff to come together as a community. The website fosters interaction among the community via the email newsletter sign up and community board, while also serving as a way for customers to further their knowledge of all things Coffee. Additionally, customers can visit the Java Stop website to restock on their favorite products or order gifts for loved ones. Java Stop.com will be a continually evolving experience that customers will visit daily to learn about the newest brew or the neighborhood’s upcoming Farmer’s Market. It’s a place where customers can learn and connect over their shared love, Coffee.

Category of E-Commerce

The Business to Consumer (B2C) aspect of this web site involves selling Coffee beans to the discerning customer along with a variety of flavoring options. The web site will also be a channel used to promote store branded coffee cups and accessories. Discounts cards and coupons will be provided to customers that create an account and provide basic information such as an email address, providing that they opt in to receive promotions during the account creation process. Customers will have the ability to tailor and submit orders for coffee and or pastries for large events. The web site will also provide information for store hours and locations.
The Business to Business (B2B) side of this operation is geared to developing a partnership with Java Stop's retail partners. We want the distributors to understand Java Stop's business so that they can work to develop an efficient supply chain. The model should be based on a Just in Time (JIT) concept; the idea here is to keep inventories low with the ability to quickly scale up demand when required.

Intended Customers of the Site

The web site is intended to attract several types of coffee drinkers. They include the connoisseur, college students, social drinker and socially conscious drinker.
  • The connoisseur will seek out Java Stop's best roasts and they will have high expectations for freshness and authentic flavor.
  • The college student in most cases, use coffee as a means to be alert for classes or study sessions, with a limited budget they are not expecting to spend a lot for their coffee.
  • The social drinker likes to share a cup of coffee with friends, colleagues or family.
  • The socially conscious drinker is concerned with how Java Stop's products are produced. They are concerned with Sustainability and Fair Trade business practices and will do business will companies who embrace such practices.

How We intend to Attract Different Types of Customers

Impulse
To attract impulse buyers, JavaStop.org will feature a Special Offers section where we can feature our “Weekly Brew” at a discounted price and any other sales offerings, rotating on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Additionally Java Stop will send out email blasts featuring special offers that drive customers back to the website, targeting our impulse buyers.

Patient
To attract patient buyers Java Stop will feature site personalization, allowing users to create a profile on the website and bookmark their favorite products, enabling them to complete their purchase in multiple visits, if needed. Additionally JavaStop.org will provide users with sales alerts via email, so that they know when their favorite product goes on sale.

Analytical
To attract analytical buyers Java Stop will provide customer reviews on all products on the website, in addition to a social plug-in that highlights reviews from Facebook friends. Additionally, JavaStop.org will feature extensive product descriptions, photos, and video (where appropriate) to provide the analytical buyer with all of the needed information to make an informed purchasing decision.

Utilitarian
To attract utilitarian buyers JavaStop.org will have a simple and modern navigation and website design to enable users to find the information that they seek in a quick and efficient manner. JavaStop.org will have a site personalization enabling users that are signed-in to complete their purchase in an easy and fast manner, remembering their payment information and shipping preferences.

Hedonic
To attract hedonic buyers we will provide a media section of the website with videos from growers and local companies who provide products to Java Stop, discussing their product. Additionally the website will feature a community board where users can interact with Java Stop employees and other store patrons, discussing the local community, that new “Fall roast”, their thoughts on improvements to the menu, and more.

E-Commerce Value Chain

Attract
Java Stop will focus its business both on the B2C and also B2B clients; therefore brand awareness in the metropolitan Chicago market is a key approach to appeal to both consumer and business retailers.
  • Java Stop will attract consumers to the store location as well as promote it’s website and mobile application through digital marketing, print advertising, a frequent buyer program, and active involvement within the community.
    • Digital marketing will focus on Google AdWords campaigns, geo-targeted display banner advertising geared specificly to restaurants and fine dinning, the Java Stop Blog/ Newsletter, and Social Media Marketing through Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
    • Print advertising will be specific to entertainment and event newspapers such as Metromix. In addition, Java Stop will advertise in upscale Magazines such as CS, and Chicago Magazine to reach the gourmet and fine dinning consumer and also position itself parallel with fine dining establishments it wants to sell its coffee too.
    • Using a frequent buyer program will entice customers to continue to purchase coffee products knowing they are saving money by returning to Java Stop.
    • Having an active hand in the community through attending food related trade shows, food festivals, hosting events in the surrounding neighborhood, and attending farmer's markets will allow Java Stop to connect on a personal level and establish itself within the Chicago Community.
  • Java Stop will attract restaurants, bars, boutique shops, grocery stores to purchase and resell their coffee beans and products through;
    • Its diverse marketing efforts in order build upon the established Java Spot brand name and large following in the Chicago market.
    • Cross-promoting and selling other partnered businesses’ key products within the Java Shop storefront and on the website.

Interact
Once we capture the viewers to the Java Stop website and mobile application the focus turns to transitioning these customers into buyers by engaging them with the products and services offered within the site.
The website and mobile application will be designed to emulate the social and personal feel of the business while offering simplicity for finding products to purchase as well as information about the Java Stop business practices.

Website and mobile application interactivity:
  • Importance will be placed on giving users a simple way to navigate and sort/filter products by growing regions, flavor, and coffee types. Giving users to the ability to easily find the products they intend will only promote a simple transaction process and help generate sales.
  • The site will offer an educational aspect so users can learn about the coffee growing regions Java Stop is partnered with, as well as the Fair Trade and Sustainable business practices Java Stop embraces. For example, users can watch YouTube embedded videos of trips to the coffee growing regions. This is intended to build a level of trust and honesty with the Java Stop brand for those consumers who are concerned about the unfair working conditions and labor practices that surround the coffee growing industry.
  • Building on the social aspect of drinking coffee the website and application will allow users to post reviews and ratings of the coffees. This will encourage viewers to read and interact while learning what others have say. This rating and review system is used to offer a feeling of community as well as build on the integrity of the Java Stop business and quality of the coffees.
  • Wholesale clients (businesses) will be given a seperate section of the site that focuses on the wholesale division of the business. This Wholesale section will offer account login access to place bulk orders and learn about commercial best practices for brewing and distributing Java Stop coffee.
  • Individuals will also have a private account login, which will provide users with the ability to track frequent buyer program points, save favorite coffees, save payment and shipping information for ease of future purchases, and rate and post reviews of coffees on the Java Stop website and mobile application.

Act
Once products have been added to the shopping cart the transaction and check out process needs to be simple and intuitive for all types of users to complete. Utilizing popular and recognizable industry conventional buttons will promote a familiar experience for the customer.
  • Shopping Cart / Confirmation page
    • Customers will be given a shopping cart / confirmation page where they can review their selected products and quantities.
    • Quantities can be easily modified and products removed if they were accidently added to the cart.
    • Additionally, the user will be able to return to the products page to continue shopping, leaving the shopping cart saved and unaltered.

  • The Checkout Page
    • Once customers validate their order they will then proceed to the checkout page to input payment and shipping information.
    • Returning users can login in order to expedite the transaction due to their payment and shipping information being previously stored.
    • A coupon and promotional code section will be offered for users to apply an instant discount to their order.
    • Payment types will include all major credit cards, debit cards, and gift cards.
    • Individuals will have the option to have their order fulfilled and shipped to them or in-store pick-up if they prefer.
    • Customers who elect for shipping will be prompted to enter their zip code in order to calculate an accurate shipping charge.
    • All products, shipping, taxes and discounts will be calculated to provide the customer with a straightforward total for the transaction.

  • Order Confirmation Page
    • Once the order has been submitted and completed the user will be given the Order Confirmation Page to save or print for their records. This page will also be added to the individuals account order history. Users will be informed that all orders are guaranteed to ship within 24 hours of order placement to ensure coffee freshness.

  • Order Fulfillment
    • The order will come directly into the order fulfillment and business office at the Java Stop storefront location. Orders are packaged and shipped within 24 hours of order placement. The company employs a driver to deliver wholesale orders to local restaurants and businesses within the Chicago metropolitan area. Individuals who elect to have their order delivered will receive their order via UPS / Fedex to their specified address. Pick-up orders will be available at the pick-up window in the Java Stop storefront location.

React
Java Spot employs a personal and transparent business culture that invites customers to come back time and time again for their coffee needs. Consumers and business partners have welcomed this openness, which has been a contributor to the company's growth.

If customers have concerns and questions that need to be addressed, the site will employ the following practices.

  • A straightforward Contact page informs customers the various ways they can contact Java Spot, whether it be by phone, email, or online form submission.
  • Since the site will promote reviews and feedback from its customers, the company will need to attend to these reviews in order to address customers concerns, as well as thank people for their positive feedback. This transparency will demonstrate Java Spot’s interest in offering a business practice that focus on ensuring customer satisfaction.
In order to provide and build on the site’s simplicity the site will offer a FAQ or Common Questions page that addresses the questions and concerns Java Spot has received over the years from its customers and business partners. The use of this page allows the Java Spot website and mobile application users to get information about the questions they have without having to email or call Java Spot directly. Again this will promote a greater ease of use to the consumer offering an excellent experience and increase chance of returned business.

Technical and Design Overview

The Java Stop web site will be broken out into the presentation layer, business logic layer, and data layer. The presentation layer will be built using HTML5 and CSS3 to provide a compatible UI with jquerymobile overlayed for the mobile site. The business logic layer will utilize ASP.NET and C# for the code behind. The data layer will utilize a DNS-Less connection to an MS Access database. The website will be hosted on Site Ground and the URL we will be using for our site is JavaStop.org.

Contributions of Members

Sheldon Jones

Category of E-Commerce

Melissa McElroy

Team Site Creation, Technical & Design Overview

Jessica Niksa

Creation of Google team site for collaboration, Project Overview, Value Proposition for Web, How we intend to attract different types of customers

Kirk Ockerman

E-Commerce Value Chain

Julia Salameh

Intended customers of sites