Kellan McNamara '06 Cost Plus intern.

In April I found myself sitting in front of a panel of Cost Plus World Market executives completing my final interview in hopes of a summer marketing internship. I was introduced to an exciting undertaking that I would get to call my own by the end of my 11-week internship. The vice president of merchandising, advertising, and planning presented the concern of not having wine, a major ingredient in World Market’s product mix, on their current Web site. My task as the marketing intern would be to successfully market our core 350 wine SKUs including domestic, import, sparkling, and dessert wines on WorldMarket.com.

Upon my arrival I was handed the daunting task of marketing scores of wines on the Web, two things I did not know how to address initially. I quickly learned that marketing wine through text and images on a dull, intangible computer screen is not easy compared to advertising a simple straightforward product such as a scented candle. I spent a considerable amount of time researching and editing copy with World Markets’ copywriter to provide customers with an extensive description of each wine along with a multitude of food pairings, giving the customer an experience similar to one they would receive in the store.

Next, I worked with the wine department and advertising photographer to shoot the bottle images. Finally, it was solely my task to use Photoshop to complete the three images needed to post on the Web. As my project progressed I worked with the Web designer to add more options to the product pages. We enhanced the pages with wine ratings and quotes from The Wine Advocate, Robert Parker Jr. and also included links. The first link sends the customer to the Wine News page, which advertises our wine programs and featured wine country of the month. The second link allows the customer to access a printer-friendly image of the product with its description and food pairings in addition to the option to enter the customer’s zip code and receive a map and directions to the nearest World Market. Essentially, the World Market Web site uses the “Search online, Buy in Store approach,” as at this time the Web site is simply a marketing tool to attract customers and direct them to the local World Market store to complete purchases.

After finishing my project I was able to run a statistical analysis on each category and subcategory of wine to cross-analyze the hits on the wine product pages and develop conclusive research for the department. I learned that marketing wine to a customer extends far beyond displaying the bottle and label, as the customer wants a clear understanding of the wine’s smell, flavor, and background, along with which foods create the best complement.

While posting wine on the Web site, marketing the grand openings of new stores, and creating Web versions of the weekly newspaper advertisements, World Market was gearing up for its entry into the e-commerce world. World Market is scheduled to launch the new Web site and sell products this November.

All of the preparation work was carried out this summer, and I was actively engaged in the process from day one. Interfacing with FRY, the Web site design company out of Chicago, I worked with the three other marketing department women to create wire-frames, user interface specs, and in the last week I was able to view and give feedback on the development comparatives, the actual design of the final Web pages. It was amazing to see where World Market is headed and to be an active participant in all meetings regarding the company’s Fall 2005 e-commerce launch. This learning experience expanded my textbook-trained eyes to absorb and appreciate the reality of the e-commerce channel as the new generation of marketing and retail.

Retail Management Institute - Santa Clara University
rmi.scu.edu