Tutor needs to write about anything they like in 2 pages. Content should be well linked with this business plan. Kindly think of something else and don't repeat what's already written in the business

The Local Box

Try Local, Buy Local, Support Local

Muhammad Khatri, Stephan Laurin, Dalveer Mann, Megan Nichols, and Tamara Thurlbeck

Asper School of Business, The University of Manitoba

MKT 3230: Consumer Behaviour

Namita Bhatnagar

December 13, 2021

The Local Box will offer a variety of products from local Manitoba businesses. From products like home décor, food and drink, sweets, accessories, things to do, and personal care, the Local Box will have something for almost every subscriber. Not only does this promote local businesses within our community but it gets these companies out in front of a potentially new or untapped customer base. By supporting local businesses, we, and the new customers these local businesses get, keep the money in Manitoba which will help strengthen Manitoba’s economy that has suffered over the last 21 months. By partnering with local businesses like Evergreen Ceramics, Assiniboine Park Conservatory, and Jenna Rae Cakes, a product selection can be offered that appeals to the target market.

The Local Box will offer a variety of products that will change each season. Every four months , a selection of 5-7 local businesses will partner with Local Box to curate a fun, exciting, and functional box. The subscriber will have the option to customize these 5-7 products. In the customization process the consumer will choose 3-5 products from each local business to add to their box. This gives the subscriber the option to pick items they can use, have not tried, or want. There will also be an option to have a randomized box in which the Local Box will contain random products from the local organizations we partnered with during that season. When the customized Local Box is being packed up, additional local businesses and future partners will have the opportunity to advertise to the subscribers receiving the box through information cards and coupons put inside that season’s box. The delivery of the box will be carried out by the Local Box team to Winnipeg and the surrounding area, and as the business grows so will the delivery area.

Pricing the Local Box will require a balance of value with providing high quality and appealing items. Competitor boxes range from $49 to $199 plus shipping and include about 5-8 products. Where Local Box stands apart is that since it is currently only a local box, shipping charges will not be a major factor in pricing as customers can either pick up the boxes themselves, and delivery is only within the city limits and provided by the Local Box team, not a carrier. Shipping charges are anticipated to change as the business and delivery area grow but can currently be absorbed in the price of the box. Pricing of the box itself will be kept within the competitor range and is anticipated to fall between the $79-$89 per seasonal box (shipping included). Of course, the first few months of boxes sold will require a leap of faith (by providing discounts on their items in the box) from the partners as their return on investment will not be known right away. As the box gains subscribers and popularity, more accurate forecasts can be made. Also incorporated into the price of the box will be the portion of proceeds that will be donated to local charities. For every Local Box purchased, 5% of the proceeds will go towards supporting local charities. The charity will be selected by the subscriber each purchase so the subscriber has the choice to support whichever charity they want. They can change which charity they support with each box purchased if they choose. By supporting these local charities Local Box is further enabling Manitoba’s economy to keep moving while helping the community.

Charities that the Local Box will partner with includes:

• Ronald McDonald House

• Resource Assistance for Youth (RAY)

• Siloam Mission

• Winnipeg Harvest

• Bear Clan

• Winnipeg Pet Rescue Shelter

• Dream Factory

• The Edge Skate Park

• Robb Nash Project

• Main Street Project

Local Box partner ideas:

Similar Canadian or ships to Canada subscription boxes:

Multi-Attitude Model

The first attribute we looked at with respect to The Local Box and its competitors was the price. With the Local Box being a new product and not having outstanding relationships or partnerships with local companies, they’re price is going to be higher than the already established competitors. Upon building relationships with local organizations, the Local Box will work with their price and maximize economies of scale in the industry.

Next, we looked at shipping. The competitors outlined above ship their boxes all across the United States as well as Canada. The Local Box is currently only looking to penetrate the local market, so as a result shipping of the boxes is done by the Local Box team and delivery is only available within the city limits. As a result, our box scored especially low in this category.

The Local Box offers exceptional value with their box and continues to partner with more local organizations to grow their brand. The Alltrue Box advertises on their website that their boxes include up to $250 worth of value which is exceptional for the price they offer. The FabFitFun Box does not market the value of what is in their boxes; however, the reviews do say that the value offered is satisfactory.

Next, we looked at the product categories and what is actually included in the box. This is where the Local Box begins to find itself with an edge over its competitors. By offering such a wide array of categories from food, to drinks, to accessories, and even activities to do locally, the Local Box appeals to a huge market in this sense. The other two boxes are fairly limited in what they offer in that it is mostly beauty, home décor, health and wellness, and fashion. The Local Box offers all these categories and more, making the Local Box stand apart from their competitors in this attribute.

Another category where the Local Box has an edge on its competitors is with regards to customization and picking what is included in the box. The Local Box is fully customizable and is completely up to the subscriber on what is contained in their box. The two competitor boxes offer limited customizability which means the subscriber can choose a few items to include in their box, but some items come as a surprise. The Local Box recognizes that some subscribers do want the surprise aspect of ordering a subscription box and offer limited customizability as well. However, they attend to the subscribers who want to fully customize their box as well which is reflected in the higher price point of the box.

Finally, the real differentiator between the Local Box and competitor subscription boxes is the local CSR and taking care of the community. The Local Box donates 5% of every box purchased to local charities picked by the subscriber. These charities are constantly changing and new local organizations will be made available to donate to each season. This is a huge aspect of the Local Box and is something that especially sets them apart from their competitors.

Overall, the Local Box compares relatively well to its main competitors. Being a new box and currently only looking to penetrate the local market, the price and shipping availability of the Local Box is a major downfall compared to its competitors. Where the Local Box creates a competitive advantage is with regards to compete customizability, large array of product categories, as well as CSR. The Local Box looks to edge out their competitors in the niche market of Winnipeg and the surrounding area before looking to expand to a larger market. This is an extremely competitive industry with many existing competitors already having an established clientele, so capitalizing on the local market of Winnipeg and building a subscription base should prove positive in the long run.

References

TGR: Annual Subscription. (n.d.) The Gift Refinery. Retrieved November 2, 2021, from https://thegiftrefinery.ca/collections/subscription-box/products/tgr-annual-subscription

Acre75 Gathered. (n.d.) Acre75. Retrieved November 2, 2021, from https://acre75.ca/products/acre75-gathered-subscription-box

Acre75 Gathered. (n.d.) Acre75. Retrieved November 23, 2021, from https://acre75.ca/pages/acre75-gathered-faqs

Let’s Go Eco. (n.d.) Retrieved November 2, 2021, from https://letsgoeco.com/products/eco-friendly-subscription-box

FabFitFun. (n.d.) Retrieved November 2, 2021, from https://fabfitfun.com/get-the-box/

Payment Options. (n.d.) Canadian Beauty Box. Retrieved November 2, 2021, from https://canadian-beauty.cratejoy.com/subscribe/1834333172_canadian-beauty-box/1834333167_Monthly

Shop. (n.d.) Nature’s Wellness Box. Retrieved November 2, 2021, from https://www.natureswellnessbox.com/shop

What is the Jilly Box?. (n.d.) The Jilly Box. Retrieved November 2, 2021, from https://jillybox.com/pages/about-the-jilly-box

Subscribe. (n.d.) Loti Wellness. Retrieved November 2, 2021, from https://lotiwellness.com/subscribe/

Choose a Plan. (n.d.) Alltrue. Retrieved November 2, 2021, from https://shop.alltrue.com/app/subscribe?_ga=2.41159786.950975105.1637693270-1800412948.1636124541