Strengthening Web Presence
Jessica Peterson
Rasmussen College

Author Note
This paper is being submitted on April 19th, 2015 for Inu Sengupta’s Spring Management of Information Systems Claass

Module 1- Course Project

Peapod is an online grocery store, which was founded in 1989 by two brothers, Andrew, and Parkinson Thomas. It has steadily grown from being a family business and delivery service into being the country’s leading online grocer. More than twenty-three million orders are delivered in the target markets for the company, at Illinois in the United States. The company has partnered to provide services with the international food provider, Royal Ahold, and other major giant food stores. Customs order their groceries weeks or days prior to their delivery, or even a day in advance. Customers are allowed to make choices on the preferred days they would like to receive their ordered supplies, and this makes it convenient for the customers. This paper addresses the necessary information technology needs and projects that the company should undertake to ensure its success.

Online businesses need to make a major step towards improving their online presence and attract more of their consumers. Several factors should be put into consideration in order to ensure Peapod Company creates a stronger online presence in the industry. Peapod should have an efficient content platform (Hansen, 2010). Most of what happens in the online business activities between the consumers and the company revolves around content. This involves the provision of critical information to consumers and ensuring that it can easily be accessed. This will enable peapod to have an insight into the market, outdo competitors and understand important keyword phrases used to refer to certain important commodities or activities for Peapod Company.

Thirdly, peapod should develop email marketing. This is the most effective strategy towards building a more online presence. Through email marketing, Peapod will always have an engaged email list for customers, who are eager to get information concerning the company and the services provided. Social media marketing is the final method of building an online presence. Company advertisements could be made more appealing and ensure they cover a wide range of the market. Here, the company is expected to learn how markets use the social media and when they can access such services. This will enable peapod to claim a larger market portion for its products.

The most favorable element in Peapod Company’s website is the availability of information on the products offered in the company together with their prices. This is convenient for customers. Most customers browse company’s website that shopping online to determine and compare products with those of other companies and their prices too. Peapods website, though appealing and extremely convenient for its market segments, has two major attributes that consumers find unappealing. The information in the website cannot be accessed by members from specific regions. The products and services offered are limited to various areas hence not everyone can log into the website and access information required (Weiss, 2012). The second attribute that I found displeasing in the peapod website is the processes and database used to access information. Processes are involved, and this may limit web users, due to time wastage and lack of knowledge on how to access their desired information on commodities at ease.

Peapod should incorporate various data in the website to help with their online conversions. Sales units are expected to represent the smallest unit a commodity can be broken down and sold in the company. At Peapod, grocery and other products are sold