Cooperation with Cityring Dortmund
Last semester, three master students worked on the question of how stationary retail in downtown Dortmund can be supported with the help of an online marketplace. Their results show that the marketplace should be designed in such a way that it does not compete with the stationary trade in Dortmund. Instead, the platform should make the city center more attractive in the future.
In cooperation with Cityring Dortmund e.V., the problem was examined from various perspectives. Both potential customers and business owners of the Dortmund city center were interviewed about a potential online marketplace and had the opportunity to express both suggestions and concerns about such a project. In addition, similar projects in Germany were examined as part of a best-practice analysis and project initiators were asked about their experiences with introducing online marketplaces to support stationary retail. The results provide Cityring Dortmund with an important basis for pushing ahead with the project, which is still in the beginning.