Merchandising of Intangible Services in a Digital Environment: Brand Positioning Strategies and Conversion Optimization

Abstract

Purpose. The article investigates the specific application of merchandising tools to intangible services within digital environments and develops substantiated strategies for brand positioning and conversion rate improvement, using an author-developed, theoretically modeled online English language school as a case study. The project is designed as a conceptual business model created by the author and serves as a foundation for analyzing potential opportunities, limitations, and risks associated with the implementation of such strategies in real-world conditions. Methods. The research employs a systematic analysis of scholarly literature on digital marketing, service merchandising, and brand management; a case study method applied to the author's theoretical online school project; content analysis of landing pages and sales funnels of leading online education market participants; and a comparative analysis of conversion metrics before and after the hypothetical implementation of the proposed strategic solutions. Results. The findings demonstrate that classical merchandising principles product display, space management, and consumer journey formation can be successfully transformed into digital formats through UX/UI design, information architecture, personalized recommendation algorithms, and multichannel brand presence. The case study of the online English school shows that the consistent implementation of digital merchandising can potentially increase the visitor-to-enrolled-student conversion rate by 23–31% and audience retention by 17%. Key determinants of effective brand positioning in educational services were identified as instructor credibility, social proof (reviews, number of graduates), transparency of the learning process, and emotional alignment with brand values. Conclusions. The results affirm the need for a dedicated methodological framework for intangible service merchandising in digital environments, which differs fundamentally from traditional retail approaches and requires the integration of marketing, psychological, and UX competencies.