Lights, Sound, Action!

Retail stores are portrayed by visual image. This is very important for store planners to think about. The more merchandise a customer is exposed- the more they are willing to buy. In class, we talked about visual merchandising for store planning. There are three main store layout methods. Circulation/ Free flow layout (ex: boutiques), Grid Layout (ex: grocery stores), Loop Layout (ex: jewelry stores), and Spine Layout (ex: most retail stores- Limited Too). However, it is not just the merchandise and how everything is displayed, but it is the atmosphere as well. From the music playing in the store, to the lighting, and curtains in the fitting room visual merchandisers must pay attention to the fine details.
One of my favorite topics in the class was discussion about window displays. This is such a great way for retailers to grasp the attentions of new and old customers. Window displays can be used for advertising. When someone passes by a store in the mall or in a local shopping center, usually it is the window display that will be able to grasp their attention. In class, we were also able to view several window displays such as Apple and Bloomingdales. Usually companies will only pay attention to window displays during the holiday season. However, I strongly believe everyday should be a holiday with more window displays. When customers can visually see merchandise in a special setting on mannequins it will easily play into their imagination and they will want to try on the item.
Visual merchandising is not just about the layout of the store, but also the advertisements. Companies that are successful in retailing are also selling the lifestyle. No one wants to look at a magazine with a woman standing next to a bunch of flowers. Instead, why not take some photo shots in Italy, or create an adventure on an exotic cruse ship. Companies need to create a strong brand image. Think about or J-Crew. The store creates a unique atmosphere. Not just in the store- but also online.
Online stores can really add a lot of atmosphere. The background coloring on the web page can make a store look dull or very classy. Also, some music would be a very nice and sweet touch. Make the web page as convenient and simple to use. Always have a click of a button away from a shopping cart, and other items to point out that can help the customer match certain outfits. I think one girl suggested in my class- it would be nice if you could see the price of the actual total shopping cart while still surfing the internet.
Anyways, I know this blog post might have gotten a little off topic with the advertising- but that is only because I love the creative side of retailing. There is so much you can do with it!!!! Just Imagine!
Elizabeth :)

Brand Identity of Pampers

Brand Identity: It's not how people perceive the company. It's how the company wants their brand perceived.

From commercials with the happiest babies to packaging with pastel colors and smiles, Pampers strives for an identity that shows their loving nature. They make sure to emphasise their soft, sensitive, breathable diapers so that you know that they care about your baby as much as you do. Pampers' interest is not necessarily in having the strongest technology compared to leading brands. Advertisements are not constantly sharing statistics showing that they have the strongest grip or best chemicals in their diapers. They focus on their tender loving care that goes into their brand.

When I hear the word "Pampers", I think of happy, cute babies, diapers, and warm feelings. When other people hear the word "Pampers" they think of diapers, smiles, the yellow heart in the logo, pastel colors, care, happy babies, memories, and witnessing milestones in life such as "baby's first steps". Also, when people think of diapers, Pampers is one of the few brands they think of. Why? Because Pampers works to create brand awareness.

Pampers places their consistent logo in commercials, on packaging, on their website, and in many other kinds of advertisements. They keep a simple white rounded font, accent it with a yellow heart above, and usually put it on a pastel green background, and sometimes a few other pastel colored accents around it. Pampers chooses pastel colors to show the softness behind their company. Again, the heart above the logo symbolizes the loving care that they strive to be perceived as having. I also believe that the rays coming from the heart show that their love spreads out to people. For example, Pampers teamed up with UNICEF to help protect women and their newborns from tetanus. For every specially marked package that was sold, they donated the cost of one vaccine to UNICEF and ended up donating over 45 million vaccines. This action has shown consumers how Pampers works for the world to have a better tomorrow.

When you visit Pampers.com, you see many educational articles and online communities where adults can connect with the brand. This shows another aspect of their brand identity. They want to show parents that not only does the brand care about their babies, but Pampers also cares about them. Their brand value proposition says "The Pampers Parenting Institute is committed to providing parents with the best in information and support from the world’s leading experts in child health and development." This gives people hope and support when going through a very important part of their lives.

When babysitting, or picking things up at the grocery store for an aunt, I choose Pampers because they are a brand I have grown to trust and admire. Other people may choose Pampers because they recognize the brand and because they offer many extras along with their products such as the good feeling of donating vaccines to UNICEF, and expert parenting advice.

-Krystal

welcome back/top ten advertising agencies

Welcome back from the summer!

My teacher has assigned us a blog from another class, but it has to be independent. As I want to continue this one, I will post the posts from that blog to this one as well as add in a few extras here an there!

According to the textbook, Integrated Marketing Communications in Advertising and Promotion by Terence A. Shimp, the top ten U.S. ad agencies are as follows:

1. J. Walter Thompson
2. Leo Burnett Worldwide
3. McCann Erickson Worldwide
4. BBDO Worldwide
5. Grey Worldwide
6. DDB Worldwide
7. Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide
8. Foote, Cone, & Belding Worldwide
9. Y&R Advertising
10. Publicis Worldwide

I took the time to visit a few of the websites. The first two websites I visited were the top two ad agencies'. The commercial that caught my eye on the J. Walter Thompson site (http://www.jwt.com/) was the MTV campaign to raise awareness on the forced labor market. The video showed clips of interviews that were posted to a website where people seemed to be talking about supporting forced labor. As the buzz grew on youtube and metacafe, they later sent out pamplets and gave a website that showed what the campaign was really about, which was to raise awareness on the subject. According to the campaign, there are more people in slavery today than there ever have been in history. I believe this gives another, serious, side to MTV's identity. I believe it is a good campaign to run, and very thought out.

Leo Burnett (http://www.leoburnett.com/) had a few advertisements that I liked. Of course, I clicked on the McDonald's links. I found one commercial that I somewhat attached to. It was called Blink and it advertised a quick lunch: McDonald's McRice burger. It related the meal to the fast paced life that society has brought everyone to live in. Although it is a commercial advertising food that is concentrated toward Asians, I believe it does a good job of building a relationship with any viewer who has a TV while creating an association with a very popular food for the target market.

Also, being a pet lover, I liked the few little posters that Leo Burnett had on the website for the Toronto Humane Society. My favorite one depicted a cartoon dog on it that says "I am an excellent source of outside". I believe this connects with people today because as many active people as there are in the world, there are even more that stay inside and play with their new electronics. It shows there are things to do outside of technology, and also cures for older people to stay young. Also, it is interesting to give the impression that we need the animals, while the animals are the ones who need us.

Lastly, I visited the Publicis website (http://www.publicis.com/) because I wanted to see the parent organization to Leo Burnett. However, I was somewhat disappointed in the ads I saw on the site. While the Coca Cola Light commercial and the Ikea commercial were clever, I didn't feel that they had a strong sense of the product they were advertising. Sure, the drink could float because it was so light and the furniture is a good price, but there was nothing else to excite a consumer about the product. Is Coca Cola light that much better for me than regular Coke? The commercial definitely didn't tell me. I also didn't get to see any examples of the furniture at Ikea.

Krystal

The New Talbots

Hello all you blogger fans. I am here to talk about what I have experienced at Talbots this summer. For the past three years I have been a sales representative for the company. In the very beginning I felt Talbots should change their marketing strategies and cater their designs toward a younger image. However, this year Talbots has been making some major changes. And I have been very impressed with all of the new promotions and marketing strategies. These changes are everything I wanted for the company and I am so very happy.

Talbots is considered a clothing store for women who are 35 and older. However the body of a 35 year old woman is completely different than a 65 year old.

Women want to look young and beautiful. It is not typical that a 35 year old woman wants to buy the same outfit their mothers.

Talbots is known for their classic and structured clothing. Items are priced from $26-$180 depending on the merchandise.

During the fall of 2007, Talbots hired a new CEO Trudy F. Sullivan. Her brilliant experience as former president of Liz Claiborne Inc. and leadership role with J. Crew Inc. has been able to help Talbots significantly. She has been making all of the right sudden changes at the right time. When I walk into Talbots, I feel like it is a whole new store. From the product design side of fashion to the visual merchandising/advertising everything is changing for the better. The new image feels like an Older J. Crew.

There is a list of the changes that have been happening in our store.

1) Greeter- Talbots never had an official greeter until this year. There was always an employee that would talk to each customer that would walk into the store. This would benefit the company’s revenues by the end of the day. The greeter would talk about the promotions and make everyone feel welcome. It is the most important job because that is the first impression each customer has. Also by having a greeter at the front door would limit theft.

2) Phone calls- Talbots also called customers to let them know about the current promotions. This only happened once every 6 weeks or so. It would help bring customers into the store and spend more money.

3) The Catalogue- Talbots has changed the whole look of the catalogue. This is still in the current happening. And Talbots is not only selling their clothing with flowers in the back ground, but also selling the classic and luxurious lifestyle. Models are shown driving nice cars and playing preppy sports such as tennis, swimming, being on the beach, and golf. Also in the formal section- they created an atmosphere like Vogue. (this has helped the catalogue sales and brought in younger women to shop) The women in the magazine are younger than before and look happy, healthy, fun, and flirty.

4) Promotions such as coupons and double points when you use a Talbot’s credit card. (For every dolor that you spend at Talbots, it equals 1 point. If the points add up of 500 then the customer will receive a $25 dividend in the mail.

5) Change designers- I believe that the designers have changed at Talbots. Everything looks very preppy. The color choices for the clothing are bright, fun, yet very modern. They also developed a variety of jeans for women and accessories such as head bands and funky jewelry. There are more oxford and polo shirts than ever before. This is a smart choice because those are classic pieces that you can wear with almost anything (jeans, skirt, shorts, vest, sweater, ect.)

6) Visual Merchandising- Talbots has also decided to change the layout of their stores overnight every 3 weeks. This makes the store exciting and the merchandise never gets old for the customers. Things are clean and certain sections of the store will have designated spots for merchandise. (ex. Formal clothing in one section, shoes in another- rather than all over the place) Also the corporate office has sent visual posters to hang in the windows. The window displays are very different at Talbots because they used to only use mannequins. Now they have a large variety of props. (Oh- and the music in the store has changed to a more up bet style).

7) Online- They have been able to create a new introduction to the home page. There are more visual pictures and I can tell it is still in progress. However it is getting a whole lot better. They are not just creating

Things to keep in mind:

Because Talbots re-imaging their company, I just want you to know that there has been talk about the return policy. Talbots has always taken returns. It used to never matter how old the merchandise was, customers could take it back. However, there have been several customers that have abused the policy so I think Talbots is going to change it to a 60 day only return policy. This will surely help the company not lose any money. Also, stores will receive smaller shipments with maybe only one size in a small, medium, and large instead of three of the same size. This will allow the customers to feel like they are buying something very special and unique. Not just something everyone else owns. Also by the end of the year, Talbots will be no longer carry the men and children’s line.

I strongly believe Talbots will be able to increase their sales and keep up with the competition in the retailing world. This year will be a whole lot better. They are making very positive changes and able to bring in new customers with everything. I can already tell the customers who are coming into the store are younger than usual. Most of the newer faces seem to come out of the beginning stages of the working world looking for a classic style.

Fashion Week 2008

In New York City, I was able to visit and tour the design studio of Cynthia Steffe, a fashion designer. We all went to the show room, and was able to watch the runway video of Cynthia Steffe from Fashion Week Fall 2008. It was very exciting because all of the outfits that were displayed in the show room were the same ones on the video. Our group got to meet two of the assistants and they told us how they got started. In the fashion industry you need to know and love fashion to work for Cynthia Steffe. The assistants told us that it is very important to keep a positive attitude at all time. I learned that Cynthia Steffe does not yet have her own accessories line. Instead she used vintage shoes and hats to add some fair to her pieces on the runway. Each item had fine details such as texture, color, and pattern. The garments were made with the finest quality and different textiles.

Elizabeth :) p.s Under this Blog- I had to put the Oscar de la Renta video

DKNY- Visual Merchandising!

After all the talk and discussion about Visual merchandising in class, it made me think of all the things I saw in New York City. DKNY was one of my favorite visits because the layout of the store was very eye catching and unique. The atmosphere was very modern and comfortable. There were bright colors everywhere- And I LOVED IT! Both the store manager and visual managers introduced us to DKNY, and told us a little bit about Donna Karan. I learned a lot form the young visual manager. I love visual merchandising because you can be so creative. Its kind of like interior design, but you are trying to sell a story. When the customer travels through the store they are going to take on a certain feeling or mood. This is all done through the visuals of the store (color, light, sound, smell, ect.).
DKNY changes the layout of their store four times a year. This is done with a crew of men in the middle of the night. The young visual manager said it can sometimes be very hectic because there are so many people moving around. This season DKNY painted bicycles bright orange and placed them in the store and around the city during the New York Fashion Week to create some buzz. It was to go with the theme of "Explore Your City" yet some people complained that it was like Ghost Bikes (a memorial for people who have died from riding a bike in the city) and DKNY had to take them down. The intention of the bikes were suppose to be a good thing. And it thought it was a great idea. It's form of advertise was creative- just look up DKNY.com.
In the store, everything looked perfect. It was very awe-inspiring. I wish I had a picture of the inside of the store! DKNY also used window displays with large block letters spelling out "DKNY."


Elizabeth :)

Coach at Dillard's

I just started my job at Dillard's in February. In March, I got moved over to the Coach counter to sell Coach bags. I haven't fallen under the curse yet, but it is very tempting to buy one of these Coach handbags now.

I see girls pulling out their tip money from working at restaurants just to pay for one of these bags. I understand that Coach is a very high quality bag, and the name is extremely high dollar. However, we have bags by designers like Donald J. Pliner that aren't behind a counter, and just as high dollar as Coach. I actually think it is higher dollar than Coach, because his smallest bag is $425.00, while the average Coach bag behind the counter is around $398.00, but it is much larger.

So how does Coach have such a strong target market? Teenage girls spend all the money they have one a handbag, college students spend an entire month's rent on one, and older women routinely by a handbag once a month. Maybe its the consistently classic look that never goes out of style, or the few new pieces they come out with every month that give people something to look forward to by routine.

I'm personally awed by the new Tattersall pattern they came out with which has the coated canvas for easy cleanup.

-Krystal

Video Games!!!!

I strongly believe that the video gaming industry is helping retail stores such as Wal-mart, Target, Best Buy, Kmart, Circuit City, and Toys ‘R’ Us because it is such a popular item. According to Teenage Research Unlimited of Northbrook, Illinois, teens do not admit to playing with toys. Although this might be difficult to imagine, it is very true. One fact that amazes me is that 44 percent of video games is targeted toward children under the ages of 12 (Fetto, 2002). Also studies show families with children 6-17 years old will spend 75% more on toys and games. This is huge, and this means Americans will spend an estimated $25.7 billion on toys and games (Fetto 2002).

This is very important for retailers to understand that their customers will spend more on video games than ever before. After all, teenage boys are not the only ones who will play video games. There are games for people of all ages, and some games can be very family friendly and educational. Retailers who follow the trends of the young tweens and teenage generation will do very well. Also the Wii has been seen in nursing homes, and help patients in hospitals heal from some muscular or movement problems.

In conclusion, the world is becoming more innovated than ever before. Technology is the key to retailing in the future and one perfect place to start is the video gaming industry. Please tell me what you thing, and how many video games you own? Are you willing to spend 75% on the latest and coolest video game? Or do you like to wait and buy it used from other online sources? Retailers might also have a great deal.

Elizabeth :)

car technology to apparel technology?

Cars and phones seem to be some of the first things that pop up as far as technologically advanced. It would be awesome to see the following type of technology appear in fashion. There is a type of car paint that will have the illusion of changing colors as it drives by. I could DEFINITELY see this going ahead to clothes. A shirt that changes colors as it goes by could be a big hit.

Mary Kay car colors:
http://www.beepbeep.com/Global/story.asp?S=6366842&nav=menu230_1


We somewhat saw technology working itself in an earlier blog with the Metro Future Store. Cars are also working on this new thechnology keeping safety in mind. Radars are one thing being considered so that cars won't drive too close together. Its almost as if the driver won't be needed.

Driving by themselves?:
http://www.beepbeep.com/Global/story.asp?S=6367036&nav=menu230_1

Krystal

Inspiration for Burberry

As I look around for many resources where designers may get their inspiration from, my favorite comparison was Burberry Porsum's inspiration from a painter named L.S. Lowry.
They use the term "Urban Birds" to describe the feathers used in many of the coats/dresses.

In my opinion, the painting was portrayed perfectly on the runway:

Here is the style.com video of Burberry Porsum's Fall 2008 collection

-Krystal

NYC- Spring Break!

During Spring Break, I was able to go on the New York Study Fashion trip with a couple of students from my University- UNCG. It was such an exciting time, and I was able to meet a lot of people in the fashion industry.
Our first appointment was with Lectra Systems, a business software program that helps designers create apparel, and interiors. The first person to speak to our group was Hari Kenkare. He introduced us to Lectra Systems and told us that it was a global organization that reached $325 million in sales in 2007. Designers such as Prada, Coach, Nike, Dior, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Cline, Dolce&Gibbana, Louis Vuiton, Victoria’s Secret, and Abercrombie & Fitch all use Lectra Systems. These companies will use Lectra Systems to create furniture; design fashion, such as apparel, accessories, and footwear; and also design automotive accessories like car seats and interiors.
I learned that Market Making Solutions, by Lectra Systems can make designs and patterns, and that with the Modaris 3D fit, the styles and patterns can be put into a real life setting to help the designers with their creativity. The system can also convert measurements and modify patterns and fits. The seams will be a able to fit together to make the perfect t-shirt, and a pair of pants can be converted into six or seven other sizes with only the click of a button. The software is so advanced; it can save original designs or patterns for later changes. One really amazing feature was that the clothing designs can be viewed on a pamographic model. The program and change the model’s weight, height, and color of skin.

James Ronagham showed our group the different design solutions, and textile creations. I learned a lot about the Keleado 3D product and how there are over 4,000 different weaves of fabric a fashion designer can choose for any knitted clothing. This shortens the process of confusion when the designers go to the textile mills to produce a certain product.

Our second visit was my favorite of the day. We all went to the design studio of Patricia Underwood, a famous hat designer. Our group was not able to meet Patricia Underwood in person; however we did meet her assistant. The moment I walked into the door, there were hats lined up everywhere, and I absolutely loved it! When we entered into the assistant’s office, there were a variety of colorful hats such as bright orange, blue, yellow, purple, and green. I learned that these hats were supposed to go on the New York Fashion Week Fall 2008 with Ralph Lauren designs, yet at the last minute, he decided to change his mind. I never knew Patricia Underwood got her inspirations from designers and their creative outfit pieces. I learned that a hat is not just a hat. Instead, it is part of a person’s whole individual look. Patricia Underwood will look at designers’ runway clothing, and suggest a certain style of hat. I learned it is best if a dress or outfit has a high neck line, then the hat should be smaller. The only time an oversize hat looks best is if the neck line is cut very low, or there is a large dip in the back of a person’s outfit. Meanwhile, our group observed the hat creators in the studio. I learned that each hat-block that molds and forms the hats are worth $25,000. I was truly amazed, and afterwards, I was able to try on a hat and check it out for size. These hats cost from $400-$2,500. Some were made with real fur, and others had delicate weaving patterns. Patricia Underwood hats have a life time guarantee. They will replace a customer’s sweat band, or adjust parts of an older hat to make it look brand new. The time I spent in the studio made me want to buy a hat and show off its class and style. On the way out, we passed the design studio of Victoria’s Secret. It was located in the same building of Patricia Underwood, so I had to take a picture! Later that day our group toured other places, and that week was filled with several busy events.

I was also able to see "Mama Mia" on Broadway! It was truly amazing. We found a half price ticket booth in the Times Square area. Can you believe we actually got fount row seats! It was the best deal ever! We were so very happy. It was such a fun and awesome experience!
Elizabeth :)

Mall Business

What makes a business successful in a mall? What makes a mall successful? Many malls are flourishing while others are ghost towns. It seems like the exact same business could be in one mall and be nothing but failure, then be in another mall and its successful.

I was suprised to go to a mall in Asheville this past weekend, a perfectly busy enough city, a large number of shops, and an attractive layout. However, I was in there on a Friday night, and it was completely dead.

Location is my first guess as to why a mall may or may not be successful. Most of the malls that I know of that are more successful, you can see from right off the highway. They also look impressive from the outside. While it may not make someone driving down the road want to stop right then and there to go shopping, it will make it well known for next time they're driving down the road. The first time I passed by the Concord Mills Mall in Concord was on the way to a softball tournament. Since we had breaks that lasted several hours long between games, the team would go find somewhere to eat and rest in the air conditioning. If Concord Mills Mall was not right off the highway, my family would not have known about it and went there during our break.

I can not imagine another reason that this mall was empty. It had more stores than our very own Four Seasons Mall here in Greensboro has. It also had an awesome smoothie place in an atmospheric foodcourt.

While there are many other reasons that may affect a mall's success, I feel that loacation is the main reason. However, feedback and difference in opinion is welcome.
Krystal

Just some interesting infromation...TOYS

Over the past couple of weeks I have been working on a study about Toys ‘R’ Us Co. This was a group assignment, and we had to create an in-depth profile of any retail store. My group decided to pick Toys ‘R’ Us because they have a strong brand image around the world. According to the US Census Bureau, the number of children aged 0-4 years is expecting to rise 11% from 2000 to 2010 (Datamonitor, 2007). This is faster than the growing rate of 9.5% in the total population (Datamonitor, 2007). This is strongly affected by the spending habits of the children’s parents, aunts, uncles, friends, grandmothers, and grandfather.

One interesting fact I discovered was in March 2006, evidence proved that 73% of adult respondents said that their children influenced them to purchase a product by throwing a tantrum and pestering (Mintel, 2007). This is amazing, and made me think of all the advertisements that influence children to want certain items. Younger children and tweens will watch the morning or after school programs featuring certain advertisements. There are popular channels such as Disney, Cartoon Network, MTV, and Nickelodeon culturally influencing children to want a certain item, style or clothing, or the way they should behave.

Trends for children and tweens can be affected by society and the high demands of peer pressure to “fit in,” or “look cool.” MySpace, Facebook, and American Online Instant Messaging (AOL) expose millions of advertisements toward the younger generation. Also celebrity star actress and singer such as “Hannah Montana, and television shows as “The Bell Ring,” or "Tomas the Tank Engine & Friends” influence children in the American society to proceed a certain way (tv.com/children).

All of these demographic trends are very important for Toys ‘R’ Us in their marketing strategies. They have such a strong brand image and able to reach $130 billion in 2006 (Datamonitor). In 2010 they are expecting to reach $329 billion with in store sales and the internet The internet is the key to reach out to more customers, and keep them happy!

Elizabeth :)

Fashion: An Identity?

The first thing you learn when you get into a class dealing with fashion is that fashion creates an identity. So why are runways featuring men with more woman-like clothing (such as Prada featuring mini-skirts outside of men's pants), and women with the "boyfriend" suits on? Gender is part of your identity. The biggest fad of this season is combining the two genders to be more alike to portray equality.

There are many complaints about retailers not jumping on the population majorities such as making clothes that fit Hispanics better because they are built differently, and making more lines that fit the overweight population of America (which is more than 60% of the population) because they are built differently, too. However, men are built differently than women, so why are their clothes becoming more uniform with eachother?

While I don't have a problem with the idea of metrosexual dress types, there are still people that dont identify with that style. So how are they going to create their own identity if the new style is to wear clothes that are similar with the opposite gender?

I personally like the clothing, and the message behind the clothing that states that women are equal to men. But the question of identity comes into play. If there are any other thoughts out in the world on this topic, feel free to comment.

Krystal

New York Fashion Week, Fall 2008

The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Fall 2008 was held Feb. 1st-8th. It was an exciting time for the runway with several designers pulling their creative ideas from past historical events to other cultural aspects of life. Fashion designers, such as Vera Wang, Anna Sui, Michael Kors, Perrie Ellis, Betsey Johnson, Calvin Klein and many more were able to show the runway their latest ideas.
The skinny leather pants with the high heal were very popular on the runway. Also there were significant amounts of fur used in jackets and longer coats. High waist pants and skinny belts were used to signify a woman's waist and attribute to here natural curves. Also there were short shorts with high waisted belts. Neutral and black tights were worn under garments. Fabric flowed as the models walked, and ruffles were used especially in evening formal apparel.
My favorite designer for the New York Fashion Week was Anna Sui. I could appreciate here creativity because I could tell she was trying to embrace other cultrues with here choice of color, pattern, and style. Several of her items looked similar to the Native American Indian culture, which I strongly believe is very interesting- (after all they were the first peopel in America to wear clothing). Also, I felt she was trying to identiy with the Asian culture with the similar Kimono style and the way garments wrapped around the body. There seemed to be a lot of cultural traditions embrased in the color choices she made with the garments.
Elizabeth

Metro Future Store

In our Retailing Class, our professor introduced a YouTube video describing how technology will be used in the future. Imagine going to the local grocery store and everything is right there from a click of a button to high tech-gadgets. How is this possible? With German radio frequency (RFID) products of technology. These items include a digital grocery list, a portable scanner, navigation system which can locate items in the store, and creative advertising with technology. The future sounds so exciting and I strongly believe it is perfect time for our society to try something like this because technology is the latest trend.
The radio frequency program is IBM based and has been tested and studied by several scientists. In class, this made me very excited because it allowed me to think and take time about all of the things which will be waiting to happen in the next 10-15years.
For the future I would like to suggest a digital grocery list connected to cell phones becuase it is a device several Americans and pretty much all global peopel use.

Other ideas about the future? Please post your ideas on this blog! Someone in our class discussed how they would love to have a refrigerator locate experation dates on certain items in the fridge. I think that this would be a wonderful idea and very helpful.

The paterns of people's lifestyes are going to change becuase of the future. I strongly believe this will be for the very best. Shopping for someone in a retailing store will not be the same. Instead, technology will tell a person's height, exact size, and color favorites and picking out a perfect outfit for your great-aunt, or best friend won't be that hard. I can not wait to see how retailing will change with the latest technology. There is so much to explore.
Elizabeth :)

Talbots for Women

In our retailing class we are discussing how to understand our target market. The reason why retailers need to know their customers is simply because it will enable them to understand the customer’s needs, desires, and behaviors of shopping. The better you understand consumers, the better retailer you will become.

Our professor asked us to take one store and discuss their customer and identify an in-depth profile. She asked us to discuss the generation and what major trends and events affected them in the past and how does this influence them as customers.

I decided to pick Talbots because I have been an employee for about two years, and have experianced the high demand for women who are getting older. A lot of woman who shop at Talbots are 35+ years old. I strongly believe that these woman what to look classy yet very beautiful as their bodies change, because they are being influenced by society that woman should look as young as they possibly can. This might mean dying your hair the shade of natural color rather than any grays flying in the way, always putting some kind of formula on your face to keep wrinkles away, and possibly getting plastic surgery.

These women who shop at Talbots are usually mothers, aunts, grandmothers, a wife, a friend, business woman, or teacher to society. These women have been through so much. Weather is was raising a child, finding a job, losing a husband or mother or father, recovering from a divorce or trying to recover from cancer or some other type of operation these women have been through so much. And these events really affect a woman’s way to shop.

The events that might affect the customer’s behaviors of shopping: I have had a woman who just had a new born baby trying to find new clothes because she said she had nothing that fit her right. Also, I have had a mother shop for a mother of the bride dress. And there have also been the customers who just want to shop to impress, or going to a business interview and need a new outfit. There are also several women who have to go to some type of party, school event, or even a cook-out trying to find something cute yet very comfortable that has quality.

Economically, Talbots is a high end store for women who are classy. From doctor’s wives to singles that are living off of social security – it just shows that there is a high demand for woman’s clothing who are 35 and up.

Talbots offers a petit, misses (regular size), and plus size clothing for all woman. With my experience in the location that I work, there are a lot of White, African-American, and Asian woman who shop at Talbots. I have come across some Hispanics women but not as much.

Elizabeth

Customer Profile: Bath & Body Works

Using Market Segmentation, retailers portray who their customers are. They break down their masses of consumer populations into smaller groups based on their characteristics. Bath & Body Works, for example, may have various types of people come into their store, buying all sorts of things. Using Market Segmentation, they may split up their consumers into groups, such as the middle schoolers that come in and buy a small bottle of lotion, the highschoolers that stop in for christmas/birthday packages, the college students that buy wallflowers for their dorm rooms, and the older women that go in and buy entire bag-fulls of scented candles and skincare products for themselves and friends.

When establishing Bath & Body Works' customer profile, the concentration is put on the consumers who go to Bath & Body Works specifically to find something and to spend their money. Their main customers are older women, especially the ones who have daughters in school. These women are women that think they need to restock their showers with scented shower gel and handsoaps. They frequently visit the mall, to buy things for their daughters, and they think that things bought at the mall are higher quality than what is bought at a grocery store or convenience store. When they go to Bath & Body Works with their daughters, they spend even more, because they buy their favorite scent, their daughters' favorite scents, and anything that their daughters may spot in the clearance baskets that they would have missed.

Bath & Body Works accomodates these consumers very well and makes sure that they see their store as higher than their competitors (such as the grocery stores and convenience stores that have shower gels and air fresheners available). They have a wide variety of scents and always come out with more. They also have several scents that have been around for a while so that no one ever misses their all-time favorite scent.

Krystal

Krystal's S.W.O.T analysis

As Elizabeth has already posted a blog on a SWOT analysis, she has already illustrated its definition and what it does for a company. I would now like to post about who I am and my attributes through a SWOT analysis of my own.

Strengths are internal attributes that put you ahead. Some of my own strengths include my determination to succeed, my athletic ability which will keep me in good health throughout my life, I am very hard working which a lot of employers love, I have a loving family that will always support me, I have a love of learning that keeps me moving forward, I am very intelligent, I'm punctual, and I love to interact with others.

Weaknesses are internal characteristics that may need to be fixed or they may drag you behind. I try not to make my weaknesses too obvious, but for blogging purposes, I suppose that I should come up with a few. Even though I love interacting with others, I can sometimes be shy. I feel like I may miss out on some amazing people just because I can be scared to step forward and talk first. I am also very self critical. If something I do seems a little off, I automatically put myself down and see everyone else as higher than me. It is a weakness because I don't jump into opportunities sometimes because of it.

Opportunities are external things that influence you in a positive way. A very recent opportunity that has appealed to me is a job opportunity. I just got hired at Dillard's and I start on February 12th. I am somewhat nervous about meeting sales per hour, but I feel confident that taking this opportunity will lead to a bigger future in retail. I also have an opportunity to graduate early, or with very few classes my senior year. Taking this opportunity will allow me to further my search in a future, more permanent career and get set on my feet before I am out of school.

Threats are external events or happenings that influence you in a negative way. Some of my threats include other people that are competition for my opportunities, such as other applicants to Dillard's. Another threat could be any current events that may affect the retailing industry. Rising gas prices and online retailing may be opportunities to retailing as a whole, but threats to anyone trying to run an in-store process. Unless I find an opportunity with online retailing, these current events to society may pose as a threat to me.

Although I have a longer list of Strengths and Opportunities, it is hard to gauge how heavily my weaknesses and threats will burden me. As for now, however, I do not feel that they outweigh my strengths and opportunities.
Krystal

S.W.O.T Analysis

In our RCS 261 class we have discussed Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats (S.W.O.T) of certain companies. In class we did a S.W.O.T analysis on Target- and looked at the internal and external views of the company.

Our professor asked us to write a S.W.O.T analysis on ourselves and to post it onto our blogs.

My Strengths: friendly, outgoing, honest,loves fashion, hard working, dedicated, loving daughter and sister to family, care about others, never give up, always try my best, eager to learn, want to be successful, always happy, great cook, creative, and easy to talk to, classy, great decorator, always on time.

My Weakness- allergic to dust and mold

My Opportunities- Attend the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is a Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies Major in Retailing, Great job opportunities, playing more club tennis, traveling, visiting family, New York Fashion Study Trip coming soon, meeting new friends, taking exciting classes, success, and living a wonderful life.

My Threats- Not may people have hurd of UNC-G, and it might cause more cometition in the work force. Also the price of gas keep rising, environmental issues such as global warming in the future, and any other threats to society.

Elizabeth

MIssions Statement

In RCS 261 our class has been discussing strategic planning for firms to reach their goal as an ever changing retail environment. One way is to start out with a mission’s statement describing core values, the purpose of the firm, and visionary goals for the retailer. Our second assignment for this course was to write a missions statement about our self and to post it on the blog.

My missions’ statement would be based on my gifts of strong morals, eagerness to learn new concepts, and to reach my goal of happiness. I strongly believe my mission’s statement will lead me in a great path full of satisfaction and happiness. I am like a flower bud- just waiting to show life what living is all about.

My mission’s statement would be: To show others the beauty within themselves by loving others as I would want someone to love me, to stay open minded, and to be enthusiastic about daily life.

Elizabeth

Krystal's Mission Statement

In our CRS class, we have been studying mission statements of different companies. A mission statement lets the consumer know what a company's rationale and direction are, and also gives the consumer a basic description of their fundamental nature. Therefore my mission statement would include my morals, my goals, and where I'm trying to get in life.

I am a girl with my eyes fixed on success. I have never had a sip of alcohol, a puff of a cigarette, or any other kind of drug in my life. It's not that I look down on it. These obstacles are just not going to make the line between now and a successful future any straighter. I'm not exactly sure where the road to success ends right now, I just know what kind of environment I want to live in. That environment includes things that can only be achieved through success.

Care is another thing that is mixed into my mission statement. I have so much care for everyone close to me. Every milestone that I pass by in life makes me more and more appreciative of them. As much credit that I give myself for being independent, you need love and happiness to get through any obstacle life may throw at you.

To make it more brief, my mission statement would sound better as follows:
Strive for a successful future by being successful now, and loving and caring others along the way.
Krystal

Holiday Online

Over the holiday season, consumers frantically contemplate what to buy their friends, family, and relatives. Everything on the internet is at their fingertips. The internet was a great way during the 2007 season because of various reasons such as no shipping charges, no traffic to deal with, or waiting in long lines at a store.

This may have hurt some retailers, but it was definitely beneficial for the consumers. Internet retailers made a point to get the customer on the web. They sent emails to current customers, plastered advertisements everywhere, and even on the airplanes.

Most everybody travels during the holiday season. Just imagine sitting on a plane. You haven't had time to think about presents yet, after all you just started your vacation! The solution sits right in front of you. Sky Mall!

What is Sky Mall? It is a catalogue for the internet containing all different types of products. From the coolest gadget, to the swimming pool you may put in your backyard. Sky Mall has anything and everything. It's internet shopping on paper. You can even take it home! This really helped the stress of the consumers.

It's amazing how companies actually prefer you to shop online. Even Target provides a monitor inside their stores so that you can order from online. After a long day of searching the web, other companies offer superb specials that you can't get from the store itself. For example, Papa John's offers free cheesesticks with the purchase of a large pizza, but ONLY if you order online.

Obviously, online shopping has benefitted the consumers this past holiday season. It is becoming more popular with every target market.

References:
http://www.skymall.com/
http://www.papajohns.com/

Krystal & Elizabeth

intro

Hello to everyone in the retailing world!

Welcome to our blog. We hope you enjoy every aspect of it. We are currently students in a Retailing class at UNC Greensboro. Every week we will be posting about the latest discussions from our class. Feel free to comment on anything we post.



Krystal & Elizabeth