Kishimo-Jin gets its business from the segment of the market which includes females aged 15-30 with a large amount of money to spend and who are very fashion and image conscious. Kishimo-Jin also attracts women who have less income but occasionally treat themselves.
Kishimo-Jin attracts its market by offering more unusual items of clothing. As well as its own range it also sells a large number of brand named products. By doing this, it attracts women who are designer label conscious and are willing to spend more money. The clothes are sometimes original and of high quality.
The shop is small and because of this offers a personal feel. The shop layout is stylish and more expensive looking with wooden floors. There are lots of shop assistants who are willing to help individual customer pick out an outfit or offer advice. This helps to give the shop a “boutique” like feel. This it separates it from the other high street clothes shop because it makes the customer feel special.
The exterior of the shop echoes the more stylish image. There isn’t a real window display but the clothes on the rails are visible.
The survey told me that some younger women occasionally browse the shop but rarely purchase anything because of the high prices. The women who often purchase items are older and of a higher income, fashion and quality are important to them.
Shop 2-Next
Next has a target market of 18-40 year old women on a medium to high income. Often these women are working or mothers of young children with good incomes
Next offers good quality averagely priced clothes, shoes jewellery and accessories. There is a very large range of clothes for women and Menswear, Childrenswear and Next Interiors (a range offering goods for the home e.g. Curtains). By offering such a huge variety of products Next broadens its market to cater for the whole family. This makes it very popular with the modern working mother. All the clothes, both casual and smart, are fashionable and modern.
There are two Next shops in St. Albans, one with the Womenswear, Menswear and Interiors and the other with just Childreswear The Interior of the shops are modern, clean and organised yet full of items. The shop fronts are simple but the Next sign stands out as this is a well-known symbol of the shop.
My survey told me that many of the people in Next look around the store each time they visit the town centre because they know what it offers and think they will be able to find something they like. The women who are regular customers like the image and style of the clothing as well as the quality and price.
Shop 3-Pilot
Pilot’s target market is females aged 10-20 who don’t have a lot of money to spend. Generally women this age are at school or students with low incomes.
To attract this market Pilot offers young, fashionable clothes at generally low prices they are able to this because the quality is not always very good. The range is very specific and so mainly provides clothes for going out at night as well as some casual clothes. It does not offer any shoes or accessories.
The shop always seems to have a sale, which means that the shop often has a large glut of certain products. As well as helping to clear the market it also help to attract the target segment of the market because the possible low prices appeal to people who are looking to save money.
The interior of the shop is modern but quite cheap looking. The floor and walls are all white and there is a lot of bright artificial lighting. Music is also used to attract the target market into the shop. The music played is popular with the market they are trying to attract and so may help to grab people attention as they walk past. The window displays outfits which are sold inside this helps to attract customers inside as if they see something they like and want to look in the shop.
My survey told me that the people in the shop normally browse around the shop each time they visit St. Albans City centre and will occasionally or often buy something. They feel the shop offers them value for money and a wide fashionable range.
Conclusion
All three clothes shops, which I investigated segmented the market successfully. They all used similar criteria to segment the market but some were more important than others were. For example, income was the most important factor for Kishimo-Jin as well as for Pilot but Pilot also relies on the age of the customer. However Next used lifestyle as a key factor in their market segmentation.
Each shop attracted their target market by using the image of the shop which includes the window display and layout of the shop. However, the most important factors for shops to consider when trying to attract their target market is the style and type of clothes they sell as well as the price and value for money they offer. These two things are important because they effect the demand for the products
Next uses the method of broadening its market to include the whole family to successfully attract its market. However Next also shows signs of trying to change its market. By changing its clothing style it now competes with Gap and previously by offering Menswear, Childrenswear and Interiors is has moved to compete with Laura Ashley and BHS. Next can do this as it is a well known shop and people will be willing to try its new ideas.
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