Chapter 4 - Pearson
Chapter 4 - Pearson
Chapter 4 - Pearson
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dia76827_ch04.qxd 11/29/04 7:55 PM Page 91<br />
CHAPTER 4 The Fashion Consumer: Identification and Analysis 91<br />
Two young girls at Christmas.<br />
(Andy Crawford © Dorling Kindersley)<br />
more studies will be undertaken to see if the shopping motives of the off-site purchasers are<br />
the same as those who shop in the brick-and-mortar operations.<br />
Reexamination of Demographics<br />
Many merchants who have extended their brick-and-mortar operations toward multichannel<br />
retailing will consider intensive investigation of demographics. With the expanded trading<br />
areas affording more business to these retailers, it will be necessary to research their newfound<br />
consumer markets such as Web sites and catalogs and to see if their merchandise mixes<br />
are sufficient to satisfy the needs of those purchasers.<br />
SMALL STORE APPLICATIONS<br />
Rarely do owners of small retail operations take the time to formally investigate the theories<br />
and concepts concerned with the analysis of consumers’ wants and needs. Their approach to<br />
inventory procurement, for example, is generally based upon experience, intuition, the information<br />
disseminated by trade periodicals, and manufacturers’ representatives. Personal<br />
interactions with their shoppers gives many store owners all of the information they think<br />
necessary to run a successful business. While past experience should play a vital role in small<br />
retailer decision making, these store owners should not rely solely on that.<br />
Reading basic textbooks on consumer behavior and motivation is one way in which<br />
they can master a basic understanding of the concepts. Subscribing to trade periodicals such<br />
as Stores Magazine, Visual Merchandising and Store Design, Women’s Wear Daily, and DNR<br />
can give them up-to-the-minute insights about trends that might affect their consumers’<br />
wants and needs.