Retail Site Location

0 comments Published Friday, March 20, 2009 by allisn ! in  

CVS Pharmacy is a huge drug store seen on almost every main street in the United States, but also in other countries around the world. This particular retailer definitely falls under the category identity drug store or convenience store.

The particular CVS Pharmacy store I located and will talk about is the store in my home town of Concord, North Carolina. There are little disadvantages I see for this particular store when looking at the retailer as a whole. It does great business and I believe this store will be around for a long time.

Some advantages to this store are first off the location, as this is the most important thing to deciever when deciding how and when to put up any store. It is located right at a four-way stop light, with a growing area of small shopping stores, such as a Harris Teeter and Coffee Shops. The parking and entrance to the store is also great, with three ways to enter and exit in the same place.The neighborhoods that cohabitat are literally right down the road on the right and left, and this helps with business for all those family's needing quick convenience items, such as medicine and women's items. For me, this CVS has saved me more than one time, and I am extremely thankful to have such a clean, well-stocked store less than a mile from my house!

Some things that are troublesome to the location of this CVS store has to be the fact that there is a Walgreen's across the road from them, which happens often, but no one really knows the detremental effects is has on the store itself. I often get junk mail from both Walgreen's and CVS about the same promotional deals, and Walgreen's often outweighs CVS. I believe the location of this CVS Pharmacy is perfect, and without it I would definitely be lost in my little town of Concord!

Failing Retailers

0 comments Published Saturday, February 28, 2009 by allisn ! in  

In the last few months we have seen several retailers declare bankruptcy or shut down stores. Each business has it's own particular reasons for failing out, and due to the state of the economy and the recession we are currently in, it looks like more are in trouble of failing. The reality of this problem is that consumers will stop being unnecessary items, and start buying things that are needed. Such things as food, household items, and other essentials.












Some fail to adapt to changing times, others can't adapt at all. Bad management, over expansion, under expansion all have a role in this problem. Everyone is a different story and It seems that many stand-alone stores have shut down.

Such stores as Walmart are not in trouble in this case, and it seems that luxury stores go first..for example, Sharper Image and like stores may even merge. People don't need to get out of the house and shop, and when jobs are being taken away left and right, retailers are dissapearing all around the U.S. A place like Walmart is perfect not because it's cheap with a lot of selection, but because, of lack of real competition, a wide selection, good prices, and more. The death of the "mom'n'pop" stores was a blessing for many of us with no more outrageous prices and inadequate service for the retail world.

One of the biggest problems in failing retailers is overexpansion or expansion that is too rapid. In the desperate attempt to increase returns to shareholders, companies have to keep becoming more and more profitable so they start expanding beyond the point of sustainability. The money lost for maintaing the stores outpaces the money coming in.



Research about the target audiences for retail stores

0 comments Published Thursday, February 12, 2009 by allisn ! in  

Target audience by definition is the market segment toward which the retailer plans to focus its resources and retail mix. A target audience can be people of a certain age group, gender, marital status, etc. (ex: teenagers, females, single people, etc.) Retail stores usually have certain target audicences that they strive to accomodate, helping not only with a buyer's needs, but also with getting a costumer to make that store their go to retailer.
Many retailers are known for developing innovative marketing strategies that meet their target audiences perfectly. For example Limited Too caters to young girls with a taste for fashion. By creating a target market with a specific age in mind a product can be sold solely for that target group, eventually enhancing the sale and brand loyalty. Another example of great target marketing is Ann Taylor Loft, geared to women on-the-go in their 40's and 50's who want comfortable, casual, but stylish apparel.
It's most important to have a retailer focus on a main target group for the main reason that it would be almost impossible to cater to everyone. It is much easier to go to a store where you know they have what you are looking for, instead of taking all the time to walk around a mall or shopping area. These days especially are short on time, and we could all use an extra hour or two not searching for that dress we need on Saturday night.
Creating a target is the first thing a company needs to look at and evaluate, sometimes even before finding what product to sell. Having little competition, a large, and growing business is sure to help gain more profit and get your company name out there for that specific product, and not just an array of items.

Researching Forever 21

0 comments Published Sunday, February 8, 2009 by allisn ! in  

The then named clothing store, Fashion 21, was founded in Los Angeles, California in 1984 by Korean-American Do-Won Chang and his wife, Jin-Sook. The first store, located at 5637 N. Figueroa St. in the Highland Park district of Los Angeles was only 900 square feet. By the end of the first year, sales had risen from $35,000 to $700,000. Fashion 21 eventually expanded at the rate of a new store every six months and changed the Fashion 21 brand name to Forever 21.


Drastically expanding the number of Forever 21 stores nationally, Forever 21 opened 21 flagship stores in Georgia, Texas, Miami, Los Angeles, Orem, Chicago, and Canada. The average size of 21 venues are an average of 24,000 square feet. Since 2002, Forever 21 has been ranked as one of the 50 largest privately held companies in Los Angeles, and in 2005, Forever 21 was operating over 355 locations nationwide with the brands Forever 21, Forever XXI, For Love 21, and Gadzooks.
In September 2008, Forever 21 opened its new flagship store in North Atlanta, Georgia, the first 21 flagship in Georgia. Another flagship opened in Atlanta two months later. Its numerous shop-in-shop concepts demonstrates the continuing strength of boutique and specialty retailing over the department or megastore format.

Forever 21 will open its first flagship store in Puerto Rico at Plaza Las Américas during Summer 2009, and the store will be one of the most spacious of the chain, similar in size and design to the Forever 21 in New York, San Francisco, and on the exclusive Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Its revenue topped $1 billion in 2006, placing Forever 21 in the ranks of the top 500 privately held companies in the U.S.
Although Forever 21 is a thriving company indeed, it has come with its controversy and mess. In November 2001, factory workers producing clothing for the company called for a store boycott until working conditions and payroll improved. The lawsuit was dropped when Forever 21 paid the workers' back wages and the matter was settled out of court and the company agreed to take steps to ensure that its garments were not made in sweatshops. In 2004, under pressure from PETA, Forever 21 agreed to stop selling clothing made with animal fur, and Forever 21 has also been accused of stealing designs from high-end fashion brands. Recently, such designers as Diane von Furstenburg, Gwen Stefani, and Anna Sui have filed a lawsuit against Forever 21 for duplicating simliar designs. The store's trademark yellow shopping bags have the words John 3:16 printed on the bottom, a reflection of the owners' Christian faith.
(picture from Forever21.com)

My favorite retailer and 5 reasons why I prefer this retailer over the others

0 comments Published Thursday, January 29, 2009 by allisn ! in  



FOREVER 21
My favorite retailer by far is the women's store Forever 21. Many things draw my to this retailer, and I am sure many other people would agree, but the main reason I choose to go to Forever 21 over most stores is because of the fashionforwardness they bring to my town. The first time I went into the store was right when Concord Mills Mall opened up, and we all know how giant that mall is.
The display in the windows with music blasting was the very thing that pulled me into the store.
The displays in the windows and music, plus the sheer atmosphere that Forever 21 keeps in the store, is one reason I purchase most of my clothes there. I also love how cheap the clothing is, and for a college student to find clothing affordable and cute, is definitely a deal breaker. I can walk into the store and find tanktops for nearly five dollars and I am good to move on to the food court!
Another reason I prefer Forever 21 to other retailers is due to the clothing they sell. Not only are the clothes adorable, but they make sure to incorporate all the trends going on in the "world" of fashion and bring them in a way that can be worn every day. This store sells clothing that can be worn to the club, but when put on in a different way with the right accessories, the look can go right to day!
The Forever 21 internet site also has a lot to do with my love for this store! I love that I can get online and pick out pieces that aren't at the store, which helps buyers who have trouble seeing the same shirt on another girl.
Accessories sold at the store also heighten my love for this store, and practically any piece of jewelry is available at your fingertips (at a great price might I add). Ofcourse all pieces of jewelry are beautiful in their own way, but there are also so many that the chance of you wearing the same thing as the person next to you is slim to none. Altogether Forever 21 is my favorite retailer and if I could, you can bet I would have Forever 21 as my very own closet.
(pictures from Forever21.com)

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