Evaluación y seguimiento de la planificación

As noted in Chapter 3, in mass marketing, a firm such as a supermarket or a drugstore sells to a broad spectrum of consumers; it does not really focus efforts on any one kind of cus-tomer. In concentrated marketing, a retailer tailors its strategy to the needs of one distinct consumer group, such as young working women; it does not attempt to satisfy people out-side that segment. With differentiated marketing, a retailer aims at two or more distinct consumer groups, such as men and boys, with a different strategy mix for each; it can do this by operating more than one kind of outlet (such as separate men’s and boys’ clothing 208

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department store might do). In deciding on a target market approach, a retailer considers its goods/service category and goals, competitors’ actions, the size of various segments, the efficiency of each target market alternative for the particular firm, the resources required, and other factors. See Figure 7-8.

FIGURE 7-8

Contrasting Target Market Strategies

Saks Fifth Avenue is an upscale department store chain, while 99¢ only appeals to customers looking for deep discounts and no frills.

Source: Reprinted by permission of TNS Retail Forward (top photo) and Susan Berry, Retail Image Consulting, Inc. (bottom photo).

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FIGURE 7-9

Devising a Target Market Strategy Determine Target

Market Approach

Select Specific Target Market(s)

Study Characteristics,

Needs, and Attitudes of Target Market(s)

Develop and Enact Appropriate Retail Strategy Mix(es) for the Target Market(s)

Chosen Examine How

Consumers Make Decisions—by Product Category

Find out why Kohl’s is appealing (www.kohls.com).

Family Dollar (^www.

familydollar.com) has carved out a distinctive, narrow niche for itself.

After choosing a target market method, the retailer selects the target market(s) to which it wants to appeal; identifies the characteristics, needs, and attitudes of the target market(s); seeks to understand how its targeted customers make purchase decisions;

and acts appropriately. The process for devising a target market strategy is shown in Figure 7-9. Visit our Web site (www.pearsonhighered.com/berman) for several useful links on target marketing.

We now present several examples of retailers’ target market activities.

Retailers with Mass Marketing Strategies

Walgreens drugstore chain and Kohl’s Department Stores engage in mass marketing.

Walgreens is a national chain with 7,000 drugstores. The firm attracts a broad array of customers. About 5.5 million people visit a Walgreens store daily. The firm “provides the most convenient access to consumer goods and services, and pharmacy, health and well-ness services, in America. We are transforming into a more efficient and customer-focused firm. We offer patients a way to stretch their dollars and maintain their prescriptions in one place without sacrificing the safety, service, or convenience of their nearby neighborhood drugstore. We have expanded our private-brand offerings, which provide greater value to customers. We continue to offer competitively priced consumables, whose sales have been very strong, particularly for fast, easy, midweek fill-in needs in our conveniently located retail stores.”²⁵

Kohl’s is a popular general merchandise retailer. And it is capitalizing on a mass mar-keting approach: “If you’ve ever shopped one of our clean, bright department stores, you’ve already experienced our commitment to family, value, and national brands. Our stores are stocked with everything you need for yourself and your home—apparel, shoes, and accessories for women, children and men, plus home products like small electrics, bedding, luggage, and more. Online, we’ve taken our commitment to convenience even further, and you’ll find there’s more to like at Kohls.com with every click of your mouse.

We not only offer the best merchandise at the best prices, but we’re always working to make your shopping experience enjoyable.”²⁶

Retailers with Concentrated Marketing Strategies Family Dollar and Wet Seal engage in concentrated marketing.

Family Dollar operates 6,500 dollar stores (a type of variety store) in 44 states. It has a very focused target market strategy: The average Family Dollar customer is a female with an annual income of less than $30,000 who shops for her family. Customers depend on Family Dollar for the good prices they need to stretch their budgets. Stores are rather small and often situated in rural areas and small towns, as well as in urban areas. “Our merchandise is sold at everyday low prices in a no-frills, low overhead, self-service envi-ronment. Most merchandise is priced under $10.00.”²⁷

Wet Seal is a 400-store apparel chain that caters to young women. According to the company, “Wet Seal is the junior apparel brand for teenage girls that seek trend-focused and value competitive clothing with a target customer age of 13 to 19 years old. Wet Seal seeks to provide its customer base with a balance of affordably priced fashionable apparel and accessories. Wet Seal stores average approximately 3,900 square feet in size.” Wet Seal brings in new apparel and accessories on a regular basis.²⁸

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Through its KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Long John Silver’s, A&W, and Wing Street restaurants, Yum! (www.yum.com) is another retailer practicing differentiated marketing—

by food preference.

Retailers with Differentiated Marketing Strategies Foot Locker, Inc. and Gap Inc. engage in differentiated marketing.

Besides its mainstream Foot Locker stores, the parent company (Foot Locker, Inc.) also operates chains geared specially toward women and children. Lady Foot Locker

“stores offer an extensive assortment of branded athletic footwear and select branded and private-label athletic apparel dedicated to women who are fashion-minded, active, and brand-conscious.” At Kids Foot Locker, “the typical customer is the parent of a child who is sports- and fashion-conscious.”²⁹

For many years, Gap Inc. has applied differentiated marketing through its Gap (“fashion-updated, casual clothing and accessories—including Gap, Gap Kids, Baby Gap, Gap Maternity, and Gap Body”), Old Navy (“great fashion at great prices, for everyone”), Banana Republic (“an accessible luxury brand, offering high-quality apparel and accessories collections for men and women”), and the new Piperlime (“a fresh online shop that handpicks the world’s best shoes and handbags for women, men, and kids”) chains.³⁰