Introduction
This assignment compares and contrasts two fashion retail stores in Wellington, one catered to males and one to females. It analyses the retail environment of each store and critically evaluates the stores’ current retail practices. It then provides recommendations for improvement.
The second part of the assignment evaluates two window displays. The evaluation finds that one of the window displays needs improvement and a concept for a new window display is discussed. The new window display will help promote and enhance the current brand and image of the store.
The Gendered Servicescape
Background
I selected two stores for this assignment – Max, a retail store targeting females and Barkers, whose target base is men.
Max is …show more content…
The author states that physical surroundings have the ability to influence marketing goals and the brand’s image. It examines several strategic roles that the physical surroundings can apply in service organisations. I have used these to analyse retail practices of the two stores.
Max has a more homely feel to their interior. Their retail space is reminiscent to that of a well-kept beach house. There is a lot of exposed wood in the store. This is seen in the flooring, shelving and display tables. The addition of circular lanterns by the checkout counter also adds to the whimsical feel of a holiday home. The wooden display tables also had a white trim embodying the laid-back beach vibe. The store was essentially split into two sections, the front with the new stock and the back with the sale items, fitting rooms and small seating area. The two sections were separated by the checkout counter and a wall display of accessories. The layout at the front of the store was crowded. This meant that walking through the racks and display tables of clothes was difficult, especially if customers had bags with them (most of them did). The back portion was spacious and allowed for comfortable …show more content…
The employees were helpful and attentive to customers by ensuring there was always someone near the door to welcome individuals, but not to follow them. This allowed customers to walk around the shop at their own pace but shop assistants were around if help was needed. There was also a shop assistant positioned by the changing room area to get different sizes and help customers with their choices. It did seem like the number of employees in the store was excessive with regard to the size of the store and the number of people visiting. However, they helped create a warm, friendly and helpful environment and ensured that if help were needed, a customer would be attended to immediately. The customers seemed happy to browse at their leisure and did not look intimidated by the number of staff available. One customer came in and immediately asked an employee to help her find an outfit for an event. This show the level of brand loyalty they have built using
This assignment compares and contrasts two fashion retail stores in Wellington, one catered to males and one to females. It analyses the retail environment of each store and critically evaluates the stores’ current retail practices. It then provides recommendations for improvement.
The second part of the assignment evaluates two window displays. The evaluation finds that one of the window displays needs improvement and a concept for a new window display is discussed. The new window display will help promote and enhance the current brand and image of the store.
The Gendered Servicescape
Background
I selected two stores for this assignment – Max, a retail store targeting females and Barkers, whose target base is men.
Max is …show more content…
The author states that physical surroundings have the ability to influence marketing goals and the brand’s image. It examines several strategic roles that the physical surroundings can apply in service organisations. I have used these to analyse retail practices of the two stores.
Max has a more homely feel to their interior. Their retail space is reminiscent to that of a well-kept beach house. There is a lot of exposed wood in the store. This is seen in the flooring, shelving and display tables. The addition of circular lanterns by the checkout counter also adds to the whimsical feel of a holiday home. The wooden display tables also had a white trim embodying the laid-back beach vibe. The store was essentially split into two sections, the front with the new stock and the back with the sale items, fitting rooms and small seating area. The two sections were separated by the checkout counter and a wall display of accessories. The layout at the front of the store was crowded. This meant that walking through the racks and display tables of clothes was difficult, especially if customers had bags with them (most of them did). The back portion was spacious and allowed for comfortable …show more content…
The employees were helpful and attentive to customers by ensuring there was always someone near the door to welcome individuals, but not to follow them. This allowed customers to walk around the shop at their own pace but shop assistants were around if help was needed. There was also a shop assistant positioned by the changing room area to get different sizes and help customers with their choices. It did seem like the number of employees in the store was excessive with regard to the size of the store and the number of people visiting. However, they helped create a warm, friendly and helpful environment and ensured that if help were needed, a customer would be attended to immediately. The customers seemed happy to browse at their leisure and did not look intimidated by the number of staff available. One customer came in and immediately asked an employee to help her find an outfit for an event. This show the level of brand loyalty they have built using