American Eagle: Nonprice Decisions

American Eagle is a well-known brand throughout the United States. When most frequent customers think of this brand they associate it with having the All Acess Pass. This pass allows the consumer to build up points according to what they purchase. Every piece of merchandise has a point value. As those points add up the customer will receive a coupon in the mail after about three months. Depending on many points the customer has over the period of time they could save up to 40% on their purchase up to $200. Another bonus to having this pass, the customer gets a birthday discount 7 days before of after anyones birthday in the family. If they have the AE store card, the discount is greater. This is one of the non-price decisions that AE offers to its customers. The regular customers who shop at this store know the benefits of this pass, so they are more willing to shop here than somewhere else.

American Eagle also has a pleasant atmosphere. The music stays at a decent level and the store lighting is bright enough so the customer can see the merchandise. This also draws customers into the store. The associates help the customers as soon as they enter the store with a perky “Hello” and “How may I help you?” The scent of the store is distinct enough to create brand recognition, but not strong enough to drive the customer out of the store. The marketing department always finds new ways to portray clearance sales and the merchandise that is new for that season. The store-layout is also very open and conducive to the steady flow of customers coming and going. This is a definite plus for many shoppers because unlike AE’s rival retailers (i.e. Hollister or Abercrombie) they don’t have to worry about being attacked by giant fake palm trees or tripping over their feet due to the lack of light.

Gen Z: Shopping Experience

Generation Z-ers are going to be tricky customers to target. Anyone born in or after the year 1995 is almost garunteed to have grown up with computers. Their parents probably bought them "Leap Frog", play computers as a child and they may already have their own cell phones. This generation uses high-speed internet connection, DVD's and Ipods as a normal part of everyday life. The current war going on in the middle east, brought on by the events that took place on September 11, 2001, undoubtedly have made some kind of impact on these children. Even though they are not yet old enough to understand what all is going on, it will drastically affect their futures.

So, much can be said about how all of this affects the retailing industry. First of all, marketers will have to realize the buying potential of these pre-teens. Many of the people born in this time period will be shopping their local mall in search of the newest and hottest trends they see the "older" kids wearing. The "tweens", especially, will be out shopping by themselves looking for more grown up looks. Many kids in this generation think they are growing up faster than they may be. These people are going to be looking for an individual look, something more unique from what others are wearing. Since these people are shopping at an earlier age, they are most likely to spend more money on clothes and items they "need." The stores targeted towards these so called "tweens" need to be colorful, energetic, and flashy to draw these kids into their store.

Ann Taylor Loft: Customer Profile

Ann Taylor Loft has become a major retailer targeted towards middle aged, middle to upper class women. Our mothers ages 46 and 50 regularly shop at "The Loft" in search of the newest fashions. Their apparel is appealing to these women because of its versatility, sophisticated look and overall age-appropriateness.

Because we are familiar with the store and it's target customers simply from shopping with our moms, we have noticed a stereotypical customer. Most of these shoppers depend on Ann Taylor Loft to provide an entire outfit that will fulfill their desire to look classic yet casual and chic. In more detail, this customer has these qualities:

1. Has about 2-3 children
2. Is well groomed (i.e. gets a manicure and hair done on a regular basis)
3. Is in the age range of early 30's-early 60's
4. Is married
5. Between her and her husband, she has a substantial income
6. She enjoys a good chick flick
7. She watches "Divorce Court" and "American Idol"
8. Prefers cooking meals rather than eating out
9. Has pets
10. Large wardrobe with many options so when she is pressed for time she has several "go-to" outfits
11. Tends to purchase staple colors such as navy, black and cream.
12. Takes beach vacations in the summer/ travels frequently
13. Conscience of their weight
14. Drives her own SUV
15. She's organized (keeps a DayTimer), responsible and pays all her bills on time

These specifics may or may not be true of every customer, but for the most part, Ann Taylor Loft targets this woman. This retailer knows it's customer and is therefore very successful.

SWOT Analysis: Heather Lynn

SWOT: Heather Lynn

Strengths:

I am young

I am in school

I am physically healthy

I do not have any children

Being neat and organized

I go to work and continue to keep up my grades

Weaknesses:

I have low self confidence

Eat too much-sweets mostly

Take too long to get dressed

Do not study as much as I should

Think too much into small details

Opportunities:

I have time and money to continue my education and get a degree

I have the opportunity to become close with professors so that I can turn to them in the future for help in my career path

Threats:

If I get very sick it could affect my education and graduation date

Loss of job, which could control money in reaching my desired education level

Loss of a parent could change many outcomes of my career choice, education ability, and my overall health

Jessica's SWOT Analysis

Strengths: Being responsible, punctual and organized. I am generally good-humored and personable. I am a deep thinker and a perfectionist, an attentive listener and an empathetic friend. I am cautious and wary of my surroundings. I am an effective writer and I can be a decent leader.

Weaknesses: Multi-tasking, staying focused and procrastinating. I struggle with time-management and risk taking. I'm not as confident as I should be and I often second guess my instincts.

Opportunities: Being in college, I have numerous opportunities to grow as an individual. I can start by proving myself to be a good student. I can get to know my instructors and then feel more comfortable asking them for advice or recommendation letters in the future. I have the opportunity to make long term friendships and memories that will last a lifetime. Ultimately I have the opportunity to learn as much as I can to better prepare myself for my future career.

Threats: All of my goals in life can be easily threatened by making bad decisions. For example, being sociable and hanging out with my friends and boyfriend is a good thing, but if I fail to manage my time wisely, then I could end up falling behind in school. My often lazy attitude poses a threat to my success as a student.

Mission Statement: Jessica Flanagan

Mission Statement: To become a confident and reliable business woman after earning a degree in Consumer, Apparel and Retail Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. To achieve this I plan to give 100% of my effort into all of my classes in hopes of better preparing myself for future endeavors. I plan to marry the man of my dreams and start a family. Along the way I will grow in my Christian faith and not lose sight of my purpose in life: to honor God in all that I do.

Mission Statement: Heather Lynn

Mission Statement
To continue my education as a student and graduate in 2 years with a degree in Consumer, Apparel, and Retail. I will study hard and pass all classes I enroll in. I will continue to live at home to save my parents money so they will be able to help me in the future. After graduation, I will start the job I desire. I will do what interests me the most and makes me happy. If I need to, I will move to the area around my job location. There I will purchase a moderate size house located near the city. Once well into my job, I will get married to the guy I love with all my heart. I will marry someone who makes me happy and loves me for who I am. After a couple years of marriage, I will have kids. I will continue to stay close with family and friends because one day I may really need them.