MARKS : 80

COURSE :MRM

SUB : RETAIL MANAGEMENT N. B. : 1) BOTH CASE STUDIES carries equal marks. 2) All questions are compulsory

CASE NO. 1
THE OUTLOOK FOR SOFT GOODS SPECIALITY STORES
Introduction
Soft goods specialty retailers are on a quest to grow, with the high-growth ``stars’’ working to maintain momentum by rolling out successful concepts nationally while investing in new concepts that offer long-term promise. The less stellar performers are reinvigorating tired concepts and strengthening margins via better inventory and promotion management. A saturated marketplace will motivate more specialists at both ends of the spectrum to seek growth by building a portfolio of concepts focused on ever-finer …show more content…

Thus, department stores now contribute to more competitive intensity in the apparel and footwear playing filed, particularly for upscale customers. The profile of monthly shoppers at traditional/upscale department stores is similar to that of monthly shoppers at apparel specialty stores in terms of higher income and education levels – although apparel store customers skew younger. Competitive battles are also escalating due to the entry of a number of foreign specialty store retailers to the marketplace. Though most of the new foreign players operate only a handful of U.S. stores at this point in time, several intend to ramp up their store openings after establishing an initial base of stores. Some suppliers are also branching out to target new customers with new specialty store chains to attain growth in the face of modest prospects at department stores. Polo Ralph Lauren (www.polo.com) is launching Rugby, a new brand and chain of stores targeting college-aged consumers. Oshkosh B’Gosh (www.oshoshbgosh.com) is testing a family lifestyle store targeting men and women. A final factor contributing to heightened competitive pressure is the expansion of full-price specialty store chain s by several soft goods suppliers. A number of catalog retailers that are fairly new to retailing are also rapidly building store chains. Although the track record of most soft goods suppliers has been spotty when it comes to operating successful full-price retail