SWOT SWOT
For any brand to be successful, they need to continually evaluate their business plans so that they can stay on target and viable. Joules is no different, and we strive to move up and up and be brilliant! A SWOT is a structured planning method that involves identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and can be used for a product, place, industry or person, almost anything. To help us in this quest we use a SWOT analysis model to highlight our successes, identify our weaknesses, plan for opportunities, and prepare for any threats. So to start us off...Strengths.
strengths strengths
Happy families We
provide excellent customer service, and that is proven in the positive
responses we receive from our mystery shoppers.
Each customer is welcomed and appreciated, so they just keep coming back for more! Repeat custom helps create a positive image for Joules, which results in new customers wanting to come and pay us a visit so that they can get the same amazing experience.
Loving the little-uns We offer a brilliant range of children & babies clothing and accessories. Sizing starts at 0-3 months and sees its way through to 11-12 yrs.
Penning authenticity We
have our own team of talented illustrators at
Head Office,
who always
produce fantastically striking in-house graphics and patterns, so you won’t find anything quite like it.
Loving countryside culture We celebrate British rural culture and heritage.
Quality fabrics for quality products All our tweed is sourced from Scotland, supporting British enterprise and high quality produce crafted in traditional manufacturing methods; as well as a large proportion of our products are 100% cotton, because only the best will do.
The Italian Job We produce most of our products in Italy, as they have the most environmentally efficient manufacturing houses, and are noted for their excellent attention to quality.
Making the desirable, desirable A
lot of time and attention is put towards creating bold and bright window
displays and visual merchandising guides.
This has paid off, as we always receive positive feedback from customers, who commend us for us being amazingly eyecatching and enticing arrays.
weeaakkn neess sseess
Errrrr…computer says “no.” We are a bit behind the times, as businesses have been offering services, such as, Click & Collect, Order in Store and Gift cards for a while now, but we’re catching up.
Lost opportunities We
do not cater for those ladies who are more than average.
(E.g. Limited petite & plus size ranges, No options for tall builds, No size 9 women’s shoes). A lost market sector, known to be very profitable.
A dish not so fit for the gods Our sizing for women can vary greatly, meaning that the proportions and cut differs across the collections and can result in poor fit.
One size does not fit all There
is a generic staffing model we use for all stores.
This
can result in a
combination of over and understaffing individual stores.
Too much vs. Too Little Creating
too many options of one style, meaning that we have more stock
than we are selling. When old season stock is then returned to the Joules Distribution Centre, this uses up much needed storage space required for our new season items.
Full to burst Some
of our smaller stores do not have the physical shop floor space or back
of house space to store surplus stock.
This
can result in items being boxed
that then have to be placed in front of essential fire exits and hallways. only does this compromise health
&
Not
safety regulations, but cramped working
conditions make an unpleasant environment for our staff.
s e i t i n ies nit u rtu po t op r o p op
You have your way; I have my way We
have full faith in our
Managers
who run the stores that are the face of
the company, and who have a better understanding of their own store’s and employees needs.
By having greater communication with Manager’s about the facts and figures of their stores, and evaluating the opening hours and staffing of the stores, we can cut costs and ensure that businesses runs more efficiently.
Tall or small. Busty or flat We all come in different shapes and sizes, and we should try and accommodate that. WE have the ability to offer different size ranges within our collections, for example, a petite range, a tall range, a plus+ range, women’s shoe size 9. Broaden are market sector and know that customers can purchase at Joules with confidence.
Much more to offer We
do clothes; we do bedding, home, kitchen, garden, stationary, almost everything under the sun, but what are we not doing?
Over Christmas 2013, Women’s underwear was one of the company’s best sellers as the perfect stocking filler, but like most things, we like to travel in pairs, so where were the bras?
We have an opportunity to branch in women’s lingerie, and offer a beautiful range of bras and underwear. Not only is there room for expansion within the lingerie department, but there is also an opportunity to branch into the arts and crafts industry, and appeal to those who love to get creative!
Beyond the seven seas Within the UK, Joules is increasing in popularity, and as the business has grown, we are now able to look at broader horizons. At present, we do ship to some countries within the EU, however there is a whole other world out there, and now that Joules is investing in better methods of communication, and better utilisation e-commerce opportunities, we have the potential to become a global enterprise.
threats
Losing touch with what matters. As a business we need to become more commercial in order to maintain healthy and profitable expansion. However, we run the risk of compromising care and attention of staff and customers., who rely upon for repeat custom, top quality products and top quality service too. By becoming too commercially orientated, we can lose sight of these values.
Feeling a pinch in the pocket Some of our smaller stores are finding themselves in deficit, after a slow start to the New Year, whilst larger stores are proving to be more successful and exceeding their able quarterly targets. We need to evaluate where our smaller stores are struggling and make the necessary changes to bring them back from the brink.
From
randing BBranding
Tom Joules’ perfectly pink wellies, the Joules is proud to be a well established high-end high-street brand that provides quality merchandise, specialising in country clothing that is perfect for colourful country folk. Our popularity is shown through our rapid expansion, and we are now well known providers of Women, Men, Children and Babies clothing & accessories, as well as, Pet beds, gadget accessories & stationary, Home, Outdoor & Kitchen ware. Plus, we also team up with Boots UK Limited, the pharmaceutical chain, and produce seasonal toiletry goods! the instant success of
Friendly, warm, lively and cheerful, we always want to Joules customers to feel welcomed and appreciated, and know that anyone and everyone is a valued part of the Joules family. Using bright and bold colours and prints, within our designs, illustrations, graphics imagery and bumf, we hope that we are echoing are wish to provide a sociable and pleasant atmosphere, whether that be in a store or from the comfort of your own home as you peruse our online facilities. We owe a lot to that phenomenon, the Internet, as it has allowed us to be more prominent and accessible to the public. We are part of major social networking sites and can find us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest; and we even have our own blog, so that you never miss out. Why don’t you give us a look, we are always looking for more supporters to help us celebrate rural British culture and heritage. You can find links to our social pages on the Joules website at www.joules.co.uk. We look forward to seeing you there!
product product
Our collections vary with the seasons as we offer an Autumn/Winter collection and then a Spring/Summer range, with capsules released at staggered intervals so that products are available when seasonally appropriate and are designed purely for Joules Limited. Although we provide a range of products within our collections, from skirts to blouses, we specialise in outerwear and wellies, for those outdoor expeditions and available all year round, no matter what the weather. Gilets, quilted jackets, tweed coats, sweatshirts, hoodies, feather & down; these items are available all year round, in a range of colours and patterns, to suit any taste. You can always opt for a bright pair of spotty wellibobs, or if you want to invest in a bit of luxury, how about one of our beautifully crafted wax jackets, made from hardwearing cotton wax, supplied by Halley Stevensons, makers of weather-proof fabrics since 1864, and who we share a long-term partnership with.
ssales ales
Not only do we have our own Joule establishments, but we are also available in a number of concession brands within the UK; these include, Next, John Lewis and Country Clothing, to name a few. We do only have stores within the UK, and are not yet in a position to jump the pond, as it were, but the power of the World Wide Web has helped spread our wings, and make us readily available nationally and also provide beautiful country clothing across the globe, as not only do we ship to countries within the EU, but also Asia, America, Africa and Australasia, as everyone wants a bit of Joules in their life! At Joules,
not only do we want to provide quality merchandise, but we also want to enlighten customers into a way of life.
Agriculture
is a historical part of
British
culture, and
Joules
offers the
British countryside. Whether you are touring the coast or hiking through a field, the outdoors is the perfect setting for quintessential British-ness. Hence, a lot of our stores are set up in areas of the UK, that are well known tourist attractions, popular for their history and rural landscape, so that we can spread the word to all who visit the UK, that we love and embrace everything that makes us British! perfect outdoor essentials when exploring the natural beauty of the
Sticking
ashion ffashion trade shows trade shows to our philosophy of supporting the
British
countryside, we do not
visit international fashion events, as it is not in keeping with the Joules brand image.
We
want to stick to our roots, and actively take part in shows that
embrace rural heritage.
Not only do we exhibit at national equine events, but also country fairs and game shows, and we also like to be part of the infamous CRUFTS show, as here at Joules, we do love our pooches, supporting competitors and having our own exhibit that provides clothing perfect for those long dog walks.
We
Cheltenham Festival, sampling quality famers produce, perusing the craft stalls and much more; or why don’t you come and join us at the West Country Game Fair at the Royal Bath & West Showground. More details about events that we will be partaking in, can be found on our blog at www.blog.joules.com/calendar. will soon be packing our bags and heading off to
Target customer Target customer profile profile Here
at Joules, we know that we have separate target markets as we offer a
Men, Women and Children. We are essentially a women’s clothing brand, who make up the larger proportion of our market sector. Aimed at those who are middle aged and older, our range of products designed for
female customers like to invest and indulge in high quality staple items that are rich in colour and pattern, combines casual with the sophisticated, and quirkiness with the erudite; where the style of the product can be worn year after year, because of it’s ageless quality.
From
stay-at-home mothers to equine instructors; farmer’s wives, working
professionals or retirees visiting from the city, the trait that unifies these women, is that they love they are colourful individuals who love the nostalgia of
Although
British heritage.
they have their own personal preferences, they are usually seen
to have a ‘preppy’ sense of style, always looking to be inspired by new season
British fashion staples, for example, for items that are comfortable, feminine and flattering.
trends and contemporary twists on classic the blazer or tweed.
They
look
It is often our female cliental that purchases our children’s clothing, be it for their own children, or grandchildren. They look for quirky pieces that capture the personality of the child in colour and print. They like how Joules captures the joys and innocence of childhood, and the clear themes running within each collection’s capsule, such as horses, floral, pink, cameo, sharks, rugby blue, etc. From boys and girls clothing they are looking for pieces that are fun and fashionable, treating their little-uns to a piece of well-made luxury. Although the child will soon grow out of the item, the customer is confident in their purchase as a durable and timeless staple that can be handed down, and are more than happy to return and submerge themselves in the new collection that remains adorably cute, bringing back memories of ones own childhood, and desperately wishing that they made adult sizes!
Our male customers differ slightly from our female customers, when shopping for themselves. They are of the same age bracket, middle aged and over, and make up a smaller part of our market sector. The men look for key investments, rather than indulgences, preferring to shop by item, rather than by outfit. They look for simple styles, which fulfil their needs, and are comfortable and durable. Male customers are often, working professionals in offices or work within agriculture, contractors or profitable farmers, who are fashion conscious, and look for well made staples that can be worn casually in free time, whilst being smart and not overdressed. Like our female customers, they enjoy colour and print, have a preppy sense of style, and like new and inventive twist on classic British fashion staples. Both our female and male customers choose to invest in Joules, as they wish to be part of a community that takes pleasure in the eccentricities of the British countryside.
ompetitor ccompetitor analysis analysis
A bit of healthy competition never hurt anyone, and here at Joules, we always like to keep an eye on what our competitors are doing, and learn from their ventures so that we can ensure Joules continued growth and success. We believe that our two main competitors are the high-end high-street brands, Monsoon and Fat Face. We all share a similar ethos of nurturing and celebrating heritage, whether that is in the UK or far off eastern lands, and our imagery and photography echoes this fact. Providing quality products and top-notch customer service is at the heart of everything we do, knowing that customers are investing in a brand that is caring and attentive. So let’s don our favourite tweed coat and rubber wellies, and amble through the world’s of our competitors.
Founded in 1973 by Peter Simon, this entrepreneur brought back handcrafted and folk-inspired fashion to London, inspired by his travels across the globe, setting up a stall on the Portobello Road. They have since grown to become an international brand, which supplies goods globally. Like Joules, we have both had humble beginnings. Identifying a niche within the market and expanding after the successes of our initial ventures.
Monsoon focuses on providing fashions with an ethnic origin from faraway places, such as India and Afghanistan, with handcrafted and ethical heritage still at the heart of the business. Similar to Joules, heritage is at the heart of everything we do, however, where Monsoon is inspired from lands of far off places. Joules seeks inspiration from the beauty of the countryside right outside our back door. Therefore we have a selling point that differs us from the competition.
Utilising hand embroidery and embellishment within their product designs, each Monsoon garment has it’s own unique story. At Joules we do not have that same selling point, but one we could apply to some of our products. We could look into handcrafting certain accessories we offer so that each Joules item can have it’s own story to tell.
Monsoon
also has it’s own team of exclusive, in-house designers that gather
inspiration and ideas from around the world to create collections of unique and classical pieces.
It
is positive that Joules also has it’s own team of talented designers, so that
you will never find a garment like it anywhere else, keeping us individual and distinct.
Both Monsoon and Joules have an extensive range of women’s clothing, but where Joules focuses on casual clothing, Monsoon’s collections range from sophisticated evening garments to casual day wear, and even has a bridal boutique, combining feminine styling with bright colour, exotic fabrics and detailed finishing. Joules image is all about providing casual and comfortable fashions full of femininity and flair, however, we do know that every country lady likes to dress up every now and then, so there is a possible avenue for Joules to have a collection of formal attire for those really special occasions.
Monsoon Children has a range that more then meets any day and special occasion needs, same as Little Joule, but where Monsoon designs are a bit too grown-up, Joules believes that we have the upper hand, with our children’s collections full of playfulness and fun, as let’s face it, we don’t want are little-uns to grow up too fast.
Joules has it’s own range of beautiful home wares and so does Monsoon Home. For both Joules and Monsoon, our home wares are an extension of our individual styles featuring decorative accessories – from photo frames to perfume bottles and jewellery boxes - ceramics, glassware, tableware, bed, bath and curtain lines. As Monsoon and Joules have different design aesthetics, it depends on our customers’ own styles who either see themselves as a traveller, or a country bumpkin.
Accessorize, Monsoon’s sister brand, and includes every kind of accessory imaginable, with inspirational, globally sourced, well-priced and good quality collections of fashion accessories. Joules itself offers it’s own eclectic range of fashion accessories, for Men, Women, Children, and even for our pets! Where Monsoon have chosen to branch their accessories range under another brand name, Joules don’t want to differentiate our products and show our customers that, no matter what you decide to purchase, they are investing in the same high quality that Joules expects of itself.
Monsoon
and
Joules
have a slower turn over of stock and release our
collections are of seasonal themes that run through the brand.
We
both
present an individual take on the latest trends.
Where Monsoon is a very seasonal brand, Joules loves the outdoors and knows that the British climate can be unpredictable, so you will always find key staples available, evolving to suit the trends of the time, for whatever your needs may be.
Monsoon and Joules are part of the same market sector, providing goods of a high-end high-street calibre. We have similar pricing of our goods that resonates that customers are investing in quality products of luxury and elite craftsmanship. Targeting cliental of middle-aged female professionals and retirees, who are fashion conscious and like to invest and indulge in high-street luxury, Monsoon and Joules are competing for the affections of the same type of customer.
Challenge accepted!
Future sees the ongoing development of all the Joules and Monsoon clothing, home ware and accessory product ranges, and continue to impress and fulfill our customers needs. Monsoon are also in discussions to grow across Europe, the Far East, the Middle East and the Southern Hemisphere, with expansion plans for branching into America in place, involving joint ventures. Joules, is yet to develop such plans, and an avenue we should strongly consider so that we can have a continued presence in global fashion retail, and spread our love for the British countryside.
Began in 1988, Fat Face started as a partnership between two friends who loved skiing and the outdoors. Both Joules and Fat Face want to spread this love of all things outdoors, and that sometimes, the biggest adventures, are to be had right outside your door.
Fat Face aims to deliver quality products suitable for outdoor pursuits, stating that “absolutely everything we do is designed to be loved by all our customers for life outside the 9 to 5�. Joules shares this same ethos, which makes Fat Face a prominent competitor as we appeal for the affections of our customers, however, Fat Face is a brand that is aimed at a slightly younger cliental. Where Joules targets those who are middle-aged working professionals or retirees, who have some link to the British countryside and its heritage. The families of our customers are either very young or have flown the nest, compared to Fat Face who market themselves at an older adolescent/young adult market that like have money available to them, and want to associate themselves with high-end high-street brands. As we have slightly differing target markets, our branding can vary ever so slightly, but we both use the great outdoors for our inspiration.
Fat Face currently has a stronghold of 208 stores in the UK and Ireland - located in market towns, holiday locations, high street shopping centres and high footfall travel hubs, which is exactly where Joules like to position themselves, so that we are accessible to our target markets. Stocking a wide range of in-house designed casual women’s wear, menswear, children’s wear, footwear, and accessories. To have a greater appeal to lovers of the outdoors, Joules relies on its own amazingly gifted designers and illustrators to create bright and bold colours and patterns to make us eye catching, have that x-factor quality, and fully
British heritage, that makes us stand out of the crowd. Where as Fat Face, can be a bit too generic and bland for our liking. Sorry Fat Face, but it’s true. embrace
From
a financial report
Fat Face
released on their website, at the end of
revealed that total sales increased by
Not
2013,
they
15% to £98.9m.
only that, but their high performing website, that allows them to deliver to
customers worldwide, has also seen an increase, with
E-commerce sales increasing by 55%, and now represent 14% of overall sales compared to 2012’s 11%. Joules is a bit behind the times at the mo, with our internet sales, being a relatively new enterprise that we have branched into, but we are already seeing the benefits of our online transactions, that have increased in value and boosted sales by 15% in the past quarterly financial year. So onwards and upwards we say! By continuing to review our production and branding processes, we can ensure that we produce products to the highest quality and appeal. Like Fat Face, they want to “enable people to actively enjoy the outdoors and respect the environments they play in”, and so do Joules, and that you can have fun in style!
Mar ting keti arke
We’re going to start our own press clippings book, to show off our success as we find ourselves, featuring in more and more above the line marketing. We have recently featured in a number of women’s fashion publications and although we do not have any intentions to feature on any television online advertisements, it is an avenue we are considering to pursue, to get the word out there that Joules is the best! But the best way for us to communicate with our customers is directly. We invest a large amount of time and effort into our below line and through the line marketing strategies, emailing customers with the latest new arrivals, promotions and opportunities. Spring/Summer launch party proved to be a huge success, having fun making paper boats, enjoying a few nibbles and taking advantage of our fantastic 20% off everything offer! We do like our little parties, and inviting customers to come and join in the festivities, so, keep an eye out for an invitation to our next event due in October!
Our
most recent
PR
For any business, PR is extremely important to maintain a presence in the industry. Recently we have found our products featured in women’s fashion publications, such as Women & Home and Red, whose readers are the perfect Joules customer, and even Mr Tom Joules himself had an amazing fun interviewing for a January 2014 issue of Drapers. We know a celebrity fan, Mary Berry! Sporting many of our products on the Great British Bake Off 2013, we always knew she had impeccable taste! Not only that, but our own designer, Frances Quinn won the competition! We could not help but have a little squeak of excitement as she beautifully modelled our Spring/Summer 2013 collection. They are the perfect ambassadors for Joules. With all these positive happening, we are very pleased to say that we have extremely well behaved and haven’t been in any trouble yet, so let’s keep it that way! As
a brand, we have not really pushed brand exposure, but it is definitely
something we should aim for, now that we have the likes of
Mary Berry on our
side, we seriously love that woman! Joules is recognising that we need to make ourselves a bit more commercial, so that we can help meet our business targets, it would be worth having a more prominence in the PR sphere. How about we arrange more interviews with magazines, I’m sure Mr Tom Joules will be more than willing. Have printed advertisements featured in magazines, could also help boost our sales. We have branched into film, and always have a hoot when filming. These are available to watch on our blog. One thing that Joules wants to make sure it maintains is an active participation
Now
that
in national countryside events and be prominent members of the community within the market towns, holiday locations, high street shopping centres and high footfall travel hubs, where we have settled.
By
interacting with our
customers, we maintain open channels of communication and show that anyone and everyone is a valued part of the Joules family.
uture FFuture plans plans
It’s true to say that Joules is finally catching up with the 21st century. Since our Cluck & Collect launch in October, this service well and truly spread its wings, and has been a huge success! So much so that we have seen an increase in sales by 15%! But why stop there? Joules always aims to push ourselves forward and make sure that our customer’s experience be truly brilliant, so we’ve decided to upgrade. Gone are the days of computer meltdowns, say goodbye to endless hours of admin, and lets welcome a whole new point of sale system! We tested the first of our new investments in our Gatwick store, who we must say, were the most well behaved guinea pigs we have ever met, and our tests yielded successful results. So successful, that this year, every Joules establishment, nationwide, will be receiving the new tills in May! We’re not going to stop there, oh no! Isn’t it disappointing when you go into to a store, find that perfect item, and they don’t have your size. Well fear not, as we prepare for our fantastic Order In Store option for all who love Joules. Whether you’re regular, or a brand new addition to the Joules fama-lam, you’ll always be able to get that perfect purchase. More opportunities to shop, equals more happy customers, who can spread the word and push up those much needed sales! Exciting times! We
are set to open new stores up and down the country, and make ourselves
a more prominent brand on the high street.
We will soon be opening doors in Taunton and Cowes.
We continue to develop and improve our products so that we give our customers Not only do we provide women’s, men’s clothing & accessories, along with the oh-socute little Joule range, as well as, stationary, kitchen & home ware AND pet beds, so that our loyal family companions can relax in style. So where could we go from here. Well, we’re always looking for the next up and coming thing, so maybe it’s a case of waiting for a fantastical new technology, or how about in the next couple of years, starting the Joule haberdashery? At the moment, the sky outside is still a bit grey, but we know our future is bright! the best quality possible, which has seen us moving up in the fashion sphere.