La Femme Naturelle

LA FEMME NATURELLE B Y : TAY L O R H A L L

TARGET CUSTOMER The target customer I chose is a 48 – 55 year old female who was born and raised in the Midwest and currently lives in the Chicago Suburbs. She is married to a wealthy businessman/lawyer and together they have two children, one that has recently graduated college and the other who is still attending school. My target customer is hardworking woman who could have an office job, but ideally the woman I have in mind is a social worker, runs her own charity, or is some type of psychiatrist/ therapist. She has a heart of gold and all she wants to do is help people.

My customer’s family is loyal to Cadillac, which is why she drives a Cadillac SRX. The family has one dog, a golden retriever named Goldie, and one cat named Tabitha (or Tabbie for short). Most of the time they get along, however, from time to time, Goldie is known to get on Tabbie’s nerves and Tabbie is known to taunt Goldie. My target customer is very health conscious, which is why she is a vegetarian and does not eat processed food, although she is always open to trying out new recipes and she is known to have quite the sweet tooth. Seeing as she comes from a wealthy family, her family home is relatively large. The aesthetic of the house can be described as classic with modern touches. In her free time she likes to garden and cook, which is why she loves Better Homes and Gardens and Food & Wine magazines. She is very family oriented and likes to spend as much time as she can with her husband and children. However, her friends are important to her also, so she is known to host dinner parties and cookouts to get everyone together.

One unique feature about my target customer is that she is petite. This can sometimes make shopping a challenge for her. Luckily, she has found stores that have amazing petite sections. These stores include: Anne Klein, J. Crew, and Loft. When my customer is not working or in the office, she still likes to be put together. Although that doesn’t mean she wants to skip out on comfort. These stores allow her to be comfortable and stylish with what she is wearing. One other factor that causes her a disservice is her age. It is hard for a middle aged woman to find age appropriate clothing, especially as a petite, and these stores give her many options for looking her age. My customer likes to be trendy and loves accessories, though when it comes to picking out clothing she tends to lean toward classic pieces. Quality over quantity is the number one rule in her book and she knows that classic pieces can stand the test of time. One other thing my customer does when shopping is dress for her body type. She only buys what will flatter her, which is why she tends to only buy from the petite section, but her seamstress is just a phone call away if needed.

There are many in store experiences that my woman would love. A free in store tailor would be something that she would love. Also, a program where she could bring in an item of clothing to recycle in exchange for a store credit would be something she would do because she wants to give back and do well for the environment. Another in store experience could be a partnership with a yoga studio or another fitness studio in which my customer could receive a coupon for a class with the purchase of at least $75. My woman would love all of these because she usually gets her clothing tailored, is always giving back to society, and enjoys staying fit and active.

TARGET CUSTOMER

COMPETITOR: LOFT The first store I visited was Loft on Michigan Avenue. The fixtures in the store included t-stands, round tables, rectangular tables, nesting tables, shelving, and wall racks. In total there were about 30 fixtures around the store. On each individual fixture there was no more than 10 of one product and no more than 3 different types of product. Mannequins were used all throughout the store. The mannequins were semi-realistic and there were a few variations of the mannequins used as well. Throughout the store there were sale signs, signs indicating the style of pant, signage for the petite section, as well as price signs. The store was laid out in a free-flow style, so customers could choose any path they wanted. When I entered the store I noticed that the transition zone was a little small, however there was space for me to breathe and take everything in. Also at the entrance of the store was a focal point, which displayed new merchandise. The store atmosphere was calm and inviting. The music was mainstream, but it was also calming music. The store smelled like a mixture of wood and florals. However, the smell of the wood probably was because the floors were made of wood. The color scheme was soft white and a light wood. There was seating around the store, which consisted of benches. I did not notice any props in the store.

Three strengths for Loft are that it is inviting, caters to wide range of sizes of women, and it clearly targets a specific demographic. These are strengths for women in the 48-55 age range because like places that are inviting, they come in all different shapes and sizes, and they have a clear view of who they are and what they want. Loft’s weaknesses are that it customer service is lacking, customers were lingering, and the brand as a whole needs to update itself. These are weaknesses because consumers in general want to be put first and want good customer service, if they see that not many purchase are made then they probably will not make a purchase themself, and if a brand seems dated or not innovative then consumers will go to other stores who have updated.

I think that the overall aesthetic of the store is fitting for the brand, so I would not change that. What I would change are the brands weaknesses. I would make improvements with customer service, so that customers can have a better experience. I would also update the brand and bring it into the technological era. If these happen, then I believe that more customers would come into the store and actually buy product.

There is only one in-store experience that I could find at Loft. However, it only applies to teachers. If you are a teacher and you go to Loft’s website and register with them, then every time you make an in-store purchase you will receive 15% off of your purchase. I think this is great, although I would like there to be at least one other instore experience as well.

COMPETITOR: LOFT

COMPETITOR: EILEEN FISHER I next visited Eileen Fisher at Water Tower. The fixtures in the store were metal t-stands, wooden t-stands, rectangle tables, nesting tables, round tables, hanging rods, wall hangers, shelves, and a stair fixture for small items like shoes. Overall there were between 20 and 30 fixtures in the store. On each fixture there was no more than 5 of one item and no more than 5 different items. Mannequins were used throughout the store and there were a few different types of mannequins as well. Signage included sale signs, a sign for the petite section, a quote on the wall, and signs indicating the fit of a certain shirt or what the particular shirt is made of. Like Loft, the layout of Eileen Fisher was a free flowing. The transition zone was L shaped, which allowed there to be two focal points in the front of the store: one on the left and one on the right. The atmosphere was calm and inviting, it was almost serene. The music was calm and it smelled like flowers. The flooring was a light wood and the paint was a soft white. Wood panels were on one portion of the wall. The seating area consisted of two chairs with an end table in between them. Props included vases, flowers, and other plants.

Strengths include an open and organized floor plan, many in-store experiences, and a clear target market. These are strengths because my target customer does not want to hunt for her clothing, she is intrigued and excited about the in-store experiences, and she knows that the clothing is targeted toward women like her. The weaknesses of the store were that not many people were in the store, the sereneness of it might be off putting, and the brand itself might be intimidating. My target woman would view these as weaknesses because if there are not many people in the store then you will most likely not go in it, the vibe of the store might seem cold and off putting so she would not want to go into it, and the company’s message of sustainability and being green might scare her a bit.

I would not change the calmness of the store, instead I would just make it serene in a way that invites people in instead of making them feel that they cannot come in and touch the clothing. I believe that if this happens, then more customers would come in. If my target customer sees more people in the store, then she would also be more likely to go in. I also would not change the company’s message. I think I would just help to better educate consumers on what sustainability is so that they are not intimidated by it.

Eileen Fisher offers many in-store experiences such as the Repair Program, Green Eileen, and the Reusable Bag Campaign. The Repair Program allows customers who have garments that have lost a button or have spit a seam or have any other sort of damage to an Eileen Fisher garment due to wear-and-tear to bring the garment in to the store and have it repaired free of charge. Green Eileen is centered on recycling Eileen Fisher clothing, which customers have donated back to the store, and turning it into something else. Through this program customers also receive $5 in Recycling rewards to spend at any Eileen Fisher store or online. The Reusable Bag Campaign donates $1 to environmental groups every time a customer does their shopping with a reusable bag.

COMPETITOR: EILEEN FISHER

REAL ESTATE LISTING The store would be located in downtown Naperville, which is a western Chicago suburb. This is a good location because Naperville is a town that pushes for healthy living and always has events going on to keep the townspeople active. Since my target customer is an active individual who leads a healthy life style, this location seems very fitting for her.

Another aspect of Naperville that is appealing to my customer is North Central College. She has children who are either in or have just finished college and it is nice knowing there is a place right where she lives where her children can get a good education.

The space itself is perfect for my target customer because it is located right where she lives, so she will not have to travel far to get there. It is also in a part of town that she visits frequently. She can stop by while she is out and about running errands, which is very convenient for her. Also located near the store are workout studios and restaurants that are healthy eating options. Thus, making the location of the store very appealing to my customer.

REAL ESTATE LISTING

MOOD BOARD La Femme Naturelle’s overall aesthetic is exactly what its name means: feminine and natural. The paint colors would be very natural and earthy tones, while the floor would be a medium to light color hard wood.

Rugs of the same earthy color scheme would also be placed around the store. Lighting would be made from makeshift fixtures, essentially they would be made from recycled products. Hanging merchandise would be displayed on tree branches that are suspended from the ceiling, while other merchandise would be displayed on either a wooden table, shelving units, or various sized tree stumps. Also, on the wall behind the cash wrap would be an accessories display. The store would stick to just using bust forms instead of mannequins because the style of the bust forms matches the style of the store better. Props used around the store would be various types of greenery and succulents to give the store an earthy and natural vibe. There would be limited wall art, but the art displayed would stick to the natural color pallet. Seating would be available by the dressing rooms so customers have a place to relax if needed. Signage would also be throughout the store and would be made from wood slabs or signs stuck in tree branches. These signs would be located on the table, shelves, or tree stumps.

MOOD BOARD

IN-STORE EXPERIENCE An in store experience that would be featured at La Femme Naturelle is a program where customers could bring in their unwanted clothing, which would be recycled into new garments, and in return they would receive free tailoring on an item purchased in the store.

This is well chosen for my target customer because she is environmentally friendly. With this program she will feel good that she is able to give back and help the environment by recycling clothing she does not wear anymore. Another important thing to this particular customer is time because she does have a busy schedule.

Since she has the opportunity to have in store tailoring this will greatly appeal to her, especially because it it free.

IN-STORE EXPERIENCE

EXTERIOR

INTERIOR

PLANOGRAM 1/8:1 *SS = Small Stump BS = Big Stump

7 RECIPES FOR SUCCESS • Shorten Wait-Time Perception: Store design can be used to shorten perceived waiting time by making the waiting experience entertaining and equitable.

• Alter Shoppers’ Price Perceptions: Store design and visual merchandising can influence shoppers’ price perceptions by making products appear more affordable or more exclusive and expensive.

• Cater to the Shopping Interests of Senior Citizens: When designing a store, make sure to take into consideration the issues and changes that senior citizens might have, so they can have an easier and more pleasant shopping experience.

• Keep Shoppers in Your Store Longer: The longer a shopper stays in your store, the more likely they will purchase more. Essentially, the store environment influences whether the customer will stay in the store longer than intended.

• Trigger Impulse Purchases: Stores gain from influencing impulse purchases throughout the entire store. Ways to do this include: point-of-purchase displays; novel, unusual, and high-contrast stimuli; verbal prompting; and presenting products with companion items.

• Create A-to-Z Shopping Conveniences That Will Work for Your Store: When thinking of ways to make shopping more convenient for customers, create an A-to-Z personal shopping conveniences list that is focused on your store and your customers.

• Place Your Shoppers in a Constant State of Flow: While in a store, customers experience flow when they are inherently active and involved. Though it is unrealistic to expect all shoppers to experience flow every time they are in a store, certain measures can be taken to increase the likelihood of flow occurrence.

APPLYING THE 7 RECIPES FOR SUCCESS • •

•

•

•

•

•

Shorten Wait-Time Perception: One of the ways La Femme Naturelle shortens perceived wait time is by placing impulse buys (necklaces, sunglasses, or candles) near the cash wrap. This will give customers something to look at when they are waiting to check out and hopefully more purchases will happen because of this.

Alter Shoppers’ Price Perceptions: The store alters price perceptions by placing products that may not necessarily be highly priced among products that are highly priced (a basic t-shirt placed next to a wool cardigan, etc.). This increases the perceived exclusiveness of the product. The store also does not put an abundance of merchandise on the floor because when fewer products are on display customers feel a sense of exclusivity.

Cater to the Shopping Interests of Senior Citizens: While the target customer of La Femme Naturelle is middle aged, this demographic does not necessarily need any special changes made to the store. Yes, the music and lighting will be much different than that of a store targeted to millennials, but no special alterations need to be made to the retail space.

Keep Shoppers in Your Store Longer: Some measures taken that will increase the amount of time shoppers stay in the store are: slower music, which will reduce shoppers walking speed; music that fits our target customer’s taste; enough space so the store does not feel crowded; a seating area she can rest at if she needs to; and greenery, which is a deactivating stimuli.

Trigger Impulse Purchases: Impulse purchases (accessories, hats, scarves, shoes, purses) will be placed throughout the store and will be located on the tree stumps, shelves, and table. One crucial location for an impulse buy will be at the cash wrap, this is the last chance for customers to make another purchase. Novel, unusual, or highcontrast stimuli will be used to draw customers to specific impulse buy locations. Bundling will also be utilized throughout the store in order to attract impulse purchases.

Create A-to-Z Shopping Conveniences That Will Work for Your Store: A shopping convenience list is one of the most crucial things to La Femme Naturelle, as it helps determine what features and amenities will provide the customer with the best experience. Some of the most important features on the list are fitting rooms, a parking lot, and a seating area.

Place Your Shoppers in a Constant State of Flow: One of the things we always try to do is keep the customer in a state of flow. We do this by presenting products in bundled presentations (a top placed next to a certain skirt with a pair of shoes placed by them) in order to encourage the shopper to think about products that compliment each other, allowing customers to find special discounts on sale items, and other ways in which the customer can be active and involved.