READ Y-TO -W EAR

AN ALYSISGROUP: BOWTIE

SOPHIA “STEVIE” OTAP AND PRINCESS SUTTONINTRO TO FASHION BUSINESS ONLINE

DUE MARCH 7, 2012

SEARS H ISTO RY

• Sears was founded by Richard Warren Sears, a railroad worker from Minnesota. One day, he received a shipment of jewelry that ended up being unwanted by the local jeweler, so Richard decided to sell them himself. He made a considerable profit and began creating mail-order catalogues. He moved to Chicago, IL and formed an alliance with Alvah C. Roebuck and founded Sears, Roebuck and Co. The first store opened in 1925 in Chicago; it included an optical shop and soda fountain. Within the next 3 years, four new locations opened throughout Chicago and Indiana. It wasn’t until the 1950s that the company began expanding far and wide, beginning with the Chicagoland suburbs. Until the 1980s, Sears was the largest retailer in the U.S.

SEARS AN ALYSIS

• Merchandise Presentation: Lying flat on table.

Visual Merchandising: N/A

Customer Service: Poor - Associates were difficult to find and acted as though they are too busy to assist customers. Not

knowledgeable about store merchandise.

Fitting Room: Overall store is three levels and spacious, but dressing room was messy and unorganized with clothes

everywhere, albeit easy to locate in the store.

Overall Experience: Very Bad - I wasn’t greeted by a sales associate and finding an available associate was difficult, and

when I did, she acted as if she was too busy and annoyed to help when I asked her if there were any bowties in

store. The merchandise didn’t excite me, it was boring and basic; no patterns, only solid colors. Sears should

hire more workers or open more aisles. I wouldn’t recommend Sears to anyone.

SEARS BO W TIE• Designer: Jacob Alexander

Fiber Content and Care: 100% Satin / Handwash Only

Country of Origin: China

Description: This particular bowtie is made of satin. The bowtie is ready made and comes with an adjustable strap in the same color which hooks behind the

bow.

Suggested Retail Price: $20.19

Size Range: 14.5 - 20

Styling: Basic

Design Elements: Solid colored, smooth satin texture.

Target Customer:

Age: 13+

Gender: Male

Family size: Any

Stages in family life cycle: All

Income: $10,000

Education: Middle school

Religion: Any

Ethnicity: Any

SEARS PIC TU RES

M AC Y’S H ISTO RY

• Macy’s is a department store that first opened on the corner of 14th Street and 6th Avenue in New York City in 1858 by Rowland Hussey Macy. In 1875, Macy partnered with his nephew Robert M. Valentine and Abiel T. La Forge who was the husband of a cousin. Macy died just two years later in 1877 from  Bright's disease, the following year La Forge died, and Valentine died in 1879. Ownership of the company was passed down through the Macy family until 1895, when the company, now called "R. H. Macy & Co.", was passed to Isidor Straus  and his brother  Nathan Straus, who had previously held a license to sell china and other goods in the Macy's store. Macy’s adopted a red star as a symbol of the stores success, which came from a tattoo that Macy got as a teenager when he worked on a Nantucket whaling ship, the  Emily Morgan. Macy’s made business history when it was the first company to promote a woman.  The chain competes with  Belk,  Bon-Ton, Dillard's, Nordstrom,  Neiman Marcus  and  Saks Fifth Avenue. The company now operates over 800 stores worldwide. “Macy's embraces customers and strives to provide an experience that transcends ordinary shopping. Our DNA includes special events that are magical - the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Fourth of July Fireworks, flower shows, fashion extravaganzas, celebrity appearances, cooking demonstrations and holiday traditions ranging from the arrival of Santa Claus to tree lightings and animated window displays.”

M AC Y’S AN ALYSIS

• Merchandise Presentation: Hanging.

Visual Merchandising: Some misplaced items throughout the store, otherwise good organization.

Customer Service: Good - Associate walked me to the merchandise.

Fitting Room: Easy to find, no wait to get one. Very clean with a rack for put-backs.

Overall Experience: Very Pleasant - I was greeted by a sales associated when I first walked in and she was very

knowledgeable about the store and her departments. She informed me that there were not any bowties in the

women’s/misses department at the time but pointed me in the men’s department. As I went upstairs to the

men’s department, another friendly sales associate made small talk as she walked me to the bowties section.

The store was clean, good service, nice advertisement/tables, mannequins dressed stylish and merchandise

tables nicely presented. I love their current merchandise. Macy’s is my favorite store and I was not disappointed

visiting the Bolingbrook location for the first time.

M AC Y’S BO W TIE• Designer: Countess Mara

Fiber Content and Care: 100% Silk / Dry Clean

Country of Origin: China (handmade)

Description: This particular bowtie is made of silk. It’s navy blue with pink stripes and adjustable to several sizes.

Suggested Retail Price: $39.99

Size Range: 14.5 - 20

Styling: Trend

Design Elements: Striped, smooth silk texture, soft to the touch.

Target Customer:

Age: 18-45

Gender: Male

Family size: Any

Stages in family life cycle: All

Income: $30,000

Education: High school graduate

Religion: Any

Ethnicity: Any

M AC Y’S PIC TU RES

N O RD STRO M

H ISTO RY• John W. Nordstrom was a Swedish immigrant who came to

America in the 1880s. After moving from town to town, he was attracted to the West Coast because of the gold rush. He, like few others, struck gold. In turn, he got married and opened a shoe store with his wife. He had three kids who all followed him into the shopkeeping business. They opened a second store in Seattle in 1923. When John retired, he sold his shares to his sons. In 1930, they remodeled their Second Avenue store and changed the name to Nordstrom. The brothers ran the business together for decades. Until the 1960s, Nordstrom sold only shoes, but the company kept expanding. In 1969, they changed the name to Nordstrom Best, but changed it back to Nordstrom 4 years later. Today, Nordstrom continues expanding and many stores even have restaurants and cafes. The company has also remained in the same family.

N O RD STRO M

AN ALYSIS• Merchandise Presentation: In a box.

Visual Merchandising: Store was overall organized, however the bowties were a small selection and very haphazard in the box. All regular ties were neatly set out. Some bowties were also displayed on collared shirts.

Customer Service: Very good - Immediately greeted by associate, who led me to a men’s section specialty associate, who

showed me the bowties. Before exiting the store a third associate checked in with me.

Fitting Room: A bit tucked away, but extremely clean, spacious and organized. Good reflection of the store in entirety.

Overall Experience: Very Pleasant - I don’t go to Nordstrom often, but it reminded me what a good experience it is.

Immediately upon walking in, I was greeted, and everywhere throughout the store I see customers being

serviced. The sales associates did their jobs so well. Everything was very clean and organized and sitting on

glass tables and shelving. The lighting wasn’t obnoxious. I would visit this location again, and definitely

recommend it to others.

N O RD STRO M

BO W TIE• Designer: Brooks Brothers

Fiber Content and Care: 100% Silk / Handwash or Dry Clean

Country of Origin: U.S., but fabric hand-woven in England

Description: This particular bowtie is made of silk. It’s green with a red floral print.

Suggested Retail Price: $59.50

Size Range: 14.5 - 20

Styling: Trend

Design Elements: Floral, smooth silk texture, soft to the touch.

Target Customer:

Age: 21-50

Gender: Male

Family size: Any

Stages in family life cycle: All

Income: $100,000

Education: College+

Religion: Any

Ethnicity: Any

N O RD STRO M

PIC TU RES