Hart Schaffner and Marx: the Market for Separately Ticketed Suits
Hart, Schaffner and Marx:
The Market for Separately Ticketed Suits
1.
Perceptual Map
High Versatility1
* Low-quality separates * High-quality separates
High-end (Price)
Low-End (Price)
* Traditional suits2
Low Versatility1
1Versatility refers to the ability to mix-and-match items after the purchase.
2Traditional suits have low versatility as they are expected to be worn as a ‘whole’ suit (or uniform).
2. The traditional suit (TS) customer is different than the target customer for high-quality separates (HQS), as they have distinct preferences and exhibit different behavior. Firstly, the TS customer will require sales assistance, while the target customer for HQS will prefer to shop by self-service. Secondly, the TS customer likes to plan his purchase, while the target customer for HQS will most likely make his purchase spontaneously. Thirdly, the target customer for HQS prefers versatility in the form of choosing and customizing his own suit, while the TS customer does not mind purchasing the prescribed design of a business suit. Finally, the TS customer puts higher emphasis on achieving the ‘executive look’ when they make a purchase, while the target customer for HQS focuses on comfort and ease of purchase.
3. With regards to merchandising and marketing techniques, high quality separates (HQS) will offer a good fit with Jaymar Ruby (JR). As the Jaymar customer is already a quality-slack (or separates) customer, encouraging him to purchase other quality separates would be considerably easier. Hence, selling HQS in JR will seemingly be an expansion of the product line since JR already has a head-start in selling ‘separates’. In addition, the aggressive marketing strategies of JR would be put into good use when introducing this new segment of products into the market. However, it is worth noting that the quality of garments in JR seems to be in conflict with HQS, as JR’s garments are classified as 1 make (Exhibit 4),
The Market for Separately Ticketed Suits
1.
Perceptual Map
High Versatility1
* Low-quality separates * High-quality separates
High-end (Price)
Low-End (Price)
* Traditional suits2
Low Versatility1
1Versatility refers to the ability to mix-and-match items after the purchase.
2Traditional suits have low versatility as they are expected to be worn as a ‘whole’ suit (or uniform).
2. The traditional suit (TS) customer is different than the target customer for high-quality separates (HQS), as they have distinct preferences and exhibit different behavior. Firstly, the TS customer will require sales assistance, while the target customer for HQS will prefer to shop by self-service. Secondly, the TS customer likes to plan his purchase, while the target customer for HQS will most likely make his purchase spontaneously. Thirdly, the target customer for HQS prefers versatility in the form of choosing and customizing his own suit, while the TS customer does not mind purchasing the prescribed design of a business suit. Finally, the TS customer puts higher emphasis on achieving the ‘executive look’ when they make a purchase, while the target customer for HQS focuses on comfort and ease of purchase.
3. With regards to merchandising and marketing techniques, high quality separates (HQS) will offer a good fit with Jaymar Ruby (JR). As the Jaymar customer is already a quality-slack (or separates) customer, encouraging him to purchase other quality separates would be considerably easier. Hence, selling HQS in JR will seemingly be an expansion of the product line since JR already has a head-start in selling ‘separates’. In addition, the aggressive marketing strategies of JR would be put into good use when introducing this new segment of products into the market. However, it is worth noting that the quality of garments in JR seems to be in conflict with HQS, as JR’s garments are classified as 1 make (Exhibit 4),