PacSun Store Analysis Essay

Customer ProfileThe current customer of the Junior girls department of the PacSun are young women who are driven by surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, and other associated actives and lifestyle. The typical customer wardrobe is consists of everyday casual apparel that is versatile enough for excessive movement and wear. Customer Demographics:†¢Female†¢14-18 yrs old†¢middle class†¢ high school education†¢have average 2 siblings†¢parents both work, have college degrees†¢outdoor active lifestyle†¢interest in surf, skateboarding, and/or snowboarding†¢personality is free spirited, spontaneous, social, and sport orientedIn regards to the statistics of the buyer profile compared to the actual product consumer profile is influenced by outside factors. An average of 45% of the customers where young girls with a female parental that purchased items, 35% of the customers were young women in groups of 2 or more, while 15% of those groups all purchased individual items. There was an average of 15% of customers who where young women by themselves, 2% of the remaining profile were parents (mainly women) who where purchasing for someone else, then another 2% where male parental’s purchasing for someone else, and the last 1% was young women with a mate. Within the department’s customer profile, there is an average of 65% of girls that were sizes 3-7 and/or S/M; and the remaining 35% where either above or below the average size range. Department AnalysisI. Department Environment-The environment of the department is very energetic and free spirited. All the employee’s were friendly and conservative toward each customer. It was about four o’clock p.m. when I visited the PacSun location. There were an estimated eight female customers in this department. The sales associates working the floor were eager to help each customer with there individual needs. When entering the store it takes an average of three seconds before being welcomed to the store. II. Merchandise Appearance-The merchandise in this department was all put in  it’s designated section. The merchandise on the floor racks was organized by related items and style preference. The items on the walls were grouped in sections of tops, pants, and jackets that looked best with each other. The clearance section was clean and organized by sizes, and all the merchandise was in the correct size section. The displays were organized with coinciding outfits, a few pairs of jeans and tee-shirts, folded next to each other with a couple bags/ backpacks; the display flows well with the product layout in the department. III. Merchandise Classification-The Classifying of the products was very versatile with the other products. All of the merchandise stock is focused on surf and skate brands of clothing. The majority of the stock is in tee-shirts, sweatshirts, and jeans. This department classification of products is focused more on large assortment of merchandise within a small variety of classifications. This merchandise scheme works well with this store because it allows each customer to personalize the individual items in to outfits of their own style preference. Data SummaryI. Compare and contrast: After reviewing the primary and secondary data, to get a better understanding of the PacSuntarget market and realistic profitability goals, it seem to be within a match able range of the comparison of experiencing the same demographics. In the field study conducted there seems to be a low amount of consumers shopping, but when added to an average amount of customers per day it is appropriate. At this particular location farther inland from the coast, the store has more foot traffic because of the decrease of competition in other surf/skate store near the coast. The income data compared to the guesstimate of income, based on purchasing amounts spent, does not match up. It seems that people were spending more money then bring in. When looking over the work force statistics, it seems that more parents are working and allow children to buy more products for the missed time together, allowing for huge indulges in money spent shopping. I feel that the customer is a teenager with working parents and most shop is done on own. The customer is give fixed amounts to spend and pre-though  periods through out the year. The consumer is likely to be working a small part-time job and spends paycheck on personal wants and entertainment. The loyal PacSun customers like to create their own activities related style through items at the store. There clothing chooses are selected more through durability and versatility, then innovative trends. The customer is entertainment seeking and dedicate. It is more like that the customers of PacSun are returning customers then new ones, once image is established by consumer, they tend to continue on the same path. II. Modification MixAs a buyer for PacSun it would be advisable to really study the store surroundings because even though the seasons are changing, it is likely that customers will purchase tank tops andshort-sleeve shirts year round. The need for jackets is usually slim, but a wide range of sweatshirt and sweaters is a necessity because the San Diego area does get windy during the end of the year. Being a buyer for specific classification of customers is defiantly easier when in a usually predicable climate, like San Diego. Knowing the trendy colors for each season is more necessary then knowing the trendy cut shirt cuts, because the PacSun consumer wants to be able to wear the item for season after season, not just for a few months. The most important thing to remember, as a buyer, is to buy the products for the customer not the corporation. Meaning to always fulfill the customers needs before selling products for corporate popularity and profitability. If logical, I would widen the size range of the clothing to open up the target market to teenagers in the plus size range. This will increase the foot traffic in the store. Other then the sizing, the store have the right products and styles in it that lives up to the PacSun reputation. If it were possible to reach a different customer segmentation, while maintaining the current the merchandise is stores, it would have to be to add another section for Pre-teenagers, ages 10 to 14 years old, there are many younger customers that are already set in there type of clothing classification of style related to there activities, like surfing and skate boarding. This would consist of extending the sizes and styles to Boy and Girl sizes and styles, but using the same consistency of brands. This would create a whole new foot traffic and profitability for PacSun stores. Bibliography –www.pacsun.com, copyright 2007-www.hoovers.com, copyright 2007-onsight analysis. date January 23, 2007