Urban Outfitters : Residential Outfitters

Both of these companies are doing better than the industry average at turning over their inventory.

Urban Outfitters is a popular clothing and accessory store that was founded in 1970, and generates success from the type of merchandise it retails, as well as through the contemporary culture and ethos that it promotes to its customers. The store has stated that it is targeted towards a specific audience that ranges from eighteen to thirty years old, who are well “educated, [and] urban-minded” (“Urban Outfitters”). Urban Outfitters offers a specific shopping experience that is unique to its store, because it focuses on a well-defined audience that is attracted by its modern environment and trendy clothes. Many individuals are unconsciously lured into the store first by the placement of the store itself, then by what the consumer can see in the front windows, and lastly by the specific and well thought out placement of the store’s merchandise. It is evident that the theories regarding retail geography defined by Paco Underhill, including the stores location, the decompression zone, the invariant right, destination items, the

Can you tell the common ground of the three mentioned? They are websites that provide a lot of styling tips and give ideas how to coordinate clothing items you have. Without doubt, they are one of the top destinations for so-called younger professional generation. People have tendency to look nice, express themselves at the same time. The fashion as a whole is universal, and it influences and is influenced by all ages, genders, races, culture, politics, even science. Everyone has to wear clothes after all.

The Silverman family first founded American Eagle Outfitters in 1977. They operated specialty clothing stores under the name Retail Ventures. In 1980 the Silverman's encountered financial troubles when the Schottenstein family bought out 50% of the Retail Ventures. In 1991 the Schottenstein family bought the rest of Retail Ventures and opened 153 American Eagle Outfitters. By late 2000 the company had introduced 46 new stores in Canada. American Eagle had approximately $2 million in annual sales in 2003 and now operates over 800 stores in the United States and Canada (http://www.hoovers.com/american-eagle-outfitters/--ID__17231--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml).

I chose Urban Outfitters and Trader Joe’s as my industries to analyze. The purpose was to see how each of the two industries website appeals to three company stakeholders which include employees, customers, and the media. Urban Outfitters is an American multinational clothing corporation while Trader Joe’s is an American privately held chain of specialty grocery stores. Employees and customers are viewed as primary stakeholders, meaning they are fundamental to a company’s operations and survival. Media is a secondary stakeholder, so it does not usually engage in direct transactions with a company making it not essential for its survival. What a company shows on their website is meant to appeal to particular stakeholders, it just depends on

Urban Outfitters Inc. is one of the leading lifestyle retail companies. Urban Outfitters operates in over 500 retail stores worldwide, with plans to open over 35 new locations by the end of the next fiscal year. The company also has a website, mobile app and catalogs used to assist with sales. Urban Outfitters has goals of expansion and growth for their numerous brands.

Lowe’s is the world’s second largest home improvement retailer and operated 952 stores in forty five states at their fiscal year ending January 30, 2004. The company is currently in the midst of the most aggressive expansion in its history with 130 new stores opened in 2003 and another 140 slated for this year. Lowe’s saw 2003 sales reach approximately $30.8 billion, due largely to their focus on the retail customers and home-improvement projects.

The purchasable items are overwhelming, but what about the overall buying experience? Jaren Morgan, who’s graduating class all bought matching sweatshirts, says “Buying was easy, but the options are lacking and the prices are a little high. The items are good though.” The lowest priced item is $15.95 and the highest is $94.95. However, he also says “The sweatshirts are great though. Very comfortable and there's something

Kohl’s main website features several “exclusive and national brand apparel, footwear, accessories, soft home products and housewares targeted to middle-income customers” (10k, pg. F-7). To be more specific, Kohl’s offers many brands of clothing to women, men, and children. Some of the name brands they offer include Nike, Adidas, Levi’s, Chaps, Van Heusen and Wrangler. Kohl’s also offers many products from their “private label, Apt. 9, which was designed to compete with the likes of Banana Republic, Liz Claiborne, and Perry Ellis” (Hoover Report, pg. 9). The Apt. 9 catalogue features high quality suit jackets and pants, polos, and button-up shirts for men. For women, Apt. 9 offers a wide range of tops, dresses, sleepware,

“American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. is a chain of mall-based stores that sells casual, outdoor-inspired fashion apparel” (American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.). This company operates 846 stores in the United States and Canada (McDonnell). American Eagle Outfitters first began in 1977 and was a division of Silvermans Menswear, Inc. As a family owned and operated retail business, Silvermans Menswear, Inc., sold accessories and attire for young men. When the business was in the third generation, the Silverman brothers thought it was necessary to add a new element in order for the company to prosper. This business move would allow the

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the forecasted expectations for economy sales in regards to clothing and clothing accessories stores edged up 0.8% in 2014, to $253.7 billion, versus 3.8% and 5.5% gains in 2013 and 2012, respectively. While purchaser spending has profited from pointedly bring down gas costs, we trust a movement in spending from nondurables to durables and, to some degree extravagance products, has contrarily affected attire deals, starting now there are no indications of unemployment growth.

As three of America's leading retailers, Home Depot, Nordstrom, and Cold Water Creek, are responsible for over $80 billion in annual sales. Retail industry analysts look for commonalities in inventory management reporting in order to track company's ability to move inventory and maximize pricing strategies and avoid having to discount obsolescent inventory thus affecting profit. Through analysis of a company's inventory management ratio, outside investors and inside management can track the number of times each year a company turns its inventory. Industries such as retail are extremely sensitive to inventory management as many retail products have short shelf lives due to cyclical inventory and technological advances.

Hawthorne characterizes the government as an overbearing dominant through the usage of extended metaphor. For example, Hawthorne utilizes the American eagle to symbolize the US Federal Government in order to better convey his thoughts. In the beginning, Hawthorne describes the eagle to be something that is strong and heroic with the intention to look out for the safety of the people. Eventually, he further explains that the people look to the eagle for comfort and rely on it for their safety. Hawthorne then reveals his attitude about the US by sharing that the eagle isn’t looking out for the good of the people with that “great tenderness” that the people seek and that the eagle is willing to abandon “her nestlings” whenever she pleases.

1. The textile/clothing sector is vertically de‐integrated: design, textile manufacture, clothing manufacture, distribution are undertaken by specialist firms. Why? In this case, clothing firms like American Apparel have vertically integrated, in order to get time to market, increase resources availability, and cost efficiency. However, many textile/clothing sector is vertically de‐integrated which means that their design, textile manufacture, clothing manufacture, distribution are undertaken by specialist firms. (De-verticalization) is the process of separating functions and services from a once-integrated business model. Companies such as Levi Strauss & Co., who emphasize the

As a result of minimizing the amount of buying consumer goods, the clothing style will vary from person to person. Occasionally a group will find clothing, furniture, and accessories, but it’s most common for people to attend flea markets, ‘freemeets’, or browse a website [www. freecycle.org] where users post unwanted items. The clothing could be in good condition or tattered and worn; it’s all dependant on the person and what is available.