COMPARATIVE SHOPPING

Value, middle market and premium, these are the three levels which stores can be categorised into, the customers, appearance and marketing of each should differ. I have chosen to compare knitwear and a shirt from each level, the brands are Tesco, Zara and Vivienne Westwood.

Tesco stores are located all over the UK, stocking all of the family necessities. Most supermarkets have developed their own clothing range and it seems that they are actually quite successful. Usually this area is somewhere between the front and middle of the shop, making sure the customer to has to walk through to get to anything else. The garments aren't merchandised to any high standard, it is simple shopping for the family. Stocking family essentials such as school uniform, work shirts and shoes.

Looking at Tesco knitwear there is an average price of £22.00 and the fabrics used tend to be a mixture of acrylic, the textures of the fabric are carpet like and rough with a simple design. The majority of the knitwear has been made in Bangladesh.
The price of a shirt is £15.00 using nylon or cotton, the shirts are fairly soft but do not have a great deal of detail. The garments are cheap and cheerful, and Tesco have realised this is what their target market want. The country of manufacture is China, these are typical countries for companies to use to create low  cost clothing.

Approaching the Nottingham Zara store the building has a classical appearance and is located centrally within the town centre. The window displays show ladies wear, childrens wear and mens wear. They are merchandised to a high standard, showing outfits replicating current trends, and it seems that time has been put into making the garments look like they are realistically being worn.

I found knitwear in different price points the cheapest was £9.99, the thin acrylic cardigan which comes in many different colours but also a jumper and polo neck. These are simple and easy for customers to choose, with a plain texture all they have to decide is which colour suits them best, they will prove popular with the public because of the price. 'Special price' knitwear is £25.99,  it is 65% acrylic, 25% nylon and 10% angora, made in Bangladesh. This knit is bigger and thicker than the rest, but still quite simple. £45.99 is the general price of the knitwear with more detailing, and a more original finish, matching up with the metalic trends this season Zara have a lot of metalic finished jumpers in bronze, silver, gold, black, red and green, these are 100% acrylic and manufactured in turkey. The 100% cashmere cardigans are simple but expensive, £59.99 due to the fibres used. 

The shirts also are similar but have different price points based around each separate brand within ladies wear, TRF shirts are around £25.99 using 100% polyester, whilst Basic shirts are around £29.99 also using polyester mix. Woman tends to be the most expensive of the three and shirts of a similar style are between £35.99 and £39.99 using 100% viscose. These are often printed and more detailed with a metallic finish or embellishment. 

The layout of the store is quite easy to understand, the merchandising is effective, mannequins are directly infront as the customer walks in or past the store. Each collection is put together to make shopping easy and allow customers to put outfits together quickly. The trends and influences are evident,  for example fetish this season is represented through high leather boots, wax effect trousers and feather sleeved jackets.
 The sales asisstants are all dressed the same and easy to recognise, and there is a fitting room on each floor. The brand aims at all areas of the family, children, women and men, therefore there are many couples, young people and older people shopping, it caters well for all target markets. In my opinion the Zara customer is classical and wants a designer style without the heavy price, as each season Zara is known for its strong replicas from the catwalk.

The Nottingham Vivienne Westwood store is located within the FH Mall, where there are a few designer shops and boutique style stores. The window displays show many bags with the large Vivienne Westwood logo on the front. With a spacious store layout and segregated into particular collections there is an immediate designer feel. There are different levels to each floor and this has a creative and distinctive appearance, even from outside the shop. I noticed that the mannequins alone look distinctive, as though they are only used for Vivienne Westwood designs, unlike other stores where most look the same. 

As soon as I entered the store I was addressed and noticed, there is a huge emphasis on one on one customer service. There is a relaxed and professional atmosphere, and the idea of staying with a customer from when they enter the store to when they leave.  The reason for this may be that they need to make more effort to make the sales as they have less custom but have much higher sales per customer. Having the personal help from a sales assistant makes the customer feel valued.

The sales assistants themselves appear to have a distinct personal style and appearance, representing the Vivienne Westwood brand with a clear interest in fashion.

The customers in store tend to be couples or people shopping alone, perhaps buying gifts or shopping for a particular item.