Target Audiences

Different retail stores have different target audiences based on where they are located, what they sell and who they want to shop in there stores. Target audiences are based on different segment markets such as demographics like age, gender, status, lifestyle and income and geographic like location and region. VALS segments are also important when it comes to retailers and their decisions regarding target markets and audiences. This is important because retailers cannot sell to everyone. This would cause confusion and an overload of merchandise in one location. Ultimately it would hinder sales and prevent the retailer from making profits. Therefore, different stores have different target audiences they prefer to market their merchandise to.

For example Victoria's Secret's target audience would be women between the age of 18-35 who care more about overall image and sexiness than comfort and ideal basics. They target people who do not mind spending a little more money on what one would think of as basics, to have more luxurious and sexy lingerie, something that is not a necessity. Their VALS segments fall under the self-expression category as their primary motivation. Most consumers that shop here are experiencers in that they are trendy and stylish but also risky, looking for variety and excitement and more concerned about being good looking and have cool stuff. They see shopping as a social activity and spend a good portion of their income on fashion.

Abercrombie & Fitch is a really good example of how retailers strategically target certain audiences for their specific line of products. Even if you are not a huge fan of A&F they have a solid foundation of customers regardless. They focus on young adults who possess beautiful lifestyles and beautiful bodies. Their ads do not even consist of their products, instead they advertise sex and good looking people. In doing so they are selling an actual lifestyle to consumers who are or want to be

perceived as good looking, than the actual product itself. If retail stores such as Holister, H&M, BeBe, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Forever 21 continue to evaluate their target markets and target specific audiences in particular, they will continue to do well in the retail industry. By focusing its resources on the young and trendy lifestyles they will create brand loyalty and continue to sell to those that fall into those categories.

After taking the VALS survey I found that my primary motivation for is self-expression and that my dominate consumer behaviors are those of an experiencer then on occasions I show interest in being a striver. To me it was accurate and I completely agree. As an experiencer I do follow fashions and trends as well as spend much of my income on socializing. I sometimes buy on impulse and am a heavy user of electronics and media. I believe this is true for me right now because at such a young age I have room to explore and experience and my income is not used for much besides my few needs and many wants. However, as a college student I fall into the Striver category because I am interested in image yet, my income is limited and is mostly spent on clothing and personal care products.

Est. 1984: How it all Began

Forever 21 was established in 1984 in Los Angles, California. The man behind the innovative phenomenon Don-Won Chang, is who we owe thanks to for the ever growing, popular source for the most current fashions at the greatest value. Surpassing the wonderful age of 21 Forever 21has been around for 25 years and has no intent of stopping soon.
Originally named Fashion 21, it all began on Figueroa St. with 900 square feet. On April 21st 1984 the first store was created, still in operation today, bearing its original name. By the end of its first year, sales had increased from $35,000 to $700,000. Later expanding its business at the rate of a new store every six months, the brand changed its name to Forever 21. In 1989 the year I was born Forever 21 opened its 11th store in Panorama City, CA, the first to be located in a mall. Now having expanded to 5,000 square feet this was only the beginning of the hundreds of specialty stores soon to be found in almost every major mall nation wide. After the opening of its first store outside of California in 1995 Forever 21 now had reached a total of 40 stores in just ten years.
Today with over 350 stores nation wide, Forever 21 has expanded drastically. Opening flagship stores in almost every major city in the U.S. it now averages at 24,000 square feet, almost tripling its original size. Its shop-in-shop concepts demonstrates its strength as a boutique and specialty retailer over their department store counterparts. By 1996 its revenue surpassed $1 billion dollars causing Forever 21 to be one of the top privately held companies in the U.S. Budgeting its expenses in advertising, there affordable merchandise and brand loyalty will keep Forever 21 growing, allowing the brand to expand even further reaching its full potential.
In just 25 short years my favorite retailer has become not only known but loved nation wide. The story of Forever 21 is not only innovative but inspiring as it motivates me to do and believe in all my future dreams and goals because life is promising. As simply stated at the bottom of all of their shopping bags, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever beileveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16