RCS 261 Blog #3

The VALS types survey said that I was an experiencer and a striver. I agree with the survey because the characteristics of an experiencer is someone who is enthusiastic, is motivated by self-expression, are impulsive buyers, and I find excitement in outdoor activities and social activities. We spend a lot of our money on fashion, and our purchases reflect the emphasis on looking good and having interesting stuff. The characteristics of a striver is someone who is trendy and fun loving. Because a striver is motivated by achievement, we are concerned about the opinions and approval of others. Money defines success for strivers, who do not have enough of it to meet our desires. Strivers are consumers who like shopping and treat it as a social activity. However, I disagree with the part of strivers that says we see ourselves as having a job rather than a career, and we have a lack of skills and focus which often prevents us from moving ahead. I do not think it corresponds with the target person my group presented on Tuesday because my store was Old Navy and in my opinion people who shop at Old Navy are on a budget and are not really fashion forward with what they buy. Old Navy is a great place to shop for families, but young adults who are trying to follow the trends would probably pick another place like Forever 21, Francesca's or Nordstrom to shop at.

RCS 261 Blog #2

Forever 21 is a chain of apparel retailers, who offer fashionable clothing targeted towards an audience of young men and women, and located world wide. Most of Forever 21's apparel is under a private label and is made in California. Forever 21 offers stylish up to date assembles that every fashionista enjoys. Its competitors are American Eagle, The Body Shop, Kiss, West Seal, and Charlotte Russe. The chain was originally called Fashion 21 and was started in Los Angeles California in 1984 by a Korean American named Do-Won Chang and his wife named Jin-Sook. The first store created is still located in the Highland Park district of Los Angeles to this day. It is very small, about 900 square feet, and keeps the chain's original name "Fashion 21." Fashion 21 quickly expanded at the rate that a new store would every six months, and changed the named Fashion 21 to the brand name Forever 21. Forever 21 is operating over 355 locations nationwide with brands Forever 21, Forever XXI, For Love 21, and Gadzooks. The business strategy which makes Forever 21 so successful is their budgeting of expenses in advertising, meaning that the company chooses to keep their money away from premium real estate that attracts heavy commercial traffic.