Accessorize

N0280922 Sophie Mattacott-Cousins FASH10039 FMB Yr 1

Contents
Sec 1. 1:1 Introduc/on 1:2 Methodology Sec 2. 2:1 brand DNA 2:2 Brand History 2:3 Brand a@ributes 2:4 Monsoon & Accessorize trust 2:5 Brand Vision & objec/ves Sec 3. 3:1 Product a@ributes 3:2 Range segmenta/on 3:3 Brand posi/oning 3:3:1 Perceptual Map Sec 4. 4:1 PEST analysis Overview 4:2 UK consumer behaviors 4:3 USA consumer behaviors 4:4 Comparisons of the US & UK Market 4:5 Cultural dierences in the US & UK

Sec 5 5:1 US compe/tor Set 5:1:1 Perceptual map 5:2 Accessorize SWOT analysis 5:3 Compe/tor SWOT analysis 5:4 Consumer segmenta/on 5:4:1 Consumer Lifestyle Image Sec 6 6:1Market Entry 6:2 California Sec 7 7:1 Seasonal range plan Sec 8 8:1 Loca/on 8:2 Store 8:3 Adver/sing Channels 8:4 The Campaign 8:5 Summary & Recommenda/ons Sec 9 9:1 Appendix 9:2 References

1:1 INTRODUCTION
This report contains Accessorize brand iden/ty, objec/ves and informa/on on the US and UK retail markets to create a successful proposi/on of Accessorize moving into the US.

1:2 METHODOLOGY

Research will be collected via primary and secondary methods to provide a board brand and US market view. Primary An interview was conducted with a local store manager to gain an understanding of Accessorizes core values and objec/ves. Insight was gained on their consumers and brand a@ributes, enabling a be@er understanding of the product ranges and providing valuable informa/on when looking at a poten/al range for spring/ summer 2012. Secondary Secondary informa/on was such as websites, reports and magazine ar/cles were used to compile informa/on on the American lifestyle which was used to determine a successful launch process, adver/sing campaign, ranges and loca/ons.

2:1

Accessorize is an English brand inspired by far away places and ethical considera/ons. We are dedicated in producing ne, aordable accessory pieces from bags to necklaces. With ethical handcrabs and its bohemian roots playing a part in Accessorizes design concepts we create products that not only make you look good, but make you feel good, crea/ng a long las/ng consumer brand rela/onship.

 Monsoon, Accessorizes Parent company, was founded in 1973 by Peter Simon following his trip in India where he discovered an array of printed clothing which he sold on Portobello road. Monsoons rst store was located in Knightsbridge, London and in 1984 Accessorize was born as a new, dis/nc/ve accessory store concept in keeping with Monsoons original focus of ethnic products from faraway places. The store was situated in convent Garden adjoining to Monsoons store. Previously, Monsoon had been selling a small collec/on of Accessorize pieces which is what ini/ated the concept, however, aber seeing how successfully the pieces had sold it became clear that this was the route to follow. Aber successfully opening two Accessorize stores in London in 1992 a store was opened in Manchester and an airport store in Gatwick South Terminal. Aber such a quick take to the high street Accessorize devised a store-opening program averaging 16 stores per year. Aber 27 years of successful brand expansion Accessorize now holds more than 240 stores na/onwide and an interna/onal opera/on of over 600 stores.

2:2

History

Bohemian Ethnic Fresh Diverse Ethical

2:3

Attributes

Accessorize reects scenes and arts of faraway places, it is inspired by current events and produces products to inspire the consumer and give back to the creator. Accessorizes contribu/on goes beyond its products; we believe in valuing the people and places that make us who we are. By Accessorize living through these beliefs we are able to produce contemporary pieces that embody our current outlook through our ar/sans eyes.

2:4

Monsoon and Accessorize Trust

Since 1994 we have been helping to improve lives of women and children at a disadvantage in Asia through the Monsoon Accessorize Trust. With our core objec/ves of puhng people rst and giving back what we take we felt that by going a step further and star/ng a Trust we could put this into ac/on whilst gehng others involved. The program is focused on helping to provide educa/on, health and income genera/on. Since its launch we have worked on many projects across Asia improving the livelihoods of communi/es. Current projects in India and Afghanistan include providing health care to remote villages, help women make a living from their tradi/onal embroidery crab as well as helping co@on farmers transfer to organic methods of farming. The Trust is something we can publicize interna/onally when expanding. We can make a point of it in-store and online once set up in a new country. With current global ethical concerns we are keen to not only get future customers involved but apply a posi/ve outlook on Accessorize as a new brand.

2:5

Vision & Objectives

Our Vision is to con/nually produce accessory products that cater to all our consumer types whilst expanding globally. We want to ensure we con/nue to provide help globally and give back to those that inspire us. Our objec/ves are to push our 600 worldwide store opera/on and to tackle the US market. We will be able to understand many dierent social and cultural types through the US thereby providing us with useful informa/on for our other global stores. We will be adap/ng and enhancing certain products to ensure we are perceived in a posi/ve way for certain markets.

3:1

Ethical

Product Attributes

Since 1973 we have supported ethical design and handmade goods from overseas. We have encouraged the ar/sans and adapted their pieces that inspire our design team to produce contemporary, cultural products.

Bohemian
Accessorize began with a bohemian style of design and has since evolved to produce a wide array of ranges however the separate design areas never forget their bohemian image roots.

A@en/on to detail
On most products you will nd an imprinted A for Accessorize that marks their products or a tag with care guides. With every dierent range you will also nd the packaging and presenta/on of the piece hng to the product, this separates the ranges and makes it easier for the consumer when in-store or online.

3:2

Range Segmentation
Bags Jewellery Footwear Beach Accessories Gibs

We currently produce womens accessories and an Angel range for children aged between 4-12 which are both separated under product type:

However, within store and occasionally online we concentrate on splihng these products between their design story therefore making it easier for the consumer to nd matching products resul/ng in increased sales.

Perceptual Map
*New Look

High level of Styles & Ranges *Accessorize *Topshop *Aldo

Main Contenders in the Accessory Market

*Claires Accessories Low in Price *Mikey *Signet group

*Calvin Klein High in Price *Pandora *Fiorelli *Tie rank

*Pilgrim

Low level of Styles & Ranges

3:3

Brand Positioning

Accessorize as a brand is currently strong due to its role as market leader in the accessory market. Through 27 years of experience it has developed valuable brand recogni/on and customer loyalty. Accessorize is currently viewed in the market as producing an extensive range of products at the same price as compe/tors but of superior quality. It is valued for providing consumers with on trend, fashionable pieces that speak for themselves. Through its product ranges consumers put faith in accessorize to provide them with products for every occasion and need. Consumers turn to accessorize for good quality retail experience especially in the mother and daughter market. Through Accessorizes ethical values consumers gain sa/sfac/on and a posi/ve brand ahtude through purchasing products that none of our compe/tors oer.

4:1

US PEST Analysis Overview

(See Appendix 1 for US PEST)

Poli%cal A poli/cally stable government sets a secure base for Accessorize to launch into the US. It provides Accessorize with condence that no dras/c changes will be made that may jeopardize the company. With the US not prepared to sign a treaty to stop global warming Americans may look to new ways of helping, such as eco friendly purchases. Accessorize could capitalize on this and con/nually push their charity and ethical products, producing a posi/ve brand persona. Economical With employment on the rise within the US this will have a posi/ve outcome on Accessorizes launch as poten/ally there will be an increase in consumers with disposable income. Accessorizes launch will also help the economy by opening up more job posi/ons, again adding to a posi/ve brand image. With disposable income on the rise sta/s/cally this will again give a greater opportunity to capitalize on. The US dollar on the rise presents a good opportunity to move into the market whilst set up costs will be lower with a higher future return.

Social With the ageing demographic in America the retail market is moving toward change as most target the younger consumer. Accessorize have a diverse range of products to suit all ages and therefore will poten/ally do well. Accessorize will need to research US customer service to create a tailored employee training program with the high service level that is expected in the US. We will also need to get a good understanding of American English language to ensure poten/al consumers are not confused or oended. With celebrity culture being so prominent in America it would be worthwhile for Accessorize to nd a posi/ve celebrity gure as its face to launch into the US. Technological The US is one of the fastest growing technology bases with unlimited marke/ng techniques. Sta/s/cs show high rates of Americans using social networking sites and owning smartphones it would be valuable for Accessorize to tap into these and use technology to promote themselves as they already do in the UK. With the US consumer engaging more and more in e- commerce it would be wise for Accessorize to con/nue having its e-store online as it does in the UK to make maximum advantage of sales and promo/ons.

4:2
(See Appendix 2 for UK Retail Market)

UK Consumer Behaviours

Over the past 12 months consumers have slowly regained faith in the economy and we are witnessing a rise in retail sales once more. Though there was a dip in the market in years 2007/2008 since then there has been a slow and steady increase in sales. Due to the recession consumers have increased awareness of only spending on required necessi/es in order to save money. As a result consumers are less prepared to invest into the luxury goods retail area and therefore turning to value pieces that are seen in the likes of Primark and discount retail stores. Though consumers are theore/cally saving money by turning to fast retail they are also buying more products in keeping with the fast turn around in fashion trends. With so much variety in choice of brand, price and value consumers are now engrossed in this fast-fashion cycle resul/ng in buying a larger amount of products which has ul/mately led the retail market out of the recession.

High-end retailers have also survived well throughout the economic crisis. Consumers, unprepared to pay the price of high end luxury goods, are turning to products that are good value ini/ally and thereaber in lifespan, crea/ng a fundamental market for consumers at the higher end of the high street. Women are the highest contributors to the value of the fashion retail market with womens clothing sales making up to 51.4%. This is principally due to their unlimited amount of choice, however surveys have shown the mens retail share is on the rise as they are faced with more adver/sing and social and cultural pressure. Over the past ve years there has been a fast rise in e-retail, in 2010 e-retail grew by 17.6% to hit 58.6 billion. Retailers are producing websites that oer a browse and buy op/on as well as providing consumers with the most recent Brand informa/on. Though this type of retailing is easy and convenient for consumers resul/ng in higher e-tail sales it decreases poten/al impulse buys oben seen in store, with 55% of internet users now browsing online before they buy.

However Consumers have noted that they are more likely to go in store to purchase aber browsing online. Though this enables the consumer to nd exactly what they are looking for it can push certain stores out of the market. Consumer sales have also seen a correla/on with weather and holidays. Because of the bad weather seen at the run up to Christmas there was a dip in sales in store to previous years and seen more online, which oben oered cheaper versions of products. Yet Marchs 2011 quarter proved higher retail sales gures than expected with a small part of this believed to be in connec/on with the be@er weather. Though consumers have stated they would like to see more ethical fashion and would shop in more environmentally friendly stores, they are not prepared to pay the increasing costs that occur with these products. Therefore, unless a cheaper way of sustainable fashion is produced consumers we con/nuously turn to non- sustainable fast-retail. (See Appendix 3, further Consumer sta/s/cs and Informa/on)

US Consumer Behaviours

dependent on the current economy.

4:3

The US retail market has uctuated predominantly mirroring the economic climate. However it would appear that people are returning to the luxury goods market and accessory market since the global recession. Within these areas however, it is believed that luxury goods and jewellery is a nancial investment, and these types of sales are

With American living costs on the rise in a dicult economic /me the US retailers are s/ll struggling nancially. With gas prices on the rise households are nding that they have less disposable income thereby reducing spending on unnecessary retail products. Though American consumers were notorious for spending more than they earned the economic breakdown has shown considerable cut backs in all areas.

US consumers have noted that they now oben look for cheaper alterna/ves of products and a survey has shown that almost half of the American consumers have shopped in discount stores. Another survey has noted that with consumers aware of retail prices and their comparisons they are more likely to shop in crowded stores as they perceive them as oering lower cost products and greater variety en/ces consumers to buy more. Though consumer spending is on the rise a vast amount of this is due to the rising costs of food and gas leaving less disposable income to be spent in other retail markets. However a recent survey from The Conference Board revealed that 70.4% of US consumers are feeling more posi/ve and condent in the market and spending, though they are s/ll unprepared to make huge investments in Housing. This is clearly reected with the Housing market s/ll considerably down in comparison to before the recession. Although America was hit hard by the economic recession, the US consumer quickly adapted and in 2009 the retail market saw the rst growth of consumer spending. Since we have seen a con/nuous rise yearly, and with the rst 2011 quarter shows that spending is up by 7.8% in comparison to last year. This cer/es consumers growing condence in the economy with the US spending more on clothing once more.

It is the younger consumer who has nancially kept the retail market aoat, with most having more disposable incomes than older shoppers and are more conscious of current trends. Though the market for fast fashion has grown considerably in the US with the likes of Forever 21 the demand for aordable luxury has also seen an increase, with the older genera/on not quite prepared to pay the full amount for higher-end items but s/ll have the need for luxury pieces. Consumers have also shibed to spending more within malls and brand chains than exclusive stores, with growing trust in certain brands and price having an impact. Weather and holidays have had an aect on sales in store, with more consumers turning to the Internet to make retail purchases. The US consumer was noted to have done a large amount of Christmas shopping online in order to miss the masses take to the high streets and not brace the freezing temperatures.

US online retail has been on a steady rise for the last few years reaching a 12% increase rate to last year, a@aining $38 billion in sales during Q1 2011. With the US consumer engaging more and more in e-commerce it would be wise for Accessorize to con/nue having its e-store online as it does in the UK to make maximum advantage of sales and promo/ons. This has also been aected through the likes of social media a@rac/ng poten/al consumers to e-tail sights with 74% of US web users having an account with a social network.

4:4

Comparison

of the US & UK Behaviors

The UK have become obsessed with fast-fashion with the younger genera/on now reported to be spending more due to the vast amounts of brands, prices and styles available on the market. Fast fashion has also been seen in America however sales are not as high in comparison to England. However in the US, consumers are much more focused on nding discounts and comparing prices online. When launching into the US it maybe worth Accessorize looking into oering a limited promo/on to en/ce the US consumer. Both countries have rising e-sales because of availability and lifestyle factors. Now a large percentage of their sales are done online taking away from store sales. The US and UK also correlate in their spending habits over holidays and weather. Both were reported to have much higher sales over the Christmas period and Valen/nes day, etc. They have also witnessed a rise on online sales due to weather. This is something that Accessorize can capitalize on and make sure they promote themselves over these /mes. This will help their UK stores as well as their future US store. The UK however seem to have more consumers with disposable income in comparison to the US because of their rising living costs. This has a nega/ve eect on the US retail market which may aect Accessorizes US launch.

US and UK Culture Comparisons

US popula%on 2011 312,913,872

4:5

UK popula%on 2011 62,008,048

The United States is a diverse country ethnically and racially. There are six main races recognized throughout the US; White, Black or African Americans, American Indian, Asian, Na/ve Hawaiian and other Pacic Islander, and people with two or more races. Americans can also be classed as La/no or Hispanic. Within the UK we are seeing more cultures and ethnic groups taking residence. The UK is now one of the fastest growing mixed-race popula/ons in the world. It is predicted that by 2051 ethnic minority numbers will rise to 20% of UK habitants. Though the UK is slowly gaining more ethnic groups and cultures it is not to the degree of the US and therefore Accessorize will have do research in Americas ethnic cultural socie/es. However from working with dierent countries from its trust and where its roots originally lie Accessorize will already have some understanding in cultural dierences which will be valuable for their launch into the US.

Americans travel a lot less in comparison to the Bri/sh. Because of their diverse states they are much more likely to holiday inside the US. However with Britain being a lot smaller and have li@le good weather, UK habitants are more likely to travel to the rest of Europe. Each state of America has dierent cultures and tradi/ons unlike the UK. This will help word of Accessorize launch into the US spread through America with many US ci/zens travelling to California (Accessorizes chosen state to launch).

Though the US and UK both speak English, certain words and phrases are perceived in completely dierent ways.
The US language is called American English and spoken by 82% of the popula/on; Spanish is the second most common language and makes up 12% of the US languages. The English sa/re is not quite understood in the US and is perceived as rude. The US are also a lot more openly friendly and informal, the majority are quite happy to approach a stranger to spark a conversa/on where as the English are known to be much more reserved. This is par/cularly seen in dierences between customer services. The US have a much more full-on approach, with constant eagerness to help and service interac/on whilst within the UK assistants are more likely to stand back and let the consumer come to them. This would be something Accessorize would have to take into considera/on when looking at marke/ng campaigns and assistant training.

 The US uses more technology in comparison to the UK. They move a lot faster in understanding and adap/ng to new technology on the market crea/ng bigger media opportuni/es and market sales. The UK tends to be a lot more tradi/onal in technology and take longer to adapt to new technological products. Accessorize will have to grasp American technology understanding and nd ways to join the market, to make full advantage and launch itself as a new innovate brand that is fashionable and up to date. Over the past decade looks and appearance are becoming more of a topical issue around the world, with catwalk models spor/ng size zero and the rise of obesity it is no wonder that tness is becoming a priority. The Uk has witnessed a rise in the health and tness industry for the 10th consecu/ve year in 2010 to a net worth of 3.8 billion according to FIA. Whilst the US tness industry has maintained a steady rise, with memberships growing and prots remaining solid. This provides Accessorize with sound news that their health & wellbeing range will con/nue to be a consumer necessity and that poten/ally expanding this range to accommodate more sport required op/ons.

US Competitor Set

5:1

The US does not have many specic Accessory brands like Accessorize, most of Accessorizes compe/tor brands are mainly clothing brands. The brands that do just cater in the Accessory market are also priced higher than Accessorize crea/ng a valuable posi/on for Accessorize to target other consumers. However from the perceptual map you can see that there are other brands (Claire's Accessories, Victoria's Secret, Forever 21) pricing their products lower or on par to Accessorize. With Accessorize being a new brand the US consumer may choose to purchase products at these stores though they oer a lower choice of products and ranges. Roxy and Billabong have been included within this perceptual map as they are very strong swimwear and tness contenders within the US therefore crea/ng a poten/al problem for Accessorize. However with Accessorizes evening and day range Accessorize should be able to en/ce customers into store through other means. In addi/on these two brands only cater for a younger age group crea/ng an advantage for Accessorize as we cater for all ages. With almost half of consumers in the US looking for cheaper op/ons to products we feel that the likes of Kate Spade, Fossil and Guess Accessories will not take away from poten/al sales. Overall, this perceptual map shows that there is a market for a sole accessory store in the middle market within the US. Careful adver/sing and a clear posi/oning statement will inform consumers of what we oer, our values and objec/ves.

High level of Products & Ranges

Main Contenders in the Accessory Market

*Billabong *Roxy *Accessorize *Aldo *Fossil *Kate Spade *Guess *Victoria's secret Accessories *Claire's *Coach Accessories *Hot Topic *Forever 21

Perceptual Map

High in Price

Low in Price

*Club Monaco

Low level of Products & Ranges

5:2

SWOT analysis entering into US

Product strengths
Accessorizes has a unique assortment of collec/ons from everyday to Bou/que. All produced with crea/ve design, print and crab that reect the brand diversity. With products produced to en/ce all age groups it oers a mother and child shopping experience. Accessorize has always played a part in ethical considera/ons and has set up a trust to give back to Asian communi/es, all contribu/ng to posi/ve brand image. Accessorize is known to produce high quality goods that is aordable to everyone Accessorize is one of the few brands to con/nue to use tradi/onal methods in producing their products by using crabsmanship and producing results that a machine can not produce. Product weakness and children currently. It only a@racts this market due to its Accessorize is limited to women feminine styles. Not all products are online, therefore poten/ally losing sales. Accessorize currently outsources some of its manufacturing in India and Asia therefore higher distribu/on costs may occur when expanding across America. Consumers in the US may not be used to such a diverse product categories within stores and be loyal to the US compe/tors. Accessorize may struggle in understanding the US culture with working rela/onships and US appealing VM that sells the products. Jewellery and luxury goods are aected by the economy; there is less room for spontaneous expenditure when consumers are under nancial strain. Market is very seasonal resul/ng in uctua/ng sales

Market opportuni%es

The US does not currently have an ethical accessory specialist brand on the high street and therefore can promote itself with this in mind. Accessorize caters for many age groups and therefore can blossom to almost everyone in all areas of America Accessorize has the opportunity to cater for the older genera/on that is currently being dismissed and is known to be on the rise and as that is known to be growing with aging demographics as accessories can be worn at nay age and with its diverse collec/on there are pieces to suit all.

Market threats

The US consumer are tradi/onal in their values and might not appreciate a UK brand taking place in the US The US consumer may prefer Accessorizes compe//on for their clear product price and consumer age. Certain areas in America are es/mated to have higher business costs and therefore Accessorize may see a slower return from higher establishing costs.

5:3

Competitor SWOT analysis Claires Accessories

strengths Has a clearly dened consumer age and product type. Oers an eclec/c mix of accessories and jewellery targeted to the lifestyles of kids, tweens, and teens. Was founded in the US and therefore understands the US consumer needs. Has already successfully expanded globally and therefore understands the nancial and cultural dierences. Weaknesses

Only caters for a specic age group. Is very specic in the type of products they produce, enabling to only cater for a small majority of their target age group. Has not created or invested in crea/ve marke/ng campaigns and gained posi/ve brand presence. May not suit all areas of America, with ageing demographics Claires Accessories wont be suitable in all towns and ci/es. With Claires catering to a young audience most sales rely on coming from guardians. Therefore most likely depending on spendable income. Cant currently see all their products online or purchase them without going in store.

Opportuni%es Can con/nuously grow within the States as it is already has an established brand. Expand the brand name into other elds to poten/ally create a mother daughter experience, as guardians are already most likely to enter the stores for the child. Look into new adver/sing opportuni/es to maintain rela/onship with consumers. Threats New entrants. Their targeted age group change their opinions on products, move away from the girly styles. (Lack of customer loyalty) The con/nuous growth of e-retail is pushing Claires Accessories out of the market at they do not operate in online sales. Playful jewellery and accessories are not necessi/es and therefore with the economy downturn they maybe eected nancially with lower sales gures.

Consumer segmentation
Our consumer is fashion forward, image aware and ethically conscious. She has a fun and playful ahtude towards clothing and picks items for their unique quality. She values family and friends and is interested in other cultures. She enjoys art and design through her crea/ve quali/es and stands strong in sociable situa/ons. Who Women and mature teenagers from 16+ w ith varied sizes and children between the ages of 4-12. What Our consumer shops in Accessorize for everyday and evening accessories. Why Our consumer is aware of trends and looks and likes to stay looking up-to-date whilst also having staple pieces that will carry them through each season. When Women and mature teenagers use the accessories in day and evening in most weather condi/ons depending on style and range (i.e. bou/que for evening). Where Accessorize products can be worn anywhere due to our varied selec/on. Day- work, weekend, family and social day events, shopping Night- bars, par/es, evening ou/ngs, smart events Fitness & wellbeing beach, pool, gym, water sports, holidays Kids- school, weekends, par/es, social events, on holiday

5 Ws

6:1

Market entry strategy

We will produce more tness and sport orientated products for the fashion tness consumer known to be seen in parts of California and across America. We will also con/nuously strive to make ethical decisions and produce high quality pieces at a good value. Our product ranges will uphold the diverse collec/on types we have now to maximize sales from all consumer types and age groups.

6:2

California

California is situated on the West Coast of the United States and is the third largest state. It is home to 37,253,956 residents which makes up 11.91% of Americas popula/on. It is home to many famous landmarks and beaches a@rac/ng many tourists from within and outside the US. With LA and Orange County being on the coast of the Pacic, making them perfect seaside resorts, with not only a large popula/on but again an a@rac/ve tourist des/na/on. LA also benets from many dierent retail areas and socie/es enabling Accessorize to a@ract and be seen by many. California is a very appealing state to launch Accessorize with its high resident and tourist rate crea/ng a greater poten/al revenue. There is a variety of cultural dierences within California crea/ng a greater opportunity to understand other cultures helping Accessorize launch into other countries. The US has a rising obesity rate, however in California 24.8% are classied as obese, This is a small percentage rate compared to other states. Though Accessorize will be producing a size larger than they currently do to suit the US market it s/ll means that our current sizes are s/ll required and wanted by our consumer.

Seasonal range plan

Design concept

Section 7

Accessorize will con/nue to cater for women and children of all ages. We will maintain a diverse collec/on of accessories as well as puhng more energy into growing our tness and wellbeing sector of accessorize. By looking at poten/al 2012 women's trends we are able to have an idea on what we feel will work for Accessorize women's range in 2012 when we launch into America. Taking into considera/on Accessorizes ethical values and bohemian roots when considering design ideas we have produced ve poten/al ranges; Stars & Stripes, Eastern Odyssey, Majes/c Florals, Natural Earth and Exo/c Brights.

Sizing

From Sta/s/cs of women's sizes and dierent body shapes in the US compared to the UK, We have decided it would be best to introduce US size 16, size 20 in the UK and X large. This will par/cularly help our bikini sales as bust sizes within the US have risen from 34B to 36C over the past 15 years. Overall it will enable and help Accessorize open itself to addi/onal poten/al customers.

Product Type

Gym memberships growing and prots remaining solid in the tness industry show that expanding into a tness range would also open Accessorize to a new market. Accessorize already caters for the health and wellbeing customer but by producing a spor/er range opens them to a new customer and poten/ally higher sales. And with California's loca/on by the sea creates a large amount of water ac/vi/es that require more robust swimming costumes and accessories than Accessorize currently produces.

Personalizing to the US

Accessorize will also be producing a personalized collec/on for the US market to show their willingness and a@ract the loyal US brand consumer.

 Size Ranges

Price Ranges
Jewellery and other Accessories

Materials
Clothing -Elastane -Viscose Swimwear -Elastane -Nylon

Everyday Leisure & Wellbeing Premium Leisure & Wellbeing Sport & Fitness Eveningwear

US 2 16 Small- X Large US 2 16 Small- X Large

$5-$20

-Plas/c -Wood -Silver plated -Glass -Leather -wood -plas/c -Lycra -Plas/c

$20-$55 $10-$50

-Polyester -Viscose -Co@on

-Elastane -Nylon

Small- X Large US 2 16

-Elastane -Nylon -Polyester -Polyester -Viscose -Co@on

-Lycra -Elastane -Nylon

$55-$100

-Silver -Special stones -Leather -Wood -Glass

Location

8:1

The Store

We have chosen to launch ourselves into Los Angeles, California. The rst store will open at The Grove. A widely known outdoor shopping mall that holds a variety of stores from designer labels to high street. The Grove has been chosen for its appealing tourist consumer as well as LA residents. It is also situated closely to the beach which will drive our health and well-being swimwear. LA has also been reported to be highly image conscious and tness, with many gyms and health & wellness centers located across the state being an ideal place for Accessorize to sell their products. LA also has a pres/gious party scene with many clubs and bars being located through the town. They range from up market cocktail bars to understated eateries. By gehng customers into the store through either our jewellery and accessories or health and wellbeing sec/ons there will always be a product for another occasion. 8:2 The Grove will become our agship store as it has high retail possibili/es and a@racts masses. Our rst store will be larger than the UK accessorize average store as the rst US store will stock all products and ranges. The store will be a way of selling the brand with a bright, exci/ng, innova/ve look. The store will con/nue to split products by their design story and range. Accessorize will also introduce more technology into the store in keeping with other American stores. Throughout the store i-pads will be placed showing Accessorizes history through visuals and current campaigns. Within the Kids sec/on there will be an interac/ve sec/on where the childs prole will be visual on screen using augmented reality they will be able to see themselves wearing the products that they select e.g. /ara, necklace etc.

Advertising Channels

8:3

Through research of US consumer behaviors and understanding how widely used technology is in adver/sing we have proposed to look into adver/sing in four dierent ways. This will enable poten/al Accessorize consumers to know that a store will be opening as well as the new range campaign. By promo/ng this it will ul/mately drive customers into store. Magazines Through the likes of US Elle, US Vogue, US Glamour and Preven/on Magazine we will target our fashion focused consumer through our current campaigns. Billboards Billboards enable us to reach out to all types of our consumer. They will be placed in main stripes to ensure people see them. This will hopefully drive more consumers to our store who perhaps do not currently know of Accessorize.

Online Social media is one of the fastest ways of marke/ng and therefore through the likes of twi@er and Facebook Accessorize can market itself and oer exclusive oers and promo/ons. They can also promote new ranges and push their growing tness & wellbeing range to suit the US market. QR codes Codes will be placed on all their adver/sing channels containing launch informa/on and current campaign. A pop up Laser QR code will also appear across LA throughout the run up week of the launch that contains news and exclusive promo/ons. Throughout the run up to the launch and within the rst month of opening Accessorize we will have some exclusive oers and promo/ons to help allure customers. With almost half of US consumers shopping in discount stores this would poten/ally en/ce this type of customer, it would also create a posi/ve brand image for Accessorize therefore encouraging people to return.

The Campaign

8:4

Looking at current US fashion brands and consumer behaviourism US consumers are a@racted by celebrity endorsement. We want to produce a campaign that will ini/ally draw the consumer in to show o our products. From looking at current US fashion ar/cles and who has a posi/ve high iconic gure in the media currently we felt that Blake Lively would be an ideal candidate. She is currently on trend, and stars in a hit US TV program. With her sophis/ca/on she is also appealing to all genera/ons. The idea behind the campaign is Step Inside referring to our new store in California. The Campaign will provide the consumer knowledge of our stores whereabouts and what it has to oer.

8:5

Summary and Recommendations

Through Market Research I have been able to a@ain a sound body of informa/on that Accessorize will be able to adapt and a@ract the US market. With rising consumer condence and the rising retail economy Accessorize would be able to a@ract consumers in store and online. Accessorize is currently one of the leading accessory stores within the UK and with the US having very similar compe//on Accessorize is capable of tapping into a market area that is not yet fully established. I would recommend that Accessorize does launch into America star/ng in California due to demographics and follow this by spreading to other states once having a clear understanding of the US market and established its agship store at the Grove.

Appendix
1. PEST analysis US market
Poli/cal The United States has enjoyed 135 years of poli/cal stability since the end of the Civil War. It is the oldest democra/c republic and is the only country to achieve this so successfully. However, Americas government and culture is con/nually moving with the /mes, this was par/cularly noted when U.S. Decisively Elects its rst Black President; Barack Obama. With the recession came government spending cuts. The government is predicted to hit a Decit of $1.65 trillion this year and are now nding ways in which to deal with such a huge budget shoryall. However Obama has noted that he will not make cuts that will eect the economy or stop America climbing out of the recession. This may however have a long standing eect on the growth of America in the future with lack of funds to expand and improve. Global warming is an ever growing concern throughout the world, with rising greenhouse gasses countries are trying to put a treaty into ac/on in order to save the world. However the US have opposed the treaty as they feel it will jeopardize their economy and feel its unfair that China and India do not have emission reduc/on targets. Global warming is s/ll on the rise and is therefore con/nually becoming a problem. However Accessorize can con/nue to push their ethics and chari/es within America to promote and help. Economical Unemployment within America is slowly decreasing. However there has been a small rise between April and May from 8.8% to 9.0%. The average unemployment rate was at 5.70% since 1948 un/l 2010 in the US, however in 1982 it hit a record high of 10.80% due to the economic crisis, and we have since seen the eects. However since the recession in 2006/07 we have seen a rise in unemployment as the aber eects of the downturn. However, we have seen a par/cular employment rise in the service-providing industries, manufacturing and mining. Within the retail trade we saw a +57,000 jobs open up.

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis in March Personal income increased by 0.5% to $67.0 billion, whilst disposable personal income increased by 0.6% to $64.4 billion. Though disposable income is on the rise debt is also. With living costs increasing there is more strain put upon disposable income for luxury goods, meaning living costs are taking away from the retail market. The US dollar is used globally for many interna/onal nancial transac/ons. Over the past ve years the dollar has had an uneasy sta/s/c rate with the constant change in strength. The dollar however appears to be rising in strength once more as it is currently up by 13.5% to last year. Social There has been a sudden rise in ageing demographics in the US. It is es/mated that in 2030 the number of people over 65 will peak to 71.5 million. The US are not quite ready for this change however future plans are already being discussed for example such things like larger street signage, accessible housing, age appropriate tness programs, as well as lifelong learning and job re-training opportuni/es will all need to be considered. This will ul/mately change the retail market with most targe/ng a younger age group. Within the US service industry employees work more for gratuity as they are paid a low wage, therefore crea/ng more emphasis on good consumer rela/onships. Throughout the economic downturn the tness industry has maintained a steady rise, with memberships growing and prots remaining solid. Health and tness clubs and gyms have been predicted to con/nue to expand with more people becoming body conscious. Though the US speaks the same language to the UK there are certain phrases and words that are slightly dierent. This is something to be aware of when launching into the US to ensure the brand does not oend or confuse poten/al consumers. The US have produced many famous stars and con/nue to do so. They have towns dedicated to the famous and therefore Americans have become obsessed with the celebrity. Within the US as well as the world we are con/nually seeing collabora/ons with celebri/es and celebrity endorsement. This could be a way in which Accessorize launches itself with a celebrity as a promo/ons gure as we have done so in the past. Technology Social Media has become a huge inuence on the US market. With 74% of US web users have an account with a social network and facebook predicts that 132.5 million US web users will have joined the network by the end of 2011. This means that social media is an ideal loca/on to target your consumer and nd out what the consumer wants.

85% of the Americans now own cell phones and 90% of households have at least one at home. Cell Phones are becoming more and more advanced, with 1 in 4 Americans owning a smart phone where they can access the internet. Because of this marketers have created ways in which they can adver/se and target consumers directly through their phones. The world of QR codes and apps are expanding making it ever more interes/ng to get involved. This could be a great way to target the American consumer about Accessorizes launch. US online retail has been on a steady rise for the last few years, especially peaking around public holidays. According to comScore online sales reached $38 billion during Q1 2011 this is a 12% growth rate to last year. With the US consumer engaging more and more in e-commerce it would be wise for Accessorize to con/nue having its e-store online as it does in the UK to make maximum advantage of sales and promo/ons.

2. UK Current Market

Aber the Recession and Economic downturn the retail industry shows signs of growth and recovery as consumers gain condence within the market. Overall the cost of clothing and accessories is on the rise due to the VAT increase to 20% from 17.5%, however this has been put into place to help the UK economy face its debts. There is also a shortage of co@on due to previous years (farming, natural causes) resul/ng in rising material costs. These current problems will increase sale prices, poten/ally nega/vely aec/ng retail sales. The UK has become obsessed with Fast Retail. With the quick turn over in trends, fashion retail stores are answering to the consumer needs by producing low-cost clothing. This has led to lower-priced high street stores increasing their shares of the clothing market. However, since the economic downturn we have seen consumers priori/ze their shopping habits, resul/ng in a slower growth of clothing sales. In spite of this we have seen a rise in the accessory market.

3. UK Consumer Informa/on and Sta/s/cs

childrens Childrens retail share value increased by 6.7% in 2010 to 19% proving that households are paying more for necessi/es as we see womens retail share decrease. In answer to household consumers buying more childrens wear we have witnessed more retailers crea/ng specic childrens lines and collec/ons. Therefore expanding the choice of retailers and variety in collec/ons for consumers. Clothing Accessories Over the past ve years we have seen sales increase by 34.2% in the accessory market, taking the accessory market to 5.6% of the clothing market in 2010. Since the recession there has been a constant consumer trend of inves/ng in accessory pieces rather than garments to achieve the acquired new fashion trend. The accessory market has been the fastest growing clothing market and is now considered just as important. To the consumer it is an inexpensive way to update looks and make style statements. The accessory market has been a huge contributor in helping boost the industry out of the recession, and with accessories being adver/sed and promoted as much as garments it is no wonder consumers have began to recognize this accessory trend.

fashion jewellery Fashion jewellery has become a popular consumer purchase for oneself when following fashion trends, again rever/ng to the fast fashion phenomenon, with the speed of clothing collec/ons enhancing the turn around rate in jewellery. Fashion jewellery is rising fast in the jewellery market and now holds a 9.2% share aber a 4.9% rise in 2010. Fashion jewellery has been welcomed by the consumer as an alterna/ve to real jewellery and with the growing choice of products consumers are turning to these pieces in an eort to save money. It would appear that the younger consumer is most likely to buy jewellery, especially fashion jewellery, data has also shown that as age increases there is a less chance of the consumer to purchase jewellery (may have obtained enough jewellery and doesnt care to keep up with such trends).

References
Books

Ar/cles

Cliord, Stephanie. April 7, 2011. Stu Piled in the Aisle? Its There to Get You to Spend More. The New York Times Indiviglio, Daniel. Feb 15, 2011. U.S Retail Sales Hit Another High in January. The Atlan/c Reuters. March 28, 2011. U.S Spending Rose 0.7% in February. The New York Times The Associated Press. Feb 22, 2011. Consumer Condence Rises To the Highest in 3 Years. The New York Times

Websites

h@p://www.accessorize.com -(May 20th) h@p://newsystocks.com/news-(April 14th) h@p://www.keynote.co.uk/ -(March 20th) h@p://academic.mintel.com -(March 20th) h@p://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cb.18/abstract -(April 2nd) h@p://www.visitcalifornia.co.uk/ -(March 26th) h@p://www.thegrovela.com/los_angeles/u/li/es/direc/ons.php -(March 26th) h@p://www.standardandpoors.com/products-services/ar/cles/en/us/?assetID=1245285568390 -(May 1st) h@p://www.sta/s/cs.gov.uk -(May 20th) h@p://www.gallup.com/poll/108892/surging-prices-changing-us-consumer-behavior.aspx -(April 11th) h@p://www.ecb.int/stats/exchange/eurofxref/html/eurofxref-graph-usd.en.html-(April 11th) h@p://seniorliving.about.com/od/babyboomers/a/aging_popula/o.htm -(April 11th) h@p://geography.about.com/od/obtainpopula/ondata/a/uspopula/on.htm- (April 14th) h@p://www.ibisworld.com/industry/default.aspx?indid=1655 -(April 25th)

h@p://techcrunch.com/2011/02/24/emarketer-on-social-networking-in-the-us-57-on-facebook-11-on-twi@er/--(May 20th) h@p://www.marke/ngcharts.com/direct/consumer-trends-to-watch-for-2011-15193/ -(March 20th) h@p://exploredia.com--(May 20th) h@p://www.tsugar.com/Obesity-Rates-US-Reach-42-Percent-Study-Says-11821025 -(May 4th) h@p://www.stringfellow.co.za/us-consumer-environment-march-2011/ -(April 26th) h@p://iwan/got.geekigirl.com/2011/02/14/i-want-i-gots-spring-summer-2012-fashion-trend-forecas/ng-reference/ -(May 9th) h@p://www.royaltyfreeimages.net/page/2/ h@p://www.freestockimages.org/ -(May 9th) h@p://www.jcwg.com/publica/ons/na/onal-retail-bulle/n/bulle/ns/?jid=60 --(March 26th) h@p://www.lifesli@lemysteries.com/what-is-the-average-american-womans-bust-size--0556/ --(May 20th) h@p://www.ny/mes.com/2010/01/14/health/14obese.html --(May 20th) h@p://www.sallyclay.co.uk/jewellery-collec/on.html h@p://www.ic.nhs.uk - -(May 20th) h@p://www.jcwg.com/resources/documents/48/Hagen_Presenta/on_English.pdf -(May 2nd) h@p://www.guardian.co.uk/world/popula/on --(March 20th) h@p://www.tradingeconomics.com/Billing/Analy/cs.aspx?Source=DownloadBu@onInChart --(May 9th) h@p://www.theleisuredatabase.com/news/news-archive/growth-in-health-tness-industry-bucks-na/onal-trend--(May 20th)

Images

Pages 1. google.com/images/Accessorize 2. google.com/images/Accessorize 5. google.com/images/Accessorize 7. google.com/images/Accessorize 8. Own Image- taken September 2009 13. Own Image- taken September 2009 14. google.com/images/Accessorize 17. Accessorize.co.uk 22. google.com/images/Accessorize 24. google.com/images/Accessorize 25. google.com/images/Accessorize 31. google.com/images/Accessorize 35. google.com/images/Accessorize 43. Mood Board- google.com/images 45. google.com/images/Accessorize 46. google.com/images/Accessorize 52. google.com/images/The Grove 53. Own Image- taken April 2011, google.com/images/Accessorize 57. Marie Claire