Peacocks Ltd - Evaluation of Product Offer In a Family Store

Peacocks Ltd. is a family store providing good value clothing and home wares; the company has been expanding successfully over a number of years and Akadine carried out a series of qualitative projects which helped the company understand their customers and their needs and wants in relation to the store and its environment. In particular 24 group discussions were held with customers of particular ranges of goods in order to evaluate the offer and inform range development. Six key areas were investigated: Ladies Fashion, Ladies Underwear and Nightwear, Babies and Toddlers, Boys and Girls, Menswear and Home wares.

All groups were held in store and involved both current customers and rejecters. The Boys and Girls range was reviewed by both Mothers and Children in the relevant age brackets. Menswear was reviewed by both Men and Women who purchased for Men. Each group was asked to simulate a purchase process - choosing products that they would like to buy and products that they would reject. Observing activity in the selection process aided understanding of decision protocols and also the interaction with the environment. Respondents were asked to explain their choices and the selected products were taken back to the marketing and product teams and used as part of the presentation of results.

Research in context adds value to the understanding of both behaviour and perceptions; it also allows the moderator to make a 'reality check' against the actual offer rather than the recalled offer. The pre-conceived perceptions of a store are challenged by reality - highlighting differences between a store's image and rational evaluation. Identifying this gap informs marketing direction and is as valuable as the product evaluation in improving customer relationships.