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Fast Facts:

1. Business Type: Premier Tween Specialty Retailer

2. Product Mix: Apparel, Accessories, Shoes

3. 2013 Sales: $1.2 billion

4. Number of Stores: 991 US Stores

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II. INTRODUCTION

A. Description of the business or organization

Justice is a retail apparel store based in the U.S. for girls

ages 7-12 who want the hottest tween fashion. The Justice Brand is

part of the Tween Brands Company, the largest tween specialty

retailer in the world.

Tween Brands Inc. is headquartered in New Albany, Ohio.

The retail company has been apart of the Ascena Retail Group Inc.

since 2009. The first Justice store was launched in January of 2004.

Their 991 stores are open in shopping centers and malls throughout

the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Russia, and the Middle East. They advertise their tween

fashion by direct mail and catazines which are sent to tweens across the country. Aside from

visiting one of the 991 stores, moms and tweens are able to purchase from their e-commerce site,

www.shopjustice.com. They have a wide product mix of clothes, footwear, accessories,

intimates, and outerwear in their store and on their website.

Justice’s staff is made up of trained employees who go through extensive customer

service training. Each employee has to watch two videos about segmenting the customer and

knowing their job in each part of the store before being

hired. Every day the employees have certain phrases they

have to say to make the atmosphere of the store more

inviting and fun for girls to shop. The fun experience

they give their shoppers off-sets the higher price point in

which they sell.

Since 2011, Tween Brands has outsold Walmart

and Target in their quarterly sales within the girl’s tween fashion category. “Justice sells its

http://www.shopjustice.com/

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product at a 78 percent premium to the tween market price point,” claims Mike Rayden, CEO of

Justice. The average price point of Justice is $11.13, while their competitiors, like Walmart, are

selling at about a $3.00 price point. Their price point and style differentiates Justice from their

competitiors. Their annual sales for 2013 were $1.2 billion at approximately $1.2 million per

store.

Research Problem

B. Description of the community (economic, geographic,

demographic and socioeconomic factors)

Geographic

Columbus is the 15th largest city in the United States as

well as the 15th fastest growing city in the US. According to

Columbusregion.com, 47% of U.S.headquarter operations

and manufacturers are within a 10-hour drive of central

Ohio. Columbus has at least 120 daily flights and 31

destinations. Headquarters and Business Services are the

second most prominent business sectors in the Columbus region. No single industry sector

represents more than 18% of employment. This creates an exceptionally stable economy. L

Brands is ranked in the top 10 private sector employers, both of which are based in the Columbus

After meeting with Mrs. Pat Eschliman, Justice’s VP of Merchandise Planning, we

learned the company experienced a 4% drop in their most recent quarterly sales.

Management wants to grow store sales and market share this year. They also want more

loyal customers to support their premium pricing strategy. We have been asked to conduct

research and develop strategies to better target Generation Z girls (7-12) and their

Generation X mothers (35-49).

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region. Columbus is corporate headquarters to some of the most popular retail brands in

America, including L Brands, Abercrombie & Fitch Co., and Tween Brands. There are a total of

eight Justice retail stores in the Columbus area.

Demographic

According to the US Census Bureau, 23.7% of Franklin County’s population is under 18

years old, while only 7.2% is under 5 years old. The region’s population is approaching

2,052,000. The median age is 35.0 years. Which is lower than Ohio’s median age of 38.5 years.

The labor force of this region is nearly 1,053,000, with a 6.1% unemployment rate. The median

income is $52,657. 11% of the labor force is employed in the retail industry. Franklin County

alone is manifold, with a wide diversity of race shown below.

White Black Hispanic Asian Other66.4% 22.0% 5.0% 4.3% 2.3%

Economic

The Columbus region is diverse in employment and home to major business corporations.

No more than 18% of employment is represented in one major industry sector. Retail trade

accounts for 11% of employment and the biggest sector is professional business with 18%

employment. Some of the largest employers include L Brands and JPMorgan Chase. The region

includes fifteen Fortune 1000 companies which is a list ranked by revenue. Among this list,

Ascena Retail Co. is listed at #518. Columbus is the #1 opportunity city in the nation. The

Rickenbacker Global Logistics is predicted for major growth. Additionally, Columbus was

ranked #20 for Forbes Best Place for Business and Careers, according to Columbus Region.

Socioeconomic

The cost of living in the Columbus region allows for money to be spent in other aspects

Table 1

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of the community. Taxes are lower in Columbus than most other major cities. In the housing

market, 77.8% of homes are affordable for the median income. A house in Columbus averages

$19.80 per square foot while New York averages $75.02 per square foot. The Columbus

residents put their money into entertainment activities around the city. Columbus is home to the

number one nationally ranked zoo, public library, and science museum. The city is guided by the

Columbus 2020 project which works with hopes to add 150,000 new jobs. The project is an

economic development strategy created by a board of Columbus employees.

C. Overview of the business or organization’s current target market

“At Justice, the foundation of our business rests on core attributes:

our values. Through times of triumph & times of challenge, we lean

on them. Our values separate us from others. We exemplify them. We

believe in them. We measure ourselves against them,”

-2014 Justice Corporate Value Statement

The Justice brand prides their identity on their values and knowing their customer.

According to Mrs. Pat Eschliman, Vice President of Merchandise Planning, their target

market is Generation Z girls ages 7-12 who want the hottest tween fashion. This generation

makes up 25% of the U.S. population and controls $200 billion

in buying power. The generation is responsible for spending

$51 billion in gift money and gift cards on an annual basis.

They also heavily influence another $170 billion of their family

member’s shopping. This is the most tech-savvy generation

seeing as they have never known a world without internet.

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The parents of Justice’s girl customers are typically between 35-49 years old and

they fall into Generation X. Generation X is their secondary

target market. However, the girls and their parents are not the

only people buying from Justice stores. Justice segments their market by categorizing customers

into the girl shopper, the mom, and the typical gift giving grandparents. The chart below

describes Justice’s core values that guide the company while they serve their target markets.

III. RESEARCH METHODS USED IN THE STUDY

A. Description and rationale of research methodologies selected to

conduct the research study

Research Goals Table 2

Conduct background research on Justice

and their target market

Study shopping habits and technology

usage of Justice customers

Gain knowledge on evolving retail promotional

trends

Generation Z girls in their Justice clothes.

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Secondary Research Rationale

We used secondary research to obtain useful background information needed

for our study. First, we collected a number of online articles on our company and the history of

the Justice brand. Next, we determined the target market and found additional online articles to

help us gain knowledge of their habits and trends.

Secondary Research

Research Databases

1. Columbus Region

Websites

1. Shop Justice Website

2. Ascena Retail Group Website

3. Tween Brands Website

4. BizJournals Website

5. Columbus Region Website

6. Quick Facts Census Website

7. Emarketer Website

8. Google Search Engine

Smartphone Applications “Apps”

1. Forever 21 App

2. PINK Nation App

3. Aeropostale: P.S. Kids App

4. Teen Vogue Me Girl App

5. H&M App

Social Media Sites

1. Facebook 2. Twitter

3. Instagram 4. Pinterest

Online Articles

1. “Justice expanding selection for younger kids to counteract sales dip” Columbus Business First

2. “Tween Brands ditches Limited Too for the more affordable Justice” (Marketing Daily)

3. “Columbus Region” (columbusregion.com)

4. “Franklin County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau” (quickfacts.census.gov)

5. “How Millennials Shop Online” (www.emarketer.com)

6. “Gen Z Shopping: Designing retail for the constant state of partial attention” (PDF from google)

7. “Generation Z: A Look at the Technology in Media Habits of Today’s Teens” (www.wikia.com)

8. “Generation Z” (Journal of Applied Business and Economics: Vol. 11)

Conduct background research on Justice

and their target market

Study shopping habits and technology

usage of Justice customers

Gain knowledge on evolving retail promotional

trends

Table 3

http://www.wikia.com/

http://www.emarketer.com/

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Primary Research

Personal Interview

Pat EschlimanVice President of Merchandise Planning

Justice Corporate Office Headquarters8323 Walton Pkwy.New Albany, OH 43054

Personal Interview

Description: We conducted a formal meeting in Mrs. Eschliman’s office at the Justice Corporate Office Headquarters where we asked a variety of questions and took notes quoting her responses.

Rationale: We gained inside information about the company, sales, and promotional strategies. Then, we incorporated her responses into our other research activities.

Surveys

Mothers with daughters ages 5-12

1. Judy Dollenmayer Studio of Dance: Parents2. Lincoln Elementary: Parents3. Gahanna Lincoln High School: Staff

Surveys

Description: The surveys are composed of 26 questions to gather information on shopping habits, social media usage, and other data.

Rationale: Used to calculate statistics and guide us in the right direction as to what solutions we could use to further improve the company.

Focus Group

5 Staff members with daughters between ages 5-12

Room H109Gahanna Lincoln High School140 S Hamilton Rd.Gahanna, Ohio 43230

Focus Group

Description: The focus group took place in room 109 after school at 3:00. It consisted of questions pertaining to shopping trends, promotional ideas, and views of the Justice brand.

Rationale: Getting a first-hand response from Justice customers to acquire opinions on the Justice brand and what promotional ideas they believe would be successful in Justice stores.

We went a step further in our research methods to gain a deeper knowledge on the

company and shopper’s personal opinions about the Justice brand. Our primary research

included a personal interview, a collection of 106 surveys, two in-store visits, and an extensive

focus group consisting of parents with daughters between the ages of 5-12. The figure below

explains the method and purpose of each source of primary research.

Table 4

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In-Store Visit

Justice & BrothersEaston Town Center

4025 The Strand WestColumbus, Ohio 43219

1. November 28th, 2014 (Black Friday)2. February 6th, 2015

In-Store Visit

Description: Visited Easton location on November 28th, 2014 and February 6th, 2015 to explore the marketing and atmosphere of a Justice store.

Rationale: We experienced a firsthand look at Justice from a customer standpoint. It was helpful in observing marketing strategies, store setup, and employee’s customer mindset.

B. Process used to conduct the selected research methods

In-Store Visit

We conducted two in-store visits to the Easton Town

Center Justice location. The first in-store visit was on

November 28th, 2014. This was during Black Friday. Our

second store visit was on February 6th, 2015. During the

visits, we followed a sheet of questions that we used as a

guideline. We looked for the type of product mix in the

store, how it was displayed, and how well the employees

sold it to us.

Personal Interview

We had the pleasure to meet with Justice’s Vice President of Merchandise Planning, Pat

Eschliman, on two occasions. In our first meeting on October 27th, 2014, we introduced our

project to Mrs. Eschliman and gained baseline knowledge on the Justice brand. We discussed the

company’s strengths, values, and weaknesses. We learned about the percent of business that they

do both directly and online. We had our second meeting with Mrs. Eschliman on November 13.

In this meeting we covered more marketing and sales information. We found how much business

the company does each day of the week, and we were able to look at a confidential sales calendar

Visiting Justice at Easton Town Center

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colored-coded based on upcoming promotions. We also learned about how Justice views

competitors in the retail market. Mrs. Eschliman gave us valuable information which enhanced

our project tremendously.

Target Market Survey

We constructed and sent out a comprehensive survey to gain demographic information on

our target market’s shopping habits and familiarity with the Justice brand. We also incorporated

questions about online shopping, retailer apps, and their daughter’s shopping trends. We

distributed 120 surveys and received 106 completed surveys. One of our most important

questions we asked was, “How likely are you to recommend shopping at Justice to a friend?”

These questions helped us determine the association of our target market with Justice and their

willingness to engage in the brand. The following is a short sample of additional questions taken

directly from our survey.

Target Market Focus Group

We organized a focus group that involved 6 women in our target market. We initiated the

focus group with a PowerPoint presentation of multiple discussion style questions. Some

examples are shown on the next page.

What percent of your retail apparel shopping do you do online? Do you shop online for your daughter’s clothing? Does your daughter own or have access to a smartphone or tablet where they can access an

app? How likely are you to recommend shopping at Justice to a friend? Would you be in favor of a new Justice clothing line that promoted positive self-esteem in

girls? In the last 90 days have you purchased clothing for your daughter at any of these stores? (Gap

Kids, Target, Justice, Abercrombie Kids, Walmart) Justice is my daughter’s favorite clothing brand. (yes, no)

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We gained their direct feedback about a mobile app, band meet and greet customer loyalty

program, and a self-esteem clothing line. Additionally, we displayed the Justice website to the

women and proposed several app design ideas to receive comments and reactions as to the

appearance and features of these aspects. We gained valuable feedback on each of these aspects

after conducting this focus group at Gahanna Lincoln High School.

IV. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS OF THE STUDY

A. Findings of the research study

Personal Interviews

Key Findings from meeting with Justice

VP of Merchandise Planning:

Justice believes they have no major competitors

since their target market is very specific to a

certain age of girls.

Justice is known by its’ employees as having the

“hottest fashion for their tween customer.”Pat Eschliman, VP of Merchandise

Planning Justice & Brothers

Shopping

Does your daughter like shirts with large prints or does she tend to like shirts that stay away from any large prints or brand recognition?

Do you like the idea of Justice offering a “girl power” type of clothing line that focused on positive self-esteem?

Customer Loyalty

Do you think you would sign up for a Justice loyalty plan that gave you discounts and rewards based on how often you shop/spend?

Technology

Have any of you shopped for clothing online at Justice.com?

Pat Eschliman, VP of Merchandise Planning

Justice & Brothers


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Justice’s descriptor goals for their brand are success, good customer service, hottest

fashion, fun, and fair priced.

Justice’s product selection is comprised of clothing, accessories, and footwear.

In 2015, Justice projects growth opportunity in dresses, footwear, and sleepwear.

In 2007, Justice tested a television commercial but did not see a dramatic increase in

sales.

Justice’s advertising in marketing is focused 60% on the moms and 40% on the

daughters.

Justice’s online website generates approximately 20% of their sales, which is below

average for a typical retail company.

Justice believes parents are reluctant to order their children’s clothing online because of

sizing fluctuations.

Justice has expanded their product selection by adding size 5 to their available sizes.

Styles and trends nowadays “start with adults and trickle down to younger adults and

children.”

On average, a Justice store’s unit per transaction is 4.35. Their average conversion rate is

around 20%.

Justice has sold advertising in catazines to Hasbro and Mattell.

*Catazine: Justice’s version of a “catalog” and “magazine.”

Survey

Brand Awareness:

25.7% of parents do not list Justice as one of the first three clothing stores that comes to

mind for their daughter.

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61% of the participants are very familiar with the Justice retail store.

Only 4% of participants would recommend shopping at Justice to a friend.

36 out of 105 parents used negative words to describe

Justice.

o One reported, “very high prices”

o Another reported, “Junk clothes that are

overpriced!!”

o One said, “expensive and loud”

o Another claimed the clothes are “trashy and

inappropriate”

Brand Perception:

Quality

Inferior Same Superior

16% 75% 9%

Price 45% 53% 2%

Product Selection 16% 67% 17%

Staff & Service 10% 74% 16%

Style & Design 17% 60% 23%

45% indicated that Justice has inferior prices compared to their competitors and 67%

indicated that they were indifferent about Justice’s product selection.

16% say that they buy from Justice whenever they can.

Only 4% of respondents think that Justice is reasonably priced.

8% claimed they would pay more for Justice than other brands.

52% do not believe that Justice is their daughter’s favorite clothing brand.

Survey table at Blacklick Elementary PTO night.

Table 5



















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Competition:

In the last 90 days, have you purchased clothing foryour daughter at any of these stores?

Store Yes No

Target 83% 17%

Justice 55% 45%

Walmart 25% 75%

Gap Kids 15% 85%

Abercrombie Kids 10% 90%

94% of parents said that they shop at stores other than Justice for their daughter’s

clothing.

75% of respondents shop at competitor’s stores more frequently than Justice.

Advertisement:

15% have seen advertising for Justice on Facebook

46% have received emails from Justice

60% have received catazines from Justice in the mail

36% have seen advertising for Justice on the internet

Smartphones/Applications:

73% indicated that their daughter has access to a smartphone or a tablet.

70% would allow their daughter to download a Justice smartphone app.

58% have purchased clothing from their smartphones.

Online Shopping:

22% of parents do more than half of their shopping online.

Only 39% of those surveyed do not shop online for their child’s clothes.

Table 6

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Coupons:

Only 35% of participants always shop with coupons.

77% only shop Justice during a sale or when they have coupons.

Promotional Ideas:

71% of participants agreed that if Justice had a

loyalty program, they would join.

45% have taken their daughter and her friends

to the mall for her birthday.

In-Store Visit

November 28th, 2014 (Black Friday):

During the black Friday store visit, we explored the

atmosphere of the Easton Town Center Justice Store. It took

about 30 seconds for an associate to greet us. Products at tween

girls’ eye level included the brand’s most popular clothing, shoes,

and accessories. Patterned skirts and sparkly shirts caught our eye

first. We noticed the girls shopping were looking at the

merchandise that was lower to the floor and easier to pick up,

while the moms walked around looking up at the clothing hanging up on the wall. The cash

register was overflowing with small accessory items (lip gloss, nail polish, pencils, etc.). Justice

positions and uses these products as impulse purchases.

February 6th, 2015:

We had another opportunity to visit the Justice retail store at Easton Town Center in

Columbus, Ohio. We entered the store and counted, again, to about 30 seconds before an

associate approached us. We created a scenario and told the associate that we have an 8 year old

Front of the store: New merchandise



















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cousin who loves Justice and her birthday is coming up. The associate did not seem to have any

products to recommend, and only left us with, “just let me

know if there is anything I can help you with.” The

associate did not offer her name. An older woman entered

the store a few minutes later and the associate seemed to

give her better service. She walked her around the store

showing her new products. We observed the store for

about 20 minutes. We realized that they had most of their

new, more popular clothing hanging up high on the walls,

making it harder for little girls to access and even see. The

racks were too close together making the store feel

cluttered and crammed for customers to get through.

Justice positioned all of their new, shiny, and most

expensive clothes toward the entrance of the store, and

positioned the sale items in the back of the store.

Focus Group

Shopping:

2 parents complained that the store was cluttered and difficult to maneuver through,

especially with strollers.

Participants agreed that each Justice store has consistency in the store set-up.

Their daughter’s don’t have any preference of a specific clothing line that they enjoy;

they’re drawn in to anything sparkly, bright, and colorful.

The power of the Justice brand is strong and recognizable, however, their daughters have

no desire to have a visible Justice logo on their clothing.

Cash registers: Small accessories and toys

Back left of store: Sale itemsBack left of store: Sale itemsBack left of store: Sale itemsBack left of store: Sale itemsBack left of store: Sale itemsBack left of store: Sale itemsBack left of store: Sale itemsBack left of store: Sale itemsBack left of store: Sale itemsBack left of store: Sale itemsBack left of store: Sale itemsBack left of store: Sale itemsBack left of store: Sale itemsBack left of store: Sale itemsBack left of store: Sale itemsBack left of store: Sale itemsBack left of store: Sale itemsBack left of store: Sale itemsBack left of store: Sale items



















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Every parent would be willing to purchase from a positive self-esteem clothing line for

their daughter.

All of the participants “hate the confusion” that comes from receiving j-bucks, fun cards,

40% off coupons, and flash sales. They all desire a “user-friendly” system because “with

younger children, time is of the essence.”

Customer Loyalty:

The parents don’t favor Justice’s price point, “especially when our daughters are

growing. I’m not spending $40 on a pair of pants when I don’t even spend that much on

mine,” says one strongly opinionated respondent.

All 5 participants stated that they only shop at Justice with a coupon or during a sale.

The parents all preferred a customer loyalty program that is “user-friendly, simple, quick

and easy.”

Technology:

Buying in-store is easiest for parents because their daughters are able to try on clothing

items. Buying online does not allow the parents to observe the quality of the product.

One parent suggested an app that has the capability to store their coupons and help

organize all of their available discounts.

All of the respondent’s daughters have access to a smartphone/tablet with which they

would allow their daughters to download a Justice app.

Music Preferences:

Their daughter’s music preferences change frequently, but some artists included Taylor

Swift, One Direction, and Austin Mahone.

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Because of their young age, they

haven’t attended a real concert.

All of the respondents were supportive

of an in-store band meet & greet. They

believe it would be successful and

bring in a large crowd.

B. Conclusions based on the findings

Conclusion 1- Mobile Technology Plays Increasing Role in Retail

The retail industry is seeing a dramatic increase in their customer’s use of technology.

From retail store apps to online shopping, retailers are finding that technology is a more efficient

way to market their products while increasing sales. Seeing as 73% of participants from our

survey indicated that their daughter has access to a smartphone or tablet and 70% would allow

their daughter to download a smartphone app, Justice would benefit from increasing their role in

mobile technology.

Conclusion 2- Justice’s Coupon System is too Complex

77% of the parents who completed our survey and 100% of the women in our focus

group claimed that they only shop Justice during a sale or when they have coupons. Although

Justice already has a coupon system, our focus group participants felt that the system was not

user-friendly. They complained that it was complex and confusing. With that being said, Justice

could see an increase in customer satisfaction if their coupon system is revamped.

Focus group: Gahanna Lincoln High SchoolFocus group: Gahanna Lincoln High SchoolFocus group: Gahanna Lincoln High SchoolFocus group: Gahanna Lincoln High SchoolFocus group: Gahanna Lincoln High SchoolFocus group: Gahanna Lincoln High SchoolFocus group: Gahanna Lincoln High SchoolFocus group: Gahanna Lincoln High SchoolFocus group: Gahanna Lincoln High SchoolFocus group: Gahanna Lincoln High SchoolFocus group: Gahanna Lincoln High SchoolFocus group: Gahanna Lincoln High SchoolFocus group: Gahanna Lincoln High SchoolFocus group: Gahanna Lincoln High SchoolFocus group: Gahanna Lincoln High SchoolFocus group: Gahanna Lincoln High SchoolFocus group: Gahanna Lincoln High SchoolFocus group: Gahanna Lincoln High SchoolFocus group: Gahanna Lincoln High School

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Conclusion 3- Customers Feel Many Products are Overpriced

From our survey, we found that 4% of respondents think that Justice is reasonably

priced. Out of the 36 people who used negative comments to describe Justice, a majority of them

expressed their dissatisfaction with the store’s pricing. They said it was “overpriced” and

“expensive.” Short term discounts and lower price points will result in a long term increase in

Justice’s loyal customer base. A loyal customer base for the company will also increase sales in

the long run.

Conclusion 4- Brand Awareness is strong, but Brand Perception is Weak

Our findings on Justice’s brand awareness reported that 61% of the participants are

very familiar with the Justice retail store. Although the awareness of the brand is strong, our

brand perception findings reported that only 4% of people would recommend shopping at Justice

to a friend. While Justice has very high brand awareness, their overall marketing strategies need

reconstructed to positively impact their customer’s perception of the Justice brand.

Conclusion 5- Justice has a Weak Presence in Social Media

The only social media platform that Justice currently utilizes is Facebook. We found

from our survey that 15% of the parents have seen advertising for Justice. This low percentage of

customers who have seen advertising for Justice online needs to increase. In order to do this,

Justice needs to have an increase in their social media presence. Joining platforms such as

Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest will help the brand accomplish this need for a better social

media presence.

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Conclusion 6- Target Markets Prefer Quick and Easy Services

In our focus group, the participants stressed that “time is of the essence” when you are

shopping with little children. Their experience at the cash wrap is always stressful and takes a

long time due to confusion with Justice coupons. The shopping experience at Justice should be

customer-friendly and include a more efficient process with coupons at the cash wrap. This will

result in quicker service and happier customers.

V. PROPOSED STATEGIC PLAN

A. Objectives and rationale of the proposed plan

Based on our findings and conclusions, several areas of Justice’s marketing plan need

improved. Their current coupon system is complex leaving overwhelmed customers less than

satisfied. The weak social media presence that Justice holds is a poor representation of strategic

marketing. They have no existent smartphone application to make buying more convenient. Our

strategic plan will fix these problems and position the brand for future success. Our main goal,

using this plan, is to increase Justice’s sales and customer loyalty. In order to create short term

and long term success for the company, we will follow the four steps below.

ain New Customers ncrease Sales & Brand Perception etain & Grow Customer Base oyalty

Operation “GIRL”

LRIG

Exhibit 1

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Below are objectives which we have found are crucial in order for Justice to reach the

outlined goals in Exhibit 1. These activities are based off of our findings and conclusions

collected from our focus group, in-store visits, personal interview, and survey. We included the

rationale and benefits of the objectives in each table.

Objective 1: Create Justice Smartphone ApplicationRationale:Conclusion 1- Mobile Technology Plays Increasing Role in RetailConclusion 2- Justice’s Coupon System is too ComplexConclusion 7- Target Markets Prefer Quick and Easy Services

Benefits: Technology is becoming an important component to the retail industry. Most retail

companies have an app where their customers can purchase products, view store catalogs, and

check shipping dates. Justice is lacking in this area. By creating a Justice application, customers

are provided with easier access to purchase their products. The growing use of mobile

technology suggests that customers are on their phone browsing more often, mostly through

smartphone apps. This is another area for Justice customers to shop other than the store and

online website, which will increase sales. The app will also increase the appreciation and loyalty

that the Generation Z target market holds for the Justice brand. This app is beneficial in

providing high-speed service and positive customer interaction between shoppers and the retail

company.

Table 7

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Objective 2: Implement Efficient Customer Loyalty ProgramRationale:Conclusion 2- Justice’s Coupon System is too ComplexConclusion 3- Customers Feel Many Products are OverpricedConclusion 7- Target Markets Prefer Quick and Easy Services

Benefits: Justice customers are currently dissatisfied with the coupons provided by the company.

Although the retail company has a credit card, it does not reward the most loyal customers the

way a loyalty program will. The confusion comes from the J Bucks, fun cards, and inconsistent

store discounts that put stress on shoppers while checking out. A customer loyalty program is the

perfect way to eliminate this confusion. A loyalty program is designed to provide the better sales

to the more loyal customers. These loyal customers are key components to retail shopping. They

will boost sales with their consistency and continue to promote the Justice brand by word of

mouth. The simplicity of the loyalty program gives these customers quick and easy services at

the register. This program will bridge the gap that is currently present between the Generation X

customers and the retail store.

Objective 3: Create Justice Girl Empowerment CampaignRationale:Conclusion 4- Brand Awareness is Strong, but Brand Perception is Weak

Benefits: Of the various clothing lines in the Justice store, none of them focus on empowering girls

and reflecting positive self-image. A campaign that focuses on natural beauty yet reflects the

style of the Justice brand will have younger girls begging to stop in the store. This will get more

mothers in the store who are willing to purchase Justice clothing without coupons. The message

of the campaign will eliminate the weakness of the Justice brand perception. The tweens will be

provided with a stylish new line of Justice clothes that their mothers are willing to buy. The

Table 9

Table 8

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willingness of Justice’s Generation X shoppers results in more profitable stores.

Objective 4: Increase Justice Social Media Presence

Rationale:Conclusion 1- Mobile Technology Plays Increasing Role in RetailConclusion 6- Justice has a Weak Presence in Social Media

Benefits: Justice is only on one social media platform; Facebook. Although Facebook is popular

within Generation X, they have no social media connection with the tweens who do not check

Facebook regularly. Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest are some of the most powerful networking

tools that a retailer can make use of. By introducing the Justice brand to additional social media

platforms, they will reach the tech-savvy customers that they do not attain. Instagram and Twitter

are the most popular social media platforms for tweens. By creating a presence on these

platforms, Justice will be up-to-date with their tween shoppers. Different products, promotions,

and events can be displayed on these tools which will ultimately benefit Justice’s awareness,

perception, and sales.

Objective 5: Band Meet & GreetRationale:Conclusion 4- Brand Awareness is Strong, but Brand Perception is Weak

Benefits: None of Justice’s competitors have held an in-store band meet and greet with a

popular artist. By doing so, Justice will be held to a higher standard giving their shoppers a

more premium experience. Inviting an artist into select Justice stores will attract new

customers who follow that specific artist but have yet to shop at a Justice store. This will be

a great way to strengthen the brand perception, while bringing in new, loyal and repeat

customers.

B. Proposed activities and timelines

Table 10

Table 11

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1. Create Justice Smart Phone Application

The app will be divided into two separate components for the Generation X and the

Generation Z target market. The Generation X component will have a “login” feature where they

may use their customer loyalty card number or login

through their Facebook account. The menu will include

icons to shop, scan, look through the catazine, check

customer loyalty accounts, view favorites, and track

shipping orders. The shopping icon will take the

customer to a layout similar to the shopjustice.com layout where they can purchase products.

They can keep track of their favorites by clicking on the heart “favorites” icon. All of their

customer loyalty account information and available discounts are accessible through the

customer loyalty icon. There will be a scanner which Generation X shoppers can use to save

products they find in the store to their “favorites” through the app. The package icon will allow

access to all current and previous shipping information.

The second component for the Generation Z girls will include access to interactive games,

catazines, and their Justice Jewels account. The tweens will create an account with their own

username and password to login. There will be two interactive games for them to choose from,

Makeover Maniac and Justice Style. They may choose from several monthly catazines to look

through. Every time the girl enters the Justice store, she can open her app to Justice Jewels where

she will get 20 new jewels each time she visits. When she reaches 200 jewels, she will receive a

small complimentary gift which changes monthly. The app will create an all-around easy access

system for the girls and their moms to connect with Justice and shop their products.

2. Implement Efficient Customer Loyalty Program

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We plan on creating a Justice Customer Loyalty Program which will meet the

expectations of Generation X shoppers. When a customer signs up to be a part of the loyalty

program, they will receive an additional 15% off of their next purchase. They can access their

account information through the Justice smartphone application. The discounts they are

providing now will be combined into the customer

loyalty program and provide those customers with

benefits that make them feel more unified with the

Justice brand. The customers will earn 1 “J point” for

every $1 they spend at Justice. The more points on

their loyalty account, the greater discounts they will receive (100 points=40% off entire

purchase). These loyalty members will also be rewarded exclusive freebies and discounts. The

sales associate will read off the rewards available to each loyalty customer during each

transaction or they can find them through the app. Our Justice Customer Loyalty Program will be

a great way to reward loyal customers who buy frequently at Justice.

3. Create Justice Girl Empowerment Campaign

We will create a Justice Girl Empowerment Campaign called

“BeYOUtiful” to create a more strategic marketing approach. The

campaign will include models that are not retouched in their monthly

catazines, similar to the #AerieREAL Campaign. We will create a clothing

line promoting girl empowerment, and social media pictures will reflect the intended message.

We plan on creating a separate Facebook page for the campaign and posting pictures as well as

posts relating to girl empowerment. Similar posts will be on the Justice Twitter and Instagram

accounts. The meaning of the campaign will inspire today’s younger generation of girls to be

comfortable in their own skin. The campaign slogan, “Be your own kind of beautiful” is a direct

reflection of the campaign’s message. The products that will be sold within the clothing line

P a g e | 26

include graphic tees, athletic shorts, and tank tops. In addition to the clothing line, the campaign

will include perfumes, jewelry, and phone accessories with phrases such as “fabYOUlous” and

“be you.”

4. Increase Justice Social Media Presence

We plan on creating an official Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest for Justice. We will use

the Twitter platform to promote our campaign, post pictures of products, and stay connected with

our Generation Z shoppers. Instagram will be used

similarly by posting pictures of products, promoting

our loyalty program, and supporting the BeYOUtiful Empowerment campaign. Pinterest will

follow suit with pictures of products that are linked to the shopjustice.com website for purchase.

We will continue to maintain the Justice Facebook page while adding posts related to the

Customer Loyalty Program and BeYOUtiful campaign.

5. Band Meet & Greet

We will hold a Taylor Swift in-store meet and greet for all

customers on September 19, 2015 at the Easton Town Center

location. This location will be a test to measure the success of the

meet and greet and weigh the benefits it brings for the store. She

will be helping us kick off the BeYOUtiful Campaign clothing

line as a spokesperson for the campaign. Taylor Swift is in

Columbus September 17-18 preforming a two day concert which

will build up excitement for the meet and greet. We will use the

concert as an important promotional tool to spread the word about our event. Event posters will

be hung up around the concert venue. Our social media platforms will all promote the event as

well. We will have a special backdrop for Taylor to stand in front of where she will meet fans

I N – S T O R E

TOWN CENTER

T w o T h o u s a n d F I f t e e n

September 19th

Meet & Greet

Timeline Table 13

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and sign items. Our plan is going to create a premium customer experience and increase brand

perception as well as awareness.

2015 Calendar June July August September October

Create Smartphone App X

Customer Loyalty Program X

Create Empowerment Campaign X

Justice Social Media Accounts X

Band Meet & Greet X

C. Proposed metrics or key performance indicators to measure plan effectiveness To help Justice measure the effectiveness of the proposed plan, we set metrics for each

objective.

Goal: Use new marketing strategies to generate more engagement with loyal customers

Metrics: Current # Execellent Very Good Good Poor

App Downloads

0 250,000+ 200,000 100,000 <50,000

Loyalty Program Members

0 250,000+ 200,000 100,000 <50,000

Goal: To create more awareness by implementing new social media platforms into Justice’s

marketing strategy

Timeline

Table 12

Table 13

Table 14

Timeline

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Metrics: Current # Excellent Very Good Good Poor

Facebook “Likes” 692,000 1,000,000+ 850,000 750,000 <650,000

Twitter “Followers” 0 250,000+ 150,000 100,000 <50,000

Pinterest “Followers” 0 5,000+ 2,500 1,000 <850

Instagram “Followers” 0 50,000+ 25,000 10,000 <5,000

Goal: Increase Justice sales and gain a larger loyal customer base

Metrics: Current # Excellent Very Good Good Poor

Total Justice Sales 1.2 B *4%+ *3% *2% *<2%

Net Promoter Score -62.8% 40%+ 30% 20% <10%

* Indicates % increase of current number

Total Justice sales come from in-store and online purchases only. An exceptional Net-Promoter

Score is 75%-80%+.

VI. PROPOSED BUDGET1. Create Justice Smart Phone Application: The cost to create a fully functional app for

Justice will be $200,000. Justice will need to hire teams to cover the design, programming, and

organization of the app. Based on the current skill sets of the e-commerce team, they will be able

to manage the application.

2. Implement Efficient Customer Loyalty Program: The cards that we will be creating for the

loyalty program will cost Justice $.50 per card. Each time a rewards card is activated, it will cost

Justice $.10. Monthly maintenance fees cost $20 to $40 and are usually negotiated through a

yearly contract. If 250,000 people sign up in year one, we estimate an expense of $150,480.

Table 15

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3. Create Justice Girl Empowerment Campaign: Justice currently has employees who oversee

and create each of their clothing lines as well as a marketing team that can promote the clothing

line. The Campaign will be of no additional cost to the company. The campaign will be

promoted through our new social media accounts and catazines which is also of no additional

cost.

4. Increase Justice Social Media Presence: Creating these social media accounts will be of no

additional cost to the company. Justice will need to hire an employee to maintain Twitter,

Instagram, and Pinterest. To add one new employee on their payroll, it will cost $2,000 per

month. The annual cost of adding a new employee is $24,000 per year.

5. Meet & Greet: The estimated cost of hosting Taylor Swift for a meet and greet session is

$1,000,000. Justice will also need to account for security which adds up to $1,500. The cost of

signage including the two pop up displays at the meet and greet cost $3,000. Justice will also

need to promote the event through free publicity. They will use their social media, catazines, and

local radio stations. All aspects of the meet and greet will cost $1,004,500.

6. Training Employees: Employees will need trained on the Customer Loyalty Program and the

Smartphone Application. All 29,000 in-store Justice sales associates will be trained through an

hour long training session. They will each get paid $8.50 for the training. The training will come

to a total cost of $246,500.

The cost of these proposed activities will be a total of $1,625,480

VII. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Consultant:Christopher Lynch, Marketing Education and DECA Advisor, Gahanna, Ohio

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Russel Cochrane, Retired Marketing Education and DECA Advisor, Gahanna, OhioMarcia Sweet, English teacher, Gahanna, OhioBrent Johnson, Manager of Front End Web Development, L Brands, Columbus, Ohio

Personal Interview:Pat Eschliman, VP of Merchandise Planning, Justice & Brothers, New Albany, Ohio

Internet Sites: http://www.shopjustice.com/ https://twitter.com/?lang=en https://www.facebook.com/ https://pinterest.com https://columbusregion.com

http://appestimator.tusnuadesigns.net/ http://www.displaysgalore.com/ http://www.datacard.com/loyalty-and-

membership/loyalty-cards http://www.megaprint.com/prices-sizes-

prints.php

https://columbusregion.com/

https://pinterest.com/

https://www.facebook.com/

https://twitter.com/?lang=en

http://www.shopjustice.com/

http://www.megaprint.com/prices-sizes-prints.php

http://www.megaprint.com/prices-sizes-prints.php

http://www.datacard.com/loyalty-and-membership/loyalty-cards

http://www.datacard.com/loyalty-and-membership/loyalty-cards

http://www.displaysgalore.com/

http://appestimator.tusnuadesigns.net/

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