By George Anderson
Retailers have discovered bigger may be better, at least in terms of their customer's physiques, when it comes to generating sales and profits for their business.
According to NPD Group, sales of plus-size clothing grew four percent last year to $17.4 billion.
NPD Group's chief analyst, Marshall Cohen, told The Wall Street Journal that 40 percent of women wear at least some plus-size clothing. Plus-sizes represent 18 percent of the total apparel market.
Leading apparel retailers such as Nordstrom have seen the opportunity presented by plus-sizes and have developed plans to capture market share. For example, Nordstrom has added in-store events targeted to plus-size consumers that give shoppers the opportunity to speak directly with designers and buyers about what they're looking for in clothing and fashion.
Moderator's Comment: Do retailers need to advertise, merchandise, etc. differently for plus-size consumers than they would for those who do not wear larger size clothing? What opportunities are there outside of clothing for retailers to target market to consumers who fall under the plus-size label? - George Anderson - Moderator