By George Anderson
Chico's loves older women.
The retail chain has built its business catering to the needs of mature women and the baby boomers who shop in its stores love the attention. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Chico's has reported an increase of at least 35 percent in profit and at least an 11 percent increase in same-store sales for 28 out of the last 31 quarters.
So what is the chain's secret?
First, it produces clothes that are trendy but don't make forty-somethings appear as though they're suffering from second childhood syndrome. Everything about Chico's is about making its customers look and, in a quite a few cases, feel better.
Pat Murphy Kerstein, chief merchandising officer for Chico's said, "We always say we have to 'Chico-fy' everything. We're always making sure the garment is proportioned for her, fitted for her. She never wants to look ridiculous."
One Chico's shopper, Joanne Byrd, told the Post-Dispatch she likes buying clothes there because most don't require special laundering care and they are made to fit women her age.
She also likes Chico's sizing chart, which runs in sizes from zero to three.
"Not many people my age can go into a store and say, 'I'll take a size two,'" she said. "The psychology of it is just great."
Moderator's Comment: What are the keys to attracting and keeping female baby boomers as customers? Are there specific examples (Chico's or others) you can cite to demonstrate a retailer's attention to the needs of this consumer group?
According to NPD Group, women classified as baby boomers spent $30.8 billion on clothing and accessories last year. - George Anderson - Moderator