Marketing 450 (Consumer Behavior) Final

Mr. Mansell,

Consumers are taking advantage of earlier and longer promotions this season due to consumers feeling like they have time poverty, a feeling of having less time available than is required to meet the demands of everyday living, and as a result fewer shoppers were in Kohl’s or purchasing online at kohls.com over the holiday weekend compared with last year, which I know is troubling to you as it should be. As you requested I will do my best to understand what is causing this decline in sales through what I have learned in a recently taken consumer behavior course.
At the beginning of November, consumers (specifically mothers) start looking for holiday steals and deals to combat their juggling lifestyle, working mothers’ attempts to compromise between conflicting cultural ideals of motherhood and professionalism. Unfortunately, every retailer knows this including those who participate in direct selling, which is a multilevel marketing structure that sells a consumer product or service, person-to-person, away from a fixed retail location and home shopping parties, a selling format where a company representative makes a sales presentation to a group of people who gather at the home of a friend or acquaintance. Those companies, who use direct selling and home shopping parties, hire “consultants” who sell holiday gifts for a relatively cheap price, for a commission. Pop-up stores, temporary locations that allow a company to test new brands without a high financial commitment are also becoming popular, which in turn is causing a headache for department stores, such as Kohl’s that do not participate in direct selling, home shopping parties or pop-up stores.
Black Friday promotions started a week or more earlier in some cases this year and most major retailers offered Black Friday prices both in stores and online