IndexOverviewMarketingProduct:Price:Location:Promotion:EthicsWorking Conditions:Environmental Impact:Animal Welfare:Customer RelationsBibliographyOverviewGap Inc. was founded in 1969 by Donald and Doris Fisher in San Francisco, California, with a single store and a handful of employees. The first idea was to make it easier to find a pair of jeans and commit to doing more. Levi's, records and cassettes (eight tracks) were initially sold. Today, The Gap counts three of the most prestigious brands in the fashion industry – Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy – among the largest specialty retailers in the world. As of February 2019, Gap Inc. has more than 150,000 employees supporting approximately 3,300 company-operated stores and more than 400 franchised stores across Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as e-commerce sites and is still growing. In 2004, the Gap boasted tax revenues of $16.3 billion. Its world headquarters is located in San Francisco, product development offices in New York City, and distribution operations and offices coordinating outsourcing activities are located throughout the world. "Levi's for Guys and Gals" was one of the company's first slogans. In 1982, Gap began producing its own private label products, and in 1991 it finally stopped carrying additional labels. The name comes from the gap between children and adults, known by the hippie movement as “the generation gap”. Gap Inc. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker GPS. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayMarketingA marketing mix is developed to better meet certain needs than competitors by identifying a target audience and recognizing consumer/organizational needs. Product, promotion, price and place are the four main decisions to consider when making a marketing mix decision. Below is the description of Gap's marketing mix (4Ps). Product: Gap Inc. is a global apparel retail company with multiple brands. The company sells clothing, accessories and grooming items for men, women and children. The brand has, over time, expanded its portfolio by introducing new brands. Below are the leading companies in Gap Inc's portfolio: Old Navy: Old Navy is a large clothing and accessories brand. Its products mainly include current and important American items, available to all. The company's democratic design and trendy, playfully ambitious, accessible and high-quality products are recognized. With products ranging from t-shirts, jeans to seasonal classics, customers will always find something for their family. Gap – Founded in 1969, it is one of the largest iconic clothing companies in the world. The look of the brand is rooted in the relaxed, hopeful American. It offers a range of old-fashioned clothing with all the jeans, teas, button-ups and khakis along with the required trends. However, the company also offers items under different brands such as Gap Kids, Baby Gap, Gap Maternities, Gap Body and Gap Fit lines for particular parts of the markets, and also accessories and adult clothing. Banana Republic - Founded in 1978 and purchased by Gap Inc. in 1983. Travel and adventure clothes were produced by a company with two warehouses. Now it is a global clothing and accessories brand, interpreting new classics. The company includes clothes, glasses, jewellery, accessories, bags and perfumes, everything for people with the finest fabrics and products and at every pace of life. Household items in specialty stores are available to consumers all over the world. Athleta – Athleta is aathletic and healthy lifestyle brand for women. Since 1998, Athleta has been popular. The brand was developed by and for female athletes. This brand is high quality fitness and lifestyle. In 2016, Athleta launched a subsidiary that meets the expectations of the next generation. Athlete products can be sold in brand name stores in the United States or online around the world. Intermix: The name Intermix is a suggestion from the company. This blends fashion patterns in surprising ways and preserves the uniqueness of each style. The company stocks models from the most famous and renowned designers. In the United States and Canada, consumers can purchase their products from supermarkets or anywhere online. Hill City: Launched in 2018, it is a company that provides people with high-quality clothing. Provides all kinds of outfits from weekdays to weekends. Janie and Jack – Janie and Jack is a luxury fashion retailer in the children's market, by Gymboree Group Inc. It still markets its products on online platforms through its 100 stores in the United States. The company provides unique and creative designs, in addition to its high quality. Price: Gap is the market leader in its division in the United States. The clothing industry is highly competitive and therefore pursues a competitive pricing policy in its marketing mix. American Eagle Outfitters, Urban Outfitters Inc and Macy's Inc. are its main competitors. By reducing costs to offer low prices for quality goods, Gap maintains its market share. Demand for GAP goods is inelastic (clothing is the staple), although the market is still cost sensitive. Customers buy clothes that cost them less. Since 2014, Gap has changed its focus towards a broader target market. It streamlined operations to reduce costs and lower prices. Thanks to different options, the power of suppliers in the industry is further reduced. A combination of psychological strategies and costs in the product line are combined with Gap's current pricing strategy. He did this by finding his retail inventory. Transport costs were therefore reduced to a minimum. This thus preserves its competitive pricing advantage by optimizing operations. Place:Gap has an extensive distribution network that ensures a strong global presence. The items can go to the supermarket or direct Gap stores from the product to the wholesaler, for customers to purchase. Gap Inc. itself operates more than 3,700 stores. Most shops are open all year round. Some stores are in the US itself. Retailers are incorporated using both online and offline networks. Gap allows its customers to shop on the same platform for different brands. Emphasis on the Internet distribution channel has increased. And third parties like Amazons are available to Gap Inc. customers for clothing or products. Furthermore, customers can search the official website for the address of the store closest to their location. One distinctive aspect is that Gap items are often returned to stores to please shoppers, regardless of whether they were purchased online or not. Everywhere in the world, Gap Inc. is remembered. In most of the metropolitan cities across the world, this brand is easily accessible. Although the number of self-managed stores in Gap is lower than the total (only 20%), Gap's presence in the world has been facilitated by its online presence and third-party stores. Promotion: Gap Inc sells its brand and products across a wide range of platforms. It also conducts marketing campaigns from time to time to promote its products and styles. Gap released its "Meet me in the Gap" holiday commercial in2018. The campaign communicated the message of goodness and progressive progress, designed to excite Gap fans. The campaign ran live and spanned TV, web, social, in-store and digital promotional activities in November 2018. In addition to promotional ads, the company uses other collaborations and promotions to advertise and identify its collections. GQ's "Coolest Designers on the Planet" menswear range was also launched in November 2018, a campaign honoring American and foreign designers. Old Navy also uses these services, promotions and alliances to promote its brand. Helps encourage and increase brand awareness. On International Women's Day in March 2019, Old Navy launched a campaign to inspire and empower women. Some labels in Gap's portfolio, such as Athleta and Intermix, often use such advertising strategies to increase brand recognition and unite with supporters. Gap Inc. also aims to streamline its marketing strategies using data collection and personalization. Customer experience has become a cornerstone of effectively selling a brand. This is why companies are increasingly focusing on customization and providing the most secure installation and online experience. In recent years, Gap Inc. has also gotten more data from its ads, so that each customer receives personalized and distinctive information. Ethics Working Conditions: In 2004, Gap Inc. filed its first corporate social responsibility complaint, leading to the cessation of operations between the San Francisco-based company and 136 factories due to issues such as the use of child labor, physical abuse , hygiene and health problems (Smith, 2004). Also in early 2018, it was reported that Gap sexually and physically abused female workers in Asian factories under pressure to meet fashion deadlines. In response to the report, Gap said it would investigate the allegations to be prepared to address the issues (Hodal, 2018). According to the 2018 Ethical Fashion Report, Gap has started to improve working conditions. The study discusses factors such as pay rates, equity and workplace empowerment programs. The highest score was given to Gap for its Supplier Code of Conduct in its supplier agreements. Gap also tracks much of its supply chain and lists some suppliers in the public domain. Unfortunately, Gap only audited multiple monitored facilities over a two-year period and limited employee empowerment programs. For The Gap, there is always a lot to change. Environmental Impact: In 2014, "Toxic Threads: Polluting Paradise" released a report stating that Gap's latest advertising campaign turned the Citarum River into a multicolored mess. Industrial wastewater containing a wide range of hazardous substances from Gap's factories was discharged directly into Indonesian waters (Elks, 2014). In honor of Earth Day 2019, Gap Inc. unveiled new commitments to promote the company's use of more sustainable materials to reduce the environmental impact of producing products (WIRE, 2019). Gap is a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition which uses the Greenhouse Emissions Protocol to guide carbon assessment and reporting. The brand has publicly pledged to increase its carbon emissions by 50% by 2020. It's also worth noting that Gap is taking steps to comply with restricted substances by 2020, but no action has been taken to do so. measure to eliminate environmental impact. contamination from leather tanning processes 2020].
tags