The brilliance of Kohl's OR What's in a name

[Not Afraid]

Kohls isn't doing anything new and different. There are lots of "hidden" brands that are owned by stores. They aren't unique in any way except their so called "brand". They all do knock-offs of popular designer items and save a whole hell of a lot on the creative aspect. They just slap a lable on them to ive them credibility.

This is common in most any current manufacturing industry. Food products are another segment that has the same product packaged and priced differently to lure all different markets of consumers.

Kohls is just another Target, K-Mart, Sears, Walmart or even Costco - they are just re-branding to appeal to a different audience.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

Are their designers in house? or is Kohl's genius really in their procurement strategy (ability to purchase quality good cheeply)?

I suppose someone in the clothing industry would be better at answering that question, as even the Kohl's corporate site doesn't offer that much insight. But in such a competative marketplace where actual manufacturing costs have bottomed out, and are probably rising with the increased scrutiny of working conditions, my presumption is that the most likely way to keep costs down is to keep as much of the operation in-house under a single umbrella. Even companies that "own" their brands, but let them run as independent business units have increased costs due to the larger corporate structure. The tighter to the vest Kohl's keeps its brands, the better chance they have to stay in the little niche between Target and Robbinson's May that they've carved for themselves.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

Kohls is just another Target, K-Mart, Sears, Walmart or even Costco - they are just re-branding to appeal to a different audience.

I've lived on cheap knock-offs for my entire life. I was the kid in Pro-Wings from Payless and supposed fashion from Target. You could always tell these products were cheap, because they looked cheap and fell apart on you.

Kohls' inhouse brands are high quality products, made by some apparently good designers. The branding is done so well that I didn't even realize they were Kohls' brands. The labeling and packaging is top notch and blends seamlessly with the brands already stuck in your head. The quality is often indistinguishible from their counterparts.

I have never found anything store brand at Target, Kmart or Walmart that comes close to the airtight job Kohls does with its brands.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

All major stores do this. Craftsman, Amanna, Greatland, Mossimo, there are THOUSANDS of "brands" that re "exclusive" to big stores.

Just one more thought on this. The brilliance to me lies not in the exclusivity, but in the low-profile. Yes, all stores have their own brands...but they market them. They try to make the brand recognizeable to theoretically draw you in. The end result of that is an eventual undermining of your store brand, as people become loyal to the merchandise, not the provider. Sure, it's a business model that can be made to work, but it puts you into the most competetive space in that industry. Whereas, especially with more and more stores being glommed together via buyouts, the world of "department stores" is a much smaller competetive space than the world of "clothing brands".

So really, what struck us, was how unassuming, yet comfortable and familiar the Kohl's brand names are. It's something that I'm rather impressed by. Their marketing department (or whomever named the brands) really nailed it on the head. Brand names that are chamellion like in nature, that stradle the line between recognizeable and blending into the background. Names (and logos...their logos are equally good) that instantly speak of their own legitamacy, that, even though you've never actually heard of them, you might as well have. All this without standing out as either unique, or as knock-offs. They AREN'T like "Sorny", which is an obvious attempt to sound like Sony. They sound like their own, legitimate brands.

[Not Afraid]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

So really, what struck us, was how unassuming, yet comfortable and familiar the Kohl's brand names are. It's something that I'm rather impressed by. Their marketing department (or whomever named the brands) really nailed it on the head. Brand names that are chamellion like in nature, that stradle the line between recognizeable and blending into the background. Names (and logos...their logos are equally good) that instantly speak of their own legitamacy, that, even though you've never actually heard of them, you might as well have. All this without standing out as either unique, or as knock-offs. They AREN'T like "Sorny", which is an obvious attempt to sound like Sony. They sound like their own, legitimate brands.

And, you are obviously the market they are going for. It's working quite nicely.

To me, it is obvious that they are just puting a brand on a run-of-the-fashion-mill product because people feel comfortable with having a "brand" and the perception of quality that comes from having a name attached to it. There's nothin wron with that because, it works for them.

My personal experience with Kohls (i've purchased a total of 4 items from there) is that their stuff is not very high quality, not too trendy, but is servicable for a functioning period of time. There's nothing wrong with their product, it just isn't anything new and different in the broad sense of the fashion market. But, the methods they are using are not unusual at all.

I feel like I'm back in a branding meeting.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

My personal experience with Kohls (i've purchased a total of 4 items from there) is that their stuff is not very high quality, not too trendy, but is servicable for a functioning period of time. There's nothing wrong with their product, it just isn't anything new and different in the broad sense of the fashion market. But, the methods they are using are not unusual at all.

It's not like I have illusions that they are of the highest quality. But compared to the crap one usually gets at those prices, they're exceptional. When I pay under $15 for a shirt, I don't expect the best quality, nor the most fashionable. But neither have I expected, in the past, the quality that Kohl's offers. It's what Target used to be...better than Pic-n-Save with only nominally higher prices. Target's slipped down a notch, in my experience, while Kohl's has filled in their old nitch, but at a step in quality above, even.

[Not Afraid]

I would say that Taret and Kohls are comparable in quality, however, Target is trying to appeal to the fashionista where Kohls is appealing to those who like conservative basics. I think they are both being successful at this, however, I wonder how long Kohls will survive. It seems the era of the mid-level department stores is coming to and end. The lower-end has had lots of trouble lately as well. I wonder how long the Targets, Kohls and Mervyns of this world will last. I think Target is doing the best job of carving out the much needed irreplacable niche. They've injected more "identity" into their overall brand than some of the other stores.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

I would say that Taret and Kohls are comparable in quality, however, Target is trying to appeal to the fashionista where Kohls is appealing to those who like conservative basics.

If you pay the premium for the items with the designer name, yes they match Kohl's quality. But cost-for-cost, Target's quality on their budget items (which was their staple) has slipped tremendously. Target seems to have created a gulf between "cheap crap" and "pricier mid-range stuff". It's one or the other there. Kohl's has swooped in and filled that gap with "cheaper mid-range stuff".

[BarTopDancer]

I think Kohls will run Mervyns out of business. When the Kohls in HB opened the Mervyns in that center lost a ton of business and never gained it back. Even with Bella Terra open Mervyns is still dead while Kohls is hopping.

Across the street from me is another set of Mervyns and Kohls. Again, Mervyns is dead while Kohls is hopping.

I don't see the mid-level department store fading. I think the consumer is recognizing that they can get good quality for not a fortune, and are choosing their stores accordingly. While the age of charge it spend spend live beyond your means is still alive and well a new generation of fiscally consertative people are coming into play, a generation who do not want to spend $85+ on a pair of jeans. This generation is a mix of people coming of age and also those who have changed their financial ways.

I don't ever see those who want decent clothes at decent prices ever having to choose between Target/Wal-Mart and Nordstroms.

And I agree about the quality of Target stuff slipping. I used to be able to go there and find come cute stuff that would last awhile. The last clothing I bought from them fell apart after a month. For the price you can get better stuff at ON.

[Not Afraid]

By Mid-level department stores, I was refering to the May Company, Macy's, Robinson's, Buffums, Bullocks, Marshall Fields, Fielines, JC Penny ilk that populated and anchored the malls. Most of those are either gone or consolidated into one big mega company. As a result, the ones that are left are bland bland bland and expensive and the less expensive stores are just as bland.

I think Target gets the edge because they carry other houssehold products that the Kohls/Mervyns stores don't carry. That's really the oly reason I end up there - that and their prices and selection are good.