A community-based strategy for department stores
ISSN: 1935-5181
Article publication date: 2 October 2019
Issue publication date: 5 November 2019
Abstract
Purpose
Over the years, department stores have dealt with unique challenges, including massive changes in city and then suburban landscapes and shopping patterns, shifts in consumer preferences, and, more recently, electronic commerce. The purpose of this paper is to discuss additional community-oriented marketing approaches for department stores.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach looks at the role of traditional department stores in communities and their economic impact and uses ideas from a variety of community-based mobile services, including medical, food and library outreach.
Findings
The findings are that the importance of physical retailers such as department stores to a community deserves further consideration by civic and business leaders and that a variety of services and products have been successfully marketed in communities through additional approaches such as mobile units.
Social implications
The approaches presented could enhance community development.
Originality/value
While department stores have held distinctive places in many cities, these enterprises lack the type of regional fan base that advocates actively for other kinds of industries. A community-oriented marketing approach for department stores is discussed, with ideas for future research that could build on these stores’ special brand attributes and on their contributions to the viability of an area.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author gratefully acknowledges the editors and reviewers for their insights and comments.
Citation
Friedman, S.K. (2019), "A community-based strategy for department stores", American Journal of Business, Vol. 34 No. 3/4, pp. 118-133. https://doi.org/10.1108/AJB-05-2018-0025
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited