Developing and Managing Products

 The key why J crew become such a popular clothing company is they provide good quality and stylish products. There are many clothes that much cheaper that J crew products but they are going to bad soon. On the other hand, there are many good quality clothes they can wear for long term but most of them are expensive products. Since they started running business they always focus to provide both conditions stylish and good quality.At the beginning they wanted to aiming their products like Ralph Lauren but for  much lower price. In 2003 Mickey Drexler  J.Crew as chairman and CEO, pushing service, quality and innovation to the next level. J crew is known as cashmere they use one of the best Italian cashmere as a material plus completely new design every year.

 J crew describes:
All of J.Crew  items are exclusive designs—featuring casual classics, cool colors and bold prints (never last season's leftovers). Our Factory clothing is based on great styles and favorites from past J.Crew collections, though in order to keep our prices competitive, we sometimes slightly change the designs, fabrics and washes (but we always make sure to maintain the quality and integrity that our customers expect from J.Crew)

 Also, recently they collaborate other brands to create new style and developed their products.
Jcrew uses their windows in their flagship locations as creative ways to promote their new products. An example of the creative way is they collaborate other brands to create new style. An example they often create sneakers with New Balance they focus more styles that functions to use  different colors, styles.

Social Media and Marketing

J crew uses many different social media such as Blog, Twitter, Facebook etc. One of the purpose to have these social media is to communicate to their customers casually and easily. For example, on Facebook they post stylish pictures and the customers can write about them what the customer think, they like the style or not etc and J crew can write and respond about it. Also, these social media is useful to the market. Since they can promote and advertise their products. The customers’ comments and opinions they can use them.

Product Concept

J Crew debuted in 1983 with the mailing of its first catalog. Six years later, we opened a flagship store at New York's South Street Seaport. Today, the business includes retail and outlet stores nationwide and an ever-growing online and catalog business. J crew’s concept is to provide products aiming for a Ralph Lauren Such as simple and stylish but much lower price.

Since then, the CEO of J crew Millard "Mickey" Drexler is pushing Keep good quality. J crew’s products quality is always reliable they are working hard to make its customer not disappointed. Sometimes, it is hard to make a balance between price and quality since they should use good materials.

This is cashmere they used Italian cashmere.

 

 

J crew added two new catalog lines: "Classics" and Collections."

First “Collections” used more complicated designs and finer fabrics to create dressier and more expensive items.

 

 Other one is “Classics” featured clothes that could be worn both to work and for leisure activities.

Personal Selling and Sales Management

Personal Selling

J crew has unique and very efficient system for personal selling it called “Very personal Style.” The service created for the customers who need help to make look nicer. Sales associate helps to pick the clothes that the best fit colors and style for the customer. Also, the service is good for the customer who is busy. Basically the service is available 24/7 but if the customer makes an appointment they will open the store earlier and stay late to work the customer schedule. In addition, this is a good way to know the customers taste what the customers like or dislike and the customers’ favorite styles.  The information is useful for the next purchasing. Moreover, online store there is a live chat service it is also helps its customers through the chat. These services are directly affects purchasing since the customer most likely buy the J crew products.

 

Sales management

Sales management should make its customers purchase the products and increase its profit.  An important thing to increase profit  is get their employees training well.  In order to inform and convince its costumer the employees should have knowledge about their products and how to behave in front of the customers. Also, how to care about the customers after they buy the products.

This is J crew training manual: http://ajajcrew.wordpress.com/

Also, show the customers their products image pictures as much as possible which is display in the stores or website. If the customer can image how to coordinate the clothes easily its related buy the products.