Introduction
The international trade history of the United States has repeatedly demonstrated a tendency to export and import of the same product types. For example, the country’s oil and electronics trades are well known in the business field. Such cases have proven successful over time, which explains the popularity of the products. At the same time, it is critical to discuss the nationally manufactured goods that can potentially increase their sale value in a foreign market. In that way, an exemplar category of goods produced in the U.S includes textiles and apparel. While the major portion of the industry is dominated by Asian companies and factories that additionally supply American stores, national brands are also growing in their marketing impact.
Clothing items based on emerging trends in the United States’ culture can become highly demanded across European and Australian clientele. The media influence of the country can also serve as an essential factor in marketing the apparel, as its quality will also differ from the quality of products made in Asian factories. Effective methods of selling the clothing must also be considered to ensure maximum profit and economic advantage. Moreover, a specific clothing item must be selected for an in-depth evaluation of the marketing case. In that way, American-made denim products of the apparel market that are already sold in the country can be further marketed through fair labor and inclusivity policies to be successfully exported to foreign business fields.
Product classification
The selected product category of apparel must first be classified according to a standard structuring system. Hence, the clothing fits into the category of shopping products – items for which clients devote sufficient effort and organizing time while choosing the optimal option (Pride & Ferrell, 2016). Other important characteristics of the category include their prolonged material life and expected high quality, which explains the buyer’s need to review various options before paying for the guarantee adequately. Moreover, shopping products are often distributed among fewer marketing outlets compared to convenience products, such as food and beverages (Pride & Ferrell, 2016). As a result, a smaller target market is created for shopping items, in this case represented by denim clothing sets.
Referring to the classification characteristics, the chosen product includes the described features. Primarily, most apparel goods are bought selectively after a cross-brand comparison and evaluation of the optimal prices by the buyers. Branded denim items are generally more costly than regular clothing from other materials. Furthermore, several competing American companies would be compared in the process of shopping. Of course, brands with a good reputation in the American market will guarantee top-quality products that last for longer than the competition. In that way, denim apparel serves as a valuable shopping category of products that can be described by its high-quality and long-term guarantee while remaining affordable for the general population.
Essential factors in market segments evaluation
The market’s segments must then be evaluated to accentuate the role of the business idea in improving the company’s status. First, the size of the segment has reportedly grown over the years, as globalization significantly impacted the export behavior of North American apparel (Keough & Lu, 2019). Increased demand for the product can be explained by the emerging trends of handmade and production-wise efficient items, an element which can be successfully implemented in economically developed countries such as the United States. In that way, the statistical increase in segment size proves to be a sufficient argument for the implementation of the marketing idea. Secondly, the relevancy of the sales must be evaluated, considering the geographic and socio-economic climate both domestically and internationally. For example, a worldwide pandemic will affect the market negatively in many fields, including apparel shopping. In a state of economic crisis, buyers will prioritize convenience items over more costly products, lowering the sales for denim clothing companies. At the same time, the current improvement of the national socio-economic situation suggests the optimal timing for additional export of U.S.A made apparel. Ultimately, the business preposition must be viewed with reference to the company’s objectives and available resources. With a firm that focuses on ethical production and cross-cultural distribution of its work, the development of international apparel transport will additionally benefit the company’s status.
The competition of the product category in both home and foreign markets
Furthermore, the formation of an efficient exporting system will be financially beneficial for the company in the case of sufficient but not dominating competition. According to various critical evaluations, Chinese and Indian factories constitute the main foreign competitor of Western apparel (Antczak et al., 2019). The central reason behind the substantial cause for concern, in this case, is strongly related to the different pricing and sale opportunities of the respective industries. Asian companies are generally the manufacturers of European and North American brands, especially in the textile industry. At the same time, the well-known lower budget of the former brands results from less ethical approaches to the employees’ work conditions and consequential inadequate quality. The American clothes would have to strictly fit into the standard for the apparel industry to remain a strong competitor against more customer-oriented cheaper alternatives. Still, the shopping product category suggests additional expenses and research conducted by the buyer, which advocates the idea of the buyer preferring less industrialized versions of the clothing.
In terms of domestic markets, the same question of large chains versus smaller businesses prevails. Since the exemplar denim company prioritizes a more individualized approach, its number of sales might be lower than that of bigger organizations. To ensure the best outcomes for international export, the company must first compete with other American denim companies for a representative role in the foreign market.
Application of the targeting and positioning approach in marketing the product
The targeting and positioning approaches in marketing the product suggest outlining the desirable characteristics of the marketed denim items. One of the most advantageous methods of advertising the clothing, in this case, would involve minimizing the competition with other companies following the same business strategy. Hence, an original approach would be critical in creating an outstanding image for the buyers. For instance, accentuating denim production’s comfort and ethical aspect would serve as characteristics specific to the company. On the other hand, the competing brands mainly focus on other product elements, such as their quality, fit, and general view.
Moreover, as previously mentioned, the central product positioning strategy would be based on the personalized and ethical approach to creating the denim items. Referring back to the controversial working conditions in large chain textile factories, many buyers remain concerned about the moral stance of such companies. On the other hand, the current socio-economic climate requires an alternative outlook as the official statement of the brand, limiting any problematic responses from the customers. Furthermore, a domestic business must follow the standard ethical procedures in order to qualify for export to other countries. In that way, the denim must offer both the expected quality and moral principles in its production process.
The major nongovernmental regulatory forces influential on the product sales
The main nongovernmental regulatory forces influential on the product sales are the ones controlling the labor. Hence, the Fair Labor Association would play a central role in determining the standards for the company employees’ working conditions and fair payment (Bowen, 2019). Participation in such organizations and their regulatory processes is an essential step for brands to demonstrate their own principles and determining values. In that way, staying associated with the Fair Labor Association would allow employees to report unethical production instances of sweatshops and large chain brands. At the same time, this strategy would allow the company to showcase its contrasting views and advertise alternative approaches. As a result, more sales would be registered through the promotional campaign. Still, it is essential for the regulatory organization to stay unbiased to the objectives of a specific company and its sale opportunities. Moreover, the effect of nongovernmental regulatory forces can be traced not only from its impact on the company’s competition but also through direct interactions between them. Working with the members of the groups and allowing the company’s employees to voice their opinions regarding any aspect of the brand’s policy will lead to evident improvement of its structure.
The major challenges that should be considered when determining a retail site location
The major challenges involved in the process of determining a retail site location are related to the demographic, economic, visual, and transport factors. For example, locating the denim apparel store in a regional mall would allow customers to find special products that cannot be found in smaller shops and shopping centers. While the prices would be reasonable for the high-quality and visual appeal of the apparel, they would not exceed the minimum standard in factory outlet malls (Pride & Ferrell, 2016). In terms of the possible challenges, the location of the mall should not exceed the distance limit so as not to prevent the target demographic from shopping conveniently. While the company does not directly imply any age, gender, or social category restrictions, the presumable buyer profile will constitute adolescents and adults. Therefore, a favorable location would be nearby workplaces, the city, or other open public areas. A challenge can also occur in the case of the inadequate visual aspect of the retail site location, which will not depict the modernized interior of the store. It is essential to locate the shop with other apparel or store categories with the same target demographic.
The traditional and digital promotional venues of the product campaign
Essentially, the brand requires the implementation of both traditional and digital promotional venues. Hence, the digital methods would initially be developed through an arrangement of a website and social media accounts to share the basic information regarding the company. Then, the following step of gaining popularity within the online community and its success rate is only possible through the integration of traditional marketing methods such as local newspapers and magazines. The incorporation of the traditional ways would ensure inclusivity of older generations of the customers who are not used to the technological advancements.
At the same time, research highlights the modern importance of social media advertising, especially in the case of apparel sales. The various social media networks can be utilized to not only gain a loyal customer following but also to share updates regarding the products and easily gain beneficial feedback (Dasgupta & Grover, 2019). The process of sharing and distributing the necessary material across social networks can be completed by the PR team regularly to maintain the efficient availability status. The results of the marketing strategy can be measured analytically through the statistics provided by the applications and through individually conducted calculations by the employees. In the next step, in cases of international business and export, the company could launch its own application to ensure optimal communication with customers and immediate feedback.
Ultimately, the promotional venues should focus on presenting the detailed procedure of the denim production, the brand’s special characteristics, principles, and values. Unlike other apparel firms, the company should accentuate the ethical codes behind business incorporations, a major step that would additionally promote its export potential.
The ethical marketing considerations in relation to the product
The ethical considerations constitute one of the most critical parts of the marketing strategy to review. Its importance is emphasized by the company’s focus on providing the best working conditions possible in the textile production environment. Moreover, ethical labor conducted in the United States is a major factor to consider for international legal purposes. Since the firm is aimed at distributing its items around the world, the location and condition of its manufacturing sites should be maintained at a certain level.
In addition to the listed perspectives, one essential ethical consideration is related to the company’s use and distribution of personal information received from customers in the digital field. While analytical work online is necessary for a good understanding of the customers’ reviews and demands, the digital approach must be appropriately structured to avoid legal issues. In that way, clear consent must be requested and received on the company’s online platforms, including social media accounts and its official website.
Furthermore, more traditional ways of recognizing the company policy in regard to its marketing can be outlined from its advertising campaigns. Contemporary business requires maximal inclusivity and diversity in press releases and modeling events promoting the denim apparel. This idea of a diverse environment will not only highlight the brand’s ethical policy but will additionally reposition its ranking amongst domestic textile companies. As a result, this will undoubtedly improve the company’s success in adapting to the foreign market.
Finally, an essential ethical consideration highlights sustainability as an external process unrelated to the working conditions of the manufacturer. Hence, the development of ecologically sustainable patterns and materials is one of the central strategies behind an ethical business model (Lerpiniere, 2020). Marketing projects should emphasize the brand’s environmentally friendly methods with reference to the high quality of the products.
Conclusion
The critical evaluation of various factors and elements involved in the marketing of denim apparel products has been discussed, leading to the accentuation of several key company policies. The item’s promotional value was identified through primary classification and critical review. As a shopping category product, its pricing and relative expectations from the customer can be outlined as higher than convenient products, explaining its financial capability to promote high-quality products and ethical labor. At the same time, organizations such as the Fair Labor Association can additionally regulate the production of the clothing to ensure policy compliance.
Both traditional and digital marketing strategies must be incorporated to allow for communication with customers of various ages, gender, and socioeconomic status. While the denim apparel is to be an international product exported from the United States, its manufacturers must demonstrate inclusivity and diversity, both through the staff and promotional campaigns. One effective way of dealing with foreign competitors is through the emphasis on a fair working environment with minimal interference with the product material. Ultimately, American-made denim products in the apparel market can be promoted through fair labor and inclusivity policies to become strong competitors in the foreign market.
References
Antczak, A., Greta, M., Kopeć, A., & Otto, J. (2019). Characteristics of the textile industry of two Asian powers: China and India. Prospects for their further development on global markets. Fibres & textiles in Eastern Europe. Web.
Bowen, F. (2019). Marking their own homework: The pragmatic and moral legitimacy of industry self-regulation. Journal of Business Ethics, 156(1), 257-272.
Dasgupta, S., & Grover, P. (2019). Impact of digital strategies on consumer decision journey: special. Academy of Marketing Studies Journal, 23(1), 1-14.
Keough, K., & Lu, S. (2019). Explore the export behavior of textiles and apparel “Made in the USA”: A firm-level analysis. Iowa State University Digital Press, 76(1). Web.
Lerpiniere, C. (2020). Value definition in sustainable (textiles) production and consumption. Value Construction in the Creative Economy, 85-107.
Pride, W. M., & Ferrell, O. C. (2016). Foundations of marketing. Cengage Learning.