Savvy Segmenting: Women and Shoes
Thanks to Stephen Sherlock and his heads-up about this inspiring shoe-selling story he saw in this weekend’s Boston Globe Magazine. A size 11-1/2 shoe herself, the story’s focus, Barbara Thornton, saw her niche and went for it - creating Designer Shoes, a successful online store with a single Boston/Newbury Street retail store.
In the Globe article by Michelle Bates Deakin, you read that Barbara studied up and found that it wasn’t just her, but that women’s feet were generally getting larger. And, that didn’t mean the women of this market were willing to forego fashion. On the contrary.
This is an example of someone who IS their market recognizing the need and going for it. And, this is an example of why those companies that are run by folks who aren’t the target market for their goods or services need to work harder to familiarize themselves with their customers. For the clothing and shoe industries, a simple part of success today is realizing that women’s bodies have changed over time - and then creating relevant products.
The majority of American women no longer wear teeny dress sizes (witness vintage shops full to brimming with wonderful fabrics and cuts that rarely get sold). Nor, are most women willing to cram their feet into too-small shoes for fashion’s sake.
Designer Shoes is savvy segmenting, "for women who leave a larger footprint."
