Ethnic Gift Stores Compare to Other Gift Stores
Ethnic marketing is a tool used by corporate America to reach a segment of the nation’s consumers that has definitive buying power–the middle-class ethnic-identified consumer. Using marketing strategies such as in-language advertising, which has proved effective for Bank of America and AT&T, corporations seek to add a cultural dimension to their messages.
Some companies take their marketing of ethnicity to absurd heights, selling trinkets shaped like dreidels, the four-sided top spun in a game played at Chanukah, and other culturally specific items. These acts of commodification, however, highlight the fact that shopping for identity is one of contemporary culture’s most cherished passions, and that the nation’s market economy embraces it with equal suppleness.
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To maximize their marketing appeal, many companies employ ethnic marketers who can conduct research in the first language of the targeted population. For example, Florida-based Market Segment Research and Consulting (MSR&C) employs a multilingual staff to survey and interview immigrants to obtain demographic data. The company’s 1996 Ethnic Market Report provides a comprehensive snapshot of the nation’s changing demographics.
How Do Prices in Ethnic Gift Stores Compare to Other Gift Stores?
Ethnic Gift Store in USA and souvenir shopping is a relatively unexplored area of retailing. This research examines the marketing strategies of souvenir/gift shops in Ontario, New York and Quebec and compares them to those in the United States. Qualitative observations suggest that overall, the New York and Canadian gift shops are more effective in their implementation of marketing strategy variables.
Printed tea towels, bamboo coasters and brass mobiles may not seem like the most obvious or high-end items, but Poketo specializes in a range of goods that combine hedonic elements of design with utilitarian functionality. The store’s selection includes lucite bookends, cheese puff puzzles and even a scented candle whose label references the “hedonistic art” of the shop’s name. But the Utopian vision of multicultural harmony displayed in the store is far from the reality on the global supply chain, where escalating levels of worker exploitation have become the norm. A more sombre message can be found in the company’s clothing line, which is made from fabric that’s sourced via the international apparel trade.
The findings of this study suggest that enhancing the product selection and in-store atmosphere can help gift/souvenir shop owners to improve their marketing strategies. For example, the presence of locally made products such as maple syrup and jams, one-of-a-kind handmade Mohawk items, and free gift wrapping can improve the perception of the variety of store merchandise. Moreover, promoting more personalized service and offering collectible items can enhance the perceived value of products in the store. Furthermore, offering a return policy is crucial for a successful souvenir retailing strategy.