When the retailer wanted to make big changes, they sought to the feedback of their customers for direction. Michaels art supplies came to the realization that it had a problem in the year 2019. Customers were not making their way into the store, which meant that companies were not making as much money as usual. The traditional marketing strategies that they employed were not producing the desired results.
The Company’s Business Strategy
They required some modifications to be made to their michaels art supplies approach. Nevertheless, what is it? In the past, the company’s business strategy was founded on the idea that “anyone can make,” and this approach proven to be beneficial for them in the seasonal and kid product sectors of the market.
Nevertheless, “we were asleep at the wheel” when it came to core areas such as jewelry-making, knitting, and technology, as Jennifer Beesley, Vice President of Creative and Store Environment at michaels art supplies, stated in an interview at Retail Spaces.
A Revisit To The Objective In Question
As a direct consequence of this, michaels art supplies came to the conclusion that it was necessary to restate their objective by declaring, “We’re here for the maker.” In order to determine where they could make improvements, they solicited the feedback of prior customers and one statement in particular stuck out from the rest: “I think it’s vital to have a space where I can sample different things and also sit with other people.”
Excessive Number Of Individuals
There appears to be an excessive number of individuals in this area. Your competitors are located further apart and have aisles that are wider than what you offer. In light of these considerations, the management team at michaels art supplies decided that the retail chain’s 1,300 stores located across the United States and Canada required a facelift.
This conclusion was reached after conducting an audit of the stores. These retail establishments range in size from around 18,000 to 20,000 square feet and stock between 35,000 and 40,000 distinct stock keeping units (SKUs). michaels art supplies needs to develop a new retail strategy that places more of an emphasis on the needs of the target audience.
Reimagining Design Of Art Supplies
Michaels art supplies was forced to first create a comprehensive plan for the location before beginning construction on a new store. This was done so they could better serve their customers. As a direct consequence of this, sight lines were enhanced, improved fixtures were uncovered, and opportunities for new experiences were made available. For instance, the corporation set up a walk-in, open classroom at the front of the store so that customers could easily attend classes and participate in the store’s programming. In addition to that, it dispersed five temporary stores across the store and referred to them as “inspiration centers.” “instead of just exhibiting newness and energy at the front of the store,” Beesley claims that “we’ve injected it throughout the region.”
Other Kinds Of Experiences
Other kinds of experiences can be had in the areas that are dedicated to flower arranging and in the exhibitions that provide educational information. In each of these scenarios, michaels art supplies made the decision to reclaim the space that had been occupied by the item and give it back to the individual consumers who had originally paid for it.
Overall Go-To-Market Strategy
As part of michaels art supplies overall go-to-market strategy, the company just unveiled a new brand platform that they are calling “Made by you.” This video serves as a promotional piece for the company, in which it explains its goal to transform “from a warehouse for commodities into a creative advocate for manufacturers.” “the store was reinvented, converting it from a place to shop to a place to create,” as stated in the synopsis of the movie.
The New Live Seminars
The new live seminars, how-to videos, and inspirational stories that Michaels is offering are all contributing to the consolidation of the position that Michaels plays in the lives of creators “in a manner that Amazon could never do.” The adaptation of Michael’s store to pandemic conditions was one of the elements that was included in the remodeling project.
Curbside Pick-Up Service
Within three weeks of launching its curbside pick-up service, the retailer was able to keep its stores open and maintain a steady flow of arts and crafts supplies for customers who were creating items at home. This was accomplished despite the fact that the number of customers using the service increased significantly.
Two months later, michaels art supplies presented another risk-free and contact-free solution in the shape of same-day delivery. This option was made available to customers. The business is currently engaged in research and development activities concerning shop-and-scan technology and self-checkout systems.
Establishing One’s Foothold Within The Community
As a strategy to advance the development of its retail concept, Michaels is placing a strong emphasis on the value of community building. For instance, it developed ten resource groups within the company and referred to them as Michaels Resource Organizations (MRGs). The aim of these groups was to encourage diversity and inclusion among employees.
The sentiments that these MRGs want to get over are communicated using catchphrases such as “you belong at this craft table” and “you’re welcome here.” After that, these phrases are disseminated and utilized across a variety of different engagement activities including marketing, hiring, and others.
Important Role In The Development Of The Community
Michaels is playing an important role in the development of the community through the classes and events that it organizes. This nonprofit group hosts free “make” breaks on the first Sunday of every month, “take-and-makes” for children once a month, and 25 online classes each and every week. There are currently over 1,400 distinct types of online michaels coupon that may be taken by students that are interested in enrolling.
Michael’s Head Of Creativity
The recordings that Michael’s Head of Creativity made in her home room and then put to the corporate website are where it all started. Through the use of the hashtag “#makeitwithmichaels,” Michael’s communicates with the online community that it has built around its brand on Instagram.
