Educational Packaging Enhances Petite Experience

Context and Objectives

As an Assistant Buyer at Ross, I recognized an opportunity to address the unique needs of the Petite customer base, whose purchasing decisions were often impacted by a lack of education around fit and proportion. My objective was to develop a packaging solution that educated customers on the nuances of Petite sizing, ultimately driving customer satisfaction and improving markdown performance.

My Role

As an Assistant Buyer, I:

• Identified Customer Needs: Conducted research into the Petite customer’s fit requirements, including proportions like knee placement, pocket sizing, and overall garment balance.

• Collaborated with Vendors: Partnered with trusted vendors to design packaging that highlighted key fit attributes specific to Petites.

• Developed Educational Packaging: Created Petite-specific hangtags to serve as a silent sales associate, educating customers on the value of proper fit.

• Analyzed Competitive Practices: Benchmarked against competitors’ marketing strategies for Petite sizes and presented findings to stakeholders.

Challenges and Solutions

• Educating Customers: Recognized a gap in customer knowledge about Petite proportions and used packaging to bridge that gap with simple, visually engaging hangtags.

• Gaining Stakeholder Buy-In: Collaborated with vendors to pitch the concept as a strategic opportunity, ensuring alignment and support for the initiative.

• Improving Performance: Focused on designing hangtags that not only educated but also incentivized purchases by highlighting fit benefits.

Results

• 13% Reduction in Markdowns: Achieved a significant improvement in markdown rates for Petite styles, demonstrating the effectiveness of the educational hangtags.

• Enhanced Customer Education: Empowered customers with a better understanding of Petite sizing, leading to more confident purchasing decisions.

• Streamlined Vendor Onboarding: Leveraged the knowledge gained from this initiative to develop a Petite-specific brochure used to onboard new vendors unfamiliar with the nuances of the category.

• Improved Garment Quality: Enhanced my ability to approve garment fits accurately, ensuring better-quality products that met the specific needs of Petite customers.

• Accelerated Vendor Performance: Each vendor involved in the initiative turned inventory faster and achieved stronger sell-through rates compared to the previous year.

• Strengthened Vendor Relationships: Collaborated successfully with four vendors to implement the initiative, setting the stage for future innovation.