Attracting Teens to Your Business

Lauren Krause
Posted by


Retailers all over the country are looking for ways to attract teen customers to their stores. Customers who have a good experience as teens are likely to shop at some of the same stores when they are older, making teen customers very desirable for retailers who want to start inspiring brand loyalty. Unfortunately, attracting teen shoppers isn't always easy. Follow these tips to start attracting members of this desirable market segment to your store.

Stock merchandise teen customers want to buy. It sounds obvious, but several retailers are struggling to attract teens simply because they don't understand what teens want. Five or 10 years ago, teens were happy to wear clothing with flashy logos from expensive brands. That trend has changed, leaving retailers like Abercrombie & Fitch struggling with sluggish sales. Stores that carry a mix of basic pieces and on-trend items are likely to attract more teen customers than stores selling trendy merchandise covered with logos.

If attracting teen shoppers to your store is a priority, don't make teens feel unwelcome. Some retailers have started banning teens from their stores after certain hours, which is exactly the opposite of what you should be doing. Instead of banning teens outright, hold shopping events or special promotions just for teen shoppers. If you have a problem with a teen shopper, address it directly with him. Don't try to solve the problem by banning teens from your store or treating every teen who walks in the door like a criminal.

Teen customers are spending less money on clothes than ever before, so take a look at your pricing strategy if you are having trouble attracting teens. If shoppers can go elsewhere to get similar merchandise at a lower price, your prices aren't competitive enough. Slash prices across the board, or offer BOGO promotions to draw teen customers into your store and encourage them to buy more than one item. Teens love to spend money on tech items, so think about stocking tech-friendly clothing. Manufacturers offer jackets, pants, shirts and other items that make using MP3 players, tablets and other devices easier to use on the go.

Several teen retailers struggle because they haven't kept up with changing fashion trends. If you want to attract teen shoppers, your store should always have merchandise that appeals to young people. Watch H&M and Forever 21 for clues about what you should be stocking in your store. These retailers offer a better assortment of merchandise than other teen-focused retailers, making them very popular among the adolescent demographic.

Teens are one of the most valuable market demographics for retailers. If you have been struggling to attract teen customers to your store, think about your current policies and merchandising strategy. If necessary, change your policies to make teens more likely to spend money on your products.


Photo courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

Comment

Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    Thanks for that @Cassandra. I know many people think of Thrift Stores as being dirty and unbecoming. Personally I love shopping at them - can find really great bargains there.

  • Cassandra W.
    Cassandra W.

    We feel it in our non profit Thrift store as well. Merchandise has to be current and the store must be inviting.

  • You Might Also Be Interested In

article posted by Staff Editor

Jobs to Watch