International Marketing -Situational analysis, Marks and Spencer FRANCE - Essay Example

M&S France has reestablished business after a long hiatus. (Best, In France, the competitor analysis to M&S operations show The Gap Inc. to have revenues drop to 825 million (BusinessWeek, 2006), Kookai is losing market share to U.K. based companies (Moore, Fernie, Burt, 2000), Oasis targets women in their late 20’s and therefore is a lesser indirect competitor. The perceptual map below displays the relationship of each company relative to the consumer perception. Kookai and Jigsaw are multi-quadrant participants.

The map includes the customer analysis and market segmentation. Perception of Luxury High Quality Expensive Trendy In France, the cultural influence as it affects consumer behavior is a function of the coverage in competition is within the primary shopping districts. Indeed, the level of rents and exposure to the high class, innovator consumers within the elite shopping districts is where retailers such as the Gap provide the largest and most targeted competition to M&S. In cities such as Lyon and Paris, the concentration of competition within the shopping districts has provided M&S with exposure to the consumer at the expense of a high degree of market competition.

The particular taste of the French market is determined by benchmark research against competitor lines of clothing regarding differences between style and texture from market to market as well as market research including focus groups to better obtain an understanding of the changes in consumer choice. “M&S needs to carry out intense market research to identify the customers’ needs for styles and products. M&S must develop an effective customer opinion and feedback system, preferably through the internet, being more convenient.

” (Docshare.com, 2009)