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Kara Blakley

How to Beat Your Competition by Innovating in Ways They Can't Copy - Forbes - 13 views

www.forbes.com/...ovating-in-ways-they-cant-copy

mk473 environment 1 competitive factors urbanoutfitters

shared by Kara Blakley on 10 Sep 13 - No Cached
Krista Lawson liked it
    • Kara Blakley
      Kara Blakley on 12 Sep 13
       
      Each company uses different jargon, and I found it interesting they hire "artists." Some business people can have artistic and creative sides to them in order to manage stores. Do you agree?
    • Kara Blakley
      Kara Blakley on 12 Sep 13
       
      Have you ever noticed unusal pieces in Urban Outfitters that you haven't seen in other UO stores? This creative freedom is an intersting aspect to UO's strategy!
    • Kara Blakley
      Kara Blakley on 12 Sep 13
       
      Do you like having continuity when you go into a store or are you intrigued by the differences Urban Outfitters showcases?
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    • Kara Blakley
      Kara Blakley on 12 Sep 13
       
      I believe Steve Jobs did just this - we couldn't begin to imagine what we wanted in technological products that he was instrumental in creating. But he had the vision and made it a reality - and what would we do without all our amazing Apple gadgets?
    • Kara Blakley
      Kara Blakley on 12 Sep 13
       
      I don't agree with this statement - why do they need to replace all their managers? Why can't we just begin to think in a different way in order to evolve for the better?
  • Lina Goens on 10 Sep 13
     
    Exciting to know that college students began the company and have stuck to their values ever since. It is interesting to hear that they prefer art students over business students (us). Makes me think that we should become more well-rounded so that we are not stereotyped as only "analytical" which the article mentions at least twice. We can be creative too!
  • ...3 more comments...
  • Krista Lawson on 10 Sep 13
     
    I thought this was a really interesting read and like how they emphasize catering all aspects of their store to their target market. While I can't say I have made many purchases at Urban Outfitters, I feel like it is also a destination store. The atmosphere is inviting and draws people in because it is so different. That alone helps create a buzz and draw others in. There is an Urban Outfitters at the Keystone Fashion Mall which got me thinking to some of the other stores there. I feel like there are many store there that share this fun, atmospheric experience which really adds value. The atmosphere can really help or hinder a consumer's experience and I feel like that the Keystone Fashion Mall has done a great job of creating a unique experience for all of its visitors - Urban Outfitters being included as a part of it.
  • Kara Blakley on 11 Sep 13
     
    This is an article relevant to us - college students! We have only had a few classes and already Urban Outfitters has come up as a retailer that has drawn our attention. The article gives a great example of how Urban Outfitters is trying to attract their target market to their stores, not just through their merchandise but by keeping us there longer with a unique layout. Lina gave a great point how today we all need to be well-rounded in many different areas which can bring value to a company. And Krista, I agree with you about the Keystone Mall - the layout of the stores and lots of open space keep shoppers happy and in the mall longer. This is an aspect many other shopping centers could/should pick up on...how the "atmosphere" and store selection makes us feel.
  • Lindsey Wacnik on 12 Sep 13
     
    Similar to what Lina mentioned in her post, using artists to influence the layout of a store is a very interesting approach. There may be some advantage to that, although we may not think we are analytic, being business students, at Butler we are very well versed in all the disciplines of business. This makes us think not only about our vision for something, but also the outcomes of it financially and economically. So maybe Urban Outfitters is onto something with their thoughts moving from being focused on the business perspective to the artistic perspective. If they can incorporate new pieces into their displays that they find on their drive into work without consulting others, that is an awesome way to keep your store forever changing and to continue its appeal. I am very interested to see how many stores will begin to follow in their footsteps, and incorporate more artists into their decision making.
  • Sarah Wesp on 12 Sep 13
     
    Thank you for this article Kara! Urban Outfitters is one of my favorite places to shop and I had no idea that it was started and run by college students--I think this is one of the great ways that they are attracting their target market. This was my favorite sentence from the article, "If a manager sees an old wooden crate on his way to work and thinks it would look good in the men's section, he can bring it to work and put it on display." This is wonderful, just wonderful! Going back to what a lot of you have already mentioned, their unique layout and atmosphere is what brings people in and creates that overall "experience" for the customers.
  • Sarah Jacobsma on 12 Sep 13
     
    Great article Kara! I agree with Lina and find it very interesting that they prefer to hire art students versus business students. Although I am not a very artist person this article makes me wonder if students should take more classes in the arts along with our core curriculum. I have never actually entered or bought anything from urban outfitters so I cant say I truly understand what the stores look like from a layout stand point, but it is very interesting that employees are allowed a sense of freedom when it comes to creating an ascetically pleasing store. I think it will be interesting to see if more businesses learn toward hiring more artistic individual.
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