Belk Final Report

Ashley Adams, Linda Khong Denise Torres, Caitlyn Harmon

California State Polytechnic University
AMM 350-01
March 16, 2016

SECTION 1: History of the Company

Belk Inc. was founded in 1888 by 26-year-old William Henry Belk who opened a small
bargain store in Monroe, North Carolina and has been serving customers since then, for 128
years. Belk started the company with $750 in savings, a $500 loan with 10% interest, and $3,000
worth of goods. In less than 7 months, he had paid off his debt and made $3,300 in profit. Their
first store was fairly small with measurements of only 22 by 70 feet. Today, however, they have
grown into the nations largest privately owned department store with more than 300 stores in 16
Southern states and sales totaling $3.5 billion the past year. Belk has been through three
generations of family leadership and continue to grow. Belks mission is, To satisfy the modern
Southern lifestyle like no one else, so that our customers get the fashion they desire and the value
they deserve. (Welcome to Commitment, n.d.). For the future, Belk plans to invest millions of
dollars in renovating their stores and improving their technological advancements to better serve
their valued guests. (Welcome to a Rich Heritage, n.d.). In the beginning when the store first
opened, only cash was accepted, prices were clearly marked to prevent haggling, and customers
were able to return or exchange goods if not satisfied. Today, they still keep those regulations but
also added to them. The company continued to grow by acquiring other department stores from
Saks Incorporated in 2005 and 2006. After, they opened new stores and expanded existing stores
each year. In 2006, Belk acquired assets from a fine jewelry company and began selling it in
more than 150 stores. Belks main focus is superior customer service. The companys associates
focus on meeting the changing needs of their customers by providing prompt, courteous,
professional service to ensure complete satisfaction with every shopping visit. (Belk History,
n.d.). The most recent news of Belk Inc. is that they are being sold to New York- based private
equity firm Sycamore Partners for $3 billion. The buyout is anticipated to occur in Fall 2016.
Recent News on Belk Inc.
After more than 100 years in Charlotte, Belk to sell company
Aug. 24, 2015 Liz Foster
Belk, the nation's largest family-owned department store company, will be sold to New
York-based private equity firm Sycamore Partners for $3 billion. (Foster, 2015) According to a
Channel 9 spokesperson, there will be no closing of stores and no one losing their jobs, however
shoppers are still fearing it wont be true in the long run. The Belk name is very influencial in

Charlotte, its name is in a freeway, theater, college and more. Moreover, Belk is also a large
philanthropist who have given money to support hospitals, schools, and colleges throughout the
area. On the other hand, Belks company charity, Foundation, and familys charity will not be
affected by the buyout and will continue to give back to the Charlotte community. The
acquisition is expected to be complete Fall 2015.
How Will Sycamore Partners Change Belk Department Stores?
Sep 3, 2015 Jennifer Duell Popovec
Belk, with almost 300 stores in 16 southern states is being sold to private equity firm
Sycamore Partners. Tim Belk, the third generation of Belks to lead the company, serves as
chairman and CEO of the chain and after the buyout he will remain so. Sycamore Partners
Managing Director Stefan Kaluzny said, We have great respect for Belks management team
and associates, its deeply rooted brand, its footprint of stores and its growing online presence,
he said, adding that Belk is an outstanding brand with a proven success formula and the
potential for further growth. Under the buyout agreement, all Belk shareholders will receive $68
per share. CEO, Tim Belk, said, We are delighted to have found a financial partner that sees
what we see in Belk: a 127-year-old brand that remains relevant today with exceptional customer
loyalty in small, medium and large cities throughout the South. We plan to grow Belk by
executing our current strategic initiatives and undertaking new growth initiatives together with
Sycamore. This transaction is an across-the-board win for our stakeholders.
For the year 2015, Belks sales increased 1.8% over the previous year to $4.1 billion.
Sales increased 1.5% for the year, and online sales grew 43.3%. However, the chains profits
dropped; revenue totaled $146 million, a 7.8% decrease from the year before. The company
associated the loss due to Belks investments in online retailing and remodeling of their stores.
Opening new stores, expanding, and remodeling are key factors of Belks growth strategy in
order to increase market share and drive sales. According to its 2014 annual report, the company
invested nearly $88 million in new stores, store expansions and remodels.
Belk Kicks Off Angel Days Holiday Charity Campaign
Dec 1, 2015

Angel Days is Belks holiday charity program that supports local education by
encouraging customers to make a donation to help Title I schools. It gives its customers the
opportunity to support local Title I elementary schools through direct contributions at Belk
stores. The stores donate 100% of the money collected to a local Title I elementary school. The
schools can use the funding to support their individual needs. Belk has a longstanding
commitment to the communities we serve, and this program gives us a way to raise thousands of
dollars for our local schools, said Jessica Graham, vice president of communications and
community relations at Belk. We wanted to offer customers a way to participate in the giving
season, not just through shopping, but through giving back to their local communities.
Sycamore Partners Completes Acquisition Of Belk, Inc.
Dec 10, 2015
Sycamore Partners has completed its acquisition of Belk, Inc. Stefan Kaluzny, Managing
Director of Sycamore Partners, said, "We are excited to have completed this acquisition and to
begin our partnership with Belk. The Company has developed a loyal base of customers over its
127-year history, and we believe Belk is positioned for continued growth and success. We look
forward to working with Belk's management team and associates as they build on the Company's
legacy and continue to serve its customers and deliver Modern. Southern. Style." Tim Belk, chief
executive officer of Belk, Inc., said, "We are very pleased to complete this transaction with
Sycamore Partners, which delivers meaningful value to all our stakeholders. Our partnership
with Sycamore will contribute to Belk's continued success, and we look forward to leveraging
Sycamore's deep knowledge of the retail market to best serve our dedicated customers and
provide even greater opportunities for our valued team members."

Part of Belks Charlotte headquarters building may be sold

January 19, 2016 Katherine Peralta and Ely Portillo
News that the owners of Belks headquarters are selling part of the property comes less
than three months Belk being sold to private equity firm Sycamore Partners for $3 billion The
headquarters include an east and west unit, and the owners of the west unit plan to buy the whole
property. The east unit makes up 63 percent of the property. Belk wants to combine its leases on

the two units into one lease and has hesitated on extending a lease that covers solely its east unit.
They have received a letter of intent from the owners of the west unit offering to purchase the
rest of the property for about $38 million. Mecklenburg County property records show the west
unit is owned by Jacobson West Charlotte LLC, a corporation affiliated with Miami-based real
estate investor Samuel Jacobson.
Merchandise Assortment
The major product categories in the Mens department are accessories, active & outdoor,
blazers & sport coats, casual shirts, coats & jackets, complete outfits, designer, dress shirts, golf,
hoodies & fleece, jeans, outdoor, pants, polo shirts, shorts, sleep & loungewear, suit separates,
sports fan, suits, sweaters & pullovers, swimwear, t shirts, ties & pocket squares, and underwear
& socks.
The major brands within accessories are Belk & Co., Cufflinks Inc, Jack Mason, Rico
Industries, and Saddlebred. Active & Outdoor mainly consist of the brands: Columbia, Polo
Ralph Lauren, Team Golf, and Under Armour. The major brands in the Blazers & Sport coats
category are Lauren Ralph Lauren Tailored clothing and Saddlebred. Casual Shirts consists of
Antigua, Chaps, Nautica, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Tommy Bahama. For the Coats & Jackets
category, brands include Antigua, Nautica, and Red Camel. The major brands for complete
outfits are only IZOD and Polo Ralph Lauren. There are many major brands in the designer
category such as Calvin Klein, Denim & Supply Ralph Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy
Bahama, and Tommy Hilfiger. Dress shirts include Eagle Shirtmakers, IZOD, Lauren Ralph
Lauren Dress Shirt, and Tommy Hilfiger. Under the Golf category, major brands are Callaway
Golf, Greg Norman Collection, and Pro Tour. Hoodies & fleece consist of the major brands:
Antigua, Columbia, and Polo Ralph Lauren. The major brands in the jeans category are 7 For
All Mankind, Lee, Levis, Red Camel, and Wrangler. The outdoors category includes Columbia,
Guy Harvey, and Salt Life. Under the pants category, the major brands are Calvin Klein,
Dockers, Lauren Ralph Lauren Tailored Clothing, and Polo Ralph Lauren. For the Polo Shirts
category, brands are Callaway Golf, Greg Norman Collection, and Polo Ralph Lauren. The
major brands in the shorts category are Polo Ralph Lauren, Red Camel, and Tommy Bahama.
Sleep & loungewear include Nautica, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Saddlebred. Under the category,
suit separates, major brands are Calvin Klein, Lauren Ralph Lauren Tailored Clothing,

Saddlebred, and Savile Row. There are many major brands for sports fan such as Antigua,
Cufflinks inc, Jack Mason, Rico Industries, and Team Golf. The suits category only includes
Austin Reed and Lauren Ralph Lauren Tailored Clothing. The major brands under sweaters &
pullovers are Antigua, Nautica, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Tommy Bahama. Under swimwear the
major brands are Polo Ralph Lauren and Tommy Bahama. The t-shirts category consists of
Columbia, Guy Harvey, and Salt Life. The major brands under ties & pocket squares are Eagles
Wings, Lauren Ralph Lauren Neckwear, and Saddlebred. The major brands in the last category,
underwear & socks, are Calvin Klein, Gold Toe, Jockey, Polo Ralph Lauren, Under Armour.
Belk has a few private labels that produce mens products. These private labels are Chip
& Pepper CALIFORNIA, MADE Cam Newton, Madison, Ocean & Coast, Pro Tour, Red Camel,
and Saddlebred. Chip & Pepper CALIFORNIA is a casual brand that offers premium denim
products. MADE Cam Newton is a mens lifestyle collection that features sportswear, clothing,
ties, socks and shoes. Madison is a private label that focuses on the mens department such as
accessories, blazers & sport coats, and suit separates. Ocean & Coast is a casual brand that
makes sweaters & pullovers, pants, and casual shirts. Pro Tour is known for their performance
golf apparel as well as their active & outdoor products. The private label, Red Camel, is laid
back and focuses on the categories: jeans, coats & jackets, shorts, and sweaters & pullovers.
Saddlebred is exclusively a mens brand and is a huge contributor to not only the mens
department but also young men and big & tall.
The most popular sizes were small to XXL for the following categories: blazers &
sportcoats, casual shirts, coats & jackets, golf, hoodies & fleece, polo shirts, sleep & loungewear,
sweaters & pullovers, swimwear, and t-shirts. Pants, shorts, and suit separates offer small to
XXL but they also measure by waist size, which were primarily sizes 30-42. Under active &
outdoor, designer, sports, and outdoors were one size fits all as well as small to XXL. The
categories that had specific measurements were suits, jeans and dress shirts. Suits were
measured by waist size, alone which mainly ranged from 38-48. Jeans were measured by the
waist and length; waist size being measured from 30-42 and the length was 29-36. Dress shirts
were measured by sleeve length, 32/33 and 34/25 being the most popular lengths.

Pricing
Belk Stores thrives on offering great quality products at fair prices. Their high-low
pricing strategy allows them to have sales and clearance events throughout the year. Belk uses
coupons with certain percentages off, free shipping on orders over an amount, doorbuster sales.
Belk also uses a text messaging program to inform customers about sales, promotional
notifications, and for coupons. The My Belk Rewards program is a credit card offered with
three different tiers. The first is a rewards credit card that gives a point for every $1 spent and
easy receipt-free returns. The second tier is the premier level that a customer can obtain by
spending $600.00 in a calendar year and added benefits such as special savings. The elite tier is
obtained by spending $1500.00 in a calendar year. Added benefits include free in-store shipping
and on the website, personal sale days that include a quarterly 20% off discount, and a 20% off
birthday coupons.
In the accessories department many Adidas watches start at about $50.00, Jack Mason
card cases at about $35.00, Jack Mason belts are around $80.00, and LB Evans loafers at $50.00.
Many ties and pocket squares are priced at $19.99, $21.99, and $18.75. Sleep and loungewear is
offered in prices such as $50.00 for loafers, $29.99 for long sleeves, and $22.49 for many sleep
pants. Lastly, the underwear and socks category carries socks that are about $12.00, briefs at
about $28.00, and long johns at $30.00.
In the active and outdoor department Under Armour, SB Tech, Polo, and Columbia are
featured. Under Armour carries compression crew neck shirts that run about $59.99. SB Tech
currently offers their screen print tees at a sale price of just $15.60. The outdoors category prices
many items for $20.00 in the Salt Life brand. The golf category covers key price points of
$39.99, $60.00, and $79.99. In hoodies and fleece many hoodies are offered for a clearance price
of $30.00. For many Calvin Klein and Antigua items in this section $89.50 is a key price point,
but $44.75 and $71.60 are the clearance prices, respectively.
There are many classifications in the outerwear category such as rain jackets, blazers,
sport coats, and jackets. Columbias rain jackets are offered at $39.99 and lastly, Polo prices at
$98.50, but currently at a clearance price of $49.25. In the blazers and sport coats category
blazers brands such as Buffalo and Chaps offer sport coats for $200.00, but currently at a
clearance price of $80.00. Austin Reed also has several sport coats for $150.00, but regularly at

$375.00. Another key price point is $275.00, but clearance of $110.00 in the brand Tallia Orange.
Coats and Jackets are offered in multiple brands for $250.00 and at a clearance price of $75.00.
Champion and Weather Wear offer some of their jackets at $140.00 and SB Tech and Chaps for
$30.00 on clearance. Many hoodies are currently $63.60 and other jackets currently at $99.60.
There are a lot of tops within the Mens department, such as casual shirts, dress shirts,
and t-shirts. Chaps and Izod offer long sleeve shirts in the casual shirts section for a regular price
of $55.00 but are currently seen on sale for $27.50. Polo Ralph Lauren also offers a large
assortment for $98.50. Another popular price point is $69.50 that Nautica and Lucky Brand both
offer for button down shirts. Dress Shirts price points include $29.99 at an original price of
$50.00, $60.00 at a clearance price of $21.99, and $75.00, but at a clearance price of $49.99.
These prices include brands such as Michael Kors, Alexander Julian, and Van Heusen. $60.00 is
a common price for Columbia bottoms and $25.00 for various t-shirt brands. In the t-shirt
category the key price points are $20.00, $24.00, and $34.99. The polo category offers prices
such as $27.99, $98.50, and $36.00. Sweaters and pullovers have a broad range. The lighter
sweaters are about $24.00, others $60.00 and $14.99 on clearance. Many Antigua sweaters run
for $87.60.
Complete outfits are offered for price points such as $50.00-$60.00 for Columbia fleece,
$39.99 for Under Armour and UA Tech jogging apparel, and $57.99 for Izod Classic collection.
The Designer category offers Nautica and Calvin Klein items for $59.50, and various Polo items
for $98.50 and $49.50. Suit separate key price points include ranges of $29.99-$69.99, $89.99
for separate pants and some coats, and $50.00 for other separates.
Wrangler jeans prices their denim at $46.00, which is a common price in this category.
Many Calvin Klein jeans are currently offered at $47.99 and Levis at a regular price of $68.00,
but $49.99 on clearance. In the pants category $67.99 is a common price for Savane at a buy1
get 2 free offer. Haggar also offers the same deal at a price of $69.99 and many Dockers pants at
$34.99. Shorts are offered in prices such as $69.50, $50.00, and $55.00.
Lastly, the sports fan category features many tees at a regular price of $30.00, but
clearance prices of $24.99 and $21.00. The first visible key price point in suits is $175.00,
$550.00 original price, but the clearance varies from $137.49 to $275.00. In swimwear there are

various prices that range from a $59.99 clearance price and $69.50 regular, $75.00 for some Polo
RL trunks, and $68.00 for Tommy Bahama with a promotional free gift purchase.
Financial Analysis

2009 was a bad year for Belk, in fact, it was a bad year for many companies due the
recession. Despite having a bad year in 2009, sales began to increase over the following few
years until 2013. During those years, profits rose for Belk. Slowly but surely the company was
increasing profits by decreasing expenses. In 2014, Belk increased their expenses in order to
make improvements to the company. Changes like increasing technology in the store, opening
new stores, and investing in information systems costs money, but these changes can help
improve profits for the future. In order to help pay for these changes, markups on products might
become higher. This means that markup% might be closer to 40% versus the usual 35%.
Part B: Competitive Analysis
Kohls customer profile is very similar to Belks customer making them a strong
competitor to Belk. More specifically, the men that are targeted include married men ages 30-60,
with a college education, middle class with an average income of $40,000-70,000, hobbies
include spending time with family, reading, playing golf, and he likes to have a one stop shop to
find all types of clothing he needs from career wear to casual wear.
Major brands included in the mens department at Kohls are Nike, Sonoma Life + Style,
Chaps, IZOD Golf, Apt. 9, Marc Anthony, Croft & Barrow, Van Heusen, and Dockers. No
brands seemed absent and all brands appeared fully stocked. The brand with the greatest depth
was Dockers with six different fits to their pants including: slim tapered, straight, relaxed,
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athletic, classic, and slim. All six fits were stocked with various sizes making it easy for men to
find exactly what they are looking for. Apt. 9 also had great depth in their button-downs with
four different styles ranging in over fifty colors and patterns.
Some of the most heavily advertised brands include Sonoma Life + Style, Apt. 9, Van
Heusen, Marc Anthony, Dockers, Chaps, and IZOD Golf. Sonoma Life + Style had the most
prominent spot right in the middle of the department with three adjacent mannequins and signage
above the display. Apt. 9, Van Heusen, and Chaps also had visual displays with mannequins and
lots of signage. The walls heavily featured Sonoma Life + Style, Apt. 9, Chaps, Marc Anthony,
Dockers, Van Heusen and IZOD Golf with large signs that clearly represented their brands and
caught the customers eye.
The brands that comprise private labels in the mens department are Sonoma Life + Style,
Croft & Barrow, and Apt. 9. These brands compete very well against national brands in Kohls
due to their exclusiveness that make the customer feel as though they are purchasing a unique
product. The private labels represent about one third of the total merchandise based on
observation. According to an article on Fortune.com by Phil Wahba, Kohls is planning to open
smaller stores and outlets to boost sales and highlight private labels. Kohls will open 10-15
outlet mall stores under the Fila name to showcase the brand, a first step towards operating shops
that would each solely sell one of Kohls private label or exclusive brands (Wahba, 2015). The
retailer seems to be moving away from department stores and into compact stores.
Major classifications shown in the mens department include dress shirts, button-downs,
tees, pants, suiting, and outerwear. Casual button-downs, pants, and dress shirts had great depth
with various styles and colors to choose from in major brands such as Apt. 9, Croft & Barrow
and Sonoma Life + Style. The classifications with the most prominent locations would be the
tees displayed on nesting tables right along the main walkway and the dress shirts/casual buttondowns filling the walls. The casual tees were placed on the tables to be easily accessible since
theyre a low involvement purchase.
Some of the major styles carried within each classification would be casual cotton buttondowns with small plaids and prints in tops, khakis and cargos in various fits in pants, and leather
jackets within outerwear. The styles with the greatest depth were casual button-downs and khaki
pants; these were found all around the department.

The major color stories for Sonoma Life + Style were blues and grays in button-downs
paired with casual tees for a layered look. Apt. 9 had darker colors like grays and blacks in
different amounts on their mannequins focusing on winter colors. IZOD Golf had the brightest
color stories with essentially every color in their polos and on their advertisement. They
showcased spring colors heavily. Marc Anthony also had a dark color story with navy blue,
blacks, and dark purples which were perfect for winter. Hot trends were dark jeans, plaid or
printed button-downs layered with tees, and dark leather jackets.
The private labels such as Sonoma Life + Style consists of casual button-downs in light
blues, greens, oranges, whites, and grays really showcasing spring colors. Their pants were
mainly sleek khakis and dark wash jeans which put emphasis on the tops. As for outerwear, they
had light jackets in blues, oranges, greens and grays. Apt. 9 had dark tees and henleys in grays,
navys, and blacks and their pants represented these same colors in dark wash jeans. Their
outerwear was mainly sleek black leather jackets which pulled together the casual sleek look of
Apt. 9. Croft & Barrow consisted of bright oranges, greens, blues, and reds in their polos,
interesting prints in their short sleeve button-downs, and dark jeans.
The pricing of private brands compared to national brands was very similar to keep the
competitiveness. Sonoma Life + Style did have the lowest prices for casual button-downs at
$24.99 where Chaps were about $34.99. Sonoma also showed the most sales with many
products being marked half off, where Apt. 9 had promotions such as buy 1, get 1 free and Chaps
was partially marked down. The quality of private brands versus national brands appeared very
similar the merchandise was average quality to appeal to the customer who is willing to pay less
for lower quality clothes.
The mens department floor is classified with sections for each brand. They typically
each had an advertisement on the wall directly behind where their merchandise was located. The
floor layout was a grid so the customer could maneuver around each rack or fixture easily. The
fixtures used were nesting tables that had folded merchandise and lots of four way racks made of
wood and metal rods. Each fixture had a sign above listing the brand its from and had a digital
price screen. The fixtures were merchandised by classification and by color so same style
button-downs were together with colors grouped together. The walls were filled with face outs
displaying dress shirts or suiting and large signage for each brand advertised. There were also

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shelves along walls in the Dockers section to showcase folded pants. Sale items were located on
rounders in the back of the department. Along the aisles there were mannequins displaying
merchandise with a complete look that encouraged sales and showed how to pair their pieces
together. There were also nesting tables with casual tees that can be seen and grabbed easily
without much thought. The main aisles were used effectively by each brand with visual displays.
The Chaps presentation was an evident shop presentation with one mannequin on three
wood blocks and the dark clue Chaps logo above. This was different than Sonoma Life + Style
and Apt.9 who had similar presentations with three mannequins and metal frames holding their
brand name. The most innovative display I noticed was Dockers because they had bright orange
shelve nesting tables and fixtures accompanied by their logo that really drew in the customer to
check out their pants. It was cohesive with their appeal to younger men who want something
professional but still interesting.
The mens department was clean and quite organized however there were some shelves
stocked too heavily and some racks with clothes falling off, although this is to be expected at a
large department store. The ambience of the department was relaxed with upbeat music that
wasnt too loud like other retailers. They created a nice environment that men can enjoy. Some
recommendations would be to not overstock the racks or shelves because it can be overwhelming
to the customer and to keep merchandise from falling off hangers.

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Kohls Competitive Shopping Report

Consumer Profile
Belks target customers are 35-to-54-year-old females with middle to upper level incomes
that enjoy modern southern style. This customer shops for their family as well as for herself; she
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seeks quality merchandise for average prices. Belks other target customer includes men of the
same age range and income bracket. Both of these customers strive for shopping that is easy and
affordable. Belks stores are a convenient one-stop shop for our shopper since it offers, midpriced brand- name and private- label apparel, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics, gifts, and home
furnishings (vault). The department store usually anchors malls or large shopping centers,
which is suitable for our customer.
Suitable location
A suitable store location for Belk in the Los Angeles County would be Glendale,
California. After doing thorough consumer research, this city seems to be an ideal setting
because of the populations demographics and consumer behavior are parallel to Belk. Glendale
is a major retail-shopping destination in Southern California, which is the home to Glendale
Galleria and the renowned shopping center, Americana at Brand.
Demographic
When it comes to race, Glendales demographic is rather diverse. The city is comprised
of Black, Asian, White, and Hispanic ethnicities. Despite the melting pot of cultures, the majority
of the city is White. Glendale has a high male to female ratio, 83.5%, which works well for a
Mens department (Zipwho, n.d.). The marriage rate in Glendale is high, 83.5%, and the average
household size is 2.5 (Zipwho, n.d.). This data suggests that there are many families living in
Glendale, which is perfect for Belk. The median household income is about 63K (Esri, n.d.). This
is within the middle to upper range income Belks target customer earns. Compared to the State
of California, Glendale is 5K higher than Californias median household income. Depending on

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the source, Glendales median age is between 39.7 and 42.4 (Zipwho, n.d.)(Esri,n.d.).

(Zipwho, n.d)

(Nielsen, n.d.)

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Behavior
Glendale has a lot of married couples with and without children. These families have a
stable income and are financially sound. Even though many families make a lot of money, most
families stick to a budget in order to keep track of it all. Despite this budget, these families are
brand savvy and are looking for a deal. They want the affordable prices Belk can offer along with
the brands the target customer is loyal to. Belk, as a whole, would be profitable in Glendale
because the customers living there want their shopping experience to be convenient and
successful for the entire family. The mens department would be profitable as well due to the
high male to female ratio, the cities influence to look current, and the popularity of outdoor
activities, like golf.
Shopping Patterns
Shopping patterns for Glendale residents are based upon affordability, style, and ease.
Glendale is full of professional people, 46.7%, who work hard to make a living (Zipwho, n.d.).
To them, it is important that their dollar is used well, however, they are willing to pay more for
the brands they love to wear. Along with working, residents of Glendale participate in outdoor
activities, which increases demand for active wear. It important for customers to shop effectively
because they have other places to be (Escri, n.d). They do not want to visit multiple stores in
order to find sportswear, professional attire, and more. The consumer wants a place where they
can purchase products that can satisfy all of their needs, be it jewelry, home, or apparel.
SECTION 2
Fashion Trends Analysis
Belk has five merchandising departments including Womens, Shoes and Accessories,
Childrens, Home, and Mens. The Mens department contributed 18% of the revenues generated
in 2014 (BELK, INC.). The goal of the Mens buying department is to increase this percentage,
so it is important that Belk outperforms its competitors to draw in more customers. In order to
draw attention, Belk must understand the fashion trends for Fall 2016 and know which ones to
act on. The Mens department is broken into five classifications: Jeans & Pants, Outerwear,
Shirts, Suits, and T-shirts. Each classification has its own trends to track and analyze.
Jeans & Pants

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The colors of the season are prominently dark with a splash of light tones. Of course
jewel tones such as navy and burgundy are popular, along with dark chocolate, utility green,
mustard, and icy blue. Neutrals are also essential to this season, such as beige and grey.
For Fall 2016, the pants category is getting a slight upgrade, especially joggers. This
upcoming season, the jogger has had a premium upgrade which is a nice take on the athletic
pant. The design is cozy, luxurious, and modern and the style is a loose and tapered leg
(Giacometti, 2015) The upgrade is mostly in the fabrics used, which are cashmere-blended wools
and soft knits that vary in shades of grey. This pant trend is extremely popular in Southern
California; its perceived as comfortable and effortless, which is the essence of a Los Angeles
man.
There are a couple of choices for casual pants this upcoming season; theres the cargo
pant and the chino. This season, the cargo is making a comeback, which suits well with men
because of its utility. The pant is made modern with its tapered, shorter leg and folded hems.
The colors used are earth tones such as utility green, browns, and rich darks.
The chino is always a staple in mens fashion since it lends itself to being casual yet can
be dressed up. This Fall, the chino is a straight leg with a shorter hem. Rich saturated colors
such as intense blues and rustic browns will be used, as well as warm autumn shades. Suede like
fabrics and corduroy will help add to the jewel tones of the season.
Dress pants, such as the trouser, are getting a modern update with a cropped, tapered leg
paired with front creases. These trousers are tailored, which makes them more formal. Warm
tinted neutrals such as camel and grey are dominant along with cool grey. The trouser is slightly
cropped to show off the footwear of the season. Fabrics are primarily natural and superficial
blends along with wool flannels (Giacometti, 2015). Since most pants are tapered this season, it
would only make sense if jeans were too.
This season, we are definitely gravitating away from the skinny jean and more to the
tapered, straight leg. Denim is becoming more polished with the usage of raw fabrics and clean
finishes. Because of this polished update, the pant is becoming less casual and more acceptable
as premium menswear. These pants will definitely be popular in Los Angeles since males are
increasingly liking casual styles that appear formal.

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Outerwear
Belk mens outerwear department is introducing some hot new trends for Fall 2016 with
their iconic private brands such as Saddlebred 1888, MADE Cam Newton, Ocean & Coast, and
SB Tech. According to the menswear A/W 16/17 report on WGSN we should expect to see a
reworked classic overcoat, hybrid shearling biker, utility bomber, and technical anorak trending
for Fall of 2016 (Ketteniss, 2015). In our new Southern California store we wouldnt need
outerwear designed for the cold, but rather for style due to the very warm weather. The styles
chosen for our store will vary from existing Belk stores and from some of the major trends
shown on WGSN.
Color trends to expect for the upcoming Fall season are greys, navys, blacks, browns and
pops of reds, blues, and golds. As far as design trends, our store would feature the classic
peacoat, leather bomber, utility bomber, and windbreaker because they would appeal to our target
consumer who is looking for something of moderate quality, low price, and stylish. Style trends
we see for the peacoat are herringbone or dogstooth patterns to create a more modern feel for the
coat and the same straight fit. The leather bomber has minimalist extras with a zipper and side
pockets to create a sleek look. It still features the casual, relaxed fit of a bomber. The utility
bomber is definitely more edgy with extra pockets, pocket details, and reinforced yoke panels. It
would appeal to the younger man who likes the casual fit of a bomber. The windbreaker doesnt
have many changes to its style; it features the zipper front, sleek side pockets, and a relaxed fit
which can be worn for athletic wear or casual wear. Our outerwear features fabric trends such as
melton made with wools and synthetics in the peacoats, man made leathers in the bombers,
polyester/cotton blends in the utility bombers and windbreakers. This assortment of mens
outerwear would reflect the target consumer in California, but also represent Belks signature
southern style.
Shirts
In Belks men shirt category, there are many new trends that are catching customers
attention. Belk has a wide collection of popular brand name designs such as Van Heusen, Ralph
Lauren, Calvin Klein, Izod, and Nautica in their dress and casual shirt category. They have
stylish casuals and formal dress shirts in numerous styles, for every season and occasion. Color
trends that are chosen for Fall 2016 mens shirts are earth tones such as dark brown, burgundy,

17

and deep green. Others are classic colors such as black, grey, and beige. (Sturch, 2015). The
design trends that Belk will offer in fall are long and short sleeve, and wrinkle free for casual and
dress shirts. No matter the season, mens shirts will never stray from its classic designs. On the
other hand, some style changes that we will see in mens shirt will be in the different style of
collars and cuffs, use of pockets in casual shirts, and more slim fit and trim fitted styles in both
casual and dress shirts. In todays day and age, men are looking for more fitted outfits. It
allocates nice shoulder width, as well the the beauty of owners posture. (Admin, 2015). New
fabric trends that customers will be offered in Fall 2016 are wrinkle free, no iron fabrics. In
addition, there will be a large incorporation of various printed shirt patterns such as stripes,
checkers, plaid, florals, and polka dots. Furthermore, there will also be a use of special fabrics
styles like sateen, gingham, and oxford. Hopefully with these new shirt trends Belk will be able
to draw in more male customers to shop their stores.
Suits
When it comes to formal menswear, Belk sticks to two main designs: the tuxedo and the
single-breasted suit in classic grey, black, and blue. Based upon the Belk catalog, men can
purchase these items in two styles: classic fit and slim fit. Although both of these styles are
aesthetically pleasing and in a way, timeless, the emerging trend of the suit category focuses on
styles that convey a comfortable and a relaxed look. These comfort looks take on the name
Lounge Suit and can be found in double-breasted and single-breasted designs (Sturch, 2015b).
In order to obtain the lounge look, the classic suit takes on many style changes. The first change
is to the silhouette. Overall, it becomes more boxy and elongated to emulate a slouched look
(Sturch, 2015b). The second change relates to the suit pants. Lounge suit pants have a relaxed fit
due to the cut and shape of the pant. These pants generally have a higher waistline, but a roomier
straight leg (Ketteniss, 2015). The final change is the use of nontraditional fabrics. This includes
knitted fabrics, velvet, corduroy, graphic checks, and flannel (Douglas, 2015).
Despite changes in trends, the Belk customer is used to more classic looks, so it is
unlikely for the retailer to profit heavily from selling distinctive lounge suits. Belk customers
may not be interested in a slouched look, however increasing the comfort of the suit could peak
their interest. Along with the introduction of the lounge suit, 2016 has introduced slight changes
to the classic suit that can spark a customers desire to purchase a new one. Fabric trends for

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three piece suits include lustrous tones, luxurious wool blends, and graphic checks. Tones of
black, blue, and grey are repeated from traditional designs, however improvements in fabric and
luster give the suits a refreshed, modern look (Douglas, 2015). In summary, Belk departments
can plan for the Fall 2016 by purchasing, trousers with higher waistlines and roomier straight
legs, double breasted suit jackets, and suits made from more luxurious, lustrous fabric.

T-Shirts
T-shirts are a staple in mens fashion. Upcoming trends in the T-shirt category include
changes in fabric, style, and color. One trend in T-shirts includes the use of woven fabrics instead
of knitted. These woven T-shirts are worn as layers with a long-sleeve, knitted shirt underneath
(Ketteniss, 2015). This style would work well for fall in California, due to the climate. The past
two years, summer weather has continued into fall making the use of heavy jackets obsolete and
light layering more practical. Along with woven T-shirts, roll neck T-shirts will also be trending
in fall (Sturch, 2015b). It is unlikely that roll neck T-shirts will sell well at Belk. These shirts
have a sleek, contemporary feel which conflicts with the relaxed, casual style of the Belk T-shirt
category.
One of the most distinguishing factors of T-shirts is color. Most T-shirts look the same
when it comes to style and fit. Color is a characteristic that can make or break the sale of a Tshirt. There is a range of colors to look for this autumn. Rich blues and greens take the main
stage of the color pallet, followed by sage (a light khaki color), espresso (dark brown), gold,
smoked roison (a red, clay color), maroon, and pink (Sturch, 2015c). Although T-shirts can
come in a rainbow of colors, the mentioned colors will be more prevalent.
Belks graphic T-shirt category is the largest within the T-shirt department. Even though
most of the Graphic T-shirts include graphics for sports teams, company logos, or pop-culture
references, many styles of graphics will be popular this fall. Camouflage prints, graphic slogans,
sport stripes, and dark florals are prints that would translate well onto a T-shirt (Sturch, 2015c).
These patterns could assist in making Belk T-shirts fashion forward while still committing to the
casual style. Other Fall prints include leopard and shadow checks. Although trendy, leopard and
shadow checks are more suited for fitted shirts than casual T-shirts.

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Market Trends Analysis

Market trends look at the events happening outside of a business. These trends can
include the growth of market segments, changes in consumer spending, regulations, and changes
in product demand. It is important to keep these outside factors in mind when buying products
because the customers behaviors and the environment they are in has a large impact on the
success of the company.
Growth of Market Segments
On a global scale, the menswear market has not only expanded, but thrived. Since 2009,
the menswear market has increased between 9-13% each year (Saunter, 2014). With the rise in
market, retailers have taken steps in order to gain and maintain the business of these men. One of
first things retailers are doing in order to appeal to men, is offer a broader range of products. Men
between the ages of 18 and 24 spend twice as much on apparel compared to men of the previous
generation (Growth Sector, 2014). This means that more male millennials are shopping and
they will want more choices. The overall goal for retailers is to have as much diversity in
menswear products as there is in womenswear. By offering various styles and designs, a retailer
can gain the business of a millennial male. As a consequence of expanding inventory,
Departments stores are renovating spaces to better accommodate the merchandise, while other
retailers are opening stores dedicated solely to menswear. Many of these stores, like Holt
Renfrew, aim to be a one-stop-shop by offering perks like tailoring services, suit alterations,
shoeshine, monogramming, and more (Saunter, 2014). Other specialty stores might offer services
like VIP fitting rooms, valet service, and of course, a barber shop and bar within the store.
Overall, as the menswear market increases, Belk must improve the depth and range of their
inventory, as well as their customer service and atmosphere.
Changes in Consumer Spending
Over the past few years, retailers have noticed a shift in consumer spending. Sales on
mobile devices through apps have become very popular with shoppers due to the ease and user
friendliness of mobile apps. Information from ComScore dictates that this past holiday season,
$13 billion dollars in sales were generated through mobile sales. This is a 59% increase from the
previous year (Aldenton, 2016). It is clear that mobile shopping is increasing in popularity and it
is important for Belk to have a flawless mobile application. Seven out of ten millennial men own
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a smartphone. These men are more likely to buy products online, than millennial females
(Growth Sector, 2014). Belk should ensure that its app targets both men and women. Currently,
Belk has an app for mobile devices, but according to Google Play, only 71% of the users gave
the app 4 stars or more (Google, 2016). This is troublesome for Belk because negative incidents
can frustrate the current consumer and deter possible users from downloading the app. Mobile
app issues that Belk needs to repair include crashing, difficulty with the shopping cart, inability
to check out, and overall user friendliness.
Changes in Product Demand
The menswear department has grown significantly over the past couple of years with
more men practicing their purchasing power. According to the article Undressing Todays Man:
Mens Fashion Enters A Renaissance global menswear sales have skyrocketed 70% since 1998
and U.S. menswear sales have spiked 16% since then (Zillman, 2014). The reason for this huge
spike is that techie workplaces began to encourage a more laid back look and men followed suit.
The majority of the men embracing this new trend are millennials who spend more time on their
appearance and are willing to spend money on it too. As a result, suit sales growth shrank by
4.1% between 1999 and 2000, then dipped 21.1% from 2000 to 2001 in the U.S. (Zillman, 2014).
Men are also beginning to wear dressy as casual to have a look that they can wear day or night
usually consisting of a suit jacket paired with a button-down and jeans. Mens retailers have
updated their product assortment to follow this casual dressy trend and we should expect it to be
the new normal for workplace menswear.
Buying Plan
Since we are purchasing for Fall 2016, we must make our purchases from now until June
2016. There are many trade shows to attend, but we must limit our focus on the shows that will
be relevant to our department, menswear. The shows that we will be attending are Agenda,
Magic, The Collective, Project, L.A. Market, L.A. Mens Market and Kingpins. Magic is
always a crucial trade show to attend since it is the fashion industrys largest trade show. Magic
is also comprised of The Collective and Project. Project is the premier show for contemporary
men and womens fashion, denim and designer brands. Unlike Project, The Collective primarily
focuses on menswear; showcasing classic collections to lifestyle-driven and licensed apparel for
men and young men (The Collective, 2016).

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While attending Agenda, which is made up of streetwear, action sports, lifestyle, and
fashion community members, we will be focusing on their Enclave section (About, 2016).
Premium Street and mens contemporary wear. The L.A. Mens Market show will be crucial to
attend since it is being held in Downtown Los Angeles, the heart of the Fashion District. Since
we are hoping to open a store in the Los Angeles County, it will be beneficial to see what is
being showcased here. The last show we will be attending is Kingpins which focuses on
everything that is related to denim. This will be a great opportunity for us to make purchases for
our denim category.
Mens Fall 2016 Buying Plan

SECTION 3
Planned Season Sales Increase % - 3.5%
The new Belk location in Glendale, California plans to increase their fall 2016 season
sales by 3.5% for the mens department. Outside research supports the plan with expected
growth in retail sales, greater e-commerce, and income levels on the rise. The National Retail
Federation released their 2016 economic forecast projecting retail industry sales (which exclude
automobiles, gas stations and restaurants) to grow 3.1 percent, higher than the 10-year average of
2.7 percent (Reynolds, 2016). Wage is becoming less stagnated, jobs are being created and
consumer confidence is increasing supporting the planned sales increase of 3.5%.
NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay adds that the consumer is in the drivers seat of
our economic recovery. Regarding the economic growth of 2015 he explains, Despite the
volatility, the economy continued to reduce unemployment, raise wages and actually increase
real GDP by 2.4 percent (Shay, 2016). Unemployment is expected to drop to 4.6% by years

22

end, which will create more workers with money to spend. Minimum wage is expected to reach
$11.00/hour by 2017 which would give consumers more disposable income. A huge factor that
also plays into increased consumer spending is the decrease in gas prices. Lower gas prices
create more discretionary income that consumers are likely to save, use for pay off bills, travel,
or shop.
Another factor we took into consideration when determining inc/dec% in sales was the
increasing rates of interest. In December of 2015 the Federal Reserve made a decision to
officially increase its benchmark interest rate to 0.25% which is the first increase since 2006.
This has caused a lot of tension and hardship for US banks because they would have to decide to
follow this interest rate and also make a profit. According to Ryan Derousseau of Fortune.com,
If the Fed ends up raising rates higher and quicker than investors expect that will likely be bad
for the stock market (Derousseau, 2015). With an unprofitable stock market, retailers such as
Belk cannot build their business or allow other companies to share stock in theirs.
Barriers to market entry also influenced our decision for a 3.5% increase in planned
season sales. Belk is a department store that offers clothing for the whole family and there are
many other retailers that pose competition. However, there are barriers to market entry that serve
as a strength to Belk such as economies of scale. Economies of scale occur when the unit cost of
a product declines as production volume increases (Porter, 1980). Belk sells large volume of
clothing and this poses a threat to competitors because it forces them to either compete on a large
scale or accept cost disadvantage to compete on a small scale. In addition, new companies would
have to build relationships to obtain channels of distribution where existing retailers already have
control. This could lead to losses because a new company may need to offer price discounts to
the distribution channels.
Overall, our planned Fall 2016 sales percent increase for the mens department is 3.5%
totaling $1,069,310.16. The percent increase is supported by a growth of 3.1% in retail industry
sales, a drop in unemployment to 4.6% by years end, the increase of minimum wage to
$11.00/hour by 2017, an increase in interest rates, and substantial barriers of entry to Belks
market. Our planned season sales increase is supported by the S.W.O.T analysis shown below.

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Monthly Sales Projections

August: 13.15%
The month of August will experience a slight decrease in sales, compared to the previous
year. One reason is due to weather. Recent weather patterns have produced longer summers that
last into the fall season (Gustafson, 2016). With the warm weather, consumers have less
motivation to purchase new clothing because the clothing they bought during spring is still
relevant. The second reason why there will be a decrease in sales is due to shipments of
merchandise. August sales will focus on clearing out summer inventory in order to make room
for incoming fall inventory. The End of Summer sale will encourage customers to enter the store
to purchase clearance spring/summer goods and new, fall season merchandise.
September: 15.30%
September sales are expected to be higher than August sales for the same year. Many
people curb their spending and wait for Labor Day to make purchases on apparel (2015, ButlerYoung). Labor Day sales are expected to increase traffic in the store and be a driving force for
sales during the month. Merchandise for this month will include spring styles, like shorts and
lighter shirts, but in trending fall colors to peak interest. Fall styles, like long sleeves and pants

24

will also be available for purchase. By offering a blend of summer/spring and fall/winter styles
during September, the consumer has more options to choose from. This makes the consumer
happy and encourages them to shop at Belk rather than online with another retailer. Consumers
expect variety, which is one of the reasons they will shop online (Miller, 2012). By offering more
variety, consumers will be more likely to shop at Belk retailers.
October: 16.50%
With October, comes the transition from summer weather to fall weather. Although
October is expected to be warmer than usual, the initial shift in weather will encourage
consumers to begin purchasing warmer clothing (Allen, 2015b). Compared to last year, October
sales for this year are expected to increase slightly as the department adjusts to environmental
factors. Besides environmental factors, another reason for increased sales focuses on holiday
sales. Trends in the market suggest that holiday sales are beginning to start earlier (during the
month of October) and will build momentum through the following months. This shift is caused
by consumers who want to begin purchasing holiday gifts earlier in the season (Gustafson,
2016).
November: 19%
November is a key month for mens sales. A general trend in the apparel industry
mentions an increase in seasonal sales spread out between October, November, and December
(Allen, 2015b). During the holiday season, consumers will spend about $460 dollars on gifts for
their family and friends. Along with purchasing products for friends and family, consumers are
very likely to purchase items for themselves.On average, about 55.8% of shoppers will splurge
and purchase items for themselves (Allen, 2015a). Black Friday deals should offer deals for both
gift items and personal items in order to plan for these consumer trends. Some promotions can
offer a gift with purchase, or reward customers with Buy one, get one for a friend. deals.
December: 25.05%
Compared to last year, this percentage has decreased due to the general trend of spreading
out sales across the months of October, November, and December (Gustafson, 2016). In order to
adapt to this consumer trends, a percentage of sales for December have been shifted through
November and October. Within the fall season, December sales will be the greatest compared to

25

other months due increase spending for the holidays. Despite the fact that many consumers are
purchasing gifts earlier in the season, the majority of holiday sales are done during December.
January: 11.05%
Sales of January are expected to be lower than previous months because most consumers
have finished spending for the fall period. After heavy spending in December and November,
many consumers will already possess the products they desire or need. None the less, sales are
anticipated. The New Year sale will help move inventory and makes sales. Products like work
out clothing will be popular as many people work on their New Year resolutions (Kirkham,
2015). Sales of other products will help Belk get rid of fall inventory and get ready for new,
spring inventory.
Justification of Stock-to-Sales Ratio and BOM Stock by Month
The stock plan that we have decided to use for our Belk mens departments Fall 2016
planned seasons inventory is stock-to-sales ratio. Stock-to-sales ratio is the ratio the exists
between the stock on hand at the beginning of the month and the retail sales projected for that
same month. The reason we chose this method is because we believe there is a direct link
between inventory and sales. Another reason is because stock to sales ratio calculates how much
inventory is required to meet the projects sales planned for that period, therefore reducing
overstock (Inventory Planning Method, n.d.). This method requires a retailer to have the
beginning of the month stock to sales ratio for each month. This ratio depicts the amount of stock
needed in order to achieve that months planned sales. (Dunne and Lusch, 2008) However, a
disadvantage of this stock planning method is that it plans for a single time period and does not
consider changes in trends and styles across months.
August 2.00
Augusts stock to sales ratio for last year was 2.16 and for fall 2016 season we planned to
have a decreased ratio of 2.00. The reason for having the ratio is because the month of August is
more of a middle month between spring/summer into fall/winter so there will still be a large
number of spring clothing still in stock as well as new fall merchandise coming in. For this
month we will need a lower planned BOM stock of $281,228.57 to achieve August sales goal of
$140,614.29. We will have an end of summer sale to introduce some fall merchandise in order to

26

increase sales and meet our sales goal. In addition, a lower stock to sales ratio would help us in
lowering the chances of carrying merchandise that isnt going to sell.
September 2.23
For the month of September we will be reducing the stock to sales ratio from 2.62 to
2.23. Like August, September is an important transitioning month from spring to fall. As a result,
during this time we will be trying to get rid of last season styles and incorporate the new trends
that are intended for fall season. During this month we will have a Labor Day sale to sell all
leftover merchandise from spring and to increase sales for our mens department by introducing
new fall merchandise. For this month we will need a BOM of $363.645.65 to achieve the months
sales goal of $163,069.80. Even though our stock to sales ratio is lower than last year, our
planned sales is still greater than last year.
October 2.29
Octobers stock to sale ratio decreased a good amount from last year 2.56 to 2.29 this
year, however, it is still an increase from the previous month. The reason for this ratio is because
this month signifies the beginning of fall and holiday season. This is the month where there is a
large increase of fall merchandise coming in to build up to December. According to the National
Retail Federation, retail industry sales are expected to increase 3.1% in 2016. (Reynolds, 2016).
That is why we are confident that our stock to sales ratio would produce desired results. A BOM
stock of $418,153.74 is needed to achieve planned sales of $174,436.18. To achieve this planned
sales we are having a halloween sale.
November 2.36
For the month of November we can see an increase in stock to sales ratio from 2.17 to
2.36. This increased ratio is due to the large amount of incoming merchandise for the holiday
season to build up to December. A BOM stock of $465,526 will be needed to allow for the influx
of merchandise due to our promotions for Veterans Day and Black Friday sale. Last year, there
was an increase in consumer spending in November by .3% (Chandra, 2015) that is why for this
month we are trying to increase stock and produce more profit by having planned sales of
$203,168.93. An increases stock to sales ratio is needed to allow for a wide and deep assortment
of merchandise to make sure every customer finds what they are looking for.

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December 1.18
December has the lowest stock to sales ratio of 1.18, even though it is a slight increase
from last years 1.15, it is still the lowest ratio of the season. The reason for this low ratio is
because buyers will not be buying more merchandise in December but are rather trying to sell the
large amount of holiday merchandise that they already have in stock. Planned sales are the
highest in December with the amount of, $267,861.19, for this reason a BOM stock of
$316,077.39 is needed to satisfy the holiday spending frenzy during our Christmas sales. The low
stock to sales ratio and increased stock turnover will aid us in selling as much merchandise as
possible.
January 2.45
The highest stock to sales ratio value of 2.45 can be seen in this month even though
January is forecasted to have the lowest percentage of sales. Even though January has the highest
stock to sales ratio, it has the lowest planned sales amount of $118,158.77 and a high BOM stock
of $289,488.99. The high stock to sales ratio is caused by the large amounts of returned during
this month as well as the new merchandise for the new spring season. New merchandise is still
brought into the stores so that customers will be persuaded to buy when they are making their
holiday returns. We want to encourage our customers to buy therefore we will offer various new
merchandise for customers to shop in our New Years sale. In addition, through our New Years
sales we will be trying to get rid of all the past season inventory.
Justification of Plan Markdowns by Month:
August- $36,089.22
Just like the winter holidays, Back to School is a key component of holiday spending for
customers. For the month of August, we have planned for an increase of 0.22% in markdowns.
Not only is August the end of the summer, but it is also the time in which customers start
shopping for back to school. According to a survey that the NRF conducted, about 40% of
consumers are more likely to shop for sales during this time (Impact, 2015). The markdown
budget will be focusing on our End of the Summer sale, which will be held the first two weeks
of August. This sales main focus is to clear our inventory of summer products and make room
for our fall merchandise. Since Los Angeles tends to still be warm well into October, our

28

summer merchandise will still be relevant to our customer. We predict that the weather will
entice our customers to make purchases during this sale.

September- $36,955.36
September, we have decided to keep the markdown budget relatively the same as last
year. Weve only decreased the budget by .05%, since there will only be one promotional sale
this month. The only promotional holiday we have during September will be our Labor Day
Sale, which will last the entire first weekend of the month. This is the time in which we are
promoting our fall merchandise and are still removing summer merchandise from our inventory.
According to CBS News, the Labor Day Sale is a good time to score summer apparel rather than
fall items (Picchi, 2015).
October- $49,658.76
Octobers projected markdown budget for next year is about $49,659, which is a 0.33%
decrease from last year. This a slower month for retailers compared to September and
November. The reasons why October is a slower month is because customers have finished their
back-to-school shopping and are waiting for the Black Friday sales in November. According to
NRF, Halloween is one of the least profitable holidays (Holiday, 2016). The reason why
Halloween is not very profitable for retailers is because people are spending their money on
costumes instead of clothing.
November- $54,855.61
November is one of the most important months to retailers, since it kicks off the winter
holidays with Black Friday. For the month of November, we have projected a 0.46% increase
compared to last year. This month we will need a larger budget since we have two promotional
sales, the Veterans Day Sale and Black Friday. Last holiday season, retailers faced several
challenges such as high inventories and unusually warm weather (Kapner, 2015). To balance our
potential loss of sales, we will be having higher markdowns and larger sales this year.
December- $77,952.71
Although December is a huge holiday month, it isnt as profitable for retailers. This
month we have a markdown budget of about $77,952.71, which is only 0.20% higher than last
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year. This year, the holiday sales will be spread out between October and November since last
holidays sales fell short from what was predicted (Gustafson, 2015). This month, there will only
be one promotional sale which will discount all outerwear 35%. Since this month, sales are
predicted to drop we will balance it out by increasing markdowns and hopefully encouraging
customers to purchase more units.
January- $33,202.08
January is a harsh month for retailers since it is infamous for the amount of returns that
are done after the holidays. For this month, we have planned for a .50% decrease for our
markdown budget. We are having the New Years Sale that will be lasting the first entire week of
the month. Since this months sales are expected to decrease, we hope that this sale can
potentially balance our losses.

Promotional Calendar:

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Promotional Calendar Justification:

Here we have organized our promotions using a 4-5-4 plan for Fall 2016. These
promotions are extremely important in helping boost our sales, especially during the holidays.
Our promotional calendar shows that every month will have at least one sale, November and
December being the months that are allocated the highest markdown distribution.
Third Quarter
The third quarter is known as Back to School and comprises of the months, August to
October. Since our customer is not driven by the Back to School sale, weve decided to have an
End of Summer sale. During the first two weeks of August we will be having a promotion for
the mens department, which all mens sale will be an extra 30% off. This sale is to clean our
inventory of summer merchandise and to prepare for Fall. Since shoppers are becoming more
inclined to online shop, not only will this sale be in stores but will also be extended to online
items as well (2015a, Allen). To elevate the experience for our customers, we can order products
within our stores and they can receive the discount as well as free shipping. Whereas if they
were to order online, they wouldnt be able to receive free shipping.
The first week of September is Labor Day, so from that Friday to Sunday we will be
having a sale that will discount 30% off of all mens casual pants and denim. Most retailers do
not have sales for the month of October, since it is not a holiday in which motivates customers to
spend (Holiday 2016). But in order to boost sales throughout the mens department, we decided
to add one. This sale will be held the last weekend of October and the sale will be for our
graphic tees which will be 20% off. Graphic tees have always been a popular item for our male
customer, so we want to ensure that sales for this category will increase.
Fourth Quarter
The most profitable time for retailers are the holidays, November and December (Holiday
2016). The second week, we will be having a Veterans Day Sale which will provide a 15%
discount off of any merchandise within the mens department. Customers just need to provide
their military I.D. at the registers and the discount will be taken off of the entire purchase. The
fourth week of November is the Black Friday Sale. To avoid the rush that Friday and to
encourage satisfying experiences for our customers, we will extend our sale until Sunday. The

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sale will discount 40% off of mens sale merchandise in stores. This is an important sale because
we are beginning to get rid of our winter merchandise, so we dont have excessive inventory by
the end of December. Plus customers are getting an early start on Christmas shopping around
this time .
Usually December is allocated the highest markdown distribution because of Christmas,
but since customers are beginning to shop sooner, we have decreased the budget for this month
(Gustafson 2016). Starting the first week of December and lasting until the fourth week, all
outerwear will be 35% off. This sale will hopefully encourage our customer to not only purchase
for themselves, but also make purchases for others as well. Since Decembers weather tends to
fluctuate in the winter, this sale will be extended for four weeks.
Since January is always known for the overwhelming amount of returns, we will have a
New Years Sale that will potentially balance sales. This sale will comprise of $10 off coupons on
purchases over fifty dollars. Hopefully this coupon will deter customers from making returns
and motivate them to make more purchases.
Conclusion
These figures represent the dollar plan that we have created for Belks mens department
for Fall 2016. Within each month you can see how our numbers fluctuate for sales, BOM, and
reductions but we still manage to have a higher net season sales than last year. Although some
numbers seem questionable, we have justified every factor. The promotional calendar is a tool
that helps and guides us to plan the sales, BOM, markdowns, and purchases for each month in
the season. The calendar also helps us in maintaining our profits and stock turnover by
determining what promotions will be going on during each month. We believe that this dollar
plan for Fall 2016 will be successful and allow our company to continue to grow.

SECTION 4
Introduction:
The following report includes a dollar plan made using the stock to sales ratio method
and detailed varieties of assortment factors selected for the mens department at Belk. Each

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classification is broken down into tables to showcase the percentage, money value, and units that
would be allocated to each assortment factor for Fall 2016s assortment plan.

Dollar Plan:

Section 1: Classification Distribution

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Section 2A: Classification Distribution

Section 2B: Planned Purchases by Classification

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Section 3: Assortment Distribution Justification

Classification Shirts

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Subclassification:
In the mens department there are generally 2 main styles for shirts that retailers tend to
focus on. The tables above show that we selected the 2 main sub classifications which are casual
and dress shirts and allocated a percentage distribution for each. Casual shirts make up 60% of
the assortment and the remaining 40% make up dress shirts. Casual shirts make up more than
half of the assortment because they are a basic product for men and generate the most profit.
Another reason for this percentage distribution is because men tend to buy and wear casual shirt
more frequently than dress shirts which results in them needing casual shirts more often than
dress shirts.
Color:
The shirt colors that we will offer in Fall 2016 are the basics like white, black, blue, and
grey. In addition to these basic colors, will also have some pop of fall inspired earthtones like
purple, green, red, and orange. The percent distribution is as follows, white would have the most
percent distribution of 25% because it is a basic color that every man needs. The next color with
the most percentage distribution is blue with 20%. Blue is the next go to color for mens shirts. It
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is another basic color that most men desire that is why we will plan to carry a large quantity of it.
The colors purple and grey have a 15% distribution followed by black with 10%, green with 7%,
red with 5%, and orange with 3%. Purple, grey, and black have an average percentage because
these are the colors that men do occasionally buy but not as much as white or blue. Lastly, the
colors green, red, and orange have a low percent distribution because these are the colors that
men are hesitant to buy and wear, although a small number of them do seek out these colors.
Price Points:
The price points chosen for this classification was based on Belks website. Belk mens
shirt ranges from $19.99 to $100+ so the price points that we picked are $19.99, $39.99, $69.99,
and $100. The price of $39.99 has the highest percent distribution of 35% allocated to it because
it is a median price range that our target market mostly buys from. The next prices of $19.99 and
$69.99 includes 25% of the assortment because these are the lower and slightly higher values
that only a small amount of customers buy from. Lastly, shirts priced at $100 has 15% of the
assortment. This number is smaller because this price point is much higher and only a small
number of our customers are willing to pay for it.
Size:
The sizes that are offered for our mens shirts are x-small, small, medium, large, x-large,
and xx-large. These sizes are based off of Belks website. The percent distribution is as follows;
x-small with 3%, small with 15%, medium, large, and x-large with 25%, and xx-large with 7%
allocated to it. The highest percent is distributed to medium, large, and x-large because this size
range contains the average size of our male customers. Most of our target market falls into the
middle range of sizes from medium to XL, that is why we are allocating a larger percentage to
cater to those customers. On the other hand, we do have a smaller number of customers that are
part of the more extra sizes like XS and XXL and as a result we must allocated a smaller
percentage to accommodate these customers.
Fit:
There are 3 different fits for this classification, which are slim, regular, and tailored with
percent distributions of 35%, 40%, 25%, respectively. Regular fit has the highest percent of this
assortment because this is the fit that a large number of our customers prefer over slim and

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tailored because it is not as tight. However, many of our customers like slim fit also which is
why we allocated 35% of our assortment to it. Many male customers are preferring fitted styles
for their fashion shirts because they, allocated nice shoulder width, as well as the beauty of
owners posture. (Mens Fashion Shirt Trends, 2015). Therefore, regular, slim, along with
tailored fit are desired by our customers because they are more flattering and gives the body
shape.
Vendor:
The vendors picked for this classification are Polo Ralph Lauren, IZOD, Calvin Klein,
Nautica, Van Heusen, and Saddlebred. Polo Ralph Lauren has the highest percentage of
assortment distribution of 25%, then comes IZOD with 20%, Calvin Klein, Van Heusen, and
Saddlebred with 15%, and Nautica with 10%. These vendors are selected based on Belks
website and the percent distribution is based on the quantity offered by each. These vendors had
the highest quantity of products offered for mens casual and dress shirts. Brands such as Ralph
Lauren, Calvin Klein, Nautica, and Van Heusen are part of the top 50 of best mens shirt
brands. (The Best Mens Shirt Brands, n.d.).

Classification Jeans

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Subclassification:
Other than shirts, jeans was also one of the classes that was given the largest allocation
for next season. The jeans classification is divided among three subclassifications: jeans, casual
pants, and dress pants. For this season, jeans have been allocated 42% since they are a staple
item for our customer because of its comfort and versatility. One of the trends for Fall 2016 is
that denim will become more structured and formal, so it can crossover to professional attire

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(Sturch, 2016). After jeans are pants, which are allocated 46% and dress pants are at a small
12%. The reason why casual pants was allocated almost half of assortment is because it includes
joggers, active pants, and chinos. We predict that jeans and casual pants will be most popular for
our male customers because the style in Los Angeles is very laid back and comfortable.
Especially since we will be located in Glendale, our customers enjoy outdoor activities, which
will increase the demand for active pants. Weve only allocated a small 12% for dress pants
because our customers are more casual and will only occasionally wear dress trousers.
Color:
For Fall 2016, we will be offering jeans and pants in mostly dark and neutral colors.
Blue and black are our most popular color for jeans, so it would only make sense that together
they make up half of the classification. Gray and khaki were allocated about 15% each, while
brown was allocated 8%. The last color of this classification is white, which was only
distributed 4%. The reason for its smaller allocation is because we predict that our customer
wont be as willing to try this color especially during Fall.
Price Points:
For this classification, we have four different price points: $46, $50, $76, and $80. Since
Belk Stores has a high-low pricing strategy, we have decided to offer a wide range for jeans and
pants. Half of the classification is priced at $46, which will be extremely affordable for our
customer. Our customers median income is $49,818, which is 5K higher than Californias
median household income (Zipwho). 26% is allocated to the price point $60, which is mostly
distributed to the Levis brand. The remaining price points are $76 and $80, which are both
allocated about 10% each.
Waist and Length:
This classification differs from the others, since pants are usually measured by waist size
and length. This classification is broken into 7 different waist sizes: 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, and
38. Weve decided to carry these waist sizes because according to our competition, the most
popular sizes are 32- 36. Since our Glendale customers enjoy outdoor activities, we predict that
they will be have more of an average to athletic built. Since we predict that our customers will
have this built, we have allocated the most to sizes 32- 36. The waist sizes are spread out evenly,

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except for size 31. We made sure to have a wide variety of waist sizes in order to avoid customer
dissatisfaction. Most stores only carry up to size 36, but we carry up to size 44. The reason why
we carry such a wide range of sizes is so that we dont discourage potential customers from
shopping with us. There are three lengths for this classification: 30, 32, and 34. After looking at
our competing store, Kohl's, we decided to carry the same length in jeans and pants. More than
half of the class is 30 inches in length since it this is the average length for mens pants. 26% is
allocated to length 32 and the rest is distributed to length 34.
Fit:
There are four different fits for this classification: straight, classic, slim, and regular. This
season, we are definitely gravitating away from the skinny jean and more to the tapered, straight
leg (Ketteniss, 2015). Denim is becoming more polished with the usage of raw fabrics and clean
finishes. Because of this polished update, the pant is becoming less casual and more acceptable
as premium menswear. 36% of the class will be allocated to the straight fit while 30% will be
given to classic fit. After straight fit, slim is the third popular fit for this season, which was
distributed 22%. The regular fit will be the least popular fit, which will only make up 12% of the
class.
Vendor:
This class is spread out among five different vendors: Dockers, Levis, Lee, Wrangler and
IZOD. The vendors that are dedicated to jeans are Levis, Lee and Wrangler, while Dockers and
IZOD will be providing for casual and dress pants. Dockers is allocated a higher distribution at
31% and Levis comes in second at a close 29%. The reason why Dockers was allocated such a
high distribution is because they will be a main provider for casual pants as well as dress pants.
Levis was allocated 29% because they will provide most of our jeans, especially since it is a
leading brand amongst mens denim. Other than Levis, Lee and Wrangler are distributed about
15% of the jeans subclassification. Both of these brands are classics in mens denim, which is
important for male shoppers because they arent fond of branching out. IZOD is allocated the
rest, at 11%, since it only contributes to casual pants such as chinos.

Classification Outerwear

41

Subclassification:
The subclassifications we chose to include under Mens Outerwear were Active, Bomber,
Windbreaker and Pullover. We chose these because they have the most product within their
classifications at existing Belk stores and they would also sell well in our new Glendale, CA
store. Kohls, one of Belks competitors, carries a large amount of pullovers, activewear, and
windbreakers for men so we know they are the biggest sellers for men in the Southern California
region (Kohls.com). As far as the percentage of distribution, we would allocate 30% to

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activewear, 8% to bombers, 35% to windbreakers, and 27% to pullovers. These percents were
chosen because Belk stores already buy the most products for these four classifications so we can
maintain relationships with our vendors.
Color:
Colors chosen for Mens outerwear were gray, green, blue, black and burgundy because
they are colors that existing Belk stores use in their outwear. According to a report found on
WGSN titled Key Items A/W 16/17-Menswear (2015), colors featured were grays, blues, greens,
and blacks with pops of burgundy or mustard yellow. We decided that appropriate percent
distributions for our target market would be 30% gray, 9% green, 19% blue, 35% black, and 7%
burgundy because they tend to purchase dark neutrals in outerwear and are more conservative
with colors in outerwear.
Price Points:
Price points were determined based off Belks mens outerwear prices on their website.
The majority of outerwear is between the prices of $100-$300. The specific price points we
chose were $100, $150, $200, $300 because most of the activewear, bombers, windbreakers, and
pullovers fell within these prices. We chose to allocate 50% of outerwear to the $100 price point
as our target customer has a family and many expenses in his life he would prefer this price
point. Then, 30% to $150 price point, 15% to the $200 price point and 5% to the $300 price
point. These price points also suit our target market in Glendale, CA and we believe they would
be willing to pay these amounts for the outerwear Belk sells.
Size:
The sizes we chose for mens outerwear were small, medium, large, X-large, and XXlarge because they are sizes that Belk already sells to men in outerwear. The percent distribution
we decided on for sizes was 10% small, 25% medium, 35% large, 25% X-large, and 10% XXlarge because men tend to be bigger and outerwear needs to be worn over other clothes. The
majority of the sizes will be medium, large and X-large because men tend to buy these sizes
more according to Belk.com.
Vendor:

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Major vendors for Belk include Ralph Lauren, Saddlebred, Antigua, and Nautica. The
percent distributions we chose for each vendors were based off the amount of product that each
vendor had in Belks store according to their website. We chose 20% for Ralph Lauren, 10% for
Saddlebred, 37% Antigua, and 33% for Nautica since there was substantial amount of product
from Antigua and Nautica. In order to maintain relationships with these vendors we would
continue to carry similar amounts of product from Antigua, Nautica, Ralph Lauren and
Saddlebred within mens outerwear.

Classification T-Shirts

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Subclassifications:
Belk T-shirts come in 5 classifications: Graphic, Henley, Long Sleeve, Short Sleeve, and
Solid & Stripes. A few of the classifications overlap. Overall, the graphic and short sleeve Tshirts are the most popular. The Belk store in Glendale, California will also focus on graphic and
short sleeve T-shirts due to popularity and weather. According to WGSN, graphic designs on
mens apparel will be very popular this fall season, so it would be wise to have a large assortment
of T-shirts with unique graphics (Aldenton, 2016). At the moment, many Belk stores sell sports
related graphic T-shirts. This will continue, however other styles like floral prints will be
incorporated to nudge Belk in a fashion forward direction.
Color:
The most common colors for Belk T-shirts are neutrals. Its a trend in males to wear more
subdued colors. This is one of the reasons why most of the T-shirts offered by Belk are white,
blue, grey, or black. Other colors like orange, green, and pink are available as well. At the
moment, Belk as a lot of orange T-shirts due to sport references.The plan for T-shirts this fall is
to include neutral colors and introduce higher quantities of seasonal colors like gold, pink, and
camouflage green.
Price Points:
T-shirts come in four, main price points at Belk. These figures were obtained from the
Belk website. Overall, the prices have a good range for those willing to spend more, and those

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only able to spend a certain amount. These prices fit well for our demographic in Glendale and
sales throughout the season will encourage purchases.
Size:
There are many sizes offered for each shirt at Belk. The 5 main sizes for Belk are small,
medium, large, extra large, and extra extra large. Glendale residents are rather active in their
daily lives and will often be of good health. Although the sizes for T-shirts on Belks website
skewed towards extra large and extra extra large, sizes for Glendale will cluster closer to the
medium and large size range.
Vendor:
T-shirts are bought primarily from four vendors. Of these vendors, Salt Life and Guy
Harvey generate most of the product for the T-shirt category. Due to the amount of inventory
provided by these two vendors, these vendors are responsible for a majority of the T-shirt sales.
Other vendors for T-shirts include Columbia and Lucky Brand. It is important to keep in touch
with these vendors and stay on good terms.

Classification Suits

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Subclassification:
Suits come in three classifications: Classic fit, slim fit, and modern fit. Classic fit is the
most common classification. There is a very common idea of what a suit should look like and the
classic fit suit conforms to that ideal. Slim fit and modern fit suits are not as popular. Modern fit
suits are rising in popularity during fall season due to increased comfort and quality fabrics.
According to WGSN modern suits will take on attributes like higher waist pants, roomier legs,
and stretchier, more flexible fabric (Douglas, 2015).
Color:
Suits traditionally come in neutral colors. Although WGSN predicts color changes for
mens suits, Belk is not very fashion forward. Due to its traditional style, Belk will stick with
class suit colors. This includes black, grey, and blue. Variations like tan and brown will also be

47

present, but not as much as the neutral colors. Overall, the suits category is not very diverse,
however it is consistent so shoppers know they can rely on Belk to find a perfect suit.
Price Points:
Belk offers three price points for their suits. On their website, suits will generally be
$175, $250, or $275. 63% percent of the suits are around the $175 price range. When suits go on
sale, they will often fall to $150. Belk operates on a High-Low pricing system. Although some of
their suits are close to $300, a persistent customer might wait until the price is marked down
before making a purchase. None the less, Glendale is filled with professional people who will
need to own a suit or two. Despite this need, trends dictate that work apparel is becoming more
casual, which limits the desire to purchase a suit. This low demand reflects in the lower
inventory levels for suits.
Size:
Suits come in a large range of sizes. Belk offers both even and odd sizes, however even
sized merchandise is more often stocked than odd sized merchandise. Size popularity follows a
bell curve. This bell curve peaks at size 44, while the majority of products are between size 40
and size 46. Although it other sizes are available, it would be wise to focus on the center of this
bell curve.
Vendor:
Three vendors lead the suit department. Ralph Lauren accounts for 33% of suits, Tommy
Hilfiger and Austin Reed follow close behind with 22% and 21%, respectively. These three
vendors sell mostly classic fit suits. Belk customers are professional and will make large
purchases on certain brands they like. It is important to stock these brands and keep the fit in
stock in order to ensure sales. These brands cater to a younger demographic, 25-40, that want to
look classic, but fashion forward. Glendale is home to many professionals and students looking
to obtain jobs. They will want a suit that makes them stand out.

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