Meijer To Sell Apparel

By Brianna Ahearn, contributing writer

Shoppers at Meijer will soon see a change in the fashion department of their local store. The retailer is currently in the process of making over its image to be more than a grocery store, so shoppers can pick up apparel and accessories alongside their orange juice. The Detroit News reports Meijer has hired two consultants to help reshape the store as a fashion destination. The company wants to be known as a place where the fashion-conscious consumer can find and purchase the latest trends at an affordable price.

“We are looking to have top fashion at a good price, but I’m really uptight about quality. Quality gives you the ability to buy a trend and not feel guilty about it,” says Lynn Hempe, vice president of soft lines. 

Meijer has begun a multi-channel marketing campaign targeting fashionable consumers. Alongside advertisements in magazines like InStyle, the retailer has also launched a website, MeijerStyle.com. For MeijerStyle.com, the company brought onboard notable bloggers from Michigan to consult on their latest acquisitions and write about Meijer’s new fashion. Blog posts highlight new pieces and clearance items to offer consumers a chance to see Meijer in a new light when it comes to fashion. The company wants to show fashion shoppers how Meijer can be used to put together an entire outfit, and the MeijerStyle.com blog posts demonstrate this. The website also features a search feature unlike the main Meijer website, so shoppers can locate what they need. MeijerStyle.com’s slogan is “Trends to try. You can’t afford not to,” which reflects the company’s framing of “affordable top fashion” well.

Meijer also implemented social media campaigns to reach out to consumers directly. The store maintains Twitter and Pinterest campaigns highlighting fashion, as well as an Instagram account. Icons for the website’s content are available for visitors to MeijerStyle.com to share the posts across their social media networks. The company’s Facebook now features more posts devoted to fashion.

The retailer plans some store-centric changes to highlight their new fashion-forward apparel, as well, such as using more mannequins, signage, and voice-over announcements. The combination of these changes coupled with Meijer’s use of technology to reshape their brand should provide consumers with a new perspective towards Meijer. Meijer reports that after the publication of their “Look Book,” sales in fashion increased. The company believes these new changes will end with more of the same.