Marketing Mix of Westside and 7Ps (Updated 2024)

The Marketing mix of Westside analyses the 7Ps of Westside, which includes the Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Physical Evidence, and Process of Westside. Westside was founded in 1998 by Mrs Simone Tata upon acquiring the Littlewoods. The company’s design is meant to cater to the shopping needs of customers in at least 42 cities where it has opened at least 70 stores. It is one of the fastest-growing retail stores in India and is today operated by Trent, which the Tata Group owns. In India, garment retailers generally stocked store-owned and other brands in the ratio of 30:70, as it was easy to attract customers for the established brands.

Competitors

• Maxx
• Pantaloons
• Big Bazaar
• Shoppers Stop
• Ruchi’s Big Life
• Globus

About Westside

• Type: Fashion retail chain
• Industry: Retail
• Founded: 1998, Mumbai, India
• Founder: Trent Limited
• Headquarters: Mumbai, India
• Area served: India
• Key people: Mr. Noel Tata (Chairman) and P. Venkatesalu (CEO)
• Number of employees: 10,000

Westside Product Strategy

The company has about eight consumer product business categories below its belt. This consumer business can have majorly in-house brand displays, with other consumer brands tied up in the company in a mix of their marketing mix, retailing business mix, and distribution mix.

The new Product Mix of Westside in 2024 is as follows (Source).

1. Apparel: Westside is mainly known for its clothing lines, which include a wide range of apparel for men, women, and children. The company has developed several in-house brands catering to different fashion needs and styles. This includes ethnic wear, western wear, office wear, and more. The ethnic wear line, for example, is a significant contributor to Westside’s sales and revenue.
2. Private Labels: A distinctive feature of Westside is its strong focus on private labels. Approximately 97% of their brands are in-house, with a few exceptions in the beauty segment. These private labels cover various categories and styles, each with the signature Westside design elements.
3. Home Products: Apart from apparel, Westside also retails home products. This includes a range of furnishing and home decor items, which are popular, especially during sale seasons.
4. Footwear and Accessories: Their product range extends to footwear and accessories, including a unique line of shoes under the Luna Blu brand and a range of bags and other accessories.
5. Fast N Fab Concept: To keep up with rapidly changing fashion trends, Westside introduced the Fast N Fab concept. This approach allows them to quickly bring new fashion trends from design to store shelves, with new product lines introduced every Friday.
6. Digital Presence and Marketing: Westside also leverages digital channels to reach its customers, especially the youth. This includes various online campaigns and a strong presence on social media platforms.
7. Store Design and Experience: The design and layout of Westside stores are also a crucial part of their product offering, aiming to provide a unique shopping experience. The stores are designed to be elegant and spacious, enhancing the overall customer experience.

Westside Pricing Strategy

Westside’s strategic pricing and marketing strategy balances quality, price, consumer affordability, and brand value. Here’s an analysis of the West Side company, competitors, business, competitors and the company, competitors and its pricing strategy from a marketing and business perspective:

1. Value-Based Pricing: At its core, Westside’s pricing strategy is anchored in value-based pricing. This approach involves setting prices primarily based on the product’s perceived value to the customer rather than on the cost of production or historical prices. This means Westside carefully assesses what customers are willing to pay for their products and sets prices accordingly.
2. Competitive Pricing: Westside also pays close attention to the pricing strategies of its competitors. By positioning its prices competitively, Westside ensures it remains an attractive choice for consumers comparing similar products across different brands.
3. Psychological Pricing: Westside often uses psychological pricing tactics, such as pricing products just below a round number (e.g., Rs. 999 instead of Rs. 1000). This strategy, known for its effectiveness in retail, makes prices appear lower than they are, which can encourage purchasing decisions.
4. Dynamic Pricing for Seasonal Demand: The brand adapts its pricing strategy to meet seasonal demands and trends. During peak shopping seasons or for in-demand styles, Westside might price products higher while offering discounts and promotions during off-peak times to maintain steady sales.
5. Product Line Pricing: Westside practices product line pricing, where products in the same category are priced differently based on features and quality. This allows customers with varying budgets and preferences to find products within their price range, broadening Westside’s market reach.

Westside Place Strategy

Westside’s place strategy is an essential component of its business, marketing, and the company. WestSide’s overall business and marketing strategy involves several key business and marketing elements focused on optimizing its business, physical market presence, marketing, distribution, and consumer accessibility:

1. Wide Network of Stores: Westside operates vast stores across India. This extensive reach allows it to cater to a broad customer base in various regions, making its products accessible to a wide demographic.
2. Strategic Location Selection: The brand chooses prime locations for its stores, often in high-traffic areas like popular shopping malls and central city locations. This ensures high visibility and easy accessibility for customers.
3. Store Design and Layout: Westside places significant emphasis on the design and layout of its stores. Each store is crafted to enhance the shopping experience, combining aesthetics with functionality and ensuring a pleasant and convenient environment.
4. Expansion in Tier-2 and Tier-3 Cities: In recent years, Westside has focused on expanding its footprint beyond metro cities, entering Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. This strategy helps in tapping into the growing market potential in these regions.
5. Integration of Online and Offline Channels: While primarily a brick-and-mortar retailer, Westside also integrates its offline presence with online channels. This omnichannel approach provides customers with a seamless shopping experience, whether in-store or online.

Westside Promotion Strategy

Westside is fond of enticing customers with various price and service discounts, some of which can run up to 50% of the marked price. The company also does a lot of in-house fashion brand promotions, with space availability for some formidable international fashion labels. Westside is also fond of tying up with renowned and reputed fashion designers. This gives customers more confidence to do business with Westside. Membership cards, fashion accessories, and services from Westside, specifically Club Westside and card membership services, are also used for customer retention.

The company uses a marketing mix of full retailing and theme-based retailing with stores for women, such as Westside Woman in Shalimar Bagh. In addition to retailing all these, Westside does run advertisement campaigns for women. The company is credited for increasing its customer base by adding international accessories brands to its basket of retailing mix for women. These include Vera Moda products, U.S. Polo ASSN, and Chicco.

Some Recent Video ads and Print ads for Westside are:

Westside People Strategy

The “People” marketing and mix element of marketing the service marketing mix for a retail brand, business, or company like services from Westside are crucial as they directly influence customer experience, consumer satisfaction, and brand loyalty. Here are several key points regarding marketing the “People” marketing mix aspect of services from Westside:

1. Staff Training and Development: Westside invests in comprehensive training programs to ensure they have product knowledge and customer service skills. This includes training in soft skills, sales techniques, and product information to enhance the shopping experience for customers.
2. Customer Service Focus: Employees at Westside are selected and trained to provide excellent customer service. They are encouraged to be friendly, helpful, and responsive to customer needs and queries, creating a welcoming environment for shoppers.
3. Employee Empowerment: Westside empowers its employees by giving them autonomy in decision-making, especially in handling customer complaints and feedback. This approach ensures quick and more personalized customer service, increasing satisfaction.
4. Diverse Workforce: The brand strives to maintain a diverse workforce, with employees from various backgrounds and experiences. This diversity helps cater to multiple customer preferences and enhances the shopping experience.
5. Performance Measurement and Incentives: Westside regularly evaluates the performance of its staff through various metrics, including customer feedback, sales targets, and overall service quality. High performers are often rewarded with incentives, recognition, and opportunities for growth, which motivates employees to maintain high service standards.
6. Uniforms and Professional Appearance: Westside employees must usually adhere to a dress code or wear uniforms that reflect the brand’s image and values. This helps maintain a professional appearance and aids in the easy identification of staff by customers.
7. Internal Communication: Effective internal communication channels are established within Westside to ensure employees are well-informed about company policies, product launches, and promotional activities. This ensures consistency in customer service across all outlets.
8. Staff Satisfaction and Retention Strategies: Understanding the correlation between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction, Westside invests in strategies to keep its employees satisfied and engaged. This includes providing a positive work environment, competitive compensation, career advancement opportunities, and work-life balance.

Westside Process Strategy

The “Process” element of financial management in the Westside marketing mix for the service marketing mix for Westside focuses on the procedures, mechanisms, and flow of activities by which services are consumed. This is critical for ensuring customer satisfaction and efficiency in service delivery. Here are several key points regarding the “Process” aspect of Westside financial management for the marketing mix for Westside:

1. Customer Journey Mapping: Westside carefully designs and manages the customer journey from the moment they enter the store to the point of purchase and even post-purchase support. This includes clear signage, well-organized store layouts, and easily accessible product information.
2. Checkout and Payment Processes: The brand invests in efficient checkout processes to minimize wait times, including multiple payment options (cash, credit/debit cards, mobile payments) and express checkout lanes for quick purchases.
3. Inventory Management: Westside employs sophisticated inventory management systems to ensure product availability, track real-time stock levels, and promptly replenish popular items. This minimizes the chances of stockouts and enhances customer satisfaction.
4. Omnichannel Experience: The process includes seamless integration between offline and online channels, allowing customers to browse products online, check availability in-store, and choose between home delivery or in-store pickup. This flexibility enhances the shopping experience for customers.
5. Customer Feedback and Grievance Redressal: Westside has established transparent processes for collecting customer feedback and addressing grievances. This includes in-store feedback forms, online surveys, and dedicated customer service lines. The input is regularly analyzed to improve service quality.
6. Returns and Exchanges: The process for returns and exchanges is designed to be customer-friendly, with clear policies and a hassle-free procedure. This policy is communicated effectively to customers at the point of sale and through other channels.
7. Employee Roles and Responsibilities: A clear definition of employee roles and responsibilities ensures that all staff members know their duties, leading to a more efficient operation and better customer service. This includes specific processes for sales assistance, customer service, inventory management, and store maintenance.
8. Health and Safety Protocols: Especially relevant in the current context, Westside has implemented strict health and safety protocols to ensure the well-being of both customers and employees. This includes regular sanitization, social distancing measures, and mandatory masks, which are part of the service process.
9. Technology Integration: Using technology in the service process, such as digital kiosks for product information, mobile apps for shopping and loyalty programs, and RFID tags for inventory management, enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction.
10. Training and Development: Employees’ continuous training and development programs ensure they are updated with the latest processes and technologies, ensuring consistent and high-quality customer service.

Westside Physical Evidence Strategy

The “Physical Evidence” marketing mix, a component of the Westside of the service marketing mix, refers to the environment in which the service is delivered, along with any tangible commodities that facilitate the performance or communication of the service. Physical evidence is crucial for a retail brand or business marketing mix like Westside in shaping customer perceptions of shopping needs and experiences. Here are several key points regarding the West Side “Physical Evidence” marketing mix aspect of Westside the marketing mix:

1. Store Design and Layout: Westside stores feature a modern, welcoming design with a layout that is easy to navigate. This includes clear signage, well-organized product sections, and thematic displays that enhance the shopping experience.
2. Ambiance: The ambiance within Westside stores is carefully curated to create a pleasant shopping environment. This includes factors like lighting, music, and scent, aligned with the brand’s identity and designed to influence customer mood and behavior positively.
3. Cleanliness and Maintenance: High standards of cleanliness and maintenance are upheld in all Westside stores. This provides a comfortable shopping environment and reflects the brand’s commitment to quality and attention to detail.
4. Branding Elements: The physical evidence of Westside includes vital branding elements such as the logo, brand colors, and visual merchandising. These are consistently applied across all touchpoints, from storefronts to shopping bags, reinforcing brand identity and ensuring recognition.
5. Quality of Physical Goods: Product quality is physical evidence for a retail brand. Westside ensures that all products, from clothing to home goods, meet high-quality standards, reflecting the brand’s reputation for reliability and value.
6. Technology and Digital Touchpoints: In-store digital touchpoints, such as interactive screens, digital catalogs, and QR codes for accessing product information or offers, blend the physical and digital shopping experiences, providing tangible evidence of the brand’s innovation.
7. Point of Sale Material: Point of sale materials, including promotional displays, price tags, and information brochures, are designed to be visually appealing and informative, enhancing the shopping experience and aiding purchase decisions.
8. Employee Uniforms: Employee uniforms are part of the physical evidence contributing to the brand’s professional image. Uniforms are designed to be consistent with the brand’s aesthetic and values, making staff easily identifiable and contributing to the overall store environment.
9. Packaging: Westside’s product packaging is functional and aesthetically pleasing, serving as a tangible extension of the brand. Quality packaging enhances customer satisfaction and is a marketing tool once customers leave the store.
10. Customer Testimonials and Reviews: Displayed in-store or on the brand’s digital platforms, customer testimonials and reviews are physical evidence of the quality of service and product satisfaction. This social proof can influence potential customers’ perceptions and decisions.

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