Ch. 14 - Marketing Channels and Retailing

Chanel has their stores all around the world. They put a lot of effort and time to make the experience for the customers unique and special.  Chanel uses the direct channel to distribute clothing, leather luxury good, and jewellery directly to their consumers. Chanel also uses dual distribution selling glasses, fragrances and cosmetic products, which are available at their own stores and other retailers like Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s. They adopt both direct and retailer channels. Chanel has their stores in NYC in three locations. Two of stores are located uptown, at a prosperous location. Fifth Avenue is a major through fare in the centre of the Manhattan where most of the upscale stores located As well as Soho, which is also famous shopping neighbourhood.

Let’s have a look at the 57th street store. The entrance to the store is through a glass and steel portal, modelled after the lines of the NO.5 box. The original inspiration for the interior was Coco Chanel’s own Paris apartment. The work was done by architect Peter Marino who also worked on Chanel stores in: Beverly Hills, Ginza, Lee Gardens, Los Angeles, New Bond Street London, Osaka, Place Vandome, Prince’s Building, Rue Cambon, Soho As well as other luxury brands like Dior, Bulgari, Ermenegildo Zegna, Fendi and Luis Vuitton.

That’s the fragment of an article by Philip Nobel for Architectural Digest.

““We wanted to be modern, but that is sometimes synonymous with stark and cold," says Barbara Cirkva, Chanel's executive vice president of fashion. "But Chanel is such a feminine brand." Peter Marino also cites tempering modernist norms as a central challenge: "Our brief was to make something modern architecturally but that feels like a woman's store. That was great, because if I blew through with modernism, I could then soften it with accents—draperies or camellias." The camellias, blown up into a photographic wallcovering, decorate the elevator cab. The draperies, many of which slide to permit alterations to the sales floors, billow throughout. Varying the space to continually entice regulars was another aim of the redesign. "I think it's important to build change into a modern retail space," Marino says. "Now merchandise comes in every two weeks—it's not the old days of fashion with a fall and spring collection.””

The store’s layouts present a feeling of simple and dignity by using white and black colours. Everything is organised, different sections for leather goods, sunglasses, watches, shoes, ready-to-wear, jewellery, fragrance, and cosmetic products. Their products are pretty expensive in order to maintain the image of exclusivity. They have multiple sofas to make customers feel comfortable, almost like home most of the time offer them a glass of champagne at the same time. There is a person who will welcome and open the door for you. Chanel offers high levels of their customer service. They provide alteration, consulting, personal shopping and almost anything you can think of to make your shopping experience great.