2. Distain for Buying Clothes
Negative Self Image
Overweight
Out of shape
Not healthy
Poor Health
Illness
Disability
Addiction
3. Need to be Healthy
Diet
Tracking food intake
Weight Watchers?
Exercise
Track daily activity
Join a gym
Get encouragement
4. What If?
The clothing retailer supported me?
Incentivize clothing purchase?
Discounted fitness apparel
Discounted fitness shoes
Offer exchange if/when the clothes get too big!
The retailer encouraged healthy lifestyle?
Join with Weight Watchers – to promote “The Best
You”
Offer discounts to gyms
5. Customer Reaction
This Company Cares About Me
Return to Check Offers
Login to Website to Track Health
Trade Big Clothes for Smaller Size
While here, get a new pair of jeans
Check other items in the clothing and home
department
6. Retailer Benefits
Increased Customer Traffic
Increased Recognition
More Customer Data
Track purchases with loyalty card
Gather data from health and wellness site
Greater Community Approval
Increased Goodwill
Donate returned items to charities
Sponsor health and wellness events
Editor's Notes
Connecting Major Clothing Retailers and Health and Wellness Providers
According to Tiggemann and Lacy, one’s perception of body image is complex, and oftentimes can be affected by the way clothing looks on them.
If someone has a negative self image because they are overweight, out of shape, or generally not healthy, they will often avoid going to a store or looking for clothes.
Many times poor health, such as an illness, disability or addiction can be the root cause for the unhealthy body and, therefore, negative self image; but, a concerned effort may be the catalyst to improve one’s overall health and wellness.
Shopping for clothes: Body satisfaction, appearance investment, and functions of clothing among female shoppers
Tiggemann, M., & Lacey, C., (2009), Body Image, Volume 6, Issue 4, pp. 285 - 291
Most people have a desire to be healthy, and those that are in fair– even great shape, often seek to be better.
The truth of the matter is that, besides getting medical attention, we all know that limiting intake of food and exercising will help us become more healthy. Indeed, many companies encourage health and wellness, offering discounted gym memberships even Fit-bit equipment to employees – all in order to reduce health insurance costs and increase employee availability.
Here is the BIG “What if?” for this proposal is – What if the clothing retailer supported me? What if incentives existed for to buy fitness clothes and shoes for a discounted price? What if the retail store offered a trade for clothes purchased (with the loyalty card so there is a record of the purchase) for similar items in a smaller size?
The customer would feel an assurance that they would not be wasting their money on “fat clothes” and be gaining support to meet their personal goals.
If the retailer also encouraged a healthy lifestyle by partnering with a Weight Watchers program (especially with their promoting the retail store) and associating with gyms, national or local, the customer may feel there is genuine concern for the health and wellness of the customers.
Customer reaction should be significant. Of course, surveys and research would have to evaluate the value of such programs, but many would take a look at the products and services without intent to purchase – but still increase foot traffic through the stores.
Those customers who do participate would be encouraged to “go all in” with health and wellness tracking – the company could even include clothing size to track progress.
We do not know how many people will trade their old clothes in, according to the previously mentioned report, people often form an emotional bond with their clothes, and some may want to keep the bigger items around for comfort reasons, but their loyalty to the retailer will have sky-rocketed! Additionally, even if they do not return to trade items, customers will feel a desire to see current offerings in clothing as well as the “Home” department to see if there are any promotions for them to practice health and wellness at home.
Benefits abound for a retailer that could properly market this multi-market mix of in-store, online, mobile applications, and associate company venture. Foot traffic in the store, and visits to the web site could greatly increase.
With purchase and participation revolving around the customer rewards card, information about retail behavior could greatly increase. If the customers participate with online or mobile applications, the amount of data regarding each customer could grow exponentially.
This could bring the name of the retail store to the forefront of community consciousness especially with events hosted or sponsored by the retailer. Effective launch of the program could use many media outlets, gain national recognition, be promoted on talk shows, elicit editorials online and in the newspapers, and create a following on social media.
We hope that efforts like those mentioned can be used to bring value to a major, national retail store. Please feel free to encourage active discussion about proceeding with a health and wellness push.
Thank you!
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions at mike.dehart.cissp@gmail.com.