In charge of Marketing campaigns Analyst for Bestseller online store, I did a Competitor analysis about Gap.com, who applied the same 5-shops-one-check-out model with our website

1. Competitor Analysis
Gap.com : 5 shops-1 check out model
Prepared by : Hai Anh TO
11/1/2011 1

2. Gap.com overview
Gap.com is a 5 stores – 1 low flat shipping website
• Gap: Clothes for women, men, maternity, baby and kids
• Old Navy: Women, Men, Maternity, Baby and Kid
clothing
• Banana Repubic: Apparel, Handbags, Shoes and
Accessories for Women and Men
• Athleta: Outfit Women for Sport
• Pipelime: Shoes, handbags, apparel and jewelry (Newest
and online-only brand)
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3. Gap.com performance
• Attracted over 18 million visitors annually (2008)
• E-commerce pioneer in the industry. Long before
other companies even started to consider about
e-commerce, Gap began developing its online
strategy.
• Consistently reinvented itself several times by
introducing new brands (Athela and Piperlime)
and innovating merchandising.
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4. Market segmentation strategy:
Gap segmented each brand to represent a unique image, and
catered to a distinct demographic.
• Gap: middle-class of college-age, teens and 25 to 35
year-olds / basic, casual styles
• Banana Republic: Older and more affluent consumers
/more stylized products
• Old Navy: Families, bargain-minded consumers /
fashionable, value-oriented clothing at lower price
• Athleta: For modern and active women/premier and
sophisticated
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5. Competitive advantage :
''EASIER AND EASIER”:
• Broader range of sizes and
products than retail
locations: some special items
that are not available in
stores (ie extra-large pants
sizes pants).
• Integrated technology to
enhance customer
experience: helps shoppers
have a good idea of how Gap
clothes fit
• Retention of customer
preference: Wish lists
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6. Website design / Usability features : Gap
Flash banner
promoting
for GapCard
1 brand also link Easy to find the
to and promote subscribing field
for other brands
All brands has the same and standardized front page design
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7. Website design / Usability features :
Bestseller
• Different front page
designs that change
regularly for each brand
 avoid boringness
• More sophisticated and
professional design: fit to
targeted customers and
market
• Teaser: summarizing the
new updates of other
brands  attract customers
‘attention.
• Not so “outstanding”
subscribing field
11/1/2011 7

8. Harvesting email : Gap.com
•Easy to find the Sign-
up box. Special offer for
subscribers is clearly
indicated
•Subscribing consist of
some steps, but easy
and simple
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9. Harvesting email : Gap.com
• Customers-oriented sense: offer special gifts/ discount for birthdays
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10. Harvesting email : Gap.com
• Tailored
messages to
customers’
specific interest.
• One sign up for
all brands
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11. Harvesting email : Gap.com
Encouraging
memberships :
• Receive direct offer just
after registering,
• registered members have
obvious greater benefits
compared to non-
registered members
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12. Harvesting email : Bestseller
• One-step-only
subscription
• Sign up for each shop
separately.
• No offer when signing
up
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13. Email campaigns
• Plain text version comes alone
• Short (1-3 days) and long-term
offers rather than promoting new
products
• Variable offers : free shipping, %
off, off with membership card…
• Short subject lines
- Chic Summer Dresses, Starting at $25
- Last day to save up 40%
- The hot 10 summer top dress
• Messages go to inbox, not to
Spam
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14. Email campaigns
• Simple and standard design template
for all brands, regardless the message
content
• Bottom banner: Link to social
network, Logo of other brands…
• 2 times scrolling-down
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15. Good about GAP
• Variety of offers and promotions program  encourage customers
• Customer retention:
• Membership with exclusive benefits.
• GapCard offer an easy way to shop.
• Quick page loading, no over-use of flash and motion effects
• Website is user-friendly
• good search tool,
• signing – up is simple, easy
• Strategically cooperate with trusted and well-known partner to
• offer greater service,
• maximize convenience,
• increase website reliability (VISA) and reputation (Youtube, Facebook, Twitter)
11/1/2011 15

16. Recommendations for Bestseller
• More customer-focused strategy: Customers should feel they are
appreciated, cared and supported when shopping in our store.
• Introducing more promotions and offers. Offer do not need to be at high
value, but should make customers feel excited that they get a special deal
when buying
• Design of newsletter : simple, and professional.
• Increase customers retention and loyalty: Subscribers should receive
distinctive benefits compared to non-subscribers. That should be
advertized on front page.
• Reducing loading time
• Trying short –term offers ( 1 to 3 days just like Old Navy is doing)
• In a long term: Strategic cooperation with well-known partners and social
network
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