Edgars Case Study

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the store layout of Edgars; Focusing on the general layout and design, interior décor and merchandise displays; as well as the relationship and effectiveness of their store layout and their corporate identity. Edgars is one of the retail divisions in Edcon, the largest clothing and footwear retailer in South Africa (bliccathemes, 2013). They provide customers with a large range of Edgars brands as well as international brands through mono-branding. Evaluation of the corporate identity will be based on the components of corporate identity mix from Schmidt (1995). The primary research will be conducted using questionnaires based on the desired identity and the perceived identity of Edgars as well as observations
This suggests that corporate identity is everything that a consumer associates with the retailer, it is the overall image and message that the retailer creates. Corporate identity will be evaluated using the corporate identity constructs from Schmidt (1995) which evaluates five elements of a retail business, namely corporate culture, corporate behaviour, products and services, communications and designs, and lastly market conditions and strategies. Each element helps the retailer identify if there are any gaps between the desired and perceived identity.
For the primary research, two types of questions were asked to evaluate the elements of corporate identity from the perspective of Edgars customers. A Likert scale was used to rate customer perceptions versus their actual shopping experience. It was also used to rate the corporate behaviour of management and staff as well as the marketing strategies of Edgars such as Tv and radio ads, social media advertising and instore
The questionnaire, based on the corporate identity constructs of Schidmt (1995), was semi-structured to leave opportunity for interpretation and was evaluated against the answers from the customer questionnaire to determine if there are any identity gaps. The employee was asked about the expectations that customers should have of Edgars and their customer service before they enter the store, this will aid in evaluating what the brand thinks consumers perceive before they enter the store. In order to get a better understanding of their corporate identity a question evaluating how Edgars presents itself to the public and distinguishes itself from competitors was included.
Corporate behaviour was assessed by enquiring about how employees are expected to act in terms of the way they are presented and in terms of representing the image of Edgars. To evaluate market conditions and strategies the employee was asked about the type of customers Edgars targets as well as the strategies used to target this market. Corporate culture was looked at in terms of customer service, the way staff are presented and the general attitude felt within the