SHOP FOR A SHOP: HELP SAVE MENSWEAR STORES
As specialty stores continue to worry about their future, the team at Stantt is worrying about specialty stores, without whom they wouldn’t be in business.
In order to help them, Stantt is spearheading a widespread marketing effort called Shop for a Shop, to take place end-April or May. The inspiration is Restaurant Week and the idea is that during a specific week, a group of like-minded emerging or established brands will run a promotion on their own websites and via their own email lists. Stantt will coordinate it for this year, with a goal to generate additional traffic via press mentions and perhaps joint ads on social media. Stores are asked to market it via their customer lists, but doing so is not required for participation. (Stores can ask for embedded-links/URLs to track their customers with a direct kick-back.)
The promotion, which should evolve into an annual event, will offer a shopper discount to help incentivize purchases. Each brand will carve out a percentage of sales to go to specialty stores, determined by consumer selection (each shopper chooses which store receives the funds), by shopper zip code, or by an even distribution across all of the vendor’s accounts. (Stantt is issuing funds via credit on the store’s open accounts receivable.)
Says Stantt co-founder and co-CEO Kirk Keel, “Our goal for Shop for A Shop is to rally together like-minded brands to directly provide financial and marketing support to our specialty store friends and partners. The reality is that Stantt – and many other brands – wouldn’t exist without the partnership of specialty stores. They are the life-blood of their communities, and it is our mission with this initiative to help ensure their longevity for years to come.”
Keel notes that participating vendors will benefit from the campaign’s shared marketing (via email, social media, and PR), thus generating increased awareness and potential customers for each brand. “It’s a win for both the retailers and the coalition of brands,” he adds. “Multiple brands per category are encouraged. There is nothing competitive here – Stantt wants as many brands to participate as possible.”
In addition to Stantt, vendors already on board include Trafalgar, Dapper Classics, and Armin Oehler. Says Keel, “Our goal is to sign up 20 brands: The more brands, the more funds we can distribute!”
Keel adds: “We want to thank Sara Hutchison Brown and David Hodgkins from David Wood Clothiers. They were instrumental in helping us get this initiative off the ground. Sara’s sister Theresa Hutch painted the beautiful artwork and her husband Tyler Brown built the text and final graphic. We’d also like to thank Rothmans for being a sounding board for the idea!”
Brands interested in participating should contact Katie at Stantt: katie@stantt.com.
What about Formal Wear retail Shops too that rent and sell mens formal wear and mens suits and accessories?
We’ll need to set up new Blacktie parties and events supporting locally owned and family operated with instock tuxedos and suits that can be same day service if need be. Malls and chains and online service can’t that. Service is still king
Hi Greg, Yes you need to be saved too! Maybe your vendors want to contact Stantt to join with them or maybe they can join together to organize a similar promotion for formalwear stores.
Hi Greg and Scott – We would love to support Formal Wear stores, too! If you think any of your vendors would be interested in participating, please have them email me at Katie@stantt.com. Also, would love to chat with both of you about how we can include your stores. Please email me whenever you can! Thank you!
Great idea to help the specialty shops during this dismal time!!
Thanks for thinking of us!!
Katie and Kirk…David and Staff love it… Thank you…working now to send email my vendors.
Thank you so much, Scott!
Thank you so much, Steve!!
Interesting idea you have here.
As an independent department store in Ojai, CA we are the only place in our small town to offer clothes for men and would love to be involved.
We might be a bit to casual for the vendors you mentioned and if not a good fit I understand but worth asking.
Jeff
Hi Jeff – We would love for you to be part of this! I know we can make it work for your store. Would love to chat with you this week if you have the time, please email me at Katie@stantt.com and we can go from there!
Great Idea !… We are a specialty Men’s and Women’s clothing and footwear store in Traverse City MI. We would like to be in the loop on this.
What a great idea,love shop for a shop.That could be a huge campaign on its on.Katie,you all are always thinking how to sell and take care of your stores at the same time.Thank you very much,Victor
Thank you so so much, Victor!!
Robert – We would love for your store to be part of this! Please share this with your vendors and send me an email when you have a moment (Katie@stantt.com) and we can chat more! Thank you!