Ch. 14 - Marketing Channels and Retailing

Nowadays, it is important for businesses to gain name recognition and make their products available for sale from multiple channels. Therefore, creating partnerships with retailers may be crucial when a company's marketing efforts are meant to maximize profits. Companies like SheaMoisture understand the importance of having firms that sell directly to consumers as their primary function. This is why they've created partnerships with many retail chains. Select SheaMoisture products are sold at places like Bed Bath & Beyond, Christmas Tree Shops, CVS, drugstore.com, Duane Reade, Face Values, Giant, Kroger, Meijer, Rite Aid, Sally Beauty Supply, Shop Rite, Stop & Shop,  Target, Ulta Beauty, Walgreens, and even Walmart, the largest existing chains. 

African Black Soap, one of SheaMoisture's signature products, is sold at majority of the company's partnered retail stores. The products that are sold at these retail stores depends on the retailer's demographic. This demonstrates the need for some of SheaMoisture's products- considering it is sold at many major retailers. On average, African Black Soap is sold for $5 dollars a bar. In popular chains like Duane Reade, customers may be able to find the soap on promotion or pick up a second bar of soap for half off. 

Like many other companies, SheaMoisture has made it possible for fans-or new consumers- to access their products by shopping online. On SheaMoisture.Com, customers are able to access a wide variety of the products sold by SheaMoisture. 


Considering majority of a company's sales are made through their retail stores, it is important to understand how retailing works and why its so crucial for producers of products to be able to create relationships with other companies. 

Ch. 6 - Consumer Decision Making

In the beauty, cosmetics, and personal care industry, much like every other business, the customer's decision to buy is what allows a company to sink or swim. There are many factors consumers take into consideration when buying a product, and understanding how customers make decisions can help marketers execute a plan when releasing products into the market. 

SheaMoisture's growth was said to have started from word-of-mouth. This means that early buyers of the product believed in the company's African Black Soap, Shea Butter, and other natural remedies. When buying products, customers have expectations from those purchases. Many women of color, more specifically black women in Harlem, NY, have used SheaMoisture products since its inception. It was promised that SheaMoisture's products will help them maintain their natural hair without the added chemicals and just natural ingredients. Dennis has stated that "it's important to understand that consumers - regardless of skin color - require products that target specific skin and hair care solutions for their special needs, but they want flexibility and versatility in their looks and styles, especially in hair care to wear their hair natural, straight, etc." SheaMoisture was able to offer products for needs that were neglected by other beauty companies. Part of the company's success was its ability to build brand loyalty by living up to its promise but also maintaining customer satisfaction. 

A person's buying decisions are also influenced by personal characteristics that are unique to each individual, such as gender; age and life cycle stage; and personality, self-concept, and lifestyle. Although SheaMoisture's popularity is mostly amongst women, men are starting to use it as well, especially with the introduction of their mens care and shaving line. For those who are into personal care and cosmetics  but aren't fond of excessive chemicals and artificial ingredients, then products like those of SheaMoisture would fit their lifestyle.

As a marketer, it's important to understand how customers make buying decisions in order to best serve and compete in the market. 

Ch. 5 - Developing a Global Vision

Existing since 1912, Shea Moisture's standing today shows the long-term success that the company was able to obtain. Keeping a company going for more than 100 years isn't easy, but when quality products are created and marketing efforts are just as good, maintaining success isn't impossible. 

As discussed in previous posts, Shea Moisture was founded in Sierra Leone, Africa by Sofi Tucker. But it wasn't until 1991 when her grandson, Richelieu Dennis, began making and selling her products in the streets of Harlem, New York- and the rest was history. 

Shea Moisture prides itself on its use of fair-trade ingredients. They import most of their ingredients from villages in different parts of Africa. They continue to use the same production processes they've always used. Dennis once said that his sister, the maker of newer recipes, studies how different cultures use different ingredients to resolve an issue pertaining to beauty (hair, skin, etc.) As the company advances, they've started to include ingredients indigenous to Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. This is important because fair prices are paid to the people in the communities that are providing these organic, raw ingredients. In a world where many companies exploit developing cities and countries to maximize profits, Shea Moisture continues to be ethical. 

Because of the company's involvement on social media, Shea Moisture is able to market globally. Through the use of social media, new customers are able to be targeted. Shea Moisture's retail partners allow accessibility of the products. Many of these retailers are available nationwide, and some even internationally. These partners include Target, Duene Reade, Ulta Beauty, Bed Bath and Beyond, Walmart, and more. The company's online store also makes the products accessible to anyone interested in buying. 

Ch. 4 - The Marketing Environment

Shea Moisture's marketing team understand that several basic demographic patterns are influencing marketing mixes. They're also aware that conscious consumers are looking to buy ethical, useful, but not too pricey. This is why Shea Moisture proudly produces fair-trade, natural products for reasonable prices- and market them to anyone and everyone. As mentioned in a previous post, Shea Moisture gained competitive advantage by staying true to their family brand of providing organic ingredients and making sure to keep to aim their products at multiple demographics.

 

Knowing the history of Shea Moisture, from being founded in Sierra Leone, to starting sales in Harlem, New York, one may agree that Shea Moisture's target market is adult black women, who'd like to maintain their natural hair with quality, rich ingredients and oils. But Shea Moisture makes it known that although they are proud to reach a specific demographic that many other brands tend to neglect, they're looking for a broader market. 

On twitter, the company shared:

"As a certified minority-owned business, we are so proud of our heritage, our community and how far we’ve come — from a village market in Sierra Leone, to the streets of Harlem, to retailers throughout the U.S. With your support, we’ve been able to bring change, diversity and variety to retail.

We hope you continue to join us in celebrating how the versatility of our products can help people everywhere.”

Shea Moisture sells beauty products for women with straight, curly, kinky, and even wavy hair. Through this, they are also able to reach a multi-cultural market by catering to women with all kinds of hair textures and needs. They also market products for men, and babies. They sell products like facial cleansers, bar soap, shampoo, shaving cream, moisturizers, and more- meeting people's diverse needs. 

Recently, Shea Moisture has been able to reach different demographics by having their products featured on different sites, blogs, and events- that each have their own target audience.