Marketing Coursework: Ross Stores Competitive Analysis (Coursework Sample)

Ross Stores Competitive Analysis
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Ross Stores is an American fashion retail chain with its headquarters in Dublin, California. The store sells apparels items at greatly discounted prices, and markets itself under the brand name Ross Dress for Less. This essay presents a competitive analysis of Ross Stores in comparison with one of its biggest rivals, TJX Companies.
Ross Stores’ competitive strength rests on its unique pricing and purchasing power (Plunket, 2008). The retail chain is one of the most dominant low-price apparel and fashion retailers in the United States. The company’s Ross Dress for Less brand is a power customer attraction as it offers consistent value for money to a growing customer base. The low pricing us supported by the company’s purchasing expertise that allows it to acquire merchandize at low process, and extend this advantage to its customers. In addition, the company has a broad network of merchandize vendors, numbering over 8,200, which enable the retailer to purchase quality products at low prices (Bailey, 2015).
One of the unique purchasing strategies of Ross Stores is its relationship with manufacturers whereby it makes opportunistic purchases resulting from manufacturers overruns and cancelled orders, which Ross Stores acquires as "pack away" and "close out" purchases at greatly discounted prices. As a result, the retailer is able to offer everyday purchases to its customers at discount rates ranging from 20-60% without losing its profit margin.
Secondly, offers a variety of products, making it possible for customers to purchase all the apparel, furniture and fashion needs under one roof. By offering variety, the company provides convenience to customers who make different purchases.
Thirdly, the company offers products targeting middle income families earning less that $100, 000. Through this strategy, the retailer makes most of its products available to a large consumer base. Alongside its discount strategy, targeting the middle class earners enables the company to tap into the biggest economic class in the U.S.
Finally, Ross Stores has more than 1000 retail outlets all over the U.S., giving it a wide geographic coverage and greater customer reach. As a national brand, its countrywide presence allows the company to tamp it a big consumer base.
Competitor Analysis
The biggest competitors include Zara and TJX Companies, which sell the same products as Ross Stores. Ross Stores’ weakness compared to its competitors is that it does not command the same geographic coverage as TJX, which is an international retailer (Bailey, 2015). Outside the U.S., TJX Companies has branches in Ireland, Canada and the UK. In term of economies of scale, Ross Stores cannot compete with its big market rivals. This means that TJX can take advantage of its economies of scale to offer competitive prices and counter Ross Stores’ discounted prices.
TJX Companies are also highly segmented, which makes it easier to streamline operations. F...