Santa Clara University

My Charmed Introduction to Kohl’s

by Sharon Kim ’13

Since I was born and raised in Hawaii, I’ve never had the chance to actually visit a Kohl’s department store before. Now, one presentation later, I feel robbed of that opportunity!

Kohl’s offers brands from exclusive retailers such as Rock and Republic, Candies, and Food Network, to private labels such as Apartment 9 and Sonoma. How could anyone not want to shop at Kohl’s? The presenters first gave a brief background of themselves, talked about their personal experiences at Kohl’s, and described how satisfying it was to offer customers quality merchandise at an affordable price. They then moved on to talking about design development and their success in keeping up-to-date with the latest trends.

Kohl’s initiatives include improving in-store presentation, creating cohesive assortments, and establishing leadership in products. Since the company’s largest target is women, Kohl’s caters to a more classic lifestyle by emphasizing certain outfits on mannequins and in advertisements.

One of the most interesting takeaways from the presentation is Kohl’s strategy on keeping up with its competition from retailers like JCPenneys, Target, Walmart, Nordstrom, and Macy’s. I was shocked to find out about Kohl’s “Yes We Can” policy, which is similar to Nordstrom in the sense that they refund you for just about any product you return. They also offer Kohl’s Cash, which is money they give back to you by shopping in their stores.

Shoppers will end up saving more time, energy, and money by knowing the benefits Kohl’s has to offer. Kohl’s strategies have been working thus far, and hard work and dedication has led the company to receive many rewards, such as a spot in the Fortune 500’s Top American Companies.

I don’t know about you, but I think I’m going to check out Kohl’s next time I’m looking for quality merchandise at a price I can afford.