If Vera Bradley Corporate can't decide, why not have the actual consumers vote on
their favorite patterns coming out this Winter 2009 & Spring 2010. By using Facebook, Vera Bradley's page, now wants customer feedback on the upcoming prints (typically not displayed or known about until a month or so before it's release into Vera stores & other retailers).
The neat thing about Vera is that its prints attract a wide range of female age groups from the Tweens (who enjoy the new Frill line - a patent leather texture for 3 prints Blue Rhapsody, Carnaby, & Pirouette in exclusive, cute designs for this age group), the high school/college girls (with special products like the lanyards, id cases, school supplies, clutches, belts, purses & travel bags), the young-middle aged professional/moms who are mid-20's to early 40's (who like the suitcases, diaper bags, sunglasses, & large purses), and the 40+ group (who enjoy the classic simple prints, & the eye glass cases - really who have a need for the practical side of Vera). And should I mention the menswear line which includes ties and cufflinks?
This is an interesting strategy to get a wide variety of customers involved in the decision making & it's cheap feedback on what their thoughts are about the new designs. (Cheap meaning free of course!) I wonder if the feedback will help them reconsider the designs & reassure them that they are right on track for what the customers want? We shall see come Winter '09 if this has helped or hurt their strategy!
