Advertising, promotion, and the competitive advantage of interwar UK department stores

Peter Scott () and James Walker ()
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Peter Scott: Department of Management, University of Reading

No em-dp2008-56, Economics Discussion Papers from Department of Economics, University of Reading

Abstract: Promotional activity proved key to the success of department stores in fending off competition from the expanding chain stores by drawing in customers to their large, central, premises. This paper uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative archival data to examine the promotional methods of interwar British department stores, variations in the promotional mix between types of store, and returns to promotional activities. A number of distinct regional promotional strategies are identified, shaped by variations in the types of consumer markets served. Meanwhile there was considerable policy convergence among stores towards using promotional activity primarily as a means of imprinting a strong institutionalrand image in the minds of the consuming public.

Keywords: advertising; promotion; mail order; retailing; department stores (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 41 pages
Date: 2008-04-20
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-his and nep-mkt
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