Marketing Daily reports that Laura J. Sen, the president/CEO of BJ’s Wholesale Club, told attendees at the Cowen and Company 8th Annual Consumer Conference that she has “zero worries” that when the economy recovers, value-driven formats like hers will lose some degree of their consumer appeal.
Sen told the conference that she believes that BJ’s positioning - focusing more on families than small business (which is somewhat different from the approach taken by competitors Costco and Sam’s Club), using smaller locations and being more liberal in the acceptance of coupons and credit cards - will serve it well when the economy gets better.
Besides, she said, “ "Consumers are still being very careful ... once you're paying $2.29 for chicken, you're not going to go back to paying $2.99."
Sen told the conference that she believes that BJ’s positioning - focusing more on families than small business (which is somewhat different from the approach taken by competitors Costco and Sam’s Club), using smaller locations and being more liberal in the acceptance of coupons and credit cards - will serve it well when the economy gets better.
Besides, she said, “ "Consumers are still being very careful ... once you're paying $2.29 for chicken, you're not going to go back to paying $2.99."
- KC's View:
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It is smart of BJ’s to be focusing on the things that make it different from Costco and Sam’s. When fighting with bigger, more powerful competitors, it always makes sense to exploit differences rather than play by their rules...
