St. John's News

April 2008—Tobin Marketing Professor Dr. Leon Schiffman is a nationally recognized expert on the behavior of the elderly consumer, having pioneered research on the psychological and sociological aspects of perceived age and innovative behavior of older consumers. USA Today has recently published an article entitled, “Big Retailers Seek Teens (and parents),” in which the author sought the expertise of Dr. Schiffman.

The article describes how both lower-end retailers like JCPenney and Sears and higher-end retailers like Bloomingdales and Saks Fifth Avenue, have recently reinvented themselves to attract both adult parents and their style-minded children in an attempt to regain market share in a down-turning retail market—subject matter that falls squarely in Dr. Schiffman’s area of expertise. According to his quotes in the article, Dr. Schiffman does not entirely believe that the marketing efforts of these low-end retailers will pay off where the teen market is concerned, but he is more hopeful for the strategy’s effectiveness with higher-end department stores like Macy’s and Bloomingdales:

“Some teens may even eschew department-store shopping as a way to distance themselves from their parents,” says Leon Schiffman, a marketing professor at St. John's University in Queens, N.Y.

"It's somewhat of a natural process to reject the kinds of retail environments that your parents are associated with," Schiffman says.

Schiffman says Bloomingdale's and other upscale department stores appeal to teens because their assortments and atmospheres are superior. "If you offer enough," he says, "you can get teens to go anywhere. J.C. Penney and Sears are just not pulling that."

Other experts interviewed in the article offer opposing viewpoints and believe this change in perception will pay off for both the low and high-end retailers.
To read the full article, click here.

The Peter J. Tobin College of Business has provided the highest quality business education for over eighty years.  Many alumni have risen to senior executive positions in the financial services community in New York and around the world.  Degrees offered include the Bachelor of Science, Master of Business Administration and Master of Science.  The College encompasses the School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science, which is housed at the University’s Manhattan location in the heart of the New York financial district.  Recent recognitions for the Tobin College include a listing by The Aspen Institute among the top ninety business schools in the United States whose graduate curricula reflect a commitment to social responsibility and sustainability. For further information, please contact Jennifer Maizel at (718) 990-6218 or email Maizelj@stjohns.edu.
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