1. Where Britain Shops Department Stores 2011
Verdict Research: Where Britain Shops Department Stores 2011 provides a comprehensive
analysis of the shopping habits of British consumers. It presents a detailed examination of
customer profiles, demographics and socio-economic trends. It explores consumer shopping
habits at sector and retailer level, while historical data is also provided so trends can be
analysed over a five year period.
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Features and benefits
With the economic climate remaining weak and competition strong between department
stores, this report enables you to understand customer motivations
Through being informed of the opinions of your customers, understand which aspects of
your retail proposition most need improving
Use this report to identify which consumers are less likely to shop with you and adapt your
offer to improve your appeal with these shoppers
Highlights
The percentage of UK shoppers using department stores has fallen back for a second year,
with low consumer confidence and tightened budgets leading to a decline in footfall.
However, remodelled price architectures and improvements to the shopping experience
have helped to justify price points, preventing shopper numbers from sinking further
Debenhams, House of Fraser, John Lewis and Marks & Spencer have broadened their price
architectures to include good-better-best product offers across most sectors, allowing C1C2
consumers to shop more ranges as they can now trade up or down. This has lead to a rise
in department store shoppers in the C1 and C2 socioeconomic segments
The impacts of the economic downturn and poor housing market have finally taken their toll
on homewares shopper share. After rising the year before, it fell 0.4 percentage points to
29.8%, demonstrating how the sluggish housing market and the threat of public sector cuts
have impacted consumer desire to spend on discretionary homewares items
Your key questions answered
Who is our core customer base, and which demographics do we need to target to help drive
footfall?
Which product sectors are favoured by consumers at our competitors and what are their
weaker sectors?
Table Of Contents
Executive Summary
Key findings
Fewer shoppers use department stores
Female shopper share declines more than for males
Department stores still have work to do to attract more young shoppers
Better price architectures appeal to C1C2s
ABC1s stay loyal to department stores when clothes shopping

2. Food & grocery shoppers decline
Weak housing market impacts on number of homewares shoppers
Main conclusions
Department stores struggle to attract shoppers
Retailer highlights
SUMMARY OF USAGE
Department stores feel the pinch, as visitor number drops once more
Shopper numbers decline for second consecutive year, reflecting consumer frugality
Female penetration down more than male
16–24 year olds still the smallest age group shopping department stores
Proportion of C1C2 shoppers rises relative to ABs and DEs
Department store shoppers use electricals and DIY sectors more
Marks & Spencer stays on top, but Debenhams nudges up
Department store share of shoppers
Profiles of department store shoppers
Profiles of shoppers who do not use department stores
Sector penetration – which sectors shoppers use department stores for
Share of shopper – of Top 10 department store retailers
CLOTHING SECTOR ANALYSIS
How clothing shoppers use department stores
Department store clothes shoppers drop back after two years of increase
ABC1s stay loyal to department stores for clothes shopping
John Lewis achieves greatest rise in share
Clothing sector continues to appeal to department store shoppers
Clothing at department stores appeals more to ABC1 shoppers
John Lewis achieves largest rises in shoppers
Youngest shopper group offers most potential to department stores in clothing
DIY SECTOR ANALYSIS
How DIY shoppers use department stores
John Lewis remains sole player for DIY
John Lewis appeals to new younger shoppers
Shoppers return to the DIY department in John Lewis
DIY shoppers become younger
John Lewis is the sole department store player for DIY
DEs still the most unlikely to shop at John Lewis
ELECTRICALS SECTOR ANALYSIS
How electricals shoppers use department stores
Shopper numbers recover
Electricals at department stores become more attractive to males
Retailers improve cross-sector shopping
Shopper numbers rise after dipping in year before
Males outnumber females once more in shopping for electricals at department stores
All grow share, bar John Lewis and Harrods
Opportunities remain to target the less affluent

3. FOOD & GROCERY SECTOR ANALYSIS
How food & grocery shoppers use department stores
Shopper numbers sink after three year rise
The most affluent trade down
Shoppers leave Marks & Spencer and John Lewis to go elsewhere
Shopper numbers decline after three year rise
ABC1s use department stores less for food & grocery while C2s use them more
Marks & Spencer stays way out in front but loses share
Older, more affluent are clear target customers
FOOTWEAR SECTOR ANALYSIS
How footwear shoppers use department stores
Footwear shoppers drop back after rise in previous year
Good price architectures appeal to C1C2s
Despite improved offers, Marks & Spencer and Debenhams see declines in shopper share
Previous recovery partly eroded
C1C2s shop more for footwear
Marks & Spencer and Debenhams lose share, others unchanged
Affluent older women favour department stores for footwear
HOMEWARES SECTOR ANALYSIS
How homewares shoppers use department stores
Homewares shoppers drop below three year plateau
Younger shoppers have seen a slight boost
Shoppers leave Marks & Spencer, allowing Debenhams to take top spot
Department store shopper share falls 0.4 percentage points
Younger shoppers take to more fashionable ranges
Debenhams takes lead position as Marks & Spencer’s share falls
Still a lot to do to captivate younger and less affluent shoppers
MUSIC & VIDEO SECTOR ANALYSIS
How music & video shoppers use department stores
Little change in music & video demand
AB and mature shoppers dominate purchases
Three leading players lose shopper share
Little change in visitor numbers
Mature and AB shoppers favour department stores for music & video purchases
Top Three lose share, while Harrods and Beales enter Top Five
Can’t compete on price, so less affluent stay away
PERSONAL CARE SECTOR ANALYSIS
How personal care shoppers use department stores
Personal care shopper numbers decline
Share of 16–44s rise, as more mature shoppers cut back
Marks & Spencer takes the lead while Fenwick, House of Fraser and TJ Hughes also advance
Shoppers decline despite health & beauty sector remaining fairly resilient
ABC1s continue to choose department stores for health & beauty purchases
Marks & Spencer takes top spot, while TJ Hughes advances
Further opportunities for male and less affluent shoppers

4. DEBENHAMS
Expansion of own label brands starts to pay off
Shopper numbers decline despite new stores and ranges
Clothing continues to drive footfall
Debenhams share of shoppers
Drops off after two year rise
Penetration of all demographics down, bar 25–34s
Debenhams customer profile
Debenhams cross-sector shopping
Shoppers use Debenhams the most for clothing
Cross-sector shopping drops after two year rise
Shopping around
FENWICK
Protects overall performance
Shopper levels drop off after 2010 rise
Fenwick becomes more popular with C2DEs
More Fenwick shoppers use it for clothing and electricals
Fenwick share of shoppers
Shopper levels drop off after two year rise
Still most popular among ABs
Fenwick customer profile
Fenwick cross-sector shopping
Electricals moves into second behind clothing
Cross-sector shopping falls for second year
Shopping around
HOUSE OF FRASER
Attracts new department store shoppers
Highest department store shopper penetration in three years
45–64s represent highest proportion of its shoppers
House of Fraser shoppers use its footwear offer more
House of Fraser share of shoppers
House of Fraser appeals to more department store shoppers
Penetration of 45–64s grows
House of Fraser customer profile
House of Fraser cross-sector shopping
HoF shoppers use it more for footwear and electricals
Cross-sector shopping drops marginally
Shopping around
JOHN LEWIS
Improvements to clothing draw in shoppers
More department store shoppers choose John Lewis as competition intensifies
Penetration of 16–24s rises
Clothing jumps to most shopped sector
John Lewis share of shoppers
Improves share of department store users

5. Larger penetration of 16-24s
John Lewis customer profile
John Lewis cross-sector shopping
Clothing becomes most shopped sector
Cross-sector shopping declines for second consecutive year
Shopping around
MARKS & SPENCER
Expect to see improvements next year as a result of the new strategy
Protects shopper share but fails to pull in new customers
Older customers continue to dominate, but 16–24 proportion of breakdown rises marginally
Clothing remains most used sector …
while demand for food & grocery declines
Marks & Spencer share of shoppers
Protects department store shopper share to remain number one
Male shopper share improves
Marks & Spencer customer profile
Marks & Spencer cross-sector shopping
Usage for food & grocery slumps
Cross-sector shopping falls back after 2010 rise
Shopping around
SELFRIDGES
Shopper numbers down overall, but younger consumers are drawn in
Visitors down once more
Females and 16–34s grow share
DE shopper proportion decreases
Launch of Shoe Galleries increases footwear shoppers
Selfridges share of shoppers
Shoppers down for second year
Youngest shoppers are drawn to fashion brands and aspirational environment
Selfridges customer profile
Selfridges cross-sector shopping
Footwear department is shopped more
Fewer customers shop across different departments
Shopping around
TJ HUGHES
New stores pull in new shoppers
Shopper share grows as brand presence increases
ABs shop more, while DEs go elsewhere
Homewares overtakes clothing as most used sector
TJ Hughes share of shoppers
Discounted brands proposition appeals to more shoppers
Proportion of AB shoppers rises
TJ Hughes customer profile
TJ Hughes cross-sector shopping
Homewares becomes most shopped sector

6. Shopping across departments dips marginally
Shopping around
APPENDIX
Methodology
Further reading
Ask the analyst
Verdict Research consulting
Disclaimer
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