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White Dove Thrift Shoppes, two stores in Phoenix run by Hospice of the Valley, serve a vital function in the city. These stores allow members of the community to donate and shop while furthering the Hospice cause. Many aspects of the stores run smoothly but there is always room for improvement. While no formal goals have been established, it seems likely that management is looking for ways to increase sales and improve brand awareness. To determine how this can be accomplished, I conducted an external audit interviewed White Dove personnel. To remain competitive, White Dove needs to emphasize its strengths. Among these is the sense of community White Dove provides for its volunteers, customers, and management. The store offers high quality merchandise at a low price, which is essential for the thrift industry. The stores also are quite innovative, which will serve them well in the future. Along with its strengths, White Dove has some areas for improvement. To maximize profitability, it is recommended that White Dove engage in business practices that it is currently not exploring. In terms of marketing, the stores could advertise more within Hospice and the local community. Store tangibles could also be modified to make customers feel more comfortable. Additionally, White Dove should improve training methods for its volunteers and make all volunteers feel appreciated. Finally, managers have indicated that they would like to expand to a younger demographic. To accomplish this, White Dove can utilize ASU students and Greek life. If White Dove can successfully implement these recommendations and continue to highlight its strengths, the stores will remain competitive in the future.
ContributorsMcLellan, Brittany Ann (Author) / Ostrom, Amy (Thesis director) / Mokwa, Michael (Committee member) / Hutchman, Elizabeth (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Humanities, Arts, and Cultural Studies (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor)
Created2013-05