Merchandising: Astonish Your Customers With New Product Categories

Sometimes that kind of attitude is just what it takes to launch into a new category. L.L. Bean had that sort of spunk many years ago when it tested its first piece of indoor future (an artisan canoe table) in its outdoor recreation catalog. Starbucks added music and entertainment products to its infamous coffee offerings. Ann Taylor recently entered the celebrations business by adding formal dresses to its traditional careerwear offering. Pottery Barn dipped its toe in the teen market with creative bedroom/dorm room containers and organizers. Many of these ideas might have originally been out of their brand’s comfort zone. But looking back, they made perfect sense.