The 4 P's of Marketing: Product, Price, Place and Promotion

In this paper I will discuss the 4 P's that Gap Inc. and Ann Taylor use today. The 4 P's consist of: Product, Price, Place and Promotion. Both clothing companies have used online and offline advertisements. I will also discuss how websites have complemented their brick and mortar stores.

Gap: Brick and Mortar

The first of the 4 P's is product. According to Gap.com, "..Gap Inc. is one of the world's largest specialty retailers, with about 3,000 stores and fiscal 2004 revenues of $16.3 billion. We operate four of the most recognized apparel brands in the world - Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy and Forth & Towne." (About Gap Inc., 2005)

The second of the 4 P's is price. At Gap Inc. they offer discounts at all of their brick & mortar locations. For example, they may offer a buy one shirt and get the second half off sale. Gap is always using this type of advertising to increase sales. This brings loyal customers and new customers into the stores. The new customers get to try the product at a discount and if they like it, they will buy more.

The third of the 4 P's is place. As I've stated before Gap Inc has several brick and mortar companies all over the world. In the year 2001 an affiliate of Gap Inc, Old Navy, opened 12 locations in Canada. With an increase in locations come more customers.

The last of the 4 P's is promotion. Surfing the internet, you will find public comments on most of Gap's. advertisements. Their musical advertisements on television catch everyone's eyes from all ages. Here are a few links to some comments the public have made on Gap Inc.'s advertisements.

Gap: Online

The first P is product. As we've established already Gap Inc is a clothing store that has expanded to saling their products in and outside of the US. The online environment provides great benefits to Gap in addition to the current brick and mortar stores. For example, if a customer bought a pair of pants online that didn't fit upon arrival, they could return them to the brick and mortar store.