Fenwick (Competitor)

Fenwick is a chain of department stores in the United Kingdom that was first founded in 1882 by John James Fenwick in Newcastle Upon Tyne and now has 11 branches which is highly demanded by the consumers and makes a heavy profit each day When this first began it sold only mantles, silk, goods, dresses, fabrics and trimming and did not broaden into a department store until 1890.

Fenwick has since expanded its operations since then and that is when it come to being an anchor in the department business. Although being known for its products, The Newcastle store is most famous for its extravagant windows, filled with detailed sets and sophisticated moving figures which was the single most profitable branch of any department for this reason alone. The branch has never looked back since the expansion as it is believed it is the best thing they ever did.

The product areas that this covers are; women’s clothing, women’s beauty, gifts, and a line of concessions. This targets women with the disposable income to be able to go and spend what they like, it’s a way of treating themselves, however, it does target an older age range that in does to Selfridges and the other competitors. With the fact that they only target women and do not cover many confectionery gifts means that they would not be classed as direct competitors. The only reason as to why they are is because they are a department store and all departments retailing stores link in some form or another.

The style this brand takes is extremely similar to Harrods as it is simplistic yet chic and stands out but not too much. This means that the products are able to do the talking due to the name not making such a statement.

As a competitor, I believe that Selfridges and Fenwick are on different ends of the scale due to Selfridges offering more variation and covering more product areas. This means that I do not believe that this would pose as a threat.