TJX and TJ Maxx
TJX is made up of TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Homegoods, and Sierra Trading Post in the United States. “At the end of 2016, the Company had over $33 billion in revenues, more than 3,800 stores in 9 countries, 3 e-commerce sites, and approximately 235,000 Associates”Source. The TJX Companies, Inc. is the leading off-price retailer of apparel and home fashions in the U.S. and worldwide, ranking No. 87 in the 2017 Fortune 500 listings. Social medial is critical for them to get out to a large base of consumers what can be found at their stores. Until 2013 they did not have an online store, which made it harder for people to get an idea of the unique items and brands they source. With the help of social media, by encouraging the consumers to share what they find and create with the items they find.
The industry has many standards for social media use. The retail industry all use social media to get their customer based involved in marketing their brand. They encourage people to post pictures and videos showing off their favorite brands, trends, and styles in the consumer’s own unique way. They can use hashtags, like #Maxxinista, to get the attention of the company and show other shoppers their unique styles they have created using items they found at TJ Maxx.
TJX has all of their brands well represented across all platforms of social media. TJ Maxx has a twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube. While they are active members on all social network platforms, they are most active on Facebook throughout all of their brands.
TJX has made the user based content their strategy for social media marketing. Even though they are well represented on all social media platforms, most of the content is user generated. They encourage their customers to share what they have found, which is a great way to show how awesome their products are. Since they have the unusual business model, keeping up with each store inventory would be daunting. However, when a customer posts a picture on facebook using one of the many hashtags TJ MAxx has come up with, TJ Maxx reposts it. Then other customers in the area can ask what store they got the items at, how much they were, etc. Their objective for their social media presence is to empower women to be individuals. They have started the Maxx You Project, a project that is moving around the country encouraging women to be individualistic and proud.
TJX has been able to survive the current crisis that is happening in the retail climate. While many retailers are suffering at the hands of internet based businesses like Amazon, TJ Maxx and Marshalls have been able to survive due to the unusual business model of the brand. Even though TJ Maxx has an online store, many people go to the store to hunt down the good deals and find the good finds. This has helped them turn a profit for 33 straight quarters.
The have really broken ground with a younger demographic through social media. They have been able to use the younger demographic to their advantage. The younger age group relies on technology so much more than past generations and on social media to connect with people all over the world. Whether TJX realised it or not, the user generated content that they spark gets their name out with word of mouth.
Through my online research I have found that an overwhelming majority of comments and reviews are positive and with good intent. As I have stated previously, they have a lot of online social media marketing tools that promote individuality among women of all races, sizes, and shapes. #Maxxinista and #Maxlife are easy ways for users to not only post what they have found, but so they have an easy way to show the community what they have found.
TJX also uses social media to answer customer questions and concerns. They seem to be quick to respond and let the customer know how to move forward. They also re tweet and re post a lot of user generated content.
TJX has made their social media marketing strategy mostly user generated. They have successfully targeted and appealed to their target demographic. TJX has used social media to gain followers and provide inspiration for women to be proud of who they are. With popular hashtags like #Maxxinista, they encourage their consumers to share the unique items and fashions they buy.
TJX should use social media better to enhance the user experience. While their unusual business model has kept them steadily in business, it is obvious from the comments and suggestions that consumers bring to them that they want a better way to shop for the items that they advertise. If they are going to use an item in a commercial or online ad they should sell those items in the online store. They could even have a separate category on the menu bar labeled “ Items Used In Commercials” or something similar.
@necsocialmedia
Wow! What a great blog! I really liked the post about going to TJMaxx so they can show you what you need. I also really want to buy a book like the one in your post “Things I do not need to share with absolutely everyone online”. You made a fantastic suggestion about their online ads, especially the point about their creating a category for items used in commercials. Have you considered tweeting that to them so they can follow up with that? I learned a lot from your post. Thank you for sharing.
