To Market, To Market

With the rise of super stores across the nation, it's no longer odd to buy a jar of jelly with your jean jacket, and Kroger is hoping their new line of clothing inspires you to do just that.

To be clear, Kroger is not my “go-to” for clothes. I can count on one hand the items I’ve purchased for myself, including a hoodie and a pair of New Balance street sneakers on clearance. That being said, I’m not a label snob, and if a piece of clothing is cute, I won't rule it out just because it’s located next to my beef brisket.

So today, when wandering the aisles, my eye was drawn to a cute pleated navy midi skirt hanging on the rack. It actually came in size XS, which as a petite person I appreciate (it also came in red). And who can argue with an elastic waist? I also liked a plain gray top with a high-low hem- perfect for leggings or skinny jeans.

At this time, there is only a small selection of clothing, as Kroger plans a full launch in September, but I am intrigued by what I saw. The price points start around $14 for the top and $19 for the skirt. I'll be interested to see if any of Kroger's coupons apply to their new line- many times, they'll run an extra percentage off sale clothes in their paper ad.

Next I looked at the name of the new label: Dip. Hmm…several connotations popped into my head. It didn’t escape my notice that I was in a grocery store, so I figured that Dip was a reference to a food dip, or something akin to dipping into something new. What I do appreciate is the simplicity of the name- one 3-letter word. What I don't like is that I don't necessarily want to associate my clothes with hummus or ranch dip! Forbes Magazine even ran an article with reasons why Kroger should rethink it's name.

At this point, I'll "stay tuned" to what Kroger brings to the aisle- besides the chips. Can they compete with Wal-Mart and Target? Did they complete market research to determine their target demographic (one can assume, but still never a guarantee). If I'm their target, I'd say they're off to a good start- I'm pretty sure I'll be trying on that skirt the next time I need groceries, which might end up being sooner rather than later!