Tweens Tossing Toys Aside for JLo

Tweens are moving from “kids'things” — toys, children's entertainment, etc. — to music products and brand-name apparel at an earlier age than previously, according to a new study by The Zandl Group (New York). And The Gap, Target and Old Navy seem to be the beneficiaries.

“There is a growing niche of products and retailers that addresses this in-between age group,” says research firm president Irma Zandl, “and the ones that succeed have perfected the kid-teen mix.”

Zandl research shows that since 1997, Old Navy, Target and The Gap have made significant inroads into this important consumer group, while J.C. Penney and Rave are among the retailers to have lost ground. Wal-Mart still has the largest market share, but at 12 percent it's the same share the retailer enjoyed five years ago. Too Inc. also claims a 12 percent share of this market, according to Zandl's research, but wasn't around as an independent retailer in 1997.

Zandl attributes the accelerated move into more-grown-up products to a variety of factors: the proliferation of products (e.g. L'Oreal kids shampoo) created for them; more single-child households (often the product of later marriages and older parents); and more dual-career households, leading to indulgent parents who try to compensate for a lack of time with their children by giving in to their wishes.

The research indicates that specialty retailers'popularity with tweens (especially girls) has increased by 52 percent over the last five years, at the expense of department stores. More boys are also getting their clothes at sporting goods stores.

The most popular stores for tweens are: Wal-Mart and Limited Too (12 percent); Old Navy (11 percent); J.C. Penny (7 percent, but 14 percent in 1997); The Gap (6 percent); Sears and Target (5 percent; in 1997, Sears also enjoyed a 5 percent market share, and Target's was 4 percent); and Rave (4 percent).

“Limited Too and Old Navy provide tweens with stylishly on-trend products that cater specifically to their growing interest in fashion,” Zandl says. “Both stores also deliver entertainment value with upbeat cool music tracks and an energetic welcoming teen staff. Both of these retailers are also popular with moms.

“Wal-Mart, while not providing a particularly engaging and fun environment, is noteworthy and smart in signing on the Olsen twins,” Zandl continues. “The mary-kate-and-ashley line is a tween marketing juggernaut — cool fashions, accessories and now cosmetics!”

Zandl research shows “cool” for today's tween girls is Skeckers 4 wheelers, wearing pajama bottoms to school, Barbie Jam & Glam tour bus, Usher, Lizzie McGuire, Bring It On, Jennifer Lopez, Limited Too Jeans, Bath & Body Works cucumber melon and McDonald's.

For boys, it's X-Box, Playstation 2, Heely's shoes, DMX, Dragon Ball Z, The Fast & The Furious, Jennifer Lopez, Tommy jeans, Bod fragrance and McDonald's.

Irma Zandl will be a featured speaker at VM+SD's International Retail Design Conference, Sept. 18-20, 2002, in Pasadena, Calif. For registration information, visit www.irdconline.com.