Survey for my Marketing Class

As many of you know, I am in the middle of getting a second college degree!  I am preparing ahead for a final project in my Marketing class.  Marketing has been HARD.  I just don't think in that way.  I'm taking it online and one of the requirements is to participate in a discussion board each week.  I've gone back and forth with the professor in a discussion on how Starbucks has convinced people to pay that much for foam and a squirt of coffee.  I finally threw up my hands and said I did not know.  He replied with a fairly huffy "Well...I guess you'll never be a marketer."  I'm debating about replying with a snide "and that would be why I am an accounting major".  But so far I'm demonstrating restraint.

However, I am going to need a little help getting through this class with this professor.  And I'm asking you for a few minutes of your time.  My final project due in a few weeks is to write a marketing plan.  We are to choose an established company, gather all the existing facts, and then create a plan.  I selected Michaels Arts and Crafts.  I picked it because I regularly scratch my head at the fact that financially, they are the top craft store.  The store in my town is small and cluttered and, although I do wander in every so often with my coupon, it is not my first choice.  However, I was visiting my hometown of Rapid City, South Dakota, and that Michaels is gorgeous and it was busy.  I'd shop there.

So, I want to ask you a few questions.  You can reply to this post or, if you'd rather, e-mail me at sing.email@comcast.net.

If you don't have a Michaels any where near you - you can stop reading here because you can't answer my questions!!

If you do have a Michaels and you have a few minutes, could you answer any or all of the following?


How would you describe the average shopper at Michaels?


Do you shop there?

- If not, why?  And what could they change to get your business?

- If you do shop there:

   1. What do you like about Michaels, e.g. their products, their coupons, etc.

   2. Do you view your store as older or is it one of the newer, open stores (if you can tell)?

   3. Do you shop in any departments besides cardmaking?

   4. Official press releases from them promote their "specialty" stores, e.g. The Crayola Store, Chef Duffs baking shop, Little MisMatched etc. I have to admit to being unaware of any of these promotions (except for their partnership with Martha Stewart in scrapbooking, but Martha has branched out to most stores now). Have you heard of and/or used any of their specialty items?

   5. What could they do better, for example, in my case, they just need a bigger store - everything is so cluttered, that even new product seems cheap and dingy - it's just an impression, but that's OK.


I so appreciate any help you could give me!  Thank you!