Build-A-Bear Marketing Case Study Essay

Build –A- Bear Case Study
  It has come to my attention that the Build-A-Bear workshop has been very profitable.   In trying to ensure educational expectations are met in our Marketing Class Co.   I would like all employees to review some of Build-A-Bear’s practices and procedures that could be beneficial to our bottom line.   Build-A-Bear opened its first store in 1996 created by Maxine Clark.   Attached is her websites fact sheet in attachment A (www.buildabear.com, 2012, Pg.1).   Her customers have social needs for belonging and affection.   They also have individual needs for knowledge and self expression.   Maxine Clark has met these needs by creating a company that thrives on a community feeling store where customers can create their own friend that they can cuddle and play with.   The store has a social make up that people enjoy the activity of going to the store and creating the bear just as much as the product they are buying.   The text suggests that even waiting in line with other bear creators is just as stimulating as the actual building. She meets their individual needs for knowledge by allowing customers to do the work in the process of bringing their bears to life.   This is very cost effective to have the customer doing the labor and can give them a sense of ownership like creating your own child. They are able to use self expression in the choices that they make for the bear including but not limited to clothing, voice, accessories, furniture, and shoes.
  Children want to go out for the day with their parents and enjoy a fun activity.   We all know that children want toys.   Especially toys that other children have but they want it to stand out.   In my experience customers like choices of customization and just like the options package in a car this want is met a Build-A-Bear.   They allow customers to get what they envision for their bear so it is just what they want.   This helps with customer satisfaction.   Build-A-Bear customers demand that they have a...