2.They are 85% same season and 15% classic staple clothing. They are able to keep costs down because they buy close to need, are lean on inventory, great relationships with buyers and aggressive inventory management.

3. less than 5% of clothing are irregular.

4. Yes they do offer couture brands.

5. T.J. Maxx must buy close to need is rapidly changing and is able to offer more variety in lines of clothes (brands). Marshalls offers a much broader selection of footwear, accessories, juniors, infants, shoes, women, home fashions, menswear, lingerie, family apparel, and offers a specific line of clothes.

6. I think one small improvement would be to reward frequent shoppers with discount coupons. Although this is small but is shows customer appreciation. The new layout has finally taken care of the out of control long lines, thank you.

Tie Breaker: I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been stuck inside a dressing room, praying for a sales person to help me get a different size. It would be a huge help to have a “personal shopper like person” who can come and go from the dressing room, offer suggestions and help fashion conscious women like myself who LOVE A BARGAIN, get the same type of customer service that the big department stores do. If they did this, there is absolutely no reason to shop anywhere else, current season clothing, great prices and excellent customer service. Wake me up…I’m dreaming!!!!

Tie-Breaker:
Let me start by saying that I think both stores are meant to be disorganized, because that makes you think you are getting bargain. You’re not in a department store; if you were, you’d be paying higher prices! And not knowing what is going to be in the store, encourages you to drop by more often, because you never know. You quickly learn that the newest shipments are right in front. If you stop by frequently (weekly), you only have to hit those caurosels and not weed through the racks.

With that said, I would improve:

1) More petites in sizes 00, 0, 2. I’m dubious this is possible, since there isn’t that much to choose from in department petites either – but one can ask.

Will add kudos for having the sizes clearly marked on the color-coded hangers! That makes it very easy for me to find my size.

2) Sturdier shopping carts. Over a decade ago, when shopping with my then-preschoolers, the cart tipped over. They haven’t changed the carts in all those years. Kids should NOT be put in those carts. They are completely unsafe.

However, when you are shopping with little kids in tow, you have to put them in a cart or stroller or *something* – because if you don’t, well, I once had my daughter bolt on me… I couldn’t find her for a few heart-stopping moments: she crawled underneath the racks!!! So if you want moms to shop for a long time, make it more mom-friendly. Perhaps those carts that look like cars, like they have at the grocery store? Wider aisles to accomodate strollers? How about a play area in the dressing room? And special parking spots for moms with infants? This is one area I think needs more clever thinking. You want mom in there for hours shopping for the whole family, not just herself. She may have to bring young kids.

3) There’s always a line-up of carts near the dressing room, because people (and I do this myself!) load the cart up, but then you can only take in 8 items at a time. So they allow you to leave the rest in a cart outside. But the aisle to the dressing room gets cluttered with carts, and you can’t get to those racks at all. There has to be a better system (and no, it is not banning people from using carts… it’s laborious, in a store that size, to go back and forth to the dressing room carrying only 8 items at a time… if I wasn’t allowed to load up a cart, I wouldn’t bother to shop there). So maybe just make that aisle bigger, or have a designated “cart corral” near the dressing room?

4) My number one pet peeve: while I actually don’t mind if the store is disorganized and even a little dirty (it’s part of the whole “bargain shopping” experience”), I cannot stand dirty dressing rooms!! At every store, there is usually a layer of dust bunnies all over the floor. And not enough hooks, and the little ledge thing is not big enough to pile on my own clothes, purse, coat.

If your intention is to have upscale shoppers, well, I’m sorry, but I do not want to take off my nice clothes and have them laying on a dirty dusty floor. Yuck. So keep those dressing room floors neat as a pin, and add more hooks. (Often you’ll end up in a dressing room with broken hooks). Respect the clothes I walked in wearing, and maybe I will buy more at your store!

2. Over 85% of the stock within store is the current season items, with less than 15% of “classic staple items” bought and packed away for next season.

3. Less than 5% of TJ Maxx Merchandise is irregular.

4. TJ Maxx carries couture brands such as Prada, Valentino and Roberto Cavalli at stores containing a specialty section known as The Runway, and as of January 1st, 2008, 43 TJ Maxx stores contain this section.

5.The differences between TJ Maxx and Marshalls are such: Marshalls offers an ever expanding selection of Mens Wardrobe items, Shoes, and Junior Items whereas TJ Maxx has expanded accessories and fine jewelry departments. They do have similar business models, but it seems as though Marshalls offers a more complete “family” shopping experience.

Tie Breaker:

I think it would be very helpful if the aisles within the rows of clothing could be made wider so that more than one customer can comfortably peruse the racks, especially when shopping with a cart. Additionally, brand name items could be organized together, rather than by endless racks of clothing divided by size. More mirrors and better lighting, especially in the fitting rooms would be helpful. A larger variety of styles in the Mens Shoes section would be a wonderful thing to see for my husband’s shopping needs! Probably the most important improvement for me would be adding additional styles and brands of toddlers (especially boys) clothing beyond the velour track suits and Ralph Lauren Polos.