Ross Is the Deepest-Value Brand in the Category

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The bottom line up front  

Ross is the deepest-value brand in the category. It over-indexes harder on looking for a great deal (Mental Advantage +10.4) than any other brand, plus buying well-known brands for less (+8.3) and everyday-clothing replacement (+5.1). Its equity concentrates among lower-income shoppers, with mental market share falling from 7.5% under $50K to 3.9% at $100K+, the steepest income decline in the set. Ross under-indexes on anything discretionary or dressed-up (weddings -8.8). It owns the bargain occasion for the value shopper, and its job is to defend that against TJ Maxx and Walmart rather than reach upmarket.

For this analysis, we focused and surveyed on major department stores in the U.S. that primarily have brick and mortar locations.

 Where Ross Stands

Ross reaches most value shoppers (62.3% aware, 65.3% mental penetration) with 6.3% mental market share, the strongest of the standalone off-price brands. Its emotional connection (3.37) is the highest of any non-mass brand in the category, and its network size (7.78) is strong, both signs of a brand shoppers rely on routinely for value.

Its defining feature is the income slope, the reverse of the premium department stores, which anchors the brand precisely to the deep-value shopper.

 The Occasions Ross Owns

Note: These scores in this table are based on the full set of brands we ran our study on, not just the brands listed in the headers at the top. To see the full table, get in touch.

Ross over-indexes most on great deals (+10.4), the single strongest deal lean in the category, plus brands-for-less (+8.3), everyday-clothing replacement (+5.1), seasonal wardrobe refresh (+4.9), and back-to-school (+4.1). Its top absolute associations, great deals (35.6%), brands-for-less (34.2%), and seasonal wardrobe (31.5%), define a clear bargain identity.

It under-indexes on the planned and discretionary occasions, specific purchases (-5.2), beauty (-5.7), essentials (-5.8), and weddings (-8.8). This is an unusually clean value profile with no pretension to occasion dressing.

Who Ross Is Winning (and Losing)

Ross wins the lower-income value shopper decisively. Its mental market share runs 7.5% under $50K, 5.4% at $50-100K, and 3.9% at $100K+, the steepest downward income slope in the category, marking it as a brand built around affordability.

It loses the higher-income shopper, where discretionary and planned occasions live, and it competes closely with TJ Maxx and Walmart for the value shopper it does win. Its bargain ownership is its moat, but it is a moat concentrated at one end of the income scale.

What's In the Way

The income ceiling is the structural limit. Ross weakens sharply as income rises, so reaching upmarket would mean competing on occasions where its value positioning does not travel. Its growth has to come from depth with the value shopper, not from a higher-income push.

The competitive pressure is TJ Maxx on brands-for-less and Walmart on pure price and convenience. Ross over-indexes hardest on deals, but it has to keep converting that mental strength into visits against two larger competitors chasing the same occasion.

Why This Matters Now

Defend the deal occasion. Ross over-indexes on great deals more than anyone. That ownership, among lower-income shoppers, is its core equity and the thing to protect against TJ Maxx and Walmart.

Accept the income ceiling. Ross weakens sharply at higher incomes. Reaching upmarket means competing where its value positioning does not travel; depth with the value shopper is the stronger and more defensible play.

Extend into everyday replacement. Its lean on replacing worn-out clothing is a natural, frequent adjacency to the deal occasion and a way to increase visit frequency without leaving its lane.

About this research

Morning Consult conducts over 30,000 daily proprietary surveys in 45 countries covering more than 5,000 brands and 50 economic indicators. 

Our category advantage research is aimed at understanding the needs driving consumers in your category — and how your brand can own more of them. This research is built on validated principles of brand-driven growth and powered by Morning Consult’s industry-leading sampling technology.

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