Discussions about the fashion industry thread

[cyc wid it]

So Alpha Romeo will never be Mercedes quality or durability wise, but boy is it pleasure to load onto the tow truck and see every morning when you wake up and have to drive to work

FTFY

 

[SimonC]

Interesting contrasts in there - particularly between not feeling the need to be part of NYFW yet doing 10 drops a year (seriously, I would be happy not to hear that word for the rest of 2019).

 

[gs77]

FTFY

FTFY

But it looks good on a tow truck

 

[cb200]

Urban outfitters looks to be rolling out a rental / membership program that allows you to rent 6 pieces including vintage for $80 a month. Interesting move for a retailer to get into the rental business. It's not for me, but perhaps their customer base will jump at the rental offer.

 

[Todd Shelton]

Urban outfitters looks to be rolling out a rental / membership program that allows you to rent 6 pieces including vintage for $80 a month. Interesting move for a retailer to get into the rental business. It's not for me, but perhaps their customer base will jump at the rental offer.

I don't fully understand how this works financially for urban outfitters. $88 is not a lot of money. It's a lot of work to process returns and inspect/clean/etc. Those garments, especially if trend driven, don't have a long life-cycle. I guess they'll make their money on the people who don't use it often and the people who don't return the garments (kind of like how gyms make money on the people who never come).

But I'm reading more brands are starting this type service. And there's the brands that are asking customers for used garments, for credit on new purchases. I don't know how much of this is experience marketing or if times are really changing.

 

[styleforumfan]

Nordstrom seems to stuck in a permanent retail rut.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/nord...nt-cuts-2019-forecast-204648122--finance.html

 

[smittycl]

Nordstrom seems to stuck in a permanent retail rut.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/nord...nt-cuts-2019-forecast-204648122--finance.html

I like Nordstrom. Great place for staples and accessories. Hope they muddle through.

 

[bamgrinus]

I don't fully understand how this works financially for urban outfitters. $88 is not a lot of money. It's a lot of work to process returns and inspect/clean/etc. Those garments, especially if trend driven, don't have a long life-cycle. I guess they'll make their money on the people who don't use it often and the people who don't return the garments (kind of like how gyms make money on the people who never come).

But I'm reading more brands are starting this type service. And there's the brands that are asking customers for used garments, for credit on new purchases. I don't know how much of this is experience marketing or if times are really changing.

I suspect that it just increases customer engagement with the brand, sort of how having an app does. They may advertise keeping the garment as less of a penalty and more of a "Keep it for $x" like Redbox. Maybe removing uncertainty about sizing make consumers more willing to engage with brands that they haven't tried before. Maybe just getting them to regularly interact with rentals increases their overall spending in general.

 

[cb200]

I'd expect churn would be a big factor on rentals. Getting new members has to have a cost and getting a lifetime value out of them might take a while. First customers would be easier to attract while later ones I'd expect to take more to reach or win over.

Regardless, the retailers with the resources to make bets on innovation are doing so. Like... https://www.amazon.com/thedrop

 

[LA Guy]

I suspect that it just increases customer engagement with the brand, sort of how having an app does. They may advertise keeping the garment as less of a penalty and more of a "Keep it for $x" like Redbox. Maybe removing uncertainty about sizing make consumers more willing to engage with brands that they haven't tried before. Maybe just getting them to regularly interact with rentals increases their overall spending in general.

I'm guessing that it's all of the above, and if they end up a bit in the black it's a bonus, and if a bit in the red, then it's part of the cost of marketing. I'm not their target audience, and I've little knowledge of consumer habits in their age group and income range, but I can't imagine taking the time to return rentals unless it was really, really, easy, like it is for YNAP companies, but that probably varies greatly with age and income.

 

[dieworkwear]

Jay Fielden steps down as Esquire editor

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/23/business/media/esquires-editor-fielden-hearst-magazines.html

 

[smittycl]

Huh. Didn't have a very long tenure. Interesting read.

 

[Nbarbar]

The old "lure of new possibilities" line...

 

[cb200]

Jay Fielden steps down as Esquire editor

Gotta get a pic for the 'gram on the way out.

 

[styleforumfan]

So much marketing BS on a white T-shirt. LOL.

https://www.mrporter.com/journal/vi...-_-VideoSpot&dclid=CJeJ2M_isuICFcnGwAodAb8NxQ