Uniqlones -- NY Mag on the rise of Uniqlo

[Roguls]

Originally Posted by sushijerk

I'm there pretty regularly and the check out line moves fast, there is very little clutter because employees are constantly folding and replacing stray items, and I'm always offered a bag if they see me hand carrying multiple items. Whatever the hell they do behind the scenes I think more stores should do it.

Sorry a bunch of college kids trying to make some spending cash makes you want to vomit.

I'm sorry you are there pretty regularly.

 

[Cool The Kid]

I like teh Uniqlo

Not everyone wants to spend $300 on a simple shirt... there's no reason a shirt can't be made of nice material & have a good cut, and be priced within the reach of mortals

Lolololol @ all the people who complain about the experience... they are just ******* clothes.

 

[robbie]

A manager at the Broadway Zara, for instance, can let headquarters know that customers want military-themed peasant blouses, and in fifteen days they will be in the store.

this quote blew my mind.

 

[Casey]

Originally Posted by TheDroog

Good point, I gotcha.

I Look at Gap. Everyone said their sizing sucked and it took them 6+ years to fix that. They're still fixing it.


I used to wear small Gap shirts but about a year ago, I gave up because they became even baggier on me. And I'm pretty sure I didn't get skinnier.

I'm pretty much forced to buy H&M shirts now, unless I am willing to hunt down good bargains.

 

[MiniW]

I've been shopping at uniqlo for 3 years now. It's easy, almost too easy to have a complete (and way above average) wardrobe from there, except for shoes. It's probably the one store I most anticipate going to in Soho because I know I will probably spend less than $100 and still be getting some neat stuff. But there is no reason to settle to become a Uniqlone, as there is no reason to become a Gap clone, or dress head to toe in J Crew, EG, Rick Owens, Dior Homme, etc. I also personally like the fit of Uniqlo better than some other brands (though I did buy a couple of shirts and a jacket from the Gap this year for the first time in 8 years which probably means that other companies are finding out that slimmer fitting clothes and mass production can work together). If you are smart about it, i.e. stocking up on quality basics and a few interesting outerwear on the cheap without going overboard, it's easy to see why Uniqlo is the best friend of many New Yorkers. So keep on hatin' haters, from my point of view it's your loss.

 

[wttm]

Originally Posted by TheDroog

Good point, I gotcha.

I admire what this company is doing. It's listening to customers, keeping supplies limited to build hype, and selling quality items at low cost. Not bad at all.

I don't think I can agree with that at all. I know you are speaking on behalf on your experience from the SOHO store but I don't think there's any hype at all from limiting their supplies. Like you said the turn over rate is extremely high, but they are also extremely efficient at restocking them, I guess you just have to frequent the store enough to catch the "it" items but it's really still not much of a hype. Most proxies I've used were always able to track down a specific item. Also, they practically have a Uniqlo on every block in Japan.

 

[Johdus Fanfoozal]

Originally Posted by wttm

I don't think I can agree with that at all. I know you are speaking on behalf on your experience from the SOHO store but I don't think there's any hype at all from limiting their supplies. Like you said the turn over rate is extremely high, but they are also extremely efficient at restocking them, I guess you just have to frequent the store enough to catch the "it" items but it's really still not much of a hype. Most proxies I've used were always able to track down a specific item. Also, they practically have a Uniqlo on every block in Japan.

They don't limit their supplies by not restocking shelves. The limit their supplies by having one store in the U.S. and no online ordering. That alone has created a tidal wave of hype and exclusivity that generates interest, demand and ultimately a boatload of dough.

 

[TheDroog]

Originally Posted by Johdus Fanfoozal

They don't limit their supplies by not restocking shelves. The limit their supplies by having one store in the U.S. and no online ordering. That alone has created a tidal wave of hype and exclusivity that generates interest, demand and ultimately a boatload of dough.

Yeah, this is what I was talking about. By only having one mega store in the US (and apparently doing a crappy job of taking phone orders) they have purposely kept their clothes in limited supply. Consequently there are lots of people on the internet asking others to proxy $40 chinos to Arkansas. It's not good for the consumer who wants their stuff, but it's smart marketing.

For what it's worth, I don't love the idea of opening a store on 5th Avenue. One mega-store per city seems sufficient to me ... you don't need to suffer H&M style bloat. Opening one store in major urban centers like Chicago and SF seems like the better route.

 

[Cool The Kid]

Originally Posted by TheDroog

Yeah, this is what I was talking about. By only having one mega store in the US (and apparently doing a crappy job of taking phone orders) they have purposely kept their clothes in limited supply. Consequently there are lots of people on the internet asking others to proxy $40 chinos to Arkansas. It's not good for the consumer who wants their stuff, but it's smart marketing.

For what it's worth, I don't love the idea of opening a store on 5th Avenue. One mega-store per city seems sufficient to me ... you don't need to suffer H&M style bloat. Opening one store in major urban centers like Chicago and SF seems like the better route.
Yea the NYC Soho store is so massive, any more real estate here seems excessive I mean the square footage of that store is like 15 H&Ms... plus it's not hard to get to... IDK

 

[innerstyle]

Originally Posted by TheDroog

Yeah, this is what I was talking about. By only having one mega store in the US (and apparently doing a crappy job of taking phone orders) they have purposely kept their clothes in limited supply. Consequently there are lots of people on the internet asking others to proxy $40 chinos to Arkansas. It's not good for the consumer who wants their stuff, but it's smart marketing.

It's not like opening more B&M stores is their only option either in this internet age. Opening a webstore would seem like the ideal option for them if getting their clothes to as many US consumers as possible in the shortest amount of time is their goal.

 

[otc]

Yeah, I am confused as to why they are opening another NYC store unless they seriously can't cope with demand (and don't expect it to ever drop).

When zara opened in chicago, they basically opened two stores at the same time (I guess so that they could compete with H&M which also has a michigan and a state store)...seemed silly.

 

[blynch]

I think the fifth ave store opening is primarily just to have the presence on fifth ave. Not a distribution driven opening, but a flag ship, psycologic tactic. They are making a statement that even though they are cheap, they are good enough to play with the high end stores.

On the other hand, I really don't see why they don't open an online store, as it would fit perfectly in their plan for global dominance. It is not a good business stragy to limit supply causing increased demand, when there is plenty demand there and all you are doing by limiting supply is limiting sales and profit. Maybe their control obsession is holding them back from online sale, as you would not get the "uniqlo" experience.

 

[dunkin]

basically, opening a Uniqlo on 5th avenue is equivalent to opening a store in middle america/any city in US and in europe and korea and china b/c of all the tourists from those parts around here

there is a line for A&F everyday for christ sakes.....

 

[Cool The Kid]

Originally Posted by dunkin

basically, opening a Uniqlo on 5th avenue is equivalent to opening a store in middle america/any city in US and in europe and korea and china b/c of all the tourists from those parts around here

there is a line for A&F everyday for christ sakes.....
U know, I don't know that there's always a line... I went to that A&F yesterday, and it LOOKED like there was a line, but when I asked the people standing in front of the store they said 'oh no go right ahead'. I should have asked what they were waiting for... there were a lot of dudes so maybe they were just waiting for their girlfriends/moms. Def a lot of tourists though... and no items that are for sale on the site. Waste of a trip for me

 

[willy cheesesteak]

They have lines in the morning right before the store opens with that velvet rope, **** is absurd.