Random fashion thoughts

Re: Blackbird pricing, from another interview they just posted:

Retailer Files: What's the hardest part of the retail industry?

Nicole Miller: The biggest issue I'm seeing right now in the industry is pricing. There's a really screwed up thing happening with the vendors setting the retail prices. They're keeping the suggested retail the same, like a reasonable price, but they're increasing their cost so the margins are decreasing. Since they're setting a suggested retail, if I go in and set my normal margin, I look like the biggest jerk out there. It's really tough. I'm curious about what other retailers are doing about it. We don't really talk to each other. Japan has a great retail model. Everyone shares ideas and resources. In America, everyone is so afraid that someone in Cincinnati is going to find out where they make their scarves and that will put them out of business.

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Many "other retailers" failed and closed up shop.

yes, pretty soon bb will be the only game in time bc of nicole's genius

sounds contrary to the south willard model that is thriving

Originally Posted by robin

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Re: Blackbird pricing, from another interview they just posted:

While I understand her point, Nicole is wrong. The vendors setting the pricing is actually one of the things protecting retailers, particularly B&M retailers like her, with high overhead costs. You take away that vendor control, and you will have a race towards the bottom, because of that dratting old internet thing, which ironically, is what made Blackbird so successful in the first place. Why do you think that online boutiques can have perpetual coupons? Why do you think internet only merchants can have lowest price guarantees? Why do you think on so many sites, you have to put things in your cart in order to see the real (lower than allowed to be advertised) price?

I know one of the vendors that has an issue with Nicole, and I suspect that this is this the main issue between them. She should understand that they are actually doing her a favor.

There are good models that allow retailers to do good business. You have to have truly exclusive product. Stuff that you are not going to be able to find elsewhere, whether it's because you get it made especially for your store (and stuff like Gitman's program does not work) or because you are great at finding the buried gem (see Alan Bilzerian.)

she should also probably be aware that while retail price maintenance is not against the law in the united states, horizontal price fixing (collusion among retailers) is

Can everybody please stop quoting Lane?

who the **** is nicole miller? she seems childish. no offense but the interview is very playful.

Originally Posted by driveslowk

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Can everybody please stop quoting Lane?
I'm not buying your leather anymore, meanie!

SZ is unbearable.

Originally Posted by A Fellow Linguist

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SZ is unbearable.

what is it this time?

Originally Posted by wEstSidE

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who the **** is nicole miller? she seems childish. no offense but the interview is very playful.
owner/buyer for blackbird. She's a very cool lady, that interview seemed strange Blackbird's a great store with great people working there, really feels part of the community in Ballard, which I think is a great thing

Japan has a great retail model.

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I can't say I know much about Japan's retail model, but I did notice that there was basically a set price for everything, and that price was consistent from retailer to retailer. If Bears, Americaya, and Hinoya Plus Mart all carried the same item, it would be the same price at each. I think this pretty much carried through to stuff like beer and sushi at convenience stores (at least in the parts of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hiroshima I saw).

Is price fixing considered acceptable there? Is the MSRP considered law?

Also, I distinctly remember people kvetching about Blackbird's prices being a few clicks higher than comparable retailers with webshops out there a while back, so I'm not surprised to hear her side of the story on that.

That is an impressively ****** interview. I almost admire the hubris that oozes out of that short amount of text. And you know I'm an asshole - I just used the word hubris.

I'm giving up on the idea of the 'perfect fit'.

Originally Posted by notwithit

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Also, I distinctly remember people kvetching about Blackbird's prices being a few clicks higher than comparable retailers with webshops out there a while back, so I'm not surprised to hear her side of the story on that.

yeah people complain about bb and context every so often

Which is **** because context and bb aren't webstores like Revolve or bigger entities like Opening Ceremony, they're local stores that happen to have an online presence, and can't compete for pricing against those giants. I can't speak for Context, but bb sells more instore than online. People that shop there do so for the great staff and service, the ability to try stuff on locally, etc.