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For whatever reason, we decided to spend some time shopping online today for clothing. This may seem easier than it actually is.
We had known that a year ago, H&M did not have a online store. We assumed this was because they had only really begun to expand in the US. But as it turns out, they still only have a fancy-pants flash presentation, no shopping.
Fine, we thought, we don't want your fancy European clothing anyway. So we turned to our good American retailers expecting capitalism to have shined. Instead, we were presented with messages like "See it here. Buy it in the store".
WTF?
It may have been innovative ten years ago to display a few of your in store items online and direct shoppers there to buy the items. Today, is unacceptable.
Besides H&M, Express and at least one other store we've already blotted out of our memory do not offer the option of purchasing their products through their websites.
Dear Clothing Retailers,
What ninety year old executive do you have making decisions about product distribution? Brick and Mortar stores are so last century. Stop fucking with my head.
Thanks.
We had known that a year ago, H&M did not have a online store. We assumed this was because they had only really begun to expand in the US. But as it turns out, they still only have a fancy-pants flash presentation, no shopping.
Fine, we thought, we don't want your fancy European clothing anyway. So we turned to our good American retailers expecting capitalism to have shined. Instead, we were presented with messages like "See it here. Buy it in the store".
WTF?
It may have been innovative ten years ago to display a few of your in store items online and direct shoppers there to buy the items. Today, is unacceptable.
Besides H&M, Express and at least one other store we've already blotted out of our memory do not offer the option of purchasing their products through their websites.
Dear Clothing Retailers,
What ninety year old executive do you have making decisions about product distribution? Brick and Mortar stores are so last century. Stop fucking with my head.
Thanks.
3 Comments:
Express Fashion for men and women is owned by a company called Limited Brands (also owns Victoria's Secret, Express, Bath & Body Works, The Limited, The Limited Too, The White Barn Candle Co. and Henri Bendel) the man who heads up this massive retail money making machine is Les Wexner.
Yes, unfortunately they don’t offer online shopping – they may, someday, but I think and I may be wrong here, that the primary reason is that it would be contrary to their business model as well as their merchandising model.
If you look at the way their lines, or “looks” for each season are structured, particularly with women’s wear, they always offer basic colors, with a few fashion colors as they are called, mixed within. Usually solids. A few simple prints are scattered throughout along with three or four (sometimes more) “luxury” items. Looking at the styles, they are generally very basic – basic tanks, tees, shirts and then seven or so styles of pants that are usually only slightly altered each season—the silhouettes are kept the same. This is what stores like Express make their money on—basics. Now, they COULD sell these online, but many of their customers actually prefer to go in the store and they depend heavily on the availability of the product. Adding an online element COULD make that difficult with the supply chain. Limited relies on the success of their stores, so my guess, too is that they don’t want the online thing to take away from that success. Also, Limited has a policy of “the add-ons.” When you go to Express, and try something on, the sales person assisting you will always try to pawn something else off on you. I worked there, and it is part of our “job description” to push additional items and accessories on customers as means of upping sales and also getting customers turned onto silhouettes and colors they normally wouldn’t even think of trying or on or buying. Also, Limited Brands, particularly Express and Limited emphasizes the customer experience so I can see why they wouldn’t want to do online – that ends the customer face time aspect. What their Web site does off, though – is so typical Express—promotions – by one get one free, 20% off (things go on 20% off after like two weeks or maybe even less) of shelf life. Again, encouraging movement of their stock, getting customers in the door in order to “SEE” things up close, and therefore creating more options. Their stock turn-over is pretty rapid so I imagine online would be a big headache.
The other thing is at least for women’s side, the type of woman Express and Limited caters to – it caters to a curvier woman. The hip width, for example in skirts and pant is a little wider, and their extra small fits essentially the average sized woman. So they use a trick called vanity sizing. Their silhouettes are generally simple, lines are clean – designs for woman who want to wear trendy clothing, but who may not be a size zero and may actually have an arse like the most of us and can’t get away with complicated detailing without it looking tawdry. The things is, you still have to try the stuff on because you never know how it is going to flatter. Having a female fig is hard. I imagine online wouldn’t do so well for women. Men, maybe, but women maybe not.
Though, me thinks this problem could be amended with a technology being developed by a company called fashional that creates an avatar based on your measurements that virtually tries on clothing for you and tells you where stress points exist.
Ultimately, however one of the huge reasons some stores don’t offer online, and I will quote my father, John C. Warner, CEO of La Jolla Sports International (DBA O’Neill Sportswear, Lost and Lucky Brand jeans Accessories) “HASSLE, EXPENSE, NOT AS EASY AS IT LOOKS.”
OK --- off my soap box. Ian I guess you are going to have to go to the store.
Oh my god, Sarah. Stop encouraging Ian.
Also, he just wants ta pair of pants. Clothing for men should be online.
Obviously it was a busy day here at work
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