thebabyperks

Why Abercrombie Isn't Popular- From A Teenager

As stated on the "Today Show", Abercrombie sales have dropped 12%. To me the problems they have encountered were begging to hit them from the start.

Let's start with this picture.

via www.vogue.co.uk

1) What is this really selling? I can answer it for you, image and sexiness. Is it selling the products, no. By stationing these attractive men outside the store, girls are going to ask for a picture and then continue on shopping elsewhere. I'm not saying put these guys in the stores so girls go in, I'm saying try a different marketing strategy beyond hot guys.

2) The infamous CEO Michael Jeffries. In 2006 he was interviewed by Salon magazine and one of the topics was sex appeal, to which he responded: 
      “It’s almost everything. That’s why we hire good-looking people in our stores. Because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don’t market to anyone other than that."
He has since retracted his remarks saying they now market to everyone, and have released a plus size range. However, his comments will never disappear. He has offended a lot of people, and even if those people now fit the "plus size" demographic, why would they shop there if they aren't the skinny, cool image, Abercrombie wants to obtain?

3) The pricing. Now I understand pretty much every store has overpriced clothing. However, Abercrombie's "style" is really nonexistent. The products they have could be purchased for way cheaper somewhere else. Also, while searching on their website I looked for what they had available for that plus size group they are now targeting as they say. 

A flannel shirt costs $58, a similar American Eagle flannel costs $39.95.

 When I clicked on the XL button for "tops" these were the only three shirts that showed up. What a great sense of variety, three shirts with ABERCROMBIE across them, how creative!

via: http://www.abercrombie.com/shop/us/

Now obviously I'm not a marketing expert but there are evident problems that Abercrombie and Fitch are ignoring. If they truly want to be a successful business, they need to make their products desirable, fresh, and new. Not the same old products teenagers have seen since middle school.

Until next time,

Taylor xx