As the editor of Retail Dive, it’s my job to keep tabs on every piece of retail-related news—the good, the bad, and the silly. From (another) Urban Outfitters’ mistake to Amazon’s bet on fashion, here are some of the most interesting reads from the past week.
#UrbanOutfittersBeLikeWhoops
Last week, Urban Outfitters was called out for its seemingly-outlandish pricing in the Twitter campaign #UrbanOutfittersBeLike. As Digiday noticed, the first item used as an example was an $8 set of ponytail hairbands. A similar product sells on Amazon for $3.69.
Urban outfitters.. pic.twitter.com/UsfiLzLf8p
— groovygoonie (@wholeyattamoney) June 25, 2015
Then, things got creative.
#UrbanOutfittersBeLike classic weekender tote bag $59.99 pic.twitter.com/rWWHajdpWw
— . (@GRANTGOGETS) June 26, 2015
#UrbanOutfittersBeLike pioneer khaki workout towel $54.76 pic.twitter.com/ErEk8TihNx
— j o r d a n n (@Janaee03) June 26, 2015
A thrift-store outlet is not an oxymoron
Macy’s, Nordstroms, and Gap are all getting into the off-price outlet store game. Another lesser-known name in the lineup? Goodwill. Clothing at its outlet goes for $1.39 a pound and there are buckets of golf clubs, cutlery, and crutches abound.
Doll hair salons, doll hospitals...even dolls for dolls
These are some of the attractions found in American Girl doll stores around the country, profiled in a feature on Racked. It’s all part of a booming business that produced $620 million in sales last year by fulfilling the every whim of their young guests (and sometimes even their paying parents).
Amazon does fashion too
Amazon is looking to get glitzy and bridge the gap between its online and fashion businesses with a sponsorship of the first New York Fashion Week for men. Business of Fashion looks into it:
“Many brands are surprised to understand that we operate like any other retailer,” Amazon Fashion CMO Jennie Perry told Business of Fashion. “We go to market, we have inventory, we buy product, we have buyers.”
A sneakerhead’s delight
Vintage Keds sneakers, spiked Christian Louboutin flats, and the “Obama Force One”: These sneaker models and more are on display at the new exhibit “The Rise of Sneaker Culture” at the Brooklyn Museum.
