Dirty Tricks (Some) Retailers Play September 1, 2009

Need a good reason to buy from a small business and not a big one? You’ve come to the right entry.

I prefer to err on the side of being ethical, even though it certainly is not making me rich. Not all large retailers are diabolical monstrosities, but a fair few of them play some extremely unsavory games in the name of the almighty buck.

Here are some of the more common tricks:

• Treating employees like garbage. To give just one example, a dear friend of mine took a job at a big-box store (due to not being able to find anything else). The store promised him certain hours, then revoked their promise and routinely gave him 12-hour shifts on back-to-back days (after each overlong shift, he was too tired to get home safely, and wound up sleeping inside the store – as did several co-workers). When he asked for the overtime pay he was owed, the company fired him. (For the record, he was a good employee. He’s one of those guys everyone likes because they’re just so damn nice.) Oh, have I mentioned that nearly one third of all Americans living in poverty work in retail? (Source: Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture by Ellen Ruppel Shell.) One would think that companies which give their executives robber-baron paychecks could raise their lower-level employees’ wages enough that they don’t have to scrape by, but most fail to do so.
• Charge backs. Charge backs, which are fees charged to suppliers for not meeting a store’s exact requirements, are sometimes assessed unfairly, and they are expensive enough to create a potential financial problem for smaller suppliers. (Note to would-be designers: be EXTREMELY CAREFUL about following stores’ requirements to the letter or you could wind up paying up to $250 per box in charge back fees.)
• Markdown money. Some stores require guaranteed sell-through, meaning a certain amount of product has to sell at full price, and if it doesn’t, the store charges the supplier ‘markdown money’ to cover the loss when unsold stock goes on sale. The bigger the retailer (or the greater their influence), the easier it is for them to make this demand and get it – and the supplier eats the cost, even though they certainly can’t predict some of the things that affect sales (i.e. recession, unusual weather patterns, an obnoxious D-lister wearing the label, etc.). This is why some department stores manage to make money selling $400 shoes for $75 in big sales. Smaller retailers are less likely to engage in this practice, as they lack the buying power necessary to do so. I disapprove of it myself, even though it means I have to eat the cost of any buying goofs.
• Demanding discounts. Large retailers buy in bulk, and generally demand lower pricing in exchange for doing so. This eats into the suppliers’ profit margin (which leads some of them to push the manufacturers for lower rates…and a company’s “official” factory may secretly use inferior materials or outsource some of the work to a cheap sweatshop as a result – I couldn’t make this up if I tried), and is unfair to smaller stores. (And now you know why big-box stores sell brand-name cleaning products for less than the mom-and-pop store and make far more money doing so.)
• Wrongfully canceling or returning orders. Some stores will cancel or refuse a shipment for any reason, or for no reason at all. I have returned shipments myself, but only if the goods are of unacceptable quality or if they are genuinely flawed (i.e. shoes with glue stains that won’t come out, bags with faulty zippers, etc.). Some stores, however, will return or cancel orders for reasons like someone else knocking off the item. According to Mary Gehlhar in her book The Fashion Designer Survival Guide: “The tragedy of September 11, 2001, resulted in many stores refusing shipments or returning them for absurd reasons, such as in the case of one designer who had T-shirts returned because of their skyscraper motif…Another designer had a dress returned to the store by a customer who wore it once. Afterwards, the designer found yellow sweat marks under the armpits. The store returned the entire shipment of dresses to the designer, even though only one dress was affected and was probably caused by the customer’s deodorant.” (The store should have refused to take back the ruined dress in the first place, but that’s neither here nor there.)
• Destroying or throwing away unsold stock. I can’t name names here without the risk of a lawsuit, but more than one former retail employee has told me stories of chain stores throwing out perfectly usable items they couldn’t sell at any price, or of destroying unsold stock so it could be written off as “damaged.” (My friend who worked at the big-box store corroborated this story.) I absolutely despise waste, so you can imagine how mad these stories always make me. (Side note: once, I had a number of shoes from one shipment that had small defects – mostly scratches. They were wearable, but not sellable. The supplier gave me a credit for all of the imperfect shoes, but told me I didn’t have to return them. Instead, I allowed my then-assistant, who owned only a few pairs of shoes, to take her pick. The rest went to a local women’s shelter.)

When in doubt, buy from a small business, or ask about a larger store’s policies. If they decline to answer, it may not be a good sign. (Granted, they might just lie to your face, so consider asking around and seeing if a large group of disgruntled former employees steps forward.)

Diplomacy in Refusal March 9, 2009

As a fourth-generation member of the fashion world, I have an extremely snarky sense of humor.

I laugh hysterically whenever Ugly Betty villainess Wilhelmina mocks or condemns others’ sartorial gaffes (the gladiator sandal scene last week? Pure genius). I own a button that says “Fashion Police” (and occasionally harbor fantasies about issuing citations to people wearing Crocs, Uggs, real fur, and clothes that don’t even come close to fitting properly). When I’m feeling particularly puckish I could probably give the late Mr. Blackwell a run for his money.

However, as I don’t (yet) wield the power of, say, Anna Wintour, I tend to save the snark for after hours. When dealing with potential suppliers, I’m as professional as any store buyer ever gets…even when what they’re selling is absolutely revolting. (Exception: the little snot mentioned in a previous entry who threw a tantrum when I refused to order the sheep-fur boots he was selling, and very nearly had to be removed by the police. Anyone who tries to sell me dead animals does so at the risk of being ticketed for trespassing.)

Here’s where that gets tricky: niche fashion is NOT like mainstream fashion. In mainstream fashion, the right people can say “It’s hideous – put it on a corpse and bury it” to a designer’s face and still maintain their respected status. In niche fashion, selection is often limited, and when you’re aiming for eco-friendly, vegan, AND sweat-free, not only is the selection limited but it’s often unattractive, made from impractical materials, and designed by amateurs with good intentions but very limited know-how.

Here are excerpts from some of the e-mails M. and I, as co-buyers, have sent each other in regard to the worst offenders:

“Ugh, this crap looks like it was made out of Grandma’s old plastic tablecloths.”

“Are these people high?”

“Are you kidding? This stuff looks like a school kid’s art project.”

“Who the hell is going to wear this?!”

“I had a bag like that in the ’70s and it was a bad idea then, too.”

“If all bamboo/organic cotton/hemp apparel is this skimpy and sloppy-looking, the green-fashion movement is is SERIOUS trouble.”

Do you get the idea?

We’ve been open long enough now to know what sorts of things just don’t sell. Some of the stuff that prompted the comments listed might sell in a laid-back market like San Francisco, but would never, ever cut it in Southern California, land of hedonism and (metaphorical) plastic. Our flagship is behind the Orange Curtain, for seitan’s sake! If something looks like it was made by a child, only comes in ugly colors (or worse, ugly patterns), or looks like it was pilfered from the corpse of a dead hippie, no one in this market is going to buy it. Laugh at it, maybe, but I have to carry things that will actually sell.

Which begs the question of what to tell someone who is trying to sell me something that won’t sell in the store.

As a blunt, honest person, I WANT to tell them point-blank why their wares can’t cut it in this style-oriented, perfection-obsessed market. I’d love to sit them all down, show them pictures of our top-selling styles, and ask them to drop us a line when they’re making something in a similar vein. I would readily offer to help them develop products that I could sell all day long. I’d win, they’d win, my customers would win, and everyone would be happy, right?

If only it were that easy.

The fact of the matter is, designers (even the amateurs) are often hypersensitive creatures who do not take criticism well (and I’m allowed to say that because I’m one too). Some niche designers get as pissy, defensive, and illogical as that decrepit gargoyle Karl Lagerfeld whenever he’s defending his obscene use of fur. If more niche designers would at LEAST take a class in line development, the situation would not exist. But they don’t, and so it continues. (I can’t blame anyone for not wanting to go to fashion school or intern with a designer – it’s a LOT of work and can be very, VERY expensive – but when designers don’t know how to create a line that works for its target market – or worse, don’t even know who makes up their target market – it shows. Big time.)

I’d like to help them. Really, I would. But, how exactly does one do that with someone who gets mad and wails “Why not?!” when you politely decline to place an order with them?

I want to give an honest answer so they can get to work creating better products. But, realistically, I know that if I did, I’d just be written off as mean and snobby. I can be a little snobby (there ARE times when it’s appropriate – don’t let someone with no standards and no self-respect tell you otherwise), but I am NOT mean, and should not be described as such when I’m just trying to help.

I am really getting quite tired of relying on “not interested” for a response when constructive criticism would ultimately be more helpful, but what can you do when no one will accept it?

Mini Update/The Perfect Bag Quest March 4, 2009

Online pal Before Wisdom recently relayed some of my shoe knowledge on his own blog. See, ladies? Someone out there agrees with me that you CAN be veg*n and as stylish as you want to be.

Vegan Porn (disclaimer: no actual porn) is back, but you have to be invited to join – contact Jason via Taste Better. (Believe me, I am not complaining. The old site, while good, was prone to the occasional troll infestation.)

I just got off the phone with my mom. I helped her sell some of her old Matt & Nat bags on eBay last year for extra cash, and she couldn’t remember if I’d sold her black Fiona bag or not (I did – very successfully, since it was in near-mint condition).  It’s going to rain a bit, and Mom’s not about to use her usual bag – a black Harveys seatbelt satchel – because it’s not waterproof. Hence the search for the old, waterproof Fiona bag.

This led to a discussion of why various bags aren’t quite perfect for either one of us. I love my Chuchai purse, but the flat shape and lack of exterior pockets make everything pile up at the bottom. Mom loves her Portman bag, but it’s on the long side and she sometimes accidentally bumps people or things with it. (Apart from the added weight being an issue, I don’t at all mind big bags myself. I’ve noticed people tend to give women with huge handbags a much wider berth. Which is why I’ll always keep my big, bright orange Sherlock bag for times when I must battle crowds – it’s the bag equivalent of a large traffic cone.) My adorable Mini Manhattan bag and Harveys carriage baguette are only suited to days when I’m carrying as little as possible (but I love them!). It would be great if our Oslo and Avril bags had shoulder straps. You get the idea.

Which makes me wonder – does the perfect bag even exist?

Realistically, the idea of a “perfect” handbag is somewhat subjective. I’ve met teenage girls who only want a bag juuuust big enough to carry a tiny minimalist wallet, their house keys, and a tube of lip balm. Fine, good for them (though not too useful after high school). Professional women tend to want big, sturdy bags that can hold everything (though some very successful women also love to buy impractical, expensive bags to display their status). Moms often look for bags that have enough compartments to hold a few toys, snacks, and a well-worn copy of “Madeline”. Fashion fiends are more concerned with silhouette, color, label, and whether some D-list celeb has been photographed carrying it. Grad students want a bag that can hold file folders, a notebook, and a textbook in addition to the basics.

Still, some criteria are almost universally desired.

• Zipper or magnetic snap closures are always a good idea (open bags attract pickpockets).
• Neutral linings, whether plain or patterned, are well received (bright ones draw attention to your stuff, and patterns can hide stains from spilled makeup).
• Adjustable shoulder straps are widely appreciated, especially since not everyone is the same height or wants to wear their bag up high or down low. (Bonus points for the strap also being detachable.)
• Bags should be wide enough to make searching through them relatively easy, but go too wide and the wearer may knock someone over. Shallower, flatter bags are appreciated more in markets where mass transit is used by all social classes.
• Two or more inside pockets, zippered or not (preferably one or two of each), are always appreciated, as are keychain tabs.
• Versatility is good. In the old days, women changed their bags when they changed their outfits (several times a day), but very few people do that now (really, who has that kind of time?). Now, if a bag can go from work to the library to having drinks with the girls, it’s a keeper.

There are things I like about all of my bags, but when I really stop to think about it, none of them are completely perfect. Which tells me I really should get to work trying to design The Perfect Bag, if it is in fact possible to do such a thing. It’s not like anyone else is doing it – accessory companies are making a killing not because they’re making ideal products (though some of them are making great stuff) but because they’re making good products that aren’t QUITE perfect, which keeps consumers buying and buying…searching and searching for that one bag that just might be worth all the trouble. It’s sort of like planned obsolescence in electronics.

Sneak Previews (of sorts) September 10, 2008

One of the most fun parts of my job is buying the next season’s stock.

It’s also one of the most challenging.

Some suppliers will send a sales representative to the flagship store, but for others I have to go to the trade shows or visit a showroom. The semi-annual World Shoes Accessories trade show in Las Vegas can be a lot of fun (despite the heat, secondhand smoke, and lots of walking in one or two convention centers plus the Venetian), and beats printing line sheets from the store computer. I did skip it this summer, though, because of schedule issues.

Other challenges involve putting aside what I’d buy for my personal wardrobe and taking a stab at what will sell best. No store can stay open for long if it isn’t making enough money. Despite the popular image of vegans and vegetarians as tattooed young hipsters or scruffy aging hippies, I have a lot of somewhat conventional, middle class customers with very ordinary jobs. What can they wear that looks professional enough for work, nice enough for dinner with Grandma, or fun enough for a night on the town? There’s a certain amount of guesswork involved, based in part on current trends and based in part on what has sold well or poorly in the past. I’ve stopped carrying certain things that I assumed would sell but didn’t. One glaring example was vegan cowboy boots. It took a year to sell 24 pairs, most of them on clearance. I won’t make that mistake again.

Deciding how many of something to buy can be challenging, too. If it’s something we just have to have but which not everyone would like, we’ll do one or two. If we’re sure something will be popular we order more. Sometimes bags have to be ordered in pairs or quartets, and one shoe supplier will only sell us shoes in case packs of 12 to 15, so we have to keep that in mind, too. It can get a little frustrating when we sell out of one size (usually 8 or 10) right away and then can’t get more because our supplier only made so many packs.

So, on Monday I got to preview the Spring 2009 Matt & Nat collection. It’s a good thing I’m not too far from LA, since I had to drive to the Fashion District downtown, park in a paid lot, walk a few sweaty blocks to the Cooper Building (it gets really hot in downtown LA), and find the showroom.

I already printed one of the look books from the store computer, but a) the printer has a tendency to distort colors, and b) sometimes it really is important to see the actual merchandise. This is especially the case with bags. The two sides of the Portishead bag, for example, tend to flop open when the bag is not being carried, and a lot of people don’t like that. I wouldn’t have bought as many as I did if I’d been able to see the actual bag first, but there was no area sales rep at the time and I couldn’t go to the trade show. Fortunately, the new version of the Portishead will have a tab with a snap closure, eliminating the problem.

The showroom was a sleek, modern space that was easily bigger than my flagship store. Not to mention posh – not all showrooms have Eames chairs and Parsons tables. I’m not about to tell you *everything* (yet, anyway) but I will give you a few clues:

• Japanese paper bags will be back again, and in some great colors.
• A fabric similar to Japanese Paper will also be incorporated.
• While big bags are not going anywhere, not all of the spring bags will be as huge as in recent seasons. A few will be downright dainty.
• If you like the antiqued or pebble-finish faux leather, don’t wait for too long to invest in one.
• Over the next few seasons, expect the company to delve deeper into recyclables and sustainable materials. Matt & Nat intends to eventually move away from PVC.
• Guys: bags designed with the animal-loving metrosexual in mind will be available in the first-ever men’s bag collection. (I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner, given that the company was founded over 10 years ago and by a man.) Some of the bags are gender-neutral enough to share with your sister, too.

So, this weekend I’ve got to go over my notes and decide what to order, and the fall collection hasn’t even arrived yet. Maybe it’s for the best; inspecting and tagging bags is a big job and it couldn’t hurt to get the ordering out of the way.