Hi Bob,
Here's another interesting tidbit I ran across on clarkhoward.com (Clark Howard is a consumer rights radio talkshow personality in AM syndication:
Spin-off brands get bigger
The Los Angeles Times reports that 160 million Americans visit a Target or a Wal-Mart discount store every week. On the opposite side of the coin, department or specialty shops, typically found in malls, account for less than 6 percent of all retail sales.
What if you are a manufacturer making high-quality product for fancy mall shops? You want your goods to be seen by as many shoppers as possible. Because fewer of us visit malls and large department stores, some clothing makers are introducing sub-brands or spin-offs of merchandise into discount stores.
For the first time in its history, Levi's will bring out a discount brand labeled Signature. Sales are expected to be huge. Will Levi's upset its reputation with those paying full price at department stores? It's up to the consumer do decide if these spin-off brands offer quality at a lesser price. Liz Clairborne and Joan's Apparel offer sub-brands that are not identical in quality to goods found in department shops.
Americans migrate to value. We are more aware of what things cost and are softening our attitudes on label snobbery.
Chris
