You never really know when retailers like Zara and Forever21 will get a new shipment of clothes, or how long the items will stay in stores. Or, perhaps most important when it comes to shopping, when the pieces will suddenly disappear. This treasure hunt, fast fashion method may seem nonsensical to customers, but this organized chaos is, in fact, part of a bigger sales strategy.
Fast fashion thrives on the unpredictability of the stores’ constantly changing stock — and this “treasure hunt” is one of the most effective ways to keep customers coming back. It’s no secret that Zara has near-perfected the art of, ahem, “runway-inspired” pieces, and keeping the clothes relevant with fresh-off-the-runway trends depends on speed. Updating store stock multiple times a week keeps the shops feeling fresh, and tempts customers into constantly checking back to see what’s new. Add this incentive to the deliberate scarcity of certain collections, and there’s suddenly an urgency embedded into a casual shopping spree.
You never know when or even if an item is going to go on sale, so the best option is often to purchase the piece right that second. Zara’s success proves that the thrill of the hunt wins out every time……
See full story on refinery29.com
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