Welcome to my store

As an above average knowledgeable consumer I feel that I know a thing or two about how a customer should be treated when a guest in a store. It's very similar to when you visit a friends home or are invited to a dinner party, minus having to take off your shoes or leave your coat at the front front.
As you enter a store like any home someone should be there to say hello or greet you, one usually does not enter a friends home by just walking in and making themselves comfortable and then announcing that they are there, do they?
It should be the same, I like someone to welcome me, say hello, welcome to,,,, And that's it!
Please don't tell me about all of the sales that are going on, many to me are meaningless. Unless your going to tell me that the entire store is 60% off, or I'm the millionth customer and have won a new car. I'm OK with you just saying hello!
I stopped in a furniture store the other day (Bob's) and I was all but accosted. No sooner did I walk in a balding, man immediately came up to me, said his name ( I blocked it out, I always to in furniture stores) and proceeded to ask a million questions before the answer for the first one could come out of my mouth. As i continued to walk to try to escape (literally) he kept up right on the side, I can't even remember how many times I said thank you just going to look around. Well I was looking around alright, everywhere I turned there he was, a few steps behind. I was being stalked in a furniture store, Zip right out the door I went!
I feel oh so violated when I am in a furniture store, they ask questions about your style, what room, If I wanted them to see the inside of my house I would invite them over for drinks.
I truly truly hate shopping, yes it is a huge part of my life, hell I teach fashion and retail, but I don't teach customer service otherwise those big boys would all be FIRED!
Now on to a more delightful experience, ZAPPO'S.
You have to love when you can log on, see something you like, place an order, get a shipping confirmation all within 3 minutes and then within the next 24 hours, salespeople free, no tax, no shipping you mdse arrives, nicely boxed at your front door by the man in brown!
No one followed me around, told me about unnecessary items that I am not looking for or do not interest me, no tax, no shipping and if for any reason in 365 days I can return the item no questions asked and free shipping back! You just have to love Zappo's
Now Amazon just acquired Zappo's and I am hoping that they keep a great thing great. Amazon is considering doing away with the shipping too. not that it is expensive anyway and if you have prime it's free!
Can you imagine an Amazon and Zappo's store? Where you go in sit at a computer, key in what you want, and then 5 minutes later a computerized mannequin comes out of the stockroom door and hands you your mdse. Says thank you, turns and goes away! Ah, I think I am on to something here!
The point is, we get better service from a computer system than we do from human beings. You know those that have hearts and feelings. but yet the computer gets us what we want, when we want it and truly asks for nothing in return.
We used to say I love my sales person, their the best. I don't think we say that anymore. we may show feelings for them but I can guarantee it's not love!
Now off to shop ebay!

The papers are saying what they wore not who they wore and I know why!

The much anticipated Golden Globes was last night and the highlight of the evening was Ricky Gervais introducing Bruce Willis as Ashton Kutchers dad, and the priceless non remark of Bruce.
Other than that BORING!
until we get to talk about the "gowns" well can you say eighties, bad eighties.
Here's the rundown;
Scarlet Johanson, beautiful girl dowdy dress, what was she thinking, just because your going through a divorce doesn't mean you need to dress in flesh colored mourning
Annete Bening, Edward Scissor Hands (hair) crosses paths with Mortia from the Adams family, not good so not good
Julianne Moore is probably one of most beautiful natural beauties, and her rose red dress with high fan collar only on one side did not do her figure or face any justice. It definitely could be construed as the red flag of justice.
And lets talk about America's newest darling, Anne Hathaway, now just because you make good movies doesn't give you the OK to wear reptile based shoulder pads, this could be homage to Alexander McQueen or Isabella Blow but I am thinking a Rachel Zoe pick
And by the way Halie Berry did you forget to put your dress on over that slip you were wearing last night?
OH Oh Oh, January Jones, OK slash, slash slash, ace bandages dyed in crimson red, Blood bath!
And one of my all time favorites of the night, Olivia Wilde, also known as the chocolate cake topper!
On a brighter note Hailie Seinfeld from True Grit, age appropriate and beautiful, Helen Merrin, damn she looked great, she is English after all,
Angelina Jolie in that green seen it on her last year dress, looked fantastic except for the times she was laying on top of Brad, oh that would be all night! Ugh
And the worst representation of a gown, Jennifer Lopez, what they hell was that, Off the shoulder, gauzy beaded, white wedding dress. Now I know she's now married and has two kids, but honestly darling you have it flaunt it!
it was a complete and utter mess. Nothing wonderful for designers to knock off. And why do they headline pages, what they wore and not who they wore, well why would any designer want to be associated with those dresses!
Hollywood glamour is gone well at least taste...We need to get it back so bring on the glitz and glamour we're ready and they need it

Oye Vey

As I mentioned a few days ago on FB, January is a boring time in retail. Well I spoke too soon, as stores magazines website just announced that Sears has placed a bid to buy the very successful (sans ruffles) J.Crew. I had to re look and re look at the posting before I nearly fell off my seat.
How can J Crew even consider the bid, SEARS, hardware, appliances, electronics but never cashmere sweaters made in Italy with beading ad grommets.
I ask what has this industry come to... An end I say a drastic end.
I am all for the big guy helping the little guy out, but in this case it's role reversal. Sears is by no means the little guy, but when it come to brand equity on the scale of things J Crew definitely has them beat out. So is Sears making an offer to build a better image for themselves. Could be! but it won't work. Sears already has brand recognition, hardware, a man's man store, a store to go to if you need a refrigerator or air conditioner or even a lawn tractor. But not a 200 or 300 hundred dollar outfit.
I truly hope that JCrew pushes that offer aside and says "thank you, we're flattered that your thinking of putting on your trophy shelve along with KMart, but no thank you!

And then the point can be made, well why hasn't any other reputable company come knocking on the doors of J Crew? Good question. But I think I know the answer... MICKEY and again not the mouse. I bet he still wants to have the majority of control, and well we know how that all works out when you have two kings trying to run a country. One goes to the guillotine and very quickly. And I have a feeling ti won't be Mickey. He has clout, what he touches turns to gold..
But with J Crew up for sale what does that mean...why are they up for sale, they are doing well, product has quality, design well depends(ruffles you know), talent, well yes they have that in design, merchandising (sales, well except for previous students, it;s questionable)
This may take some investigating and I am all for that.

So what's next:
Kohls running Hermes
Walmart running LVMH
Ocean State Job Lot running Macy's (well OK)
it's reversal of brand equity. Lower level company's trying to buy high level company's to build their portfolio's. Maybe it would work!

No, I don't think so!

Please leave well enough alone!

WWD just posted an article that stated that Pendleton clothing company, one of the few valued US company's around brought in three new designers to create a younger, edgier bridge collection.
http://www.wwd.com/markets-news?module=tn#/article/markets-news/pendleton-to-launch-bridge-line-3408945

I am a big fan of US made products and I hope they continue to grow in numbers and prosper. But when a mistake is made someone needs to stand up and tell them.
Dear Pendleton,
Your making a big mistake!
Pendleton like Talbots has a following, and well its not the new generation!
I have seen many companies in the past bring in young, talented, eager, out to change the world designers, offering to bring in a new target market and increase sales like never before. And well, it doesn't work. Pendleton is grandma's clothing, and I mean that in a nice way, grandma always looked good, dressed to the nines no matter where she went. have you looked at the younger consumer lately. She is into wearing Pendleton. She's busy, active, on the go, multi tasking and that means clothing of comfort. But that is just part of it. Pendleton already has brand identity and once you have it it is hard to erase and start anew. When I was growing up anyone who wore Pendleton had money, they were stuffy and well rigid. They went to lunch with the ladies, bridge with their husbands business partners wife's and dinner at opposite ends of the table.
Todays modern women doesn't have lunch with the ladies(she has lunch on the run between text messaging, she doesn't play bridge (she goes to yoga or pilates) and she doesn't eat at opposite ends of the dinner table(they go out to eat)
If Pendleton wants to gain a new target market then do so, but don't call it Pendleton. It will not help with sales, give it a name and call it a division of Pendleton.
And sorry to say, make the word Pendleton very small!
In a world when retail and fashion are trying everything imaginable to stay alive, they are sometimes digging their own grave. Some things are better left alone. Focus on what you are good at. Tweak what you have, create more loyalty to your already existing consumer.
in a heartbeat I could liven up the old Pendleton, grandma wants to look and feel younger. The younger don't want to look and feel like grandma!
Just a thought!!!!

When the CEO's say the weather hurts business then is it OK?

I have been in retail longer than I can remember, and as long as I can remember we were never ever to blame the weather on the loss of sales. EVER!
We we're told it doesn't matter how many people came into your store, 1 person could spend the same amount as 20 total If we had torrential rains, power outages, snow storms we were still expected to make the days sales goals and well even beat them. And this was during the days when business was good. The eighties!
As I read WWD, every CEO quoted blamed the weather right after Christmas for the loss of sales. Mmm, sales should have come prior to Christmas.
At Saks, they even opened late, concerned about their people getting to work in NYC, subways (underground)
Don't get me wrong, I was always one to understand that weather affected the buying patterns of shoppers, but no matter the case presented to corporate ..we needed to make and beat sales! Bottom line!
But this is really where the retailers went wrong, MARKDOWNS on winter merchandise and putting out spring.
This cold , snowy weather drives sales. Now there is a need not a want for a new winter coat, or new boots and cold weather accessories. This is what the retailers need to focus on THE NEED!
Instead of leaving the majority of product at full price they panicked and marked it all down, losing valuable profit. They marked and marked until they could not mark any more. Stores like Ann Taylor Loft, had 50% off your entire purchase and this was on top of everything being markdown 50 to 75 % already. I of course took advantage and bought a $100 sweater for $10, so who can blame me. but there's no profit in that sale, because the stores were empty, it was 29 degrees and i didn't want the new(not so lovely spring line that was already on 50% of the selling floor.
This weather hit retail at the right time but they didn't see it, they panicked. Why because all of the CEO's ha to make rash decisions before they left for their warm vacations.
And BTW, I would just like to see one year company's giving the hard working managers the week off after Christmas and the CEO's running the stores for them.

Running a retail store by no means is rocket science, although retail in itself is a science (another topic) but getting it right is well actually right before their noses. Cold weather warrants cold weather goods, warm weather warrants warm weather goods, Do you see the connection. As I stated on Sunday Sunrise with Frank Coletta, January is not the time to buy. Everything that you see is pre-spring, Its a test for what the consumer actually likes. And by the looks of the nautical theme in every pastel color under the rainbow(YUCK) it doesn't look too good.
If you buy a warm weather garment in January are you really going to wear it? NO!
you'll put it away and forget that you had it. then 2 things will happen, 1, after 30 days it will get marked down, you'll lose the rec. and you won't be able to get the price adjustment or 2, even worse when it's time to actually wear it you'll think what was I thinking!
Been there, done that lesson learned.
So to my point, the CEO's are claiming if they don't make sales it's because of the bad weather that hit, I guess very similar to the blizzard of 78, i don't think so. So, if your in retail, grab WWD, Dec 28th edition and hang on to it, FOREVER! So the next time you have bad weather and want to blame it on sales, pull out this issue and quote one of the famous CEO's. I mean after all if it's OK for them why isn't it OK for you?

December 26, Bah HumBug!

As you can see it's been a while since I posted, trying to make a new effort. Picture this, decorated stores, holiday music playing and sales associates actually being cheery. OK that was until De 24th, fast forward to Dec. 28th, decorations down, musac being played and well the sales people, not so cheery. Listen I was in retail for over 30 years, I know how it was, get used to it, get over it or get out of it. But for cryin out loud if your there and it's a job get with it!
The holiday season ended and some dumb ass from corporate told the stores sales were up, they did a great job, thank you very much for a wonderful season! Umh!, the seasons not over yet, not until the books are closed, lets say at the end of January! So that cheery disposition that you portrayed during the holiday season needs to keep on showing! It's not my fault that your manager took the week off, or that your short handed because they didn't allocate holiday hours correctly or even the fact that you have to mark everything down in the store and do a floor move with all new spring clothes. Don't blame me! Did I blame you because I bought my husband the wrong size jeans or a burberry bathrobe that was cut to narrow, No I don't think I did. I took responsibility. And it's about time you do the same. There was a time that to work in retail was considered an honor, the elite worked in retail(remember what I said, there was a time).
So when I bring back those jeans to exchange for just another size don't tell me I won't get the same price because the sizes have different sku's, I know that, even exchange people, same item.
And after I question the rationale, don't say to me"Well then I have to do a price over-ride' And.....Sorry one more step with your little fingers.....Oh and by the way..Thank you, have a good night should come with a return and exchange also! Mickey would not be happy, but maybe he no longer cares seeing the company sold for 3 billion to a private equity firm! Merry Christmas Micky!
Now off to Mr Nordstroms home, thank you for taking back the Burberry robe, no questions asked, sorry it didn't fit, thank you have a nice holiday, see you again! Now that's what I am talking about....Oh wait lets go to men's shoes. Mmm! Nice Italian shoes, $195, distressed suede really nice, "The demo" haha, sample was the right size. Sales person, not so much. Take the size off the shelve, tries it on, salesperson comes out from behind the desk(of doing nothing) "How does that fit?' Good can I try the other. In the back he goes, pulls out the match, "here you go"
hands it to my husband and walks away. Umh!!!!! Service.Yeah right. 5 minutes later, "How's it fit?" Before any words came out Swish disappears. Well it fits fine, it fits better in the box because if for one minute you think your going to get commission on a pair of $195 dollar shoes that you didn't sell, ain't happening baby! Bye-Bye!
So Dear Mr. Drexler, Nordstrom and any one else that runs the number one contributor to the global economy, WAKE UP! It ain't over until it's over, and it's not over until the customer says so!!!!!!!

I have nothing to wear, Just a closet full of clothes!

This is the time of year that I get a little antsy. Summer is coming to a close and I will be returning back to school, fortunately as a professor not a student. just as any student entering the new year, I still feel the excitement or the need to buy something new and fashionable to wear. I know my students notice, they comment on my shoes, my scarves , my signature big, bold jewelry and yes the never ending sea of black!. But as I reflect on what they comment about, I realize this is how they see me, they feel comfortable knowing that they will come into class and the familiar signature jewelry or scarf will be there to welcome them. They are in their comfort zone. They can take a sigh of relief. And for that I am happy. And now I start thinking, well that's not good, they know me all to well. What would happen if I started wearing bright colors, small delicate jewelry(I can see them cringing right now)?

I think they would have to enter therapy and I would be right behind.

But the dilemma is still there, What do I have to wear?

As I start looking in my closet I see a never ending row of jackets, leather, tweed, denim, dresses that the cast from MADMEN can wear, and so many black pants that I can open up my own store. The drawers in my armoire are no better, except for the fact that they are filled to the top with white, black, grey and brown t-shirts that go with everything , yet I feel match nothing.

The T is my signature top, as many know I hate ruffles and honestly that's all that's out there.

I tried to buy some blouses, but at last nothing was feminine, yet fashionable that wasn't Georgette and no one under 90 should be wearing Georgette.

So where does this leave me? The only place where I know I can add some WOW to the wardrobe, and that would be, In the shoe department!

I know I have a lot, and some are doubles, different colors of course, and yes I can only wear one pair at a time, but I never have to wear the same pair twice. A great shoe can change the entire look of the outfit, a flat can make it look casual, a wedge a little more sporty and a heel down right knock out sexy!

So there you have it, this is where I will spend my back to school clothing allowance. On shoes!
black pants, t's and jackets will be my staples, but my shoes, they'll be my signiture!
Welcome back students!

It's really the only option, one can never go wrong with a great pair of Laboutins, Choo's or even they great steal from DSW.


So back to school here I come, but first let's shoe shop!