Some teens can not even think of using a pair of jeans last collection. But a growing number think that sending a message of a cell is exceeded even worse. For the retail stores that sell clothing for teenagers, this young man obsessed by cell-edge represents a major threat during major sales season happens at the time school starts.
Retailers can no longer be sure that more purposely ripped jeans fashion will be in schools. That’s because having social clout today is more akin to owning a cell with the newest technology.
“The clothes are not so important to me” warns Olivia D’Amico, a New Yorker of 16 years, while shopping in the store Hollister with her sister and a friend. “Half the time I do not buy more clothes brand. I just bought a pair of Doc Martens shoes fake because most do not care for it. “
Olivia probably spend more on technology because he likes to” stay connected “, as she says.
“It’s definitely more important to most teenagers have a new phone, you can do a lot of cool things, than buying clothes,” says Nicole Muers, 19, who works as a model in New York, when leaving an Apple store in August with a new iPhone which cost about $ 200 “The phone distracts. It’s much more fun than the clothes. “
Analysts and observers of trends agree that there is a major change in the way of being and spending adolescents. John Morris, a retail analyst at BMO Capital Markets, says that in his research with groups of teenagers about which trends are most popular with young people, the clothes appear less and less.
“We try to pull the conversation as for going to be the next visual for what they are wanting to find in clothing stores, and they always end up talking about the iPhone 6, “he says.” Young commented a bit about short tops, about waist high, but the conversation always ends up turning to technology. “
The teen clothing sector retail stores, whose sales account for about 15% of the entire line of clothing, according to the NPD Group, entered into recession since sales started falling in recent quarters Besides the attention given to items such as mobile phones, applications, and accessories, some traditional retailers have been hit hard by price competition from fast-fashion stores like Forever 21 and H &.; M, offering the latest trends at low prices.
Online Shopping also walk away teenagers from shops consumers, and the popularity of Instagram renews fads so quickly that young people are not looking for more durable items.
Younger consumers are the first to draw attention to the use of phones in ecommerce.
“You can buy clothes online from your phone,” explains Caitlin Haywood, 15 years a high school student from New York, on the road to Hollister in downtown Manhattan. Fan of “California style” store, Caitlin commented that many decorative capes had to leave his cell prettier.
By itself, this is already a demonstration of how good fashion. “When you take pictures, people see the case from your mobile phone,” says Caitlin.
Preference teen
In fact, accessories like cell phone covers crystal studded or headphones in neon colors are at the top of the shopping list of adolescents.
“Having a modern phone to show that you are connected is the style of the person, is a big part of life these days, “notes Eva Chen, chief editor of the magazine” Lucky “. Teenagers use smartphones as a sign of status, in the same way that men did with the chic watches.
A point in favor of retailers selling to teens is the very economy of the cellular market, since most young people do not have money to buy the latest model iPhone or Samsung Galaxy by the time they are released.
Stephanie Wissink, CEO of Piper Jaffray, estimates that, after several years of strong growth the percentage of money that teens spend on electronics seems to have stabilized at around 8% or 9%. According to the executive, the interest in mobile is still high, and the children often have to wait for a new release to swap your device at the previous collection.
Food also competes with clothes
The technology also seems to indirectly influence other consumption habits, she points out. For the first time, the biannual survey of Piper Jaffray about teenagers, made in the spring, showed that they spend more money on food – a little more than they spend on clothes -. Than any other category
“There is a magnetism in restaurants,” says Wissink. “We talked with the teens to understand the reason and found that it is because of access to free Wi-Fi.”
“I’m addicted to Instagram,” Ann confesses Borrero, 19, student teaching middle school in the Brooklyn neighborhood in New York, attending a number of restaurants to have Internet access. “I usually know which are the McDonald’s always have access to Wi-Fi, small cafes always have access to Wi-Fi”
The top executives of traditional retailers are feeling the thud of disappointing results quarter. after quarter, and many of these businesses are undergoing major transformations in their leadership positions.
In August, the chief executive of Aéropostale, Thomas P. Johnson, agreed to leave office and be succeeded by his predecessor Julian R. Geiger. In January, the chief executive of American Eagle, Robert L. Hanson, left the company after only two years on the job. And that same month, Abercrombie & amp; Fitch, under pressure from investors, split the role of chairman of the board and chief executive officer.
In addition to changes in the specific behavior of adolescents, traders in a variety of categories are having to relearn how to manage the back-to-school season, which has changed significantly in recent years. Although still a crucial time for retailers, the time became less defined, sometimes starting a little later and usually extending beyond the start of the school year.
“The big mistake was to assume that every year on back to school the buyer would appear on season ever, in July to acquire the product at that moment, “says Morris of BMO.
Analysts say retailers seem to have learned their lesson and are planning their stock according often asking fewer items and focusing on their profit margin.
“The period of back to school is important, and sellers want be successful, but every year it seems to me that is a little more difficult to get as well as the previous year, “said Richard Jaffe, an analyst at Stifel. “The peak becomes less sharp.”
In recent days, executives at several retailers, including retailers like Target, Macy’s and American Eagle, have given encouraging signs since its quarterly results demonstrate that the back-to-school season this year started well. But many experts are calling attention to a not very promising future.
“Before, we had three meals a day, now fashion is ‘pinching’” compares Chen. “With shopping is like. People go to stores all year and buy a few things at a time. I think this is happening to teens and women – is a broader trend “
. Source: GA
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