ETD: 768 What’s New for 2004 & What’s Next for 2005; NMOA Catalogs available; Microsoft, AOL, Yahoo, EarthLink Sue Spammers
E-Tailer's Digest
etd_post at gapent.com
Tue Mar 16 12:17:53 GMT 2004
E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer
Issue #0768 March 16, 2004
George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem at gapent.com
Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com
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CONTENTS
[1] Greetings
[2] What’s New for 2004 & What’s Next for 2005
[3] NMOA Catalogs available
[4] Microsoft, AOL, Yahoo, EarthLink Sue Spammers
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[1] Greetings.
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Hi All:
Today we have an excellent review of a look at what's new this year and
next as summarized by Jan Owens in her attendance at the National Retail
Federation show in NYC. It's always interesting to see what we should be
highlighting, and, more importantly, what really sells. What do you think?
John Shultze reports on some new catalogs available from the National Mail
Order Association (NMOA). Great stuff.
The war on spam has begun in full earnest as top companies sue spammers
under the CAN-SPAM law. It's going to be interesting to see what develops.
Let's hear about your business, which will remain for posterity at
our "Members: Who Are You?" site.
http://etailersdigest.com/resources/members/index.htm And we have a form
there for you to tell us about you. As I said when I first proposed this
idea, we have "known" each other for a long time, yet we often don't know
anything about each other. So, tell us who you are and what you do.
Now, let's get to everything for the retailer.
Sincerely
George Matyjewicz, PhD
Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd.
mailto:georgem at gapent.com
http://www.etailersdigest.com
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[2] What’s New for 2004 & What’s Next for 2005
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Excerpted by Jan Owens, University of Wisconsin Parkside, Kenosha, WI:
“What’s New for 2004 & What’s Next for 2005,” Presented by David Wolfe,
Creative Director of the Doneger Group,” at the January 2004 National
Retail Federation Conference, Javits Center, New York City, New
York. www.doneger.com
The following were trends outlined in a handout by David Wolfe of Doneger
Creative Services. Doneger is a consulting of long standing in the
fashion and design worlds. Mr. Wolfe not only presents an insightful
direction in future directions every year, but is one of the most enjoyable
presenters you will find. In parentheses, Jan provides further elaboration
or commentary, i.e. sticks her two cents in every now and then.)
1. Too Much Choice. Fashion overkill is confusing the consumer. Some
designers don't help when the range includes too much fantasy dressing, or
no clear direction for “realistic” fashion. (Jan: If anything goes, why
not what is already in the closet? We have to answer this for the customer.)
2. Multi-Diversity Means the END of Maintstream. Recognize that there are
many different customers with specific needs and wants. There is no such
thing as the “typical” customer. (Jan: which means YOU better have a
pretty good idea of who you want to attract, or the merchandised offering
gets very muddled.
3. Luxury Brands for the Elite. Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dior doing better
than ever. However, the world is getting more crowded with luxury bands,
with little room for new ones. Here, the importance of powerful licensing
deals.
4. Teen World Unto Itself. This is no longer a sure-fire success consumer
group. They are fast and fickle; individualistic yet the same (go
figure!) This is also a risky market because it is down-trending, i.e.
cheaper, lower-margin goods. Increasingly, they buy other stuff than
clothes, e.g. cell phones, media, entertainment, etc.
5. Mass Approval of Reality Apparel. Increasing emphasis on comfort and
convenience, easy-fit and easy-care. Often unisex, and ageless, like
track suits and sweats for almost every aspect of life. Mr. Wolfe
insightfully calls this airport hub apparel wear, and “the house dress of
our time.” (Jan: also insightfully, he calls this “the death of
fashion.” If nothing else, love him for this statement.
6. Classics Regain Power. Now only do we see a revival of the Polo look
as cool, but the widespread revival of the Chanel jacket. Perhaps this
signals a return to elitism in dressing? (Jan: the latter especially has
been adapted at almost every price point, and seems to be selling
well. However, the trend continues in a range of prices and looks, such as
the Palm Beach country club look of Lilly Pulitzer.)
7. Celebrities Solve Identify Crises. Stars sell, sell, sell, and
personality seems to be as much of it as the label. Celebrities become
their own labels.
8. Old is the New 18-34. Boomers are now the most important consumer
market. BUT:boomers are not old like people sued to be old. The have more
money, but also more fashion interest that this group has had in previous
generations. “Forever young” also means more surgery and “treatment”
beauty products. Basically, Boomers are saying, “We’re mad as hell and
we’re not going to take it anymore.” We love active. vibrant “Oldsters”
like Lauren Hutton and Sean Connery.
9. Latin Impact Becomes a Major Force. This demographic wave is
increasing, with increasing economic growth. Their larger families also
mean economic clout. Their style preferences are for livelier fashion, and
are really waking up styles in fashion, food, entertainment, etc. Sexy
samba style. Latin beauty is seen as a new ideal, e.g. Penelope Cruz, J
Lo, etc. Latin designers are in the limelight, from traditionalists like
de la Renta and Herrera to new kids like Rodriguez. Also: their style of
shopping is different: it is very social, and they like to shop
together. It is easier to sell this kind of joy, rather than subtle
minimalists “cool,” when the fashion industry almost dropped dead.
10. Mal Lib Consumer Revolution. “Metrosexuals,” or guys who are into
fashion and grooming, not necessarily gay. Style conscious, favoring
classic designs, but low-rise, more colorful outfits. Hot labels: Dior
home, Louis Vuitton, D-Squared. This is “new gender” feminine
consumerism. (Jan’s note: more of them are shopping, and shopping for
themselves! There seems to be a real age divide on this. It’s an under-35
phenomenon.)
11. Perfect Physical Specimens. Dress to look like you are fit, or doing
fitness. Fitness is both mind and body, hence the popularity of yoga
clothes for street wear. Popularity of body-conscious materials.
12. Cross-Shopping Syndrome. Shop wherever the action is price-wise,
style-wise. No more store or label loyalty. Price, selection, and
convenience determines the sell. Prestige becomes mass-tige as retailers
and designers get better a good design for lower prices, e.g. Target, H 7
M, Zara. (Jan: again: get the mix right for YOUR customer, but recognize
that they have a lot of choices, and less loyalty than before. Not also
the impact of the internet regarding the convenience of shopping for
“specialty” goods thank you, ebay, and other online retailers, that have
brightened the more boring corners of the retail world!)
13. The Wonderful World of Color. Consumers will still buy black and
khaki, but they are more open to color than every before. Blues are a safe
no-brainer color, i.e. the color consumers most often cited as the favorite
color. The timid are at least sticking a toe in with soft sweet colors and
pastels, with calming effects. There are brights, but often these are
harder to wear, particularly for those venturing out of black for the first
time. New trend: white, not black. (Jan: did we see the dresses at the
Oscars? Very little black, and those who wore it, like the youngish
actress Liv Tyler, looked dead, with an opportunity wasted.)
14. Fashion Is Alive and Well! Hot items are opposites rather than the
safe middle mainstream. There is even more color in the Polos! Consider:
+ Decadent vs. Innocent. Decadent sells lingerie, lace for day, leather
and shine. Innocent sells soft colors and girly styles.
+ Chic vs. Casual: Chic sells tailored and dressy styles in brocade,
satin, skin (leathers and exotic leathers.) Chic means
occasion-appropriate rules of dress again (Jan: THANK GOD!) Chic sells
must-have accessory finishing touches (Jan: accessories have been the big
news in recent years, and continue to be hot. Multiples are no problem,
and are great for gifting.
Casual is at a saturation point, but now adds sex appeal. The new
direction for casual is more polished and special. Hence; Juicy Couture
dress-up sweats.
+ Simple vs. Excess. Simplicity sells modern style (Klein), knits,
sports clothing. Excess sells prints and wild accessories.
+ Status Quo vs. Subversive. Not-quite classics have a new fashion
twist, e.g. polo shirts styled in halters. Never-ending status Quo: suits,
bags, pantsuits, shirts. ** Update Status Quo with surprises, re-coloring
(new colors), mix-ups. ‘no surprise that the Burberry trench coat in pin
was a hot seller, and had spawned numerous other companies to follow suit.
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[3] NMOA Catalogs available
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If you think your readers would be interested, the new 2004 Directory of
Mail Order Catalogs is now available.
Consumer Catalogs:
http://www.nmoa.org/catalog/mailorderdir.htm
B2B Catalogs:
http://www.nmoa.org/catalog/dirb2bcat.htm
Also available for people in direct marketing:
1. 2003 Response Rate Study
2. 2003 Statistical Fact Book (25th Edition)
3. Catalog and Interactive Benchmarks
4. 2003 Economic Impact: U.S. Direct Marketing Today
http://www.nmoa.org/catalog/index.htm#dma
Best regards,
John Schulte, President and Chairman
National Mail Order Association (NMOA)
http://www.nmoa.org
Email: schulte at nmoa.org
Tel: 612-788-1673
http://www.nmoa.org/schulte
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[4] Microsoft, AOL, Yahoo, EarthLink Sue Spammers
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The latest announcement came just days after the first lawsuit allowed
under the CAN-SPAM law was filed. In that lawsuit, California-based ISP
Hypertouch accused companies of sending spam e-mail tied to the BobVila.com
home-improvement Web site.
An alliance of leading Internet companies -- including AOL, Microsoft,
Yahoo and EarthLink -- has filed a wave of lawsuits against "hard-core"
spammers under the new CAN-SPAM law that took effect at the beginning of 2004.
The companies said they have filed six lawsuits that name hundreds of
alleged spammers as defendants under the law, which is formally known as
the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act.
"Congress gave us the necessary tools to pursue spammers with stiff
penalties, and we in the industry didn't waste a moment," AOL executive
vice president and general counsel Randall Boe said.
Boe said the targets of the actions are "hard-core, outlaw spammers" and
that the lawsuits are "the fruits of our concerted efforts to find
spammers, track them down, sue them and the next step will be to put them
out of business."
The lawsuits were filed in four federal jurisdictions across the United
States -- California, Georgia, Virginia and Washington state -- with each
company taking the lead against certain groups of alleged spammers.
Details at...
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/33086.html
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