美国服装零售商抢搭景气顺风车，力推全价商品挑战富人荷包
American apparel retailers such as Levi Strauss are launching more full-price products to test the purchasing willingness of affluent consumers. Despite the impact of tariffs, Levi's Chief Financial Officer stated that demand has not diminished. Ralph Lauren, Under Armour, and Abercrombie & Fitch are also adopting similar strategies. Affluent consumers are in good financial condition, with a high proportion of spending. Goldman Sachs pointed out that if the strategy is ineffective, retailers can quickly adjust promotions to improve profit margins
Reuters New York, September 8 - A few apparel retailers, including Levi Strauss (LEVI.N), are forecasting the launch of more full-price products without discounts to test the willingness of wealthier consumers to spend, despite the sobering impact of tariffs.
So far, these retailers have not been disappointed.
Levi’s Chief Financial Officer Harmit Singh stated at the Goldman Sachs Global Retail Conference in New York on Wednesday that Levi’s raised prices on some products in July, but demand has not slowed.
“Unlike before, we are fully increasing the sales of full-price goods,” he said, “Most of Levi’s consumers have an annual income of over $100,000. We believe these consumers are generally quite willing to spend.”
Recent earnings reports from Ralph Lauren (RL.N), Under Armour (UAA.N), and Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF.N) also show that they are inclined to adopt more full-price product strategies.
President Trump’s trade war has forced companies to raise prices, leading low-income families to seek cheaper goods, while wealthier consumers are purchasing with ease, largely unaffected by the cooling labor market.
The stock market rise and reduced credit card debt have supported the financial situation of the affluent. According to data from Moody's Analytics, the wealthiest 10% of Americans—those with an annual income of at least $250,000—now account for half of all consumer spending.
Goldman Sachs Managing Director Kate McShane stated that if this strategy does not work, today’s superior consumer tracking technology allows retailers to quickly adjust and offer targeted promotions to help them create higher profit margins
