Doron Levy

BrainTrust Query: It Takes More Than Exclusive Lines

March 12, 2010

FROM RETAILWIRE:
In a Reuters piece that appeared on March 2, J.C. Penney CEO Myron Ullman said, "Department stores must keep ramping up exclusive lines of clothing and accessories if they are to win market share from rivals and thrive in the still sluggish U.S. consumer spending environment." To what degree do you think exclusive labels are helping department stores differentiate themselves?      [more...]

My question is, yeah, you have exclusive lines, but are you offering the level of service those lines demand? Exclusivity does parallel premium service and a rack full of clothes that I can't get anywhere else isn't going to make me want to buy any of it when the zombie behind the cash register (or in some cases, no zombie at all) could care less if I live or die. Exclusive lines calls for premium service to be attached to that.