Nikki Baird

A Uniform Approach to B-T-S Fashion

July 30, 2010

FROM RETAILWIRE:
There are a lot of reasons given for schools requiring students to wear uniforms, but regardless of those reasons, it is clear that business is on the upswing and retailers are looking to grab their share. Is the greater adoption of school uniforms a positive or negative trend for retailer apparel sales overall?      [more...]

It can be a positive, but it depends a lot on how the school actually adopts their policy. I've seen cases where schools specify the company you must purchase from, or specific brands. In those instances, there is only one winner, and every other retailer loses not only their chance for the school clothes business, but also for any incidental shopping that may happen along the way.

It also depends on how the retailer merchandises it. If uniforms are online only, then that's a challenge for parents trying to figure out fit.

I also think there is an opportunity to be less piece-meal about it--if I could buy the right size with confidence, and you put together a boy's pack of 7 pants, 7 shirts, a few odds and ends like sweaters, all for one price...that would make my shopping trip much easier. It's not like there is a ton of variety to choose from--that's half the point.

If you position it right, there is a lot of opportunity. If you're not paying close attention, you could definitely lose out.