Case Study: Brooks Brothers on the Cutting Edge
Spring Preview at Holiday Time
Most people buy clothes around the time they are going to use them (e.g., little Denny getting his blue serge suit in the fall). However, upscale Brooks Brothers customers 1) travel and take cruises in winter and 2) have vacation homes in warmer climes. According to Friedman, a cataloger’s rule of thumb is that an off-season section, such as spring fashions at Thanksgiving, will do half as well as the rest of the book (e.g., 12 percent of the book will do 6 percent of the sales). In the case of Brooks Brothers, this section maintains page average. What’s more, the spring preview merchandise is also offered on the retail floors.
- Companies:
- Barneys New York
- Brooks Brothers
Denny Hatch is the author of six books on marketing and four novels, and is a direct marketing writer, designer and consultant. His latest book is “Write Everything Right!” Visit him at dennyhatch.com.
