Retail Watchers

Looking at some of what they sell with the mountain logo at Sam's Club, my perception is the stuff is... not the quality I would expect of this brand...

I thought cursive was taught around 2nd or 3rd grade.

In California it is 1st through 6th grade.

storewanderer wrote: ↑March 10th, 2024, 8:34 pm Looking at some of what they sell with the mountain logo at Sam's Club, my perception is the stuff is... not the quality I would expect of this brand...

I thought cursive was taught around 2nd or 3rd grade.

Totally agree. Same for the Gap and Banana Republic items sold at Costco and Sam's. Total garbage product that just destroys the value perception of those labels. You can directly compare quality with others who still care, I have always liked Columbia and they occasionally sell some lower end jackets to Costco/Sam's which are of infinitely higher quality than this Eddie Bauer junk. Isn't Eddie Bauer another zombie brand like Wilson's Leather owned by those Authentic Brands people that buy up these labels out of liquidation? In my experience nothing these Authentic Brands people put out is of quality, it is all fast fashion type stuff marked up because of the label. Ironically, I heard that Hell froze over Gap Inc. had their first good Q4 in forever, so maybe they'll stop making junk grade product for Walmart and others.

ClownLoach wrote: ↑March 11th, 2024, 11:45 am

storewanderer wrote: ↑March 10th, 2024, 8:34 pm Looking at some of what they sell with the mountain logo at Sam's Club, my perception is the stuff is... not the quality I would expect of this brand...

I thought cursive was taught around 2nd or 3rd grade.

Totally agree. Same for the Gap and Banana Republic items sold at Costco and Sam's. Total garbage product that just destroys the value perception of those labels. You can directly compare quality with others who still care, I have always liked Columbia and they occasionally sell some lower end jackets to Costco/Sam's which are of infinitely higher quality than this Eddie Bauer junk. Isn't Eddie Bauer another zombie brand like Wilson's Leather owned by those Authentic Brands people that buy up these labels out of liquidation? In my experience nothing these Authentic Brands people put out is of quality, it is all fast fashion type stuff marked up because of the label. Ironically, I heard that Hell froze over Gap Inc. had their first good Q4 in forever, so maybe they'll stop making junk grade product for Walmart and others.

Because I have seen the identical clothing item at Kohl's, Target and Costco but under different brand names. Here's how I think the clothes at Costco works. I think an Asian clothing manufacturer sells the clothing item to a retailer. Then the retailer tries to find a brand to sell it under. So I think a lot of the clothing you see at Costco is sold to them, then Costco tries to find a brand to place on it. They know an Eddie Bauer or Banana Republic labeled item will get a slightly higher price than something with 32 degree.

Costco has also been known to sell gray market products (particularly in softlines) by finding products that can be purchased cheaply in foreign markets and reselling in the US, so it's possible some of these products have come from that. There have been instances where manufacturers have actually tried to stop Costco from selling gray market products but have ultimately failed to do so (the most prominent of these was the lengthy litigation between Costco and Omega Watches, a case which reached the Supreme Court but was ultimately won by Costco after SCOTUS returned it to the lower courts.)

babs wrote: ↑March 11th, 2024, 2:07 pm

ClownLoach wrote: ↑March 11th, 2024, 11:45 am

storewanderer wrote: ↑March 10th, 2024, 8:34 pm Looking at some of what they sell with the mountain logo at Sam's Club, my perception is the stuff is... not the quality I would expect of this brand...

I thought cursive was taught around 2nd or 3rd grade.

Totally agree. Same for the Gap and Banana Republic items sold at Costco and Sam's. Total garbage product that just destroys the value perception of those labels. You can directly compare quality with others who still care, I have always liked Columbia and they occasionally sell some lower end jackets to Costco/Sam's which are of infinitely higher quality than this Eddie Bauer junk. Isn't Eddie Bauer another zombie brand like Wilson's Leather owned by those Authentic Brands people that buy up these labels out of liquidation? In my experience nothing these Authentic Brands people put out is of quality, it is all fast fashion type stuff marked up because of the label. Ironically, I heard that Hell froze over Gap Inc. had their first good Q4 in forever, so maybe they'll stop making junk grade product for Walmart and others.

Because I have seen the identical clothing item at Kohl's, Target and Costco but under different brand names. Here's how I think the clothes at Costco works. I think an Asian clothing manufacturer sells the clothing item to a retailer. Then the retailer tries to find a brand to sell it under. So I think a lot of the clothing you see at Costco is sold to them, then Costco tries to find a brand to place on it. They know an Eddie Bauer or Banana Republic labeled item will get a slightly higher price than something with 32 degree.

Gap Inc made it well known they were partnering directly with other retailers, the largest scale project being Walmart where they launched a home line. Although I don't recall seeing it heavily featured with any signage (if featured at all) in the flagship remodel.

I checked three Costco stores this last week and all Gap and Banana Republic product had been discontinued and sold through. Sam's Club still has some Gap branded shirts and pants in women's styles but no more mens.

The Gap product being sold at these stores was not a gray market thing, it was directly under Gap Inc manufacturing and distribution. The boxes are frequently under the tables and they are legit addressed from Gap DC to Costco and/or Walmart DC.

Authentic Brands owns and controls Eddie Bauer, and their specialty is the exact model you discuss of buying bulk from gray market or miscellaneous overseas factories and then affixing whatever brand they own that seems most relevant. So that would be accurate for all Eddie Bauer product today, they don't really design anything or have any proprietary textiles or features. It is just all fast fashion quality stuff from random factories bought wholesale and then a label attached to liquidate it through their outlet stores.

Costco and Sam's sell both types of lines, but there is a definite distinction between them. Costco and Sam's also have plenty of legitimate branded items made exclusively for them, many of the golf shirts I buy are completely legitimate Nike, Greg Norman, and Callaway. The Columbia jackets are completely legitimate and they are lines specifically made for Costco and Sam's that are good quality, lower priced but not their newest specialty textiles. But then they will have the random labels like the 32 degrees where there is no distinction in the design, textiles, fit, cut, etc. Because obviously they're the gray market type acquired then branded stuff.

And just that fast Costco has a whole new load of new suspicious looking Eddie Bauer apparel in men's and women's. All low quality, and now all with the script logo. They obviously cannot make up their minds.

ClownLoach wrote: ↑March 13th, 2024, 9:45 pm And just that fast Costco has a whole new load of new suspicious looking Eddie Bauer apparel in men's and women's. All low quality, and now all with the script logo. They obviously cannot make up their minds.

I guess these brands do not mean the same thing they once meant.

Sort of feels like Forever 21 bought everything.

storewanderer wrote: ↑March 14th, 2024, 12:03 am

ClownLoach wrote: ↑March 13th, 2024, 9:45 pm And just that fast Costco has a whole new load of new suspicious looking Eddie Bauer apparel in men's and women's. All low quality, and now all with the script logo. They obviously cannot make up their minds.

I guess these brands do not mean the same thing they once meant.

Sort of feels like Forever 21 bought everything.

Forever 21 is Authentic Brands.
So yeah, Forever 21 did buy everything.

ClownLoach wrote: ↑March 14th, 2024, 9:15 am

storewanderer wrote: ↑March 14th, 2024, 12:03 am

ClownLoach wrote: ↑March 13th, 2024, 9:45 pm And just that fast Costco has a whole new load of new suspicious looking Eddie Bauer apparel in men's and women's. All low quality, and now all with the script logo. They obviously cannot make up their minds.

I guess these brands do not mean the same thing they once meant.

Sort of feels like Forever 21 bought everything.

Forever 21 is Authentic Brands.
So yeah, Forever 21 did buy everything.

I guess what I mean more is that instead of taking these brands and letting the brands continue operating how they did in the past, it is like Forever 21 product design and materials sourcing took them over and puts their label on what would otherwise be a Forever 21 product.