“77 Kids” by American Eagle: 77 Day Countdown has begun!
Loobalee as News & Trends
Aug|12|2008
In January 2008, American Eagle announced plans for an Infant to 10 Year old children’s clothing line. “77 Kids” stores are scheduled to opening in 2009, and the brand is scheduled for debut this fall. Email subscribers received a noticed on August 7th that the 77 Day countdown to the grand opening of 77 Kids on-line began. If all stays on schedule, we should expect the opening to be October 23, 2008 — just in time for Holiday shopping.
We’re excited to see what they have to offer. The website landing page is very happy and light. I’m expecting every day basics for babies and kids with a little flair at a reasonable prices. We’ll be anxious to review their line as soon as we can. We are already curious as to why they cut the age limit for sizing at 10 years. There is a serious need for tween clothing for both boys and girls, and the American Eagle sizing doesn’t fit the 12 - 18 tween range well. Even their smallest size ,’00′, is off from the typical size charts we see for tweens.
If you’re already an AE fan, you might want to get on the email announcement list at 77kids and keep in the know as time progresses toward their opening.
Escaping the Clutches of eBay – One Seller’s Decision to Leave
Loobalee as News & Trends
Aug|5|2008
A friend of Loobalee, Melissa, was a top-notch seller on eBay. In our community, she is considered a go-to expert on anything and everything eBay. So, we were astonished when she told us she was closing her eBay account.
For 6 years Melissa enjoyed a 100% positive feedback rating and sold countless items, from obsolete technology and out-of-style fashions to top-notch new and used items. Now, Melissa has given up on the world’s most popular online auction and is seeking out other ways to continue to buy and sell items on the Internet, but one without all the fuss caused by a company that had for so long brought her success.
So what happened?
7 years ago, Melissa began selling everything in her house that she didn’t want or couldn’t use anymore. Early on, Melissa sold a Skidoo ski jacket for $65, an item she repeatedly attempted to sell in garage sales for just $5. She was hooked. As a mother of two daughters, she had loads of children’s clothing that she found others were apt to purchase, so buying and selling kids’ clothes became an area of special interest for her. Buyers bought, and Melissa sold. She was proud of her high rating (comprising of 346 feedback ratings when she left) and enjoyed the ease at which she was able to do her online sales. Then, things started to change.
In late 2006, Melissa noticed that the Gymboree market, which was often in eBay’s Top 10 for sales volume, had significantly softened. She speculated that a high percentage of listings were being put up by eBay Store owners and high volume Sellers. This corresponded with eBay’s change of focus toward Stores and Sellers and their shying away from independent collectors and auction aficionados. Melissa also suspected that Gymboree began to recognize the demand for their items, since they had been selling so high on eBay, and began to market their brand in new ways.
Eventually, throughout eBay, high volume Sellers and Stores began to take over with high numbers of continuous, repeated commodity listings. The fun started to leave eBay, and people like Melissa stopped enjoying the process. The Stores and high volume Sellers were able to deliver high quality goods at prices that individual sellers couldn’t compete with, and they did so with retail service levels. The expectations of Buyers also increased, and Melissa’s perfect positive rating was marred when a Buyer received a broken item. The buyer didn’t contact her about the issue before leaving negative feedback, taking Melissa down from 100% to 99.8%. Who imagined that a coffee mug, accidentally broken during shipment, could also crush such a great rating? Melissa prided herself in going the distance to make her Buyers happy, and would have more than willingly given a full refund.
“But with today’s new feedback system I would be a sitting duck,” says Melissa, “I’d be unable to leave the Buyer any negative feedback in return.”
More changes came when eBay rolled out their new policies. At first, Melissa wasn’t worried because the new pricing wouldn’t affect her too much, but the new feedback system had further decreased her rating to 98.2%. This was a result of the singular negative occurrence happening in the previous 12 months. Furthermore, Melissa’s detailed Seller Rating for Shipping and Handling Charges seemingly could never be 100% by using eBay’s Shipping Calculator and charging actual shipping rates. It’s now apparent that most all eBay Sellers have below 100% on Shipping Time and on Shipping and Handling Charges. Are Buyers expecting Sellers to subsidize shipping charges and ship via express mail?
Eventually, there came the straw that broke the camel’s back. On July 21st, Melissa received an email from eBay.
“Your account has been accessed by an unauthorized third party.” Apparently, someone was trying to list items fictitiously under her account.
The account was completely suspended, and eBay treated the case with a tone that it had been Melissa’s fault. There was no accusation, but while Melissa was grateful that they had caught the issue, she couldn’t help but feel that they were treating her in an impersonal and unhelpful way. A phone number or customer service contact was not provided to her to assist her with addressing the problems. Instead, she received a link to a demeaning tutorial about generally managing her passwords and securing her eBay and email accounts.
Melissa was frustrated, and knew that what had once brought her a sense of success and fun was now becoming more of a frustration than it was worth. On July 24th, Melissa filed to shut down both her eBay and PayPal accounts, a process which will take up to 180 days for eBay to complete.
The day after, Melissa’s husband was awarded four tickets to a Detroit Lions game — an event they don’t plan to attend.
“Normally, I would put the tickets up for the highest bidder on eBay,” she said, “So, I am forced to search for other options to sell them.” Upon researching, she was easily able to find several other alternatives for selling the tickets.
Melissa has since learned that there are many ways to buy and sell just about anything on the web, and she feels motivated to explore those options now that she is no longer shackled by eBay. We are excited that she is especially looking forward to the launch of Loobalee.com for listing children’s clothing.
Melissa’s story is a part of a growing trend of sellers once loyal to eBay jumping ship. This article on eZine Articles notes the ‘Top 3 Reasons Sellers Have Quit eBay,” all of which are similar reasons to Melissa’s. The New York Times also published a recent article about eBay’s deal with Buy.com, and how it angered many loyal sellers. Finally, here is a story from Tamebay similar to Melissa’s of why two small business owners decided to stop their near decade run with the online auction.
We’d love to hear your experience with eBay. Have the changes become too much for you, also? Have you considered closing your account and leaving eBay? What are your ideas for buying and selling online in today’s environment? Let us know in the comments.
Justice - Just For Girls! Now Open On-line!
Loobalee as News & Trends
Aug|1|2008
I haven’t seen this advertised, and I’ve been waiting on the “1st 2 Know” email list all Summer, but today I visited ShopJustice.com and found them Open for business!
Did I miss a press release? I don’t think so. I searched Google and visited TweenBrands.com but didn’t find any news or announcements. So, as far as I can tell, I stumbled upon a “soft-opening” of the site. I expect it isn’t too far down the road that we’ll begin to see some major promotions (likely they are still working out some kinks).
The website is populated with merchandise, including “back-to-school” items, but not quite the volume you could find in stores yet. I expect the inventory will grow over time. And, as expected, there is not yet much to offer in the Sales section.
I like the organization of the site (much better than Limited Too). It is easy to navigate and formatted in the ‘new’ style that we’re seeing implemented on other sites right now — with the menu selections across the top rather than down the left. Read the rest of this entry »
J.Crew Website Woes: Have Too Many Orders Gone Amiss?
Loobalee as News & Trends
Jul|30|2008
I don’t think so. I honestly feel bad for J.Crew, who has been struggling for a full month now trying to correct the order processing issues caused by their recent website upgrade. But, based on their responses to the problems, I doubt they’ve hit the point where they’ve driven too many customers away.
Today, CEO Millard Drexler and President Tracy Gardner posted the announcement above on the home page of their website, which was also delivered by email to customers. Between the lines, the message is telling us that the issues have escalated to the highest levels of the Company for resolution. I have a strong respect for their willingness to publicly tie their names to the problems, which is also an indicator of the severity of impact the issues have had inside J.Crew.
What’s unique about the problems J.Crew has been having, is that they aren’t visible to Visitors of the site. But, once an order is placed, many Buyers have become painfully aware of the internal processing issues J.Crew has been dealing with over the last month: late orders, partial shipments, missing items, promises made by more-than-friendly Customer Service agents, and so on. (You can read more details about the issues at the J.Crew Aficionada blog).
I became personally aware of the issues through my friend, who placed three Crewcuts orders over the last 4 weeks. They all took over two weeks to arrive, two of them were partial shipments (though the website showed the items still available), and a couple of items never did arrive. For all her troubles, J.Crew responded by giving her a $50 gift card. Wow! I think this gesture is a sign that they desperately care about their customers and are working hard to make things right. Read the rest of this entry »
Toddler Goths & Rockers: Style Trend or Societal Issue?
Loobalee as News & Trends
Jul|9|2008
In searching for great children’s designer clothing around the web, we’ve come across some unusual trends for kids. Most noticeable is the growing number of online stores who sell and distribute kids clothing styles that are edgy, dark, and sometimes downright macabre. This is also a noticeable trend in the mainstream department stores, and I’m seeing higher-end designers picking up bits of the trend too.
These clothes are often plain black with cheeky or subversive text accompanied by “kid version” images of skulls, weapons, or heavy metal. Many brands and designers are producing pink and blue versions of the trend, which doesn’t make them any less morbid (for me).
If you frequent the malls, then you are probably familiar with the way many teenagers are dressing these days. Sure, not ALL of them wear goth-style black shirts adorned with skulls and chains, but there are plenty who do. You can at least argue that they are old enough to choose what they wear. But it’s the babies, toddlers, and young children without a personal choice that I see wearing this trend that raises the question of what kind of people put their kids in this style of clothing?
It’s wonderful to dress and treat your child like an individual, so please don’t get me wrong, but what child even has a grasp of the world around them enough to rebel against the clothing? Is it fair to dress your kids to represent your own feelings or disdains for society? I’m not sure. I realize that a lot of these clothes grew out of a need for moms and dads who hate “cutesy” or “soft” designs to put their kids in something they might wear themselves. But I think this trend has now gone too far.
I actually had an opportunity to chat with a Mom about this on our recent trip to Disney World. I noticed a couple adorned with tattoos, piercings, died hair, and black bathing suits in the pool. The were tending to a little blonde toddler girl in pig tails wearing a pink flowery bathing suit and using pink princess swimmies. While she looked like every other toddler in the pool, her parents definitely stood out.
I couldn’t help but ask the Mom about the noticeable difference, to which she replied (as if she’d been asked a million times) “She’s only a baby!”. Although still somewhat confused, I found myself appreciative of her attitude. She felt her expressions were her own, and she was trying not to directly impose them on her child.
In my view, I worry about the message these trends send to the kids who wear them. Young children are very impressionable and able to take in the things in their environment in great detail. If their environment is filled with skulls and crossbones, then I wonder if they are, sadly, developing a negative or confused outlook on the world this early in life. The photos shown here in this article, which I found around the web, are not uncommon. I didn’t have to search very far to find these example expressions.
There is also the matter of the perception of others. Of course it’s not right to judge a book by its cover, but a lot of kids haven’t learned this yet. Isn’t being a kid and making friends hard enough as it is? Do you really want your son or daughter to be labeled by others before they even know who they are? Is it a better idea to dress your child for success as an individual, than set them up for being different?
Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of this style trend that seems to be gaining in popularity at stores nationwide is that it isn’t a style trend at all. The clothing itself is nothing new— t-shirts, onesies, or dresses that any kid can wear—but what is printed on the clothes associates it with a trend. All sorts of style trends come and go, but it will be interesting to see how long the life span of this form of expression lasts. It seems the “message” is more pointed than the actual style itself.
Needless to say, the majority of this type of clothing is not designer quality and won’t be listed for resale on Loobalee. But, what do you think? Should parents dress their kids in these negative and seeming antiestablishment clothing, or should they keep them in the bright colors and fun designs we know kids like? Are your kids’ clothes the right medium for expressing yourself?
4 Stores! Flat Rate Shipping, Free Returns, Who Could Ask For More?
Loobalee as News & Trends
May|22|2008
This week Gap Inc. Brands implemented an umbrella website and checkout process across all four of their stores: Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, and Piperlime. With it, they implemented a new flat rate shipping service of $7 and free returns on all orders.
Halleluia! I think this was an incredible, competitive move for Gap Inc. It was no doubt a huge investment to change all four websites, overhaul the checkout process, and implement the supporting processes in their warehouses. And, it’s no doubt they are taking some risk with the $7 flat rate shipping and free returns, but, I do believe there is also no doubt that this strategic move will result in a significant increase to their on-line orders.
It will most definitely change my buying habits with all four stores. Especially for kids shopping, I will love being able to combine orders across Gap Kids, Baby Gap, Old Navy, and Piperlime all for one flat rate shipping fee. But, you can bet I’ll still be watching for those Free Shipping offers that will roll around occasionally too!
I suspect this move will also cause other on-line shopping meccas that compete with Gap Inc. Brands to reconsider their shipping rates as well in order stay competitive (did I say….”Thank you Gap!”). My new Shipping motto is Flat Rate or Free! I really hate being surprised by shipping at the end of any on-line transaction (Surprise-Free Shipping is a standard expectation on Loobalee.com).
As for some of the details: As a Banana Republic Luxe or Gap Silver Card holder, you will continue to receive free shipping with the added bonus of free returns. Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy card holders will continue to receive free shipping on orders over $100, and because of the combined checkout process you only need to hold one of the cards to apply this benefit to all stores.
There are some nuances with Piperlime: Orders with only Piperlime products will continue to ship free, and while Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy orders are fulfilled from the same warehouse and shipped together, Piperlime orders will continue to be shipped separately.
But who cares about the details! I’m off to go “4-in-1″ Shopping!
— Suzanne Rielle, Co-Founder, Loobalee.com
Vintage Print Children’s Clothing: Coming to New York - Cath Kidston!
Loobalee as News & Trends
Apr|28|2008
Which came first? Cath Kidston vintage print designs or the trendy look of bright red and light blue together? These colors can be seen this season in everything from scrapbook papers, to bedding, to cell phone covers, and children’s clothing right now.
Now, a store-full arrives in New York City with Cath Kidston’s first U.S. opening. For a great taste of her fabulous designs, you can review the Cath Kidston website, or try a Google Image Search on “Cath Kidston”. Wow! I think we’re going to really enjoy the availability of this UK brand in the US.I predict Cath Kidston children’s clothing will re-sell very well on-line.
— Suzanne Rielle, Co-Founder, Loobalee.com
TCP Dreams Don’t Come True: The Children’s Place to Exit Disney
Loobalee as News & Trends
Mar|26|2008
Since taking over operations of the Disney Store retail chain in 2004, The Children’s Place has attempted to renew the brand via the new “Mickey Store” concept, which it began rolling out in 2005. But, after making a valiant attempt with the opening or re-modeling stores across North America, The Children’s Place (TCP) has decided to exit Disney Store retail chain and turn the business back over to Disney
The Reuters announcement last week, doesn’t come as a surprise. Afterall, TCP struggled throughout last year, announcing 4th quarter losses, and Chuck Corvitz (CEO), himself, stated “for the majority of the year, our merchandise assortments … did not resonate with the consumer”. I found an excellent article on the announcement in the New Jersey Record (click to read more details).
Interestingly, Ann Dinardo of New Retail Channel, posted an interesting analogy of the story to the Disney “Fantasia” movie (exactly 2 years ago), in which she predicted this potential outcome. In the movie, Mickey learns a painful lesson in messing with the natural order of things….hmmm.
For me, I agree. The new Disney Store concept is a bit “too” retail for me — too much like the Children’s Place, packed with trendy, varied-quality merchandise. And, whereas I can’t get Children’s Place merchandise elsewhere, I can buy Disney merchandise practically everywhere.
The experience of the Disney Store of “yester year” isn’t there anymore to draw me in. I liked the allure of the fine collectibles, the variety in merchandise - something for everyone, and the fairy-tale, majestic qualities of the stores.
And, although I realize every store can’t measure up to the New York City World of Disney store, maybe as Disney sets out to (again) renew The Disney Store chain, they can take some cues from it’s experiential, interactive qualities. For a fun, virtual tour of the NYC store, watch the embedded video below.
– Suzanne Rielle, Co-Founder, Loobalee.com
Garanimals Stages Comeback: Can They Really Come Back?
Loobalee as News & Trends
Mar|15|2008
Of course! Doesn’t Everything? The Garanimals brand was originally introduced in 1972 by the Garan Inc. Since the 80’s, Garan Inc. has not actively advertised the brand. But, in February, they announced a comeback campaign.
Who is Garan? Garan Inc. was aquired in 2002 by conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, of which Warren Buffet is Chairman and CEO and Bill Gates sits on the Board. No wonder they can make a comeback!
What are Garanimals? Garanimals is a mix and match clothing line aimed to build self-confidence in young kids by teaching them to dress themselves. To make an outfit kids simply matched the friendly animals on the clothing tags. When the brand was big Dr. Joyce Brothers was even the main spokesperson and is still quoted on the Garanimals website today.
Making the Comeback - For the comeback, Garan continues to leverage their long-time relationship with Walmart. They have revamped ad campaign, website and, as expected, inexpensive price point. The matching idea still exists with updated styles, colors and animal characters.
Watch the Video - The new advertising compaign “Garanimals - Lets Kids Be Kids” is a clever reminder that adults occasionally go over board in dressing their children in stereotypes of themselves — for which I tend to agree. Real-life, quality, designer kids clothing sits happily between bland and stereotypical.
Can I Find it on Loobalee? With Garanmials price point (at just $2.88 - $3.50 retail), it won’t re-sell well enough on-line to justify overhead shipping costs and therefore won’t be a sponsored brand on Loobalee.
Should I Buy Garanimals New? All kids needs some play basics, and even some of the Garanimals will work within my “Dress for (practically) Free Philosphee” One of Garanimals slogans for kids is “Pick a pair you can wear”. As a Mom, on the other hand, I would say “Pick a spare you can wear”. These can be great items to keep in the diaper bag (take along coordinating pieces you can wear in a pinch) and are good for messy play.
I went to my local Walmart to check out the Spring 2008 line - try these shopping tips:
- FOR GIRLS - I like the twill gingham and denim shorts — believe it or not, the color is pretty good, and they will coordinate with your Hanna Andersson, Gymboree, and other designer favorites. The solid color skorts are o.k. in a pinch too.
- FOR BOYS - Again try the twill and denim shorts. I’d also try a couple solid color and stripe t-shirt’s. Again, the colors are quite good, and they will work for rough play and emergency spares.
- IN GENERAL - I recommend avoiding the prints and screen-printed items — as the look like they only cost $3.00.
Learn more about the history of Garan and Garanimals at eNotes.
– Suzanne Rielle, Co-Founder, Loobalee.com
Green Clothing: (Literally…) the Spring Greens Have Sprung!
Loobalee as News & Trends
Mar|11|2008
The 2008 Spring fashion palette for kids is sprouting with lush greens. This year’s greens are in keeping with the trend toward more eco-green, organic living.
You’ll find a large selection of pure and natural greens, such as “blade” green, “grass” green, “lotus” green, and just plain “green” in children’s spring clothing styles. Even St. Patrick’s Day “Shamrock” green fits with the palette, where in many years it can stand out like a bad weed.
The last several years we’ve seen a palette of warm, yellow, and olive greens. I, for one, am enjoying the switch toward more cool tones. When shopping for your kid’s spring wardrobes, be sure to slip in at least at least a bit of these beautiful greens - fitting for both girls and boys.
The Pantone Fashion Color Report for Fall 2008 unveils a continued trend toward cooler shades of green, “taking green in an interesting direction with its true green characteristics, this hue is a departure from greens of seasons past, which have had distinctively yellow undertones”.
A few wise green clothing purchases this spring, can take your kids fashionably through all of 2008 and likely into next spring as well. So, for lots of reasons this spring, go green!
– Suzanne Rielle, Co-founder, Loobalee.com
