Know-How Exchange : Other

I guess I don't understand. If this is a high-end clothing line, why are you selling it cheaper than your competitor? Is your service less good? Is the selection less complete? Do you offer all the same sizes/colors/styles? If you're just as good as, or better than, your competition, you should not be less expensive.

I think your problem is that you don't really understand your competitive advantage ... the unique benefit you offer your customers ... and so you're hoping that having a lower price on your "pretty expensive line of clothing" will somehow get you some business. Trust me, if the clothing is "pretty expensive," your customers are not going to find your modest price advantage to be very compelling.

You need to figure out WHY someone should buy from you and what that benefit is worth. Right now you're flagging the fact that your [total] offering is not worth as much as your competitor's. And your prime target customer is reacting by saying, "I'd rather pay a little more to get the added benefits [offered by your competitor]."

Clothes are often in the touch, feel and swish of how they move and how they fit. The store has space to display, allows customers the chance to try on, test, make combinations, hunt around and make people feel good about themselves. They also potentially have a better reputation for taking goods back, dealing with problems etc.

So to compete I'd say you need to get more hands on. If you're working from home, I'd be trying to organise mini-fashion parties and get out there, offering no quibble return guarantees. You might try lunch time events in local companies for instance. Price is rarely the main driver for the sale in fashion industries.

Competing on price won't work.

Instead, make your store fun or remarkable in some way.

Have fashion shows. Make outfit matching suggestions. Hold contests, vote the best outfits up and down. Divide the clothing by figure shape/flattery (outfits good for curvy women, outfits for women with column-shaped figures, etc.). Give people a reason to talk about and remember you (rather than your competitor).

Have you captured the name and email address of those who have already visited your site? ( assuming you have a site)

I can't stress enough the importance to BUILD a relationship with leads... I'll give you an example...

Layne Bryant sells clothes at 3 times the price of what I can find at MACY'S on SALE, or Issac Mizrahi's line at TARGET!

I shop at Layne Bryant for a few reasons.

1. Consistency. I know they are going to have certain items.
2. Invention, and scarcity: They are the ONLY company that has RIGHT FIT jeans that are specific to my body's composition.
3. Rapport: They got me while I was young, in high school I was selected for their regional fashion show :) Major Points.
4.Service: If it's online- it's usually in the store. If it's in the store but they don't have my size- they ship IT FREE!
5.I GET AN EMAIL FROM THEM, at least EVERY month with an AWESOME coupon or telling me about a NEW and EXCITING line they just came out with.
6. Guarantee: I bought a brassiere, and several months later, mentioned to an associate that I LOVED it, but after washing it several times, the wire started to come out. In 20 minutes, I was sized, and handed a FREE NEW one, and they apologized for the inconvenience, AND said if I wanted to buy one they would give me half off!
7. THEY KNOW: There is a DISTINCT difference on how clothes fit. Other stores just make stuff- BIGGER. Layne Bryant knows the shape of their customers, and usually what is flattering, and what is not.

If your web based you can't hold an in store fashion show-- but I encourage you to start a FACEBOOK, and MYSPACE PAGE and start an online contest where people can post their pictures!