Tammi's World

They Stopped Listening

I used to love to shop at The Gap. They were always the first place I went to buy jeans.

Hell, 15 years ago, it was the only place I could even buy jeans that were long enough.

Well, a couple of years ago that all changed. I noticed everything was trendy. I would often pick up casual work clothers there, or my jean skirts. Well, since I don't wear skirts where my ass hangs out and jeans where my crack was prominantly on display I had to stop shopping there.

I also noticed with the change that the stores weren't as crowded. It seems I wasn't the only one that didn't like the direction they were going.

Finally someone in The Gap's Ivory Tower is listening. The CEO is gone. From most accounts they will try and turn this ship around and get back on course.

But that's what happens when you are in the business of retail and don't listen to the consumer. It happened at WalMart this past year. They focused on buying "trendy" clothes and sales tanked. Some trendy is good - but it's not enough to support a huge business on.

I mention this for a couple of reasons. One, I'm hoping The Gap saves itself. I really do love their jeans. And two, it's something I have to think about everyday. No, not clothes. Consumers. What they like. What they want. What they are willing to pay. Without consumers I don't have a job.

I guess for some folks it's easy to forget that. I can't seem to do it. I look at things and figure out who would like it and why. THEN I sell it. It's the formula Mama taught me all those many years ago, and it still works.

Some times, the old fashioned way is still the best. I wonder when these young "whipper snappers" will figure that out?

Posted by Tammi at January 23, 2007 05:39 AM | TrackBack