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You would have enough DISPOSABLE INCOME to shop at higher-end stores like Nordstrom's, Saks Fifth, etc.? Let's assume, to hold some variables constant, that you live in Seattle (so an expensive but not outrageous city in terms of COL), have an average house, drive a typical Honda Civic for your car, etc. how much money would you have to make in order to be able to afford items from higher end stores?
Sorry if this question sounds stupid, but I was walking into Nordstrom today, and, even though my parents make A LOT more than the average person and well above 6 figures, we still can't afford to buy items from those kinds of stores on a whim and really have to be careful with things like this (which is fine because there are more important things in life than an Armani suit). However, I see a lot of people who go to those types of stores REGULARLY and buy whatever they want, so I'm wondering how well off their family must be in order to afford to do that, pay for a good house, etc.
Nordstrom's and Saks Fifth Ave. aren't exactly HIGH-END retailers, they're targeted to middle-class and upper-middle class consumers; not the uber rich. There are different tiers of retailers, anyone with a 6 figure salary shouldn't have to worry about shopping at either of these unless they have some serious debt problems.
Think about it this way...the gap between buying all your clothes at a place like JC Penny or Target and buying them all at Nordstrom is about the difference between the cost of owning a well equipped Nissan Sentra and a well equipped Toyota Camry....in other words, not really a huge difference...would you think that someone who drives a Camry is spending THAT much more than someone who owns a Sentra?
A lot of stuff at Nordstrom isn't even that expensive.
There's a different age that's attracted to both too. If you're young and single, live in a studio, ride public transportation and eat out and go to clubs all the time, a lot of your discretionary income is going to be spent on clothing. If you're older with family, kid expenses, mortgage and live in the suburbs and need to have 2 cars, a $300 pair of shoes or $500 bag just isn't going to carry the same weight with you.
Why should I pay high prices at the high end stores when I can get the same thing at TJ Maxx and Marshalls for a lot less in a few months?
Because you can't, TJ Maxx and Marchalls sell what sold poorly in other stores. No high-end brand would allow itself to be weakened by being sold in TJ Maxx when they could just discount the lines in their target markets.
Because you can't, TJ Maxx and Marchalls sell what sold poorly in other stores. No high-end brand would allow itself to be weakened by being sold in TJ Maxx when they could just discount the lines in their target markets.
Which is one of the reasons why high end stores and manufacturers often throw out unsold merchandise rather then donate it or sell it to discount stores.
Because you can't, TJ Maxx and Marchalls sell what sold poorly in other stores. No high-end brand would allow itself to be weakened by being sold in TJ Maxx when they could just discount the lines in their target markets.
Stores like Neiman Marcus was hit big in the Recession.
The clothes are same in the dept stores. They just look better when you see them in the malls.
Which is one of the reasons why high end stores and manufacturers often throw out unsold merchandise rather then donate it or sell it to discount stores.
A store like Nordstrom is not going to be throwing out cloths, they will just discount them in their stores. Ultra-premium brands may throw out unsold merchandise though as they are veblen goods.
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