White Refresh Racer Tank. I really like the looks of this tank in the photos.
Trikonasana T and Black Still Shorty Shorts. Anyone have these shorts or try them on? What did you think? A comfy pair of luon shorts appeals to me.
Flowabunga Multi Stuff Your Bra. Do you fans of this bra find it frustrating that it hasn't come out in many solid colors? I personally prefer my bras to be solid colors. I have a few prints but the great majority are solid.
Forest Serenity Pant and Vita Loca Tank.
Serenity Hoodie and Camo Hottie Hot short
Opal Stuff Your Bra tank and Pretty Palm Speed Short.
And now comes a mini rant:
Stores - is corporate dictating what your photos should look like? Because I am seeing a lot of this ^^^ outfit today - the Bleached Coral Stuff Your Bra tank and the matching Up Your Pace Crops. Yesterday (and today) it was the Runsie. Last week it was the Rolling With My Omies Pant and Vita Loca tank. Before that it was the Be Present Pullover. You know what all those items have in common? They don't pull people into the stores. You are getting quite a few cute items every week so why are you picking only one or two to focus on? There used to be a lot more variety in the photos the stores put up but now it seems to be a coordinated campaign and it's not getting the job done. The person telling you what to push seems to be out of touch with what the customer really wants and they are costing you sales. On a side note, the product notices that link to the website is a big error, too. It doesn't let us know what specific items our stores have. Many people have commented to me they no longer even bother reading the PNs.
37 comments:
LLA I think you are so on to something..I have totally noticed the same thing, plus the product notifications of late seem to also show weeks old items that maybe aren't selling that well so they are giving another push through the PN...I don't know what's going on either but very frustrating. Personally I would hope that Chip Wilson does take the company private and go back to the basics!
On a side not..I recently wrote to hey lulu about their so called full-on Luon vs. the Luon that makes up the refresher dress (made in Canada by the way) There is no comparison between that material on the dress and their so called full-on Luon! The dress is completely opaque and no in the lease see through no matter how hard I tried. I've been buying Lulu since before it was a household name (10+ yrs) and they need to get back to that original Luon!! They also need to get their mojo back with product that excites!!
I'm a big fan of the Stuff Your Bra bra, but I'm not upset at all about it not coming in lots of solids because I'm a bigger fan of the patterned ones. I'm actually a bit frustrated with the tank because I think the design looks better with patterns, but the ones released yesterday are either terrible patterns (I HATE the cadet stripe one!) or all solid.
Educator here, I think it is a bad coincidence. They def don't tell us what to post. Sorry they are all so redundant :(
I bought the still shorty shorts in black and have worn them every day since I bought them. love them. wish I had bought the blue as well. I think they are a roomy TTS. I usually wear and 8 and these are an 8 and a little loose, certainly not tight.
So the white refresher race tank is in black and gray online, but white at some stores? Any other colors out there?
Stores manage their own FB's and SM photos--it's been like that for years and hasn't changed.
IMO, stores tend to pick what they think will be quirky/odd pieces, or items that won't move without extra attention.
AKA: Camo WU or Inspires? No need to show off on FB, as they'll sell regardless. Runsie that has a small initial appeal? Let's put it on a fit Educator in the hopes that people are more willing to give it a shot.
So I finally made it to 2 local Toronto stores yesterday and none had the refresher dress. Instead, both stores claim it sold out 2-3 wks ago. Here I was thinking it's brand new and haven't reached Cdn stores. Hated the smirk on their faces like I'm asking for a vintage dress.
I agree! I used to love my store product notices because it let me know about items in store that aren't online/weren't online yet/sold out, Ect. The new notices with the product links completely defeats the purpose.
@LLA- totally agree that the store alerts are looking very vanilla these days. Will be interesting to see what our insiders say!
Regarding printed bras- I actually really like printed bras in the summer. I run without a shirt quite often (I'm in Dallas and we're in the 90's/or even above 100 degrees when I'm doing half marathon training!), and I like the prints because I don't have to wear cups and the print obscures my nipple area, haha. In the solid Luxtreme, it's like, hey nipples! Ha!
Also to stores:
Photos of a running outfit should show the model/educator wearing running shoes, not birks.
All the stuff that seems forced on us is just so meh! After all these odd tween friendly designs and patterns I'm afraid I'm an addict no more. Even in my mid twenties I just wouldn't be caught dead in some of this stuff.
I'm not sure of the new higher up positions that came on from Kmart or Sears late last year. But once I heard about that recently it made me go "huh .... Seems about right"
Green camo WUP just arrived- color is gorgeous, fit tts, not too thin and repels dog hair...got it on pineapple presale $10 cheaper than listed...might be a keeper))
I agree with your comment.
I will add that the women wearing the still shorty shorts has amazing legs! Doing stairs on my run tomorrow!!
I purchased the bleached coral stuff your bra tank today. I hardly ever purchase tanks full price since my local store always seems to have a lot on sale. I never got to try it on before. I am very busty and this provided great coverage!
short answer is no, stores are not told what to post whatsoever. also, you can sign up for your local store's PN rather than the national lululemon PN if you'd like to know what your store got that week!
Thanks for the feedback! Gosh, I would have sworn stores are being told what to post photos of. How funny.
I get stores PNs from lots of stores around the world. They are all seeming to point to items on the website these days.
I have definitely noticed this trend, too. My guess is that the logic behind it is that the hot items will sell themselves--why would they need to post pretty pics of items that sell virtually instantly if they'll sell whether they post pics or not? The pics are a marketing tool, and it's the slow movers that need marketing, not the hot stuff. Maybe they've wizened up to this fact, so they're posting pics of slower movers to pique people's interest. This is especially important since a lot of product has been frankly boring lately and needs the hype. That idea may be "suggested" by corporate, or it may come from individual stores, I don't know.
That said, I do know that stores get pics of outfit ideas for VM (like what to put on mannequins). That's not the same as a requirement, but it wouldn't surprise me if people are pulling from there because they're simply not very creative themselves and/or just feeling lazy.
Also I agree that the vast majority of store PNs are 100% worthless...
I agree and believe stores are being told what to post. I'm signed up for specific store notifications of new products and I get nothing! My friend and I have been looking for the refresher dress and have tried 4 stores and all say "came in last week and sold out" "we don't know if we are getting anymore, we get shipments everyday" if I knew they were in stores I would have went when they were there. And if they get shipments everyday why am I not receiving notifications daily of store merchandise? Now there are no dresses anywhere. I think lululemon needs to produce more product of popular items, such as this dress and stop making items with funky designs. Or make products available in store and online, not only in store or only online. Online products also need to be relplenished. Very annoying not having enough product. This dress is simple and obviously popular, maybe make more of them. I'm a little bitter that I cannot get a hold on this dress! There's my rant on lululemon!
I'm small chested and feel that both the stuff your bra tank and bra flatten small boobs so I stay away from it.
I too must admit that I don't pay much attention to my store's PN anymore since I know they don't put the good stuff in it anyway and that by the time I get there it will have sold out anyway. Most of my shopping is done online these days and with the new upload time it is perfect since I am on the east coast.
Could not agree more regarding the store PN ... I pointed out this issue to my store recently and was told that they can enter each colour of item manually (so 4photos of the same item will show up in PN in colors available at the store) when putting out the PN but most don't as it takes too long. You are right on though as often the store has colours the online site does not and vice versa
i walked into three different shops today and all of them pushing Runsies on me... um NOT! i asked the sales person, how am i supposed to pee? she shrugged her shoulders. it was the assistant manager. WOW
needless to say, I declined politely. i'm a serious marathon runner and would never in a million years wear something like that. cute over bikini at the pool or beach i guess but i don't need it
camo hottie hot short! OMG the best running shorts for HOT WEATHER. I LOVE IT!!! i also bought two more pairs to wear casually ;) cos that's what i do with my lulu running shorts-wear them casually with a cute lulu top
My Hotty Hot shorts (camo) arrived today. I'm a solid Sz 4 in LLL bottoms, and these in Sz 4 are waaaay roomy (baggy almost?) compared to my Size 4 Speeds, which fit just right, not too tight or too loose.
Guessing I need to size down to a 2?
Anyone else have this problem?
OT - the WMTM is up and, as per usual, there's lots of completely sold out items there.
PSA here. I am guilty of running with my iPhone stuffed in my bra too...but as the daughter of a breast cancer survivor, don't keep that much radiation right next to your girls too often. ;). Use the arm band.
First world problems.
Same here. I am going into the store this morning to try the size 2. The 4 is too big, they look sloppy. I would try a 2 if I were you:)
Anon 8:08 - just got my hotty hots. Got a 2 and same issue. I dont have much in the booty department and they just seem to highlight that, so unflattering. It wasn't a sizing issue, I think just wrong body type for them. Back they go.
Here is the problem: by posting only a limited (very limited) number of outfits it doesn't allow the consumer to get excited about the up-and-coming clothes, leading to a looser wallet. I, for one, love to see outfits on real women running around exercising outside. A lot of times the photos would also give me ideas of what things to pair together, maybe that I hadn't thought of, encouraging me to buy. This is how Lululemon has been different than other companies. I rarely buy things just based on what the item looks like on the Lulu model...it's the photos that do it!
I'm wondering when "the change" will happen. I thought Lulu was cleaning up it's act and going back to focusing on providing us the quality, innovative products they *were* known for? Any idea if that is in the works, or was I horribly wrong? I keep waiting for things to get better, but so far, it hasn't happened. The fabrics are still inferior and I've only seen a couple of products within the past few months that have caught my eye. Do they have any idea how much money they are literally throwing down the drain? If only I could take over...hee hee
I like to see hot items to see what they look like on diverse people and with coordinating items!
I was an educator in 2010/2011. Back then, they would say something like "make a run window" and we had free reign to make whatever run outfits that we wanted. I think as a company, they prided themselves on giving the stores autonomy to do whatever they wanted while being on-brand. Anyway, a lot has changed since I worked there. After I stopped working there (for a higher paying desk job) I still shopped there maybe monthly. In the last year so so, I really haven't loved much of the product. I wonder if the repetition is an indication that the educators are gravitating toward the same items since they aren't loving the whole collection?
So I don't have any reason not to believe the educators that posted here however after the whole camo debacle a few months ago, it wouldn't surprise me that they would want to tone down the photos of popular items. I know this blog is not affiliated with the company, but to have stores sending photos to this blog of coveted items that almost no one could easily buy only added to my frustration. That along with banners of camo items on their website it was like they were teasing us with these products.
@ anon 10:59...this whole blog is basically based around a first world problem, no need to point that out. If it's not serious enough for you don't read it.
@ anon 6:45 am - Could be, could be.
@ MB - yes, that is totally what is happening - the stores are posting photos of the pieces they know need a push. However, if I don't know the camo WUs or Refresher Racer dress (that made me take a special trip) are in the stores I'm not going to make a point to make a special visit so I think more of a mix of products needs to be posted. Sometimes a new swiftly color is enough to get me to make a special trip.
@ anon 5:39 am - you have to remember that what we are seeing now was conceived about 9 months earlier so there is a big lag in timing. I would hope the fall/winter will start showing the changes implemented under Potdevin.
As far as not seeing certain things on your stores PN... They won't let us put an item on the PN unless it's also avail online as well as your store. Otherwise people will click an item, it takes them to the site, only to get an error message. Example: the refresher dress. Not online but all stores have it. That's why you don't see it on the emails.
The refresh racer tank is so nice. The educator at my store mentioned that LLL is trying out that tank with the idea to replace crb if it sells well enough. I hope they keep crb and make refresh as staple in more colors.
8:26 if LULU decides to discontinue the CRB that is going to be a problem, that is their number 1 staple item.
M
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