There is an interesting article on MarketWatch.com about LLL shares tanking even more due to high levels of inventory. 2016 2nd qtr inventory levels are 55% higher than same time last year. LLL response is that they are going to try and sell 2/3rd's of it at full price and the remaining 1/3 will go to outlets and warehouse sales. No wonder their markdown on WMTM are so little, they are trying to get as much as they possibly can for this product.
Sorry guys, the article I refer to in an earlier post was an old article. I saw LLL shares drop quite a bit this morning so I googled to see what was going on and this article came up first but didn't realize the date was last year!
@MZC - that is what I am starting to feel now that more photos are coming out - too yellow. Mine should be here tomorrow.
@ anon 9:26 am - thanks!
@ anon 9:36 am - I'll have to check that out. The outlets had a big outlet party this weekend with some really great prices - $9 Pace Breaker shorts and things like that. I didn't feel like making the 80 mile drive out to get stuff I passed on, though.
Oh no, I'm seeing a few comments like this from people who have seen it in person (saying that it's pukey and gross looking in person). I jumped the gun and went ahead and ordered the Swiftly LS and the TaTaTamer in Brave Olive on Tuesday evening with fingers crossed that I will love it when it gets here, even though I had a feeling it might end up being kind of gross in person. Thought I'd take a chance since both items are staples for me (wear both everyday) and I don't have any in these kind of army/fatigue green colours. ...maybe it's called *Brave* Olive because you have to be brave to wear that kind of colour.... I was disappointed in the True Red Swiftly LS when I saw it in person and I was sure I'd love that one, so now especially, really worried I'm not going to like this one... will keep my fingers crossed and see...
...and just remembered seeing comment from someone who said it reminded them of infant poo... eww... I'm afraid this may end up being my thoughts exactly... :(
Goldman Sachs downgraded Lulu today. There's an article with the rationale here: http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/16/09/8509298/5-risks-for-lululemon?utm_campaign=partner_feed&utm_source=marketwatch.com&utm_medium=web_click&utm_content=ticker_page
It was nice to see some of the stuff we've been talking about reflected in the downgrade. Essentially, pricing is driving away core customers, too much inventory that won't be moved without markdowns, and core customers are departing for other brands.
What they didn't say, and should have, was that customers are being extremely vocal that the reason for this is the significant change in style and decline in quality. Analysts - and company spokespeople - tend to say, oh, well, customers are fickle. No. No, we're really not. Lulu customers are extremely loyal. We just don't like what we see. So far, I haven't seen any articles that just lay out the truth: design and quality have changed significantly and the drop in sales is a direct reflection of that.
That is hilarious, a ton of stock piling up.... well well well I guess their cheap clothes/ugly designs arn't selling for super high prices after all.... people have moved on, every once in awile i'll look through their stuff.... yuk, i'm over it!!!!!
@ anon 11:56 am - Not to worry - I tried on the Brave Olive Swiftly LS and SS in the store yesterday. The color is very nice in person. I liked it much better than the CRB II. I plan on keeping at least the SS in the Swiftly, if not the tank. I'll have to see how I like that when it gets here today since my store didn't have it. The texture in the LS kind of bugged my arms but the SS was just beautiful. If you have green or hazel eyes, it really makes them pop. I was surprised it worked since my hair is a little blonder now but the gold tones in the color really worked. It looks especially nice with black bottoms.
@anon 1:05, We customers have it wrong. It's not a decline in style & quality, it's “a combination of function with beauty.” Apparently haute couture people are too glib for their own bottom line.
@ anon 7:46 am - Lululemon has *always* combined function with THEIR version of beauty. That's what makes this article so annoying. Function with style is nothing new for lululemon, except now the style part is terrible and it looks like function may be on a downward trend, too.
Hi Luluaddict! What do you mean the l/s swiftly bugged your arms? Was the fabric too scratchy???? Thank you for your reply.
PS I AM NOT BUYING TOO MUCH LULULEMON LIKE IN THE PAST!!! I WISH SOMEONE AT LULULEMON WOULD CALL ME TO ASK ME WHY I AM NOT BUYING LIKE I USED TO???!!! I CAN ATTEST TO THE CHEAPEN FABRICS WITH HIGHER PRICES!!! I OWN OVER 250 LULULEMON JACKETS, FOR EXAMPLE!!! LATELY, THEY ARE NOT LISTENING TO THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS (LIKE PREVIOUSLY) AND I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL MANAGERS ABOUT THEIR HIDEOUS WEBSITE AMONG OTHER THINGS AS I CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE. THEY ARE A DIFFERENT COMPANY FROM THE PAST. 'WISH CHIP WILSON WOULD COME BACK AS I AM CERTAIN THAT HE READS ABOUT THE PROBLEMS AND SHAKES HIS HEAD.
@ anon 9:27 am - The arms weren't as soft as the body. In general, am not a fan of the Swiftlys that are blended with black and/or have a texture woven into them, I tend to find them not as soft/a bit stiffer/less stretchy than solid/non-print colored ones and there is more black in the print sections. I thought the SS felt nice, though. I wasn't able to try the tank on yet. However, solid black swiftlys are the softest of them all.
You know things are getting serious when people are crying for Chip Wilson to come back. A guy that made such uncomfortable statements about the female body. Females that are the core customers of this company. So when the same female customers are asking for him to come back, that says a lot! I've been patiently waited for the current Lulu management to get things right. I have waited and waited. But by the look of things nothing is getting better. Thing are actually getting worse. I think it is time to acknowledge that Lululemon needs a new direction and a new person to guide them there. Lululemon - we do not need to hear/read all this babbling about how innovative you are as a company. You are not. You did not invent the wheel. You did not discover that the Earth is round. You are not a high end fashion house. So stop pretending you are and get back at producing functional and design appealing workout clothes. That's why you exist as a company.
@ anon 12:28 pm - Chip Wilson had foot-in-mouth disease but he had a vision and he knew what sold with his female customers. You can either listen to a person's words or you can judge them by their actions. Wilson gave his customers what they wanted - feminine but subtly sexy and extremely functional work out clothing. Potdevin and company may say correct things but they're not giving their customers what they want. They're making a lot of skanky looking mesh products that seem to be aimed at people who pretend to work out, as one reader phrased it. Who do you think really values their women customers?
LLA, I am anon 12:28PM and I totally agree with you. Chip Wilson cared about the products he was putting out there. I once read in one of his interviews that he used to go at stay at the Grouse Grind gate and look and talk to the female hikers (for those who do not know what Grouse Grind is - it is a difficult but crazy good hike that is immensely popular in Vancouver. 865m elevation gain in a little under 3KM. trust me, it is quite the hike). Anyhow, back to what I was saying. He would go and talk to female hikers and ask about what they were wearing and what made them choose that clothing piece, what they would change in it, etc. Well, that says a lot about him and his dedication to the company. I seriously want him back.
Agree with virtually everything you've said, LLA, with one small exception: Potdevin does not say the right things. I want a company that levels with me. I want a CEO who says, "We're looking to expand and that may involve changing our aesthetic to appeal to a broader audience." I wouldn't be happy to hear it, but at least it's honest. Instead we get mega bull crap about, "oh, we're finding new ways to connect with our customers online". Uh, well, no. No, you're not. HeyLululemon was a new way and you killed that and suggested we use FaceBook. FaceBook.
The really funny part is that they don't seem to get that customers do want to feel connections to companies. We want to be fans. We bring the money and loyalty, but it's a two way street. Shovel BS and tone deaf products at us and we will leave. It's really very, very simple.
I purchased the black olive LS Swiftly today. First time seeing it in person. Beautiful. I have a couple other non-LLL tops in this colour precisely because it is a colour that really works for my fair skin and hazel eyes (pointed out by LLA 7:34 a.m.)
Bought my usual size 4 and it is perfect. Just like the Blackened Sapphire Swiftly the arms are not super tight (unlike my older Swiftlies) and I find them completely comfortable. Still not a fan of such a high price and that presently deters me from also buying the SS version. Even though I can afford the tops, I have a limit.
I also have the blackened Jungle Green LS swiftly and black black LS Swiftly and the sleeves on those ones do not bother me either.
@Anon 2:03PM - I LOVE the Grouse Grind! I'm in Ontario but visit Vancouver at least once a year and it is one of the things I look forward to. Plus I'm hardcore and love how challenging it is, I do it everyday when there if time permits. I love the story about Chip Wilson gathering very practical information! Agreed he had a foot-in-mouth problem but no one can argue about his thoughtfulness about the design and details of the clothing.
26 comments:
I really want that LS Swiftly. Hope it comes to the UK soon.
I like that lace pattern and the olive colour. If the make HT or hi rise WUP's with it, I might open my wallet for that 😀
I thought I loved the brave green swiftlies until I saw them in store. Unfortunately too pukey/too much yellow in the green :/
id like to sHare a $25 off $100 code for sweaty betty
https://sweatybetty.mention-me.com/me/referee/registerko/4479092/25010077/e/578d7eda94bb2d99f46a8798cbe9dfdf8f0eba8f/fe/cw
There is an interesting article on MarketWatch.com about LLL shares tanking even more due to high levels of inventory. 2016 2nd qtr inventory levels are 55% higher than same time last year. LLL response is that they are going to try and sell 2/3rd's of it at full price and the remaining 1/3 will go to outlets and warehouse sales. No wonder their markdown on WMTM are so little, they are trying to get as much as they possibly can for this product.
Lace olive speeds uploaded to Canada online
Sorry guys, the article I refer to in an earlier post was an old article. I saw LLL shares drop quite a bit this morning so I googled to see what was going on and this article came up first but didn't realize the date was last year!
@MZC - that is what I am starting to feel now that more photos are coming out - too yellow. Mine should be here tomorrow.
@ anon 9:26 am - thanks!
@ anon 9:36 am - I'll have to check that out. The outlets had a big outlet party this weekend with some really great prices - $9 Pace Breaker shorts and things like that. I didn't feel like making the 80 mile drive out to get stuff I passed on, though.
Went to the Gilroy outlet party on Sunday. Heard about the great prices, so made the 90+ mile drive from the Bay Area.
So not worth the drive.
I'd heard that even better markdowns were supposed to happen on Sunday--but no.
Prices went UP. Not much inventory, colors and styles that we all passed on--and WMTM prices.
I asked the cashier what happened, and he said, "We did not anticipate how much product would sell. So we had to adjust prices."
So, yes, I think there's definite ... strategy ... in place for inventory ... or sales. Or whatever we want to call it.
Lea
Oh no, I'm seeing a few comments like this from people who have seen it in person (saying that it's pukey and gross looking in person). I jumped the gun and went ahead and ordered the Swiftly LS and the TaTaTamer in Brave Olive on Tuesday evening with fingers crossed that I will love it when it gets here, even though I had a feeling it might end up being kind of gross in person. Thought I'd take a chance since both items are staples for me (wear both everyday) and I don't have any in these kind of army/fatigue green colours. ...maybe it's called *Brave* Olive because you have to be brave to wear that kind of colour.... I was disappointed in the True Red Swiftly LS when I saw it in person and I was sure I'd love that one, so now especially, really worried I'm not going to like this one... will keep my fingers crossed and see...
...and just remembered seeing comment from someone who said it reminded them of infant poo... eww... I'm afraid this may end up being my thoughts exactly... :(
Goldman Sachs downgraded Lulu today. There's an article with the rationale here: http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/16/09/8509298/5-risks-for-lululemon?utm_campaign=partner_feed&utm_source=marketwatch.com&utm_medium=web_click&utm_content=ticker_page
It was nice to see some of the stuff we've been talking about reflected in the downgrade. Essentially, pricing is driving away core customers, too much inventory that won't be moved without markdowns, and core customers are departing for other brands.
What they didn't say, and should have, was that customers are being extremely vocal that the reason for this is the significant change in style and decline in quality. Analysts - and company spokespeople - tend to say, oh, well, customers are fickle. No. No, we're really not. Lulu customers are extremely loyal. We just don't like what we see. So far, I haven't seen any articles that just lay out the truth: design and quality have changed significantly and the drop in sales is a direct reflection of that.
I love the swiftly, I grabbed it tonight. Gorgeous.
That is hilarious, a ton of stock piling up.... well well well I guess their cheap clothes/ugly designs arn't selling for super high prices after all.... people have moved on, every once in awile i'll look through their stuff.... yuk, i'm over it!!!!!
I hope the lace patten comes in different color of LS
@ anon 11:56 am - Not to worry - I tried on the Brave Olive Swiftly LS and SS in the store yesterday. The color is very nice in person. I liked it much better than the CRB II. I plan on keeping at least the SS in the Swiftly, if not the tank. I'll have to see how I like that when it gets here today since my store didn't have it. The texture in the LS kind of bugged my arms but the SS was just beautiful. If you have green or hazel eyes, it really makes them pop. I was surprised it worked since my hair is a little blonder now but the gold tones in the color really worked. It looks especially nice with black bottoms.
@anon 1:05, We customers have it wrong. It's not a decline in style & quality, it's “a combination of function with beauty.” Apparently haute couture people are too glib for their own bottom line.
@ anon 7:46 am - Lululemon has *always* combined function with THEIR version of beauty. That's what makes this article so annoying. Function with style is nothing new for lululemon, except now the style part is terrible and it looks like function may be on a downward trend, too.
@ Lea - that SUCKS!!
Hi Luluaddict! What do you mean the l/s swiftly bugged your arms? Was the fabric too scratchy???? Thank you for your reply.
PS I AM NOT BUYING TOO MUCH LULULEMON LIKE IN THE PAST!!! I WISH SOMEONE AT LULULEMON WOULD CALL ME TO ASK ME WHY I AM NOT BUYING LIKE I USED TO???!!! I CAN ATTEST TO THE CHEAPEN FABRICS WITH HIGHER PRICES!!! I OWN OVER 250 LULULEMON JACKETS, FOR EXAMPLE!!! LATELY, THEY ARE NOT LISTENING TO THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS (LIKE PREVIOUSLY) AND I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL MANAGERS ABOUT THEIR HIDEOUS WEBSITE AMONG OTHER THINGS AS I CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE. THEY ARE A DIFFERENT COMPANY FROM THE PAST. 'WISH CHIP WILSON WOULD COME BACK AS I AM CERTAIN THAT HE READS ABOUT THE PROBLEMS AND SHAKES HIS HEAD.
@ anon 9:27 am - The arms weren't as soft as the body. In general, am not a fan of the Swiftlys that are blended with black and/or have a texture woven into them, I tend to find them not as soft/a bit stiffer/less stretchy than solid/non-print colored ones and there is more black in the print sections. I thought the SS felt nice, though. I wasn't able to try the tank on yet. However, solid black swiftlys are the softest of them all.
You know things are getting serious when people are crying for Chip Wilson to come back. A guy that made such uncomfortable statements about the female body. Females that are the core customers of this company. So when the same female customers are asking for him to come back, that says a lot!
I've been patiently waited for the current Lulu management to get things right. I have waited and waited. But by the look of things nothing is getting better. Thing are actually getting worse. I think it is time to acknowledge that Lululemon needs a new direction and a new person to guide them there.
Lululemon - we do not need to hear/read all this babbling about how innovative you are as a company. You are not. You did not invent the wheel. You did not discover that the Earth is round. You are not a high end fashion house. So stop pretending you are and get back at producing functional and design appealing workout clothes. That's why you exist as a company.
@ anon 12:28 pm - Chip Wilson had foot-in-mouth disease but he had a vision and he knew what sold with his female customers. You can either listen to a person's words or you can judge them by their actions. Wilson gave his customers what they wanted - feminine but subtly sexy and extremely functional work out clothing. Potdevin and company may say correct things but they're not giving their customers what they want. They're making a lot of skanky looking mesh products that seem to be aimed at people who pretend to work out, as one reader phrased it. Who do you think really values their women customers?
LLA, I am anon 12:28PM and I totally agree with you. Chip Wilson cared about the products he was putting out there. I once read in one of his interviews that he used to go at stay at the Grouse Grind gate and look and talk to the female hikers (for those who do not know what Grouse Grind is - it is a difficult but crazy good hike that is immensely popular in Vancouver. 865m elevation gain in a little under 3KM. trust me, it is quite the hike). Anyhow, back to what I was saying. He would go and talk to female hikers and ask about what they were wearing and what made them choose that clothing piece, what they would change in it, etc. Well, that says a lot about him and his dedication to the company.
I seriously want him back.
Bring Chip back!
Agree with virtually everything you've said, LLA, with one small exception: Potdevin does not say the right things. I want a company that levels with me. I want a CEO who says, "We're looking to expand and that may involve changing our aesthetic to appeal to a broader audience." I wouldn't be happy to hear it, but at least it's honest. Instead we get mega bull crap about, "oh, we're finding new ways to connect with our customers online". Uh, well, no. No, you're not. HeyLululemon was a new way and you killed that and suggested we use FaceBook. FaceBook.
The really funny part is that they don't seem to get that customers do want to feel connections to companies. We want to be fans. We bring the money and loyalty, but it's a two way street. Shovel BS and tone deaf products at us and we will leave. It's really very, very simple.
I purchased the black olive LS Swiftly today. First time seeing it in person. Beautiful. I have a couple other non-LLL tops in this colour precisely because it is a colour that really works for my fair skin and hazel eyes (pointed out by LLA 7:34 a.m.)
Bought my usual size 4 and it is perfect. Just like the Blackened Sapphire Swiftly the arms are not super tight (unlike my older Swiftlies) and I find them completely comfortable. Still not a fan of such a high price and that presently deters me from also buying the SS version. Even though I can afford the tops, I have a limit.
I also have the blackened Jungle Green LS swiftly and black black LS Swiftly and the sleeves on those ones do not bother me either.
@Anon 2:03PM - I LOVE the Grouse Grind! I'm in Ontario but visit Vancouver at least once a year and it is one of the things I look forward to. Plus I'm hardcore and love how challenging it is, I do it everyday when there if time permits. I love the story about Chip Wilson gathering very practical information! Agreed he had a foot-in-mouth problem but no one can argue about his thoughtfulness about the design and details of the clothing.
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