Why did kids clothing prices in frum store go up?

amother

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 7:26 pm

I get it. There was a quarentine and everyone stayed indoors for 3 months( mostly) and stores lost out on business. So they are trying to make up for it this season
But why oh why does it "make sense" that kids clothing sold in jewish stores went up in price?
As in, mostly everything I saw has a starting price of 85? And little baby outfits( like what I need) are priced over 100????
I finally had a baby of the opposite gender, and have no clothes. So I said I would " splurge". But splurge, not go into debt.
Has anyone else noticed that the stores raised their prices?? And that I need something for yomtov, and cant find anything priced under 85?
Im trying to remember the last time I spent that on myself..

notshanarishona

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 7:28 pm

Their is no reason in the world to buy “frum” baby clothes if you don’t have an endless supply of cash. Carters / children place/ Walmart/ Target have plenty of cute clothes. You don’t need quality for a baby who at most is wearing a size for 6 months.

amother

Indigo

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 7:31 pm

I did very well on some websites. No $100 outfits...

https://www.shirtstop.us/

https://eleella.com/

But I did notice shoes went up at least $10 each season. I’m 25 and I remember my mom complaining about shoes being $50-60 in the good ole days.

silverlining3

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 7:52 pm

I realized kids cotton tights in particular went up. What used to be 8, 9 bux is not 11-12-13.99. The sales girl said, fashion went up, not cuz of corona lol

I got a shabs dress at kidichic for $42.
Shabs outfit for toddler at lulu for $50
Weekday dress at lulu for $42

amother

Orange

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 8:02 pm

notshanarishona wrote:

iN my experience , the clothes and shoes from frum stores are not better quality than from nonjewish stores.
Speaking specifically of shoes, my kids often destroy them the first wear, and they can use nonjewish shoes for 6 months .

WhatFor

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 8:17 pm

I'm not exactly sure why, just guessing, but if shipping became more difficult from certain regions, it's possible they had to turn to more expensive suppliers? Or maybe they just need to earn more to stay open, due to the losses from people not buying as much?

Larger chains can often absorb those losses better, so you might not see that reflected in their costs. But even so, a number of major clothing retailers have recently gone out of business. Smaller businesses are struggling. Doesn't mean you have to buy there but also doesn't mean they're trying to extort you.

QueensMama

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 9:16 pm

amother [ Fuchsia ] wrote:

Because they can. The markup has been insane on something things always do why not raise it.

(I’m not talking about European brand name stuff I’m talking made in China Jewish things)

I don’t think you understand the costs involved. Clothing must be designed. Fabrics must be chosen. Samples made nixed and redesigned You can’t produce too much of each style because no one wants to wear clothing that everyone else has. You need to market the clothes with very costly photo shoots and models. You have to have relationships with stores which requires manpower. You have to allow for unsold inventory. I’m sure there are a lot more hidden costs.

Feel free to buy h and m and Zara clothing and enjoy altering it to fit tall girls.

They are providing a valuable service that I am grateful for. And there’s always cheap brands like kidichic who are also providing a very valuable service.

ruchelbuckle

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 9:45 pm

WhatFor wrote:

This. Let’s say “kids brand a” usually has their clothes manufactured in Factory X in Country Y. That factory might have been commissioned by the government of that country to make masks, or PPE or whatever, so they couldn’t produce the fall line for Kids Brand A. So this brand had to find another factory to produce their fall line. So they found Factory ABC in Country EFG. BUT..... the quality control there isn’t so great, so they have to hire An extra foreman to supervise. oh, and because of COVID, the factory needs to give workers shorter shifts, but they need to hire more people to man the shifts. And because shipping has been so unreliable, the vendor decides he needs to ship the clothes from Vietnam/Bangladesh or wherever to the US via express freight, not regular 6-10 week freight. Because 10 week freight is really taking more like 16 week freight or whatever.....
These are just some examples. Just because prices are higher, doesn’t mean they are trying to exhort you.

amother

Oak

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 9:50 pm

kidichic, lulu, tottini are jewish stores that are affordably priced. zara, vertbaudet, and H and M have beautiful european styles similar to our jewish ones. I love those sites. that being said, I can find you links on ali express to a lot of the baby clothes that the "better" stores sell. they often come with the original labels Smile

amother

Yellow

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 9:58 pm

amother [ Oak ] wrote:

Find me dresses on these sites that cover knees. I'd love to see them!

Mama Bear

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 10:52 pm

I sell a ton of new and gently used heimish clothing on my poshmark site (see my signature). Check it out and if you see something you like, send me a PM, we can do it via paypal and I'll give you at least 10% - 20% off the price I listed on posh.

amother

Saddlebrown

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 11:18 pm

amother [ Linen ] wrote:

I haven't seen a markup but I shop in kidichic, designer spot type of stores

I shop in the designer spot equivalent in Lakewood (sage) and I was wondering if their prices went up slightly. Typically I spend $35-40 on a Shabbos dress there. This year was closer to $50. Shabbos robes also seemed to be $7-10 more it’s a small markup but adds up if dressing many kids. (Btw they had adorable ribbed toddler sets for $12.99)
I assumed it was a combination of losing tons of summer business and difficulty and logistics of transporting goods (but a lot of their stuff comes from Canada not China - but still more complicated)

amother

Saddlebrown

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 11:19 pm

amother [ Yellow ] wrote:

Find me dresses on these sites that cover knees. I'd love to see them!

FOr big kids not. But op said she was shopping for a baby. For my girls I do frum stores. But under 4 and boys mainly is online.

Just One

Tue, Sep 22 2020, 11:32 pm

amother [ Oak ] wrote:

Please oh please do post some links!