Could it be that "fast fashion" Topshop represents another example where British retailing just doesn't cut it in the U.S.? The retailer claims it is doing quite well, thank you, but there are plenty of critics to go around about its merchandise, pricing and store design.
All that being said, the New York Observer reports that Topshop owner Sir Philip Green is scouting Manhattan for two new locations to add to the recently opened flagship in Soho.
The store has gotten generally high grades from shoppers for its merchandise although some question price points that are said to be on the steep side. New Yorkers have been hard hit with the fallout of the banking crisis and problems on Wall Street and spending $100 on a basic blue blazer, as the Observer reports, is going to be a tough sell in the current environment.
Still, Sir Green is looking to find two spaces of 50,000 square-feet each to open new locations.
"They have not let up," Faith Hope Consolo, chair of retail leasing and sales for Prudential Douglas Elliman, told the Observer. "Their plan was always to have at least a dozen stores in the tristate area, but the concentration is three in Manhattan."
Discussion Questions: Are criticisms of Topshop's merchandise, visual merchandising and pricing legitimate? Are there changes it will need to make based on the economy, American consumer preferences, etc. to be successful in the U.S.?