Why The Success Of 'That Zara Dress' Matters To Retail - Forbes

That Zara Dress

Zara

It costs £39.99 (about $50) and has become the high street’s standout summer 2019 success story—even spawning its own Instagram account @hot4thespot with over 10k followers)—the Zara polka-dot maxi-dress is currently everywhere and on everybody. 

But how does a product break through the crowded womenswear market and why should it matter to retailers of all sizes and price points? 

Zara understands that when it comes to creating a stand out success in this market you have to get the basics right, and the basics are all about the product to start with! 

The dress ticks a number of the key fashion trends this summer, think floaty, prairie, animal print and oversized but in a subtle way rather than being too "of the moment" fashion-forward which would have reduced its mass-market appeal. 

For a product to achieve the success levels that the polka-dot-maxi dress has, it has to appeal to a wide selection of consumers and not just a niche fashion-driven grouping. With its floaty style, colorway and clear versatility the dress appeals to consumers of all ages, sizes, and backgrounds and can be worn for practically all occasions. 

In 2019 understanding who a product appeals to is vital to retailers success to help stock levels and expectations—for many it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking their products appeal to wider groups when really only a niche segment within their customer base is likely to be purchasers. This is not a trap Zara has fallen into, clearly understanding the mass appeal of their product from the get-go. 

Pricing is key in the current competitive market where consumers have never had so much choice. £39.99 is a great price for such a versatile dress, it’s also a sweet spot for pricing—appealing to the widest range of shoppers—not put off by it being too expensive but also not avoiding for fear of it to be too badly made at a low price point.

Achieving mass appeal would for many companies actually create a big problem and very quickly... availability. Many companies can never even aspire to the success levels of a product like this due to them not having the supply chain infrastructure to meet the demands of a hit stand out product, or not having the confidence to back a line deeply from the start. Marks and Spencer, for example, had an early summer hit with their Holly Willoughby—a popular TV presenter—inspired denim range, but this all too quickly led to empty shelves and frustrated customers.

Zara knows that availability is key to mass success having enjoyed previous similar product successes with, for example, their fake fur aviator jacket in both 2017 and 2018. 

In summary: this dress is a masterclass in the basics of fashion retail. Even when times are tough, consumers will happily buy if you offer a great product, with a wide appeal, at a great price and—most importantly—if it is in stock and available when the customer wants it.

Zara has built the perfect mix of customer feedback, data, and a world-class supply chain to secure its market-leading global position in high street fashion, and the success of the 2019 polka-dot maxi-dress proves it was worth it.

Why does this matter to other brands and retailers today? It demonstrates that with the right product and a strong supply chain in place you can make a fashion hit in 2019 without the need for armies of paid influencers or heavy discounting.

In 2019 the product is still queen in retail! 

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https://www.forbes.com/sites/callyrussell/2019/07/17/why-the-success-of-that-zara-dress-matters-to-retail/

2019-07-17 10:49:00Z
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