Why are clothes in specialty stores expensive? Revealing the price logic behind
In recent years, consumers have generally been confused by the high prices of clothing in specialty stores. For the same style, the price in a specialty store may be several times higher than that on online platforms or wholesale markets. This article will analyze for you the real reasons why clothes in specialty stores are expensive from the perspectives of brand premium, operating costs, material technology, etc., combined with hot topic data from the entire Internet in the past 10 days.
1. Analysis of hot topics across the entire network (last 10 days)

| hot topics | Discussion popularity | Main point |
|---|---|---|
| “The price gap between physical stores and online shopping” | high | Consumers complain about inflated prices in specialty stores and turn to online shopping |
| "Is the brand premium reasonable?" | Middle to high | Some users think the brand value is worth the high price, while others think it is over-marketed. |
| "Fast Fashion and Environmental Costs" | in | Environmentally friendly materials and production processes drive up costs and affect pricing |
| “Offline store rental pressure” | in | The high rents of shops in first-tier cities indirectly drive up the selling prices of clothing. |
2. The core reason why clothes in specialty stores are expensive
1. Brand premium
Well-known brands give products higher added value through market recognition accumulated over many years. What consumers pay for is not only the clothes themselves, but also the brand image, design concept and social identity. For example, a basic T-shirt from a luxury brand sells for thousands of yuan, and the cost may only account for 10%.
2. High operating costs
| cost item | Proportion | Description |
|---|---|---|
| store rent | 20%-40% | The average monthly rent in core business districts can reach hundreds of thousands of yuan. |
| Labor cost | 15%-25% | Includes sales, warehousing and management staff salaries |
| Inventory shrinkage | 5%-10% | Loss from discounts or scrapping of unsalable items |
3. Differences in materials and processes
Specialty stores often emphasize fabric sources (such as organic cotton, imported wool) and handmade details (such as embroidery, tailoring), which cost much more than mass-produced affordable clothing. Taking a certain high-end women's clothing as an example, its hand-sewing process requires 8 more steps than an ordinary factory, and the working hours increase by three times.
4. Marketing and experience services
Specialty stores need to bear the costs of advertising, celebrity endorsements, window design, etc., and also provide value-added services such as try-on and matching suggestions. Data shows that the marketing budget of some brands accounts for more than 30% of the selling price.
3. How do consumers make rational choices?
1.Clarify needs: If you are looking for cost-effectiveness, you can pay attention to brand discount seasons or online official channels;
2.Pay attention to material tags: Avoid paying for "inflated technology", for example, the cost difference between "pure cotton" and "100% combed cotton" is 50%;
3.price comparison tool: Use the price comparison APP to check the online and offline price differences of the same model.
Conclusion
The high prices of specialty stores are the comprehensive result of brand value, service experience and business model. Consumers can find a balance between quality and price according to their own needs. The next time you buy something, you might as well think about it: Is what you pay for the clothes the cost or the story?
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