Gucci.com pricing: Does Gucci treat its best customers the worse?

BTB

BoycottTheBag.com
Nov 6, 2006
14
0
I examined the Gucci bags available at Saks.com, BergdorfGoodman.com and NeimanMarcus.com against those available at Gucci.com and found that while most of the bags were priced the same (where a direct comparison could be made), there were some notable exceptions. And in each case that the price differed, Gucci.com charged more than the retailer. If you're going to buy a Gucci bag, it really does pay to shop around.

My findings are here:
Boycott The Bag: Does Gucci Treat its Best Customers the Worse?

Best,
Jane
 
I think usually the prices are the same at all these retailers, but there are some small differences due to the recent price increase. I notice that some retailers are still selling their bags at the old price before the increase. I assume it is because they will continue to sell bags in stock at the same price and then new bags, such as, cruise and spring collection bags, will be the same price as at Gucci.
 
All the more reason to shop around. That increase may not be applied evenly. Why'd Gucci increase its prices -- higher fuel costs driving up the cost of leather and horsebits?
 
If you do a comprehensive research you will find out that Saks and Neiman's also sell Chanel, Gucci, Prada, Marc Jacobs, etc., etc., except L.Vuitton, lower than the actual stores for these brands. I know for a fact that Chanel
chastized Saks last year for selling at Sale Prices certain handbags and I am sure the same is true for other brands. I have no problem with Gucci and Size 10, since European women and sizes are smaller than U.S.A. women and sizes and they are after all, a European merchant, appealing to a European Market. I have bought both, directly from Gucci at Bal Harbour Florida and obtaining great service and great merchandise on sale and not on sale and also from Saks Fifth Avenue, which in my opinion is the top merchant to buy from as far as designer bags is concerned.
 
All the more reason to shop around. That increase may not be applied evenly. Why'd Gucci increase its prices -- higher fuel costs driving up the cost of leather and horsebits?


If you've noticed alot of us on this site will tell everyone when a price increase is about to happen with any brand. My SA at Gucci called and told me about the increase. The majority of the designers do increases at various times during the year. I tend to shop around and I buy from Gucci stores and other department stores. I guess if you are a savvy shopper you can get an authentic bag at the previous price before the stores go up on their prices. Like you said more the reason to shop around. Hey I've had SA's at Chanel tell me where to get a bag from which may be a little less. I'm a customer of several brands and the SA's that I work with always look out for me and I truly appreciate.
 
If you do a comprehensive research you will find out that Saks and Neiman's also sell Chanel, Gucci, Prada, Marc Jacobs, etc., etc., except L.Vuitton, lower than the actual stores for these brands. I know for a fact that Chanel chastized Saks last year for selling at Sale Prices certain handbags and I am sure the same is true for other brands. I have no problem with Gucci and Size 10, since European women and sizes are smaller than U.S.A. women and sizes and they are after all, a European merchant, appealing to a European Market. I have bought both, directly from Gucci at Bal Harbour Florida and obtaining great service and great merchandise on sale and not on sale and also from Saks Fifth Avenue, which in my opinion is the top merchant to buy from as far as designer bags is concerned.

Very interesting insights regarding how the luxury brands deal with their retailers. Clearly, the brands try to exercise pricing power whenever they can to maximize profits. And if they can, who can blame them!?!?!

That said, in 2005 Gucci had sales in North America of almost half a billion dollars. With that kind of money on the line, they should be more attuned to the North American marketplace. Instead, they peddle a corrosive notion of beauty and we swallow it thinking it very chic and Italian. Two-thirds of Gucci's sales occurred outside of Europe. That's not very European at all.

Jane
 
I think it depends on the contract of the retailer with Gucci. I explain it better. Gucci has a pricelist that can recommended to a store but it's not compulsory. For example here in Italy you can find some articles on sales if you go to a multibrand retailer than the Gucci store. Sorry for my bad english but I hope you get the sense..??? Also Prada is the same, it applies to all firms which sell both via their own stores and other stores.
 
Gucci sells size 48 clothing. You have to get it early in the season though. I think that's roughly a size 14.

I understand it's frustrating not to be able to buy the dress that you want, but that has happened to me too many times. A lot of the times, designers will not create many pieces of particular styles (especially dresses) and they only make them in the "average" designer sizes. A gorgeous $10K Fendi runway dress with the pearls only came in size 40. It's not economical for a design house to create all their styles in all the sizes, especially if it's an unique piece.

I understand your anger over the situation, but what about all the other brands who do this? Prada, Fendi, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana etc.?
 
To help Alice from Italy out a bit. As someone who works in the corporate environment of a high end retail company I am not surprised by what you have noticed. Places like Bergdorf, Neimans, Norstrom, Saks,etc are what is referred to as trade accounts. When most companies sell to trade accounts they provide them with the suggested retail price (which we have all seen), however they can not really prevent that trade account from selling the product for whatever they want. That is why at the end of the season Saks might have a Gucci, Prada, etc handbag on sale for less then the store.