Has anyone else noticed the prices

louislover260

louislover260

Member
Jan 16, 2008
6,261
26
#1
Am I the only one who has noticed the new Coach prices equal that of LV almost? The majority of the new bags are $500-$700, some of them equalling $1000...

Which makes me also ask the question... Is this why they have been pushing things to the outlets so fast? Do they want to sell all that they have left over at a fast pace, so that they can close the outlets to keep up with their new high end image?

I might have to be done with Coach then if this is the case, I always looked at Coach as being affordable, and fun... but at these prices, these will soon just be splurges every now and then...
 
#2
ITA! It baffles me how soon stuff ends up at the outlets. Most of the stuff I wouldn't buy anyway, but it is ridiculous.

I will just buy much less. I recently splurged on a much higher priced bag, but I normally wouldn't do that (much). I don't think that one would end up at outlet, but you never know. Didn't someone find an XL Lily at the outlets? Or maybe that was just isolated due to returns? :shrugs:
 
#3
Remember, some of the higher end bags found at the outlets are returns.

Having said that, I have noticed that items are getting to the outlets very quickly, but I think it's moreso to bring out new lines faster.
 
#4
yeah i tihnk coach definatly needs to stop raising prices if they want to keep selling, the only thing i cuold think if is i remember someone said they want to have a lower price set and higher priced set, this may be they way. have all lower priced bags at outlets and higher priced bags at boutiqes.
 
#7
louislover260 said:
Am I the only one who has noticed the new Coach prices equal that of LV almost? The majority of the new bags are $500-$700, some of them equalling $1000...
Click to expand...

I completely agree. At lower price points all I see is "Coach... awesome!" I respond to the brand's history and most of the designs. I wouldn't be here if I didn't like Coach. At these price points, hwoever, I'm starting to do what, IMO, is the last thing Coach wants me to do: compare them to other high end brands. And, to be honest, at anything over $500 they simply do not stand up. That's not meant to be a super-gigantic dis but there are quality control issues, the bags are mass-produced in China, customer service is spotty, and the leather quality is in question. So when I'm comparing them to other brands Coach has to have the most super-amazing, TDF, cannot live without design to even stay in the running for any given season. And the current crop of $500-$1000 doesn't do that for me. But hey, if they do it for you, by all means buy and enjoy!
 
#8
louislover260 said:
I have to disagree. It never slowed them down before bringing new stuff the stores... so why would it affect them now?
Click to expand...

My point is that they're bringing more lines out now. You have a lot more product out now than even say, five to ten years ago. Coach has just RECENTLY gotten in the business of different fabric for bags, then you have shoes, jewelry, fragrance, clothing, and the extensive accessories - remember, this is a company that did leather almost exclusively for over 50 years. That's all I'm getting at.
 
#9
The prices are making me turn to Ebay and I only hit the outlets when I get down the the states. Its getting a bit much for me sorry to say. I loved Coach for the price and style but I have been loving either lately:sad:
 
#10
I think the higher they price their bags, the less they are going to sell at the boutiques at full price, period-particularly in this economy. Maybe it is just bad timing that they are trying to up their brand status at a time when consumers seem to be pulling back on this type of purchase...or so the economic news channels tell me.

When I first got into Coach, they would send out PCE approximately 4 times per year. Now they are doing at least 6-8 PCE events per year as well as adding in those $50 coupons every so often. Clearly, they are trying to drive sales up with these incentives. But at the same time, they are increasing prices rapidly. I could see small price increases as materials beocme more expensive but these price increases in the past year are quite large imho...not that I really know for sure, just saying. Furthermore, as the prices increase, the quality and CS seems to be decreasing.

I love Coach because of the designs, the affordability and the quality. But if you take even one of those factors out of the equation, my loyalty starts to waver. I've never even thought about venturing out to another brand, but if Coach can't get it together, I have no problem doing so. And if nothing catches my eye right away, I have no problem not buying for a while-Lord knows I have plenty of bags to use!

Ok, I'm starting to ramble but my point is this....what the heck are they doing lately? It's like they are trying to fail. Inconsistent and poor CS, quality issues and we're supposed to pay more for that? Hmmm...has someone gotten a bit arrogant and started taking their customers for granted?
 
#11
louislover260 said:
Am I the only one who has noticed the new Coach prices equal that of LV almost? The majority of the new bags are $500-$700, some of them equalling $1000...

Which makes me also ask the question... Is this why they have been pushing things to the outlets so fast? Do they want to sell all that they have left over at a fast pace, so that they can close the outlets to keep up with their new high end image?

I might have to be done with Coach then if this is the case, I always looked at Coach as being affordable, and fun... but at these prices, these will soon just be splurges every now and then...
Click to expand...

I agree. And the fact is the prices keeps going up,up,up and that is just pure profit because the bags are now being made in China and soon...Vietnam. Greed. Not to mention that is quite clear in many cases the quality -workmanship has gone down ! How often do we see posts about fraying Carly's and defective leather bags ? alot more often then we used to ! Not to mention the market is over saturated w/Coach bags. They are no longer "special" when damn near every high school girl is carrying one. Yet they keep raising their prices ? what a joke....and it's on us I'm afraid.
 
#12
sweetmelissa said:
I think the higher they price their bags, the less they are going to sell at the boutiques at full price, period-particularly in this economy. Maybe it is just bad timing that they are trying to up their brand status at a time when consumers seem to be pulling back on this type of purchase...or so the economic news channels tell me.

When I first got into Coach, they would send out PCE approximately 4 times per year. Now they are doing at least 6-8 PCE events per year as well as adding in those $50 coupons every so often. Clearly, they are trying to drive sales up with these incentives. But at the same time, they are increasing prices rapidly. I could see small price increases as materials beocme more expensive but these price increases in the past year are quite large imho...not that I really know for sure, just saying. Furthermore, as the prices increase, the quality and CS seems to be decreasing.

I love Coach because of the designs, the affordability and the quality. But if you take even one of those factors out of the equation, my loyalty starts to waver. I've never even thought about venturing out to another brand, but if Coach can't get it together, I have no problem doing so. And if nothing catches my eye right away, I have no problem not buying for a while-Lord knows I have plenty of bags to use!

Ok, I'm starting to ramble but my point is this....what the heck are they doing lately? It's like they are trying to fail. Inconsistent and poor CS, quality issues and we're supposed to pay more for that? Hmmm...has someone gotten a bit arrogant and started taking their customers for granted?
Click to expand...

You read my mind.
 
#13
ITA - the prices are insane now! It doesn't cost $1000 or more to make a high quality, stylish bag - other designers are doing it without resorting to manufacturing in China even! I have Rebecca Minkoff bags that cost under $600 and $700 that have much better leather, are made in the US and are better made and more stylish than most of the Coach's I'm seeing at $1k and up! Same for Belen Echandia - I just got a pre-order bag that I paid less than $800 for - it's handmade in Italy - amazing styling, very large bag, Italian metallic leather and great hardware!!! I loved Coach when they were a stylish, well made mid-range brand - I could go buy a cool bag for less than $500 at the boutique, but now I'm looking at a minimum of $600 and up to $1200 for one of the larger, stylish, leather bags! Now, I return more than I keep as I can only justify getting a couple of Coach bags a season. I'm buying a lot more accessories because I find that those are reasonably priced and very nice - it's expensive to manufacture wallets and they have to be done in large quantities to allow a lower price point which Coach does so their price points are much lower than LV or Balenciaga which I like -they are also sturdy. Their silk scarves are a total deal as well - I just bought another mid-level brand scarf and it was over $150 where a similar Coach would have been $68. I'm seriously waiting for a lot of things to go to the outlet especially all the Bleeker stuff - they made a zillion styles and they have to have warehouses full of these bags and with the new Madisons, Hamptons, Sabrinas, Amandas, Juliannes in a zillion sizes/fabrics/leather treatments coming into the stores in Aug/Sept those bags have to go somewhere and it's expensive to just store stuff and they're going to want to get those bags sold so I predict a lot is going to the outlets more quickly. I also think that since they have a limited number of outlets as opposed to the massive number of boutiques and retail outlets, Coach corporate feels that a limited number of consumers have access to outlets (little do they know how far we will drive for a Coach deal;) and that they are not eroding sales by sending styles to the outlets quickly.
 
#14
Honestly....you can't find a full-sized LV bag for under $600 now...and it's a canvas bag with logos all over the thing. Coach signature pieces are still priced quite lower than LVs. Case in point: A new Zoe pouch will set you back $178 for signature...good luck trying to find an LV canvas pouchette in beat up condition for that price.

The higher priced Coach items are leather...a leather LV bag will set you back EASILY $2500-3000!!!!! And for the majority of them you still get crappy logos all over the leather.

IDK....for a designer item, Coach is still the cheapest there is. I guess if people don't like it they can move down to Dooney & Bourke (which would be the next lowest brand in the hierarchy after Coach)?

I've moved to Coach because I like leather bags and can't afford the $1500 leather bags of my previous life....I still find them affordable compared to what I used to carry. In addition, the quality is a lot better than what you'd get from Dooney or a cheap Wilson's Leather bag.

Also...I can't see them closing outlets....it's probably their bread & butter in terms of quantity. They may pull down more of a profit margin in the full price stores, but they sell wayyyyyy more at the outlet. Today, I was the only person in the Coach full price store. 2 weeks ago I was at the outlet and I could barely move.
 
#15
When I saw the prices for some of the new bags, I couldn't believe it. Sure, I know the $4000 Julianne is python, but wow.

And they have so many different styles coming out, it's hard to keep track. They seem to be having so many new things come out so close together, I'm not sure how smart of them that is in the long-run.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Back