What should the prices be?

[Wordsworth]

Just to be clear, I don't think current stock prices should be cut, as they have apparently been priced with reference to high quality materials used. I'm just very wary of the idea that handbags hold their value well, particularly used bags. They are depreciating assets. There was a thread on here recently when people were upset at resellers increasing the values of secondhand bags with reference to the new price points, that mindset won't go away.

 

[armcandy3]

This discussion is comparable to the property boom. Houses/mulberry bubble going burst, buyers having negative equity, 1st time buyers struggling to get on the mulberry ladder etc...lol!

 

[BlueHour]

Ideally or realistically? Hehe
I doubt bays would go below £500. Even the seasonal colour are now £1100, so they might be 40% off! independent retailers might do 50% towards end of sales. Classic colours are @895 I don't think they will go on sale but prices won't go up this year. Seasonal colours for lily will probably,y be like bays, 40% @ M & 50% else where.
What I'm interested in is whether the seasonal colour for double zip bays or willow would be incl in the sale. I'm eyeing up the double zip but if they don't discount I would probably save more for Chanel

Oh I so agree with you about the Bayswater double zip, I would love me one in oak - that is the sort of bag which, if well looked after, could last forever, would never look out of fashion, and go with everything.
But I feel that even at half price it would be too expensive... plus, there is, for me, one more huge sticking point: I would perhaps bring myself to pay a small fortune for a Made in England bag, but certainly not for something made in China or Turkey. Mulberry or not Mulberry, it's just not the same, and if I was a loyal fan of the brand, I would fee very cheated if I paid premium prices but was sold Chinese and not English-made bags.

 

[Silversun]

Oh I so agree with you about the Bayswater double zip, I would love me one in oak - that is the sort of bag which, if well looked after, could last forever, would never look out of fashion, and go with everything.
But I feel that even at half price it would be too expensive... plus, there is, for me, one more huge sticking point: I would perhaps bring myself to pay a small fortune for a Made in England bag, but certainly not for something made in China or Turkey. Mulberry or not Mulberry, it's just not the same, and if I was a loyal fan of the brand, I would fee very cheated if I paid premium prices but was sold Chinese and not English-made bags.

I don't know about the Double Zip Bays specifically, but I thought a lot of the price increase is because they are shifting manufacturing back to Somerset. So it may well be made in England after all.

 

[Mooshooshoo]

Oh I so agree with you about the Bayswater double zip, I would love me one in oak - that is the sort of bag which, if well looked after, could last forever, would never look out of fashion, and go with everything.
But I feel that even at half price it would be too expensive... plus, there is, for me, one more huge sticking point: I would perhaps bring myself to pay a small fortune for a Made in England bag, but certainly not for something made in China or Turkey. Mulberry or not Mulberry, it's just not the same, and if I was a loyal fan of the brand, I would fee very cheated if I paid premium prices but was sold Chinese and not English-made bags.

One of the reasons for the price increases is because many of the newer bags are made in Somerset, along with a higher percentage of the core bags.
The double zip bays is surprisingly made in Italy

 

[Mulberrygal]

Interesting point. I personally don't consider my bags to be investments or worth "anything" in monetary terms in any event - from a technical standpoint they are insured but I buy bags that I consider classics and more importantly that I love enough to keep forever - I've never sold one. This means once the money is gone from my pocket it doesn't really make a difference to me how the market price moves.

I can see how opinion would differ, however, if selling on to recover at least a proportion of the price is built into your bag-owning model. And I do agree that it's up to the consumer whether they are prepared to pay the asking price.

i'm with you on this one, if they slashed the prices now i'd be quite upset really ! i've spent a lot of my hard earned money on my bags and i like to think i chose them wisely in case i did want to sell them one day, slashing the prices would mean they would potentially be worth very little...

I think this is a very interesting view point. I appreciate a bag is a "depreciating assets" but with Mulberry there is the opportunity to buy wisely and never pay full price. This has allowed many of us to chop and change and sell on bags. I have mostly recovering what I've paid whilst also enjoying them for a time. I have never intentionally bought a bag to re-sell, however there are many that do so obviously Mulberry has it wrong somewhere and needs to plug a hole!

I have only ever bought more exclusive brands that don't drop their prices as "very specials" with the intention of loving them forever and never to part.

I can't see there is any danger of Mulberry "slashing" prices in the near future. Let's hope it never comes to that or our Mulbs will become worthless. it is a scary thought but has happened before with other designers.

Ideally or realistically? Hehe
I doubt bays would go below £500. Even the seasonal colour are now £1100, so they might be 40% off! independent retailers might do 50% towards end of sales. Classic colours are @895 I don't think they will go on sale but prices won't go up this year. Seasonal colours for lily will probably,y be like bays, 40% @ M & 50% else where.
What I'm interested in is whether the seasonal colour for double zip bays or willow would be incl in the sale. I'm eyeing up the double zip but if they don't discount I would probably save more for Chanel

I think you are right and we will see some drop 50% but even then the prices will still be high. They may try to hold on to some exclusives like the Willow and double zip but I don't think there will be many. There is always the ability to get 20% off these with shareholders discount or without Vat at the airport. So who knows, they might just have to drop these too

Interesting times ahead

 

[chloe-babe]

Its no coincidence that the Alexa became the IT bag of the decade because of the price and the quality.
A £700 to £800 is still of course a massive treat - BUT it seems affordable if you save for it and you get a very nice investment for your money.

Any more than that and you have to absolutely adore the styles to even consider a purchase - and Mulberry haven't bought out a style that has been adored in a long long time ……………...

 

[Wordsworth]

I am quite tickled by the fact that where we previously had lots of threads wanting mulberry to drop prices, now we've got a thread where people want prices to stay high!

 

[handbagahholic]

I am quite tickled by the fact that where we previously had lots of threads wanting mulberry to drop prices, now we've got a thread where people want prices to stay high!

It's been really interesting seeing everyone's thoughts and opinions from when MG came to mulberry the mess he made then his departure! I'm looking forward to the new lines I just hope the quality is there although I'm sure it would be as the backlash from that wouldn't be good, I'm happy about the lower price as I'd given up in buying new, interesting times ahead!