2. THE LAUNCH OF JOSH
KAPLAN'S GHOST.
COULDN'T HAVE COME
AT A BETTER TIME.
3. THE COMPANY ONLY BECAME PUBLIC
WEEKS AGO AND, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T
ALREADY KNOW, GHOST IS A DIGITAL
MARKETPLACE THAT CONNECTS BRANDS
WITH DISCOUNT RETAILERS AND OTHER
BUYERS TO LIQUIDATE UNSOLD
INVENTORY.
4. RETAILERS GLOBALLY ARE SITTING ON A
WIDE RANGE OF PRODUCTS, WITH FEW
GOOD OPTIONS TO GET RID OF THEM.
AND THIS IS A SPIN FROM LAST YEAR'S
SHORTAGE OF SUPPLY. SO BRANDS ARE
RAMPING UP PRODUCTS TO MEET UP
WITH DEMAND.
5. THIS MISTAKEN MOVE PRESENTS A BIG
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE LIKES OF SAKS
OFF FIFTH AND TJ MAXX.
THEY JUST SWOOP IN AND BUY EXTRA
HEAVILY DISCOUNTED MERCHANDISE,
WHICH THEY THEN RESELL TO THEIR
CUSTOMERS.
6. AS INFLATION PUSHES PRICES UP
AND A RECESSION LOOMS, MORE
BUYERS ARE LIKELY TO TURN TO
DISCOUNTERS.
BUT THEY TOO ARE FACED WITH A
GREAT CHALLENGE; THE ARE
BUYING MORE MERCHANDISE,
ASSUMING THE GOOD TIMES WILL
CONTINUE.
7. BUT THIS LOOMING RECESSION AND
INFLATION SPIKE COULD OPEN UP DOORS
JUST LIKE IN THE 2008 RECESSION.
DURING THAT TIME WE SAW NEW MODELS
AT DISCOUNT PRICES, INCLUDING QUICK
SALE SITES SUCH AS GILT GROUPE,
HAUTELOOK AND AMAZON’S MYHABIT.
8. AT THE SAME TIME, DROP-PRICE
RETAILERS WILL FACE COMPETITION
FROM A GROWING RESALE SECTOR,
WHERE PRICE-CONSCIOUS SHOPPERS WHO
USED TO FREQUENT SAKS OFF FIFTH OR
NORDSTROM RACK NOW ALSO BROWSE
THE REALREAL AND VESTIAIRE
COLLECTIVE.
9. THE E-COMMERCE BOOM CAME WITH THE
PANDEMIC AND AS SUCH THESE ITEMS
MAY END UP SOLD IN PHYSICAL STORES
WHILE SOME DISCOUNT RETAILERS HAVE
MOVED ONLINE IN RECENT YEARS,
SNEAKING CLOTHES ONTO THE SHELVES
IN A BUSY STORE AVOIDS THE POSSIBILITY
OF THEM APPEARING IN WEB SEARCHES
ALONGSIDE FULL-PRICE ITEMS.
10. THAT'S WHY WE SEE BRANDS LIKE TJX,
BURLINGTON AND ROSS HAVE ANNOUNCED
OPENING 100 NEW STORES THIS YEAR.
AS THE OFF-PRICE MARKET GROWS, SERVICES
LIKE GHOST ARE OPENING UP A DIGITAL AND
MORE EFFICIENT WAY TO CONNECT BRANDS TO
THE RIGHT SHOPPERS.
