As Lululemon climbs up the ladder of popularity, it is no doubt that it has left you wondering why the brand is so expensive. You might have noticed somewhat similar products being priced quite less as compared to Lululemon, and this might have even confused you as you can see that the brand is not only making more sales but also gaining popularity worldwide. However, before pointing to the only possible reason that the people behind the brand are greedy and merciless, it is better to look out for the actual reasons. Nowadays, when the pandemic is still ongoing and there’s a bigger threat of world war, we mustn’t overlook these factors. Other than this, one of the most important factors is the cost of production and the people behind the scenes, who work hard to make a finished product look as good as it does.
The reason why is Lululemon so Expensive?
Ranging from the cost of production to the quality of the products and research and innovation- various factors come to the forefront when dealing with this question. These are:
Cost of Production:
When looking at the cost of production, you have to take into account the highly-priced machines and various expensive techniques used in making a product. At Lululemon, the machines used are quite expensive. Moreover, it has been reported that the fabric selected for the products is not done so easily; these fabrics go through at least 13-15 testings to ensure that the material offered to the consumers is of the highest quality.
Thus, the human labor required and the cost of machines together form the cost of production. Moreover, all the teams that are required to make a finished product- the sales team, marketing teams, procurement teams- also have to be taken into account. When the company is using this many people to work hard on making a finished piece of clothing, the price is inevitably going to be high.
Innovation and Research:
Experimentation is the key to success when it comes to clothing brands. What was in trend one month ago, might be lying next to trash today. Thus, such brands need to appoint works of research and innovation to various teams such as the design experts and market research teams. This is done to study what trends currently occupy the market and the behavior of consumers to these trends. And this goes without saying that the people in these teams work hard day and night with their experimentation.
The company has its center dedicated to this work where expensive machines running on the latest technology can be found! Moreover, this is an imperative step considering the tough competition in the market. Thus, since the company invests money in research and innovation, it is obvious the products are going to be highly-priced.
Quality of the Fabric:
When it comes to clothing brands, it becomes important for them to cater to needs of all shapes and sizes! For instance, at Lululemon, you will not only find workout clothes but also apparel for your daily activities such as running errands. The brand uses fabrics such as lycra, nylon, nulu, luon, and the like so that the quality of the product is maintained throughout while presenting the consumers with breathable and comfortable fabric.
Lululemon claims that its products are of such high-quality fabric that it doesn’t fade away with a few quick washes! Since the stakes are so high, it is obvious that Lululemon leaves no stones unturned. If you have bought such clothes from the brand, then you might have noticed the durability of the clothes which can only be attained once the piece of cloth goes through various tests.
Scarcity:
Lululemon is not known to make bulk productions of one type of clothes. This is one of the brand’s strategies that ensures that the consumers run after it the moment a new set selection of clothing items is introduced! Thus, this witty move ensures that demand stays high while the supply constantly remains low. Plus, this move also ensures that the prices of the products remain high.
Exclusivity:
One of the most important factors that amount to the high prices of products at Lululemon is the brand’s exclusivity. This is to say that you will not find Lululemon products at any other store or website besides Lululemon. What this exclusivity does is maintain the products’ authenticity, eliminate keen competitors since the consumers are found looking for products only available at Lululemon, allows the brand to sell its products at a high price, and most importantly, it makes the novice consumers curious to at least try out once since the demand always seems to be higher than the supply.
Brand Image:
Once a brand becomes popular, there is no force on earth to stop it from pursuing every means to stay on the top rung of the ladder. And although this is one of the gravest demerits of capitalism, there is no solution for this. Nevertheless, since the brand Lululemon has acquired great popularity and is already famous for selling high-quality products, it is no doubt that the brand will maintain high prices to ensure its position. Moreover, Lululemon is a luxury brand which ultimately means that the prices are going to be sky-high!
Minimal Discounts:
Although this sounds like one of the witty moves of this brand, it can still be seen as a factor. It is known that a brand that offers many discounts frequently only causes more harm to its organization than good. Thus, Lululemon seeks to offer minimal discounts on highly sought-after products while offering quite a few discounts on products that are not much in demand. This ensures the company’s image stays intact; it looks like the brand is offering a discount but is not offering one on products in high demand.
Conclusion
Now that you have looked at all the factors that aim to make the brand seem very expensive, it is no doubt that capitalism still has a role to play in it. While the brand ensures that the fabric is of high quality and employs various workers to operate on expensive machines so that the product quality is not compromised, it is also that the brand seems to uphold its image and cunningly uses strategies such as minimal discounts and scarcity and exclusivity to make sure that the prices remain high. Since you are aware of all the factors, it is up to you to decide whether it is worth buying clothes from Lululemon!
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Can I buy Lululemon clothes from Amazon?
No, Lululemon is an exclusive brand.
- Are there any discounts at Lululemon?
You can check their official website for current discounts.
