Bonobos vs. Thrift Stores – Store Wars Rd. 1

STORE WARS:  Bonobos vs. Thrift Stores

Starting March 13th and running through April 2nd, Dappered.com is hosting a bracket based tournament with the purpose of eventually crowning the all around Affordable Men’s Style Retail Champ for 2012.  For a full introduction see this post.  The bracket on the right will be updated as the tournament progresses.  Click on it for the full size.  Make a case for your preferred competitor in the comments section, but don’t forget to vote at the bottom of each match up.  On with today’s showdown:

Strengths:  Customer service.  Unparalleled, unheard of, and some might argue, unnecessary levels of customer service.  Real life people (the Ninjas) on the other end of the phone who are knowledgeable and ready and willing to help.  Wildly fast shipping.  Return policy that allows you to return your purchase, whenever, for any reason (like if I gain 45 pounds in early 2015 and I want to return my crocodandies?)  An incredible social media presence.  A clean looking website.  A unique fit for their chinos that some swear by.  Made in America, slim fit, oxford cloth button downs.  Creativity both in product and the marketing of their product.  Smart and fun.   Was screaming along to be a #1 seed this year until…

Weaknesses: Their prices.  And this is a recent switch.  Codes and deals have dried up, and as awesome as the Bonobos experience is, not everyone wants or has the funds to pay $90 for a pair of pants.  Their website has also been an Achilles heel.  It’s crashed and burned like a NASCAR jet dryer during some pretty inopportune times.  That, and unlike their old website, the new one doesn’t show you what sizes are available until you pull down a menu and select what you’d like.  Kinda annoying.

Strengths:  Well, it’s kinda hard to beat the prices.  Shopping at thrift stores can almost feel sporting.  It’s a bit of a hunt.  A good clean addiction for some, and those same some are usually really, really good at thrifting.  One of the last outposts to find high quality, made in the USA stuff at a price that’s (more than) affordable.

Weaknesses: The inconsistent, manic nature of thrifting.  Can really depend on where you live and what types of thrift stores you have access to.  The risk is you turn into the sartorial version of a stubborn, weekend hacker on the golf course.  All it takes is one great outing, and you then spend the next few months trying to replicate that one awesome trip to no avail.  Or, you’re really good at it, know where to look, and are surrounded by solid inventory, and you make out like a champ.

Your votes determine who goes on to the next round.  Cast your ballot below.  Voting ends at midnight ET.
UPDATE:  Thrift Stores prove a #5 seed wasn’t too generous, as they pull the first upset of the tournament.
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