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Offered Without Comment: J. Crew Lowering Prices… Or Not.

By | Heads up: Buying via our links may result in us getting a commission. Here's why.

 

“For spring, you’ll see our prices much more friendly this year”
– CEO Mickey Drexler (via Business Insider & WWD)

 

“We are not lowering our prices. We are simply maintaining a balance of pricing across the board and better communicating to our customers what we have and why it is worth the price it is.”
– J. Crew P.R. (via The Frisky & Vogue)

 

Maybe worth a revisit?

 

Comments

  1. They’re not lowering they’re prices. But they’re making the prices more friendly and accessible. Not financially accessible, but cognitively accessible. You’ll see an end to complex prices like “$43.95 * (width of traditional version of garment / width of new, tapered version of garment)”.

    In all seriousness, I have a feeling this means their catalog / advertisements will focus on their materials / any interesting manufacturing choices, as opposed to just focusing on style. I, for one, welcome the extreme out-of-focus closeups (and sharp macro shots) of Baird Mcnutt Linen, Harris Tweed and Abraham Moon Wool.

  3. I just head straight to the sale rack in stores and sale section online. Or J. Crew Factory. Is anyone paying full price for this stuff?

  4. I think you’ll be able to find more things in the sale section but at higher starting prices than previous. You used to be able to hold out for 99 cashmere v neck in a non blue grey black color. Now they are 170 but 50% off. So instead of 100 @30 or 40% its 170 @50%.

    I think they are trying to off set their decreasing margins.

  5. If its something I really want, I’ll wait for the 25/30% off code than get it. Otherwise I wait till its in the sale section with the 40% promo.

  9. jcrew is over priced, period. And like so many other stores they dont cater to us 6′ + athletic build individuals

  11. im 6’3 287lbs into body building. wear a 44 waist because i have huge quads and 49chest to fit because my shoulders are so broad. have vast issues with their sizing. although i did contact them about a ludlow suit they told me they could custom one for 20% addition to ticket price but for that i rather get a custom from suit supply its cheaper

  12. I was about to say, I bet they put little smilies in all the extra zeroes they tack onto the prices.

  13. I think it explains why they’ve been having so many sales. However, they know that announcing lowering prices would damage the exclusivity of the brand, which is why the sales work so well. I bet they will lower prices, I think the CEO made a mistake in saying it the way he did.

  14. Wow, that is impressive! I’m 6’4″ and was 265lbs at one point when lifting, but am not down to 205lbs, and can find well fitting items at J Crew. Even at my current weight, I have to get custom made shirts, so I think its realistic to expect someone of your size to require custom suits(?)

  15. Killer company in case any of you have not yet been exposed to it. For the type of guy that doesn’t need 6 of everything…Just that one, impressive, singular item.

  16. yeah i come to accept the fact ill need a custom suit. I just feel someone has to be looking out for the big man off the rack with some style haha.

  17. I wouldn’t be upset if only the CEO hadn’t phrased his initial remarks like that. What they’re doing now makes since… Kinda… But implying a drop in prices before this more recent announcement now makes it all feel dishonest. I’m just interested in clothes, not another politician…

  19. Sure, but that’s probably not gonna be a place that specializes in slim fits. It’s a sad truth that preppy brands don’t cater to big guys.

  20. Not the nicest way to put it, but yeah, body builders will always have issues finding clothes that fit. The reasoning is simple: their body shapes are very non-standard compared to the general population (ie. they are outliers). Retailers understand this, and realize that catering to this body type isn’t going to be a profitable (or as profitable) strategy. To get clothing that really fits, body builders will need to go MTM or bespoke.

  21. When you adjust for the differences in Executive-English and PR-English, you find they are saying the same thing.

  22. I didn’t chose to have my body the way it is. But with a 9-10″ drop, J.Crew slim fits are trash bags if they fit my shoulders.

    So far, the only shirt that has truly fit is Sak’s Red Label Extra Slim. No other company has come close.

  23. I was nodding along with Phil until he let the other shoe drop, but I’m right there with ya. 9-10″ drop and far from bodybuilder proportions. Still waiting for someone to nail an athletic fit, but in the meantime I’ve resigned to having the drop tailored in.

    Taking that into account the quality of fabric/details you’ll get at somewhere like brooks brothers (at least the ESF OCBDs, dress shirts I’m still searching) is much better than J.Crew at a similar price point.

  25. THIS! It’s a tough battle we wage. JCrew doesn’t even really carry XXL’s anymore. (I’m short and stocky so the error is compounded.)

  26. no i choose to be physically fit and work on perfecting my body, No different than a good sized football player except my quads 44 when my waist is a 40. Cant call my proportions strange just because the average person is a bag of bones with no proportions

  27. Last week got the herringbone ludlow topcoat size 42 Moon brand wool with therma whatever lining. Had a $700 something list, and I paid ~$220 and it wasn’t even a final sale. That’s not a steal, but it’s definitely a fair price for a standard size of a good product with returns allowed. What they do with their list prices is, of course, a joke.