Old Navy Removes Plus Size Line from Stores
Store Pledges to Keep Clothing Online, Bloggers Say No Thanks
In a form letter sent in response to complaints, the retailer states "After much evaluation, and as difficult a decision as it was, we will be removing the Women's Plus line from all of our Old Navy stores. Please accept our sincere apologies for any disappointment this
may cause you."
The Women's Plus line, which originally was offered online and in 50 stores, expanded to 175 stores before the decision to remove the plus size clothing to offer it only online. Although the decision was made last year, the issue gained new scrutiny after Mia Amber, a plus size model and actress posted her disappointment with the decision online.
Via Myspace, Ms. Amber offered her opinion on Old Navy's decision. "They should make an effort to fix the problem and find out why they [Old Navy] weren't doing well instead of banishing us to the internet."
Live Journal community Fatshionista and blog Big Fat Deal also wrote about the decision. Both communities cited statistics that the majority of women in America are overweight and suggested that the lines failure might be due to poor sizing and little advertising.
Commenters on both sites are pledging to write to Old Navy in an attempt to reverse the move of the plus size line to online only. Many noted that Old Navy is one of the few stores where they can shop for all members of their family. Other commenters noted the difficulty in finding affordable plus size clothing.
"Plus sizes are not that easy to find," says one commenter in her email to Old Navy posted on Big Fat Deal, "Old Navy has been a wonderful alternative, providing reasonable pricing with plus sizes. There have been times when I've bought an entire season's worth of plus-sized clothing from your stores."
Another commenter noted that "while I love their clothes when they fit, the sizes can be so inconsistent as to make it impossible for me to order anything on-line. Guess they lose my business!"
While Old Navy seeks to increase its profits by the change, the decision may ultimately not be worth the negative publicity it causes. Last year the decision to remove the petite department from Saks Fifth Avenue attracted nationwide publicity and protests. The department was reinstated after numerous complaints were received.
SOURCES:
Big Fat Deal: Retrieved May 6, 2007 from http://www.bfdblog.com/?cat=43
Fatshionista: Retrieved May 6, 2007 from http://community.livejournal.com/fatshionista/
Published by Kay Jones
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12 Comments
Post a CommentI believe their plus size line didn't do well because they didn't market it well. I didn't even know they had a plus size line and as a result would never go in there. It was only when I asked someone where they got their top that they told me Old Navy. Now that I heard that they had a line, now they're going to online only?!! This is bad business. Plus size ladies more than any need to actually try their stuff on before purchasing. This will make it extremely inconvenient and I can imagine many a return as a result.
Not only are they banishing us to online shopping but they're making it nearly impossible for us to receive discounts. Is this one way that Old Navy feels they are trying to better the US by forcing us to try to lose weight to fit their clothes? Sorry, not happening. I need plus size for my tops, not my bottoms. So I'm not fully into the plus line, but I just FILLED my online shopping cart with $300 worth of clothes, hoping to find some sort of online coupon code, only to find...they really only offer IN STORE coupons. There are some online, but please... $10 off of $50+? And they don't stack. So it's complete discrimination...not only can't we shop for clothes in-store now (what? Aren't we pretty enough?), but we don't get discounts either. Lost my business...and I have 2 girls who won't be shopping their either...and lots of friends...and am a professional photographer who will be directing customers to somewhere else for picture outfits. Whoops...their loss.
Just a thought...
It may or may not work, but how about sending some links about the clothes line removal to some news agencies. It's a big move by a store and maybe a news outlet might pick it up. Then Old Navy would get some egg on its face and might reverse their decision.
I loved Old Navy. I have a hard time finding jeans anywhere else. I feel that they are discriminating againts larger woman, and i wont be surprised if their sales go down. I mean keep it real, half of american woman are a size 14 and higher. They so lost my buisness.
What is going on??? I love Old Navy. They have built a new one just about 10 minutes from my house. I was online trying to find some sweats for the winter and I ran across this. What a shame!.Why is Old Navy pulling plus-size???? They are going to loose a lot of buisness, mine!!!!
Old Navy lost my business, too. I can still wear the "regular" clothes since they go up fairly high, but they don't fit right. If they were worried about the sales, how about some new designs. When the line was first launched, they had cute clothes, but recently they just looked cheap.
I will never spend another penny at old navy unless they put plus back into the stores i have a 7,000.00 credit card through them also that i have maxed out 2 times i hvae cut it up and sent it back to them with a nasty letter.
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Thats really sad.. Welcome to AC.. !!
Thats a shame. I have purchased alot of clothes from Old Navy...when I was a size 18, that was the only place I could find the perfect jeans. The prices where good too...Whats left...Lane Bryant? Grrr