Many handbag retailers have been experiencing weak sales recently as consumers refuse to respond to “call-to-action” or take initiative to purchase new bags. So, why are handbag lovers unwilling to bite at even new styles? The problem is the overwhelming sense of ” same old, same old” in the seemingly “new” bags. In recent seasons, brands have experienced success by releasing the same silhouettes in different colors and keeping a consistent look, but this is no longer a working tactic. Consumers have grown weary of the monotony seen in recent bag trends and are no longer impressed with the status quo.
This dissatisfaction reflects a new direction in what consumers value in accessories. A few years ago, shoppers would stand in line forever to snag the latest “it” bag, shoe, or apparel just because of the hype, but the desire for the latest and greatest has significantly declined. As described by Robert Durke in a WWD article, there is now a sense of “consumer ennui towards fashion” as people seek practicality above a mark of status:
“Handbags have been a hot, call-to-action-type purchase, but now customers are looking for versatility and it’s resulted in very subtle trend and branding, which makes it less urgent to update your bag. What happens when retail is shaky is that customers go back and shop their closet and see what they have.”
With the shift towards the unidentifiable, “anti-it” bags , hot and popular handbags are not generating the same type of profit for companies anymore. Consumers are not only looking for more unique styles, but also longevity with the bags they already own.
@katsmi1
Ubitiquous “It’ Bag – Chanel Classic Flap, Celine Luggage Tote, Louis Vuitton Speedy, Proenza Schouler PS1, Balenciaga City Bag, Valentino Rockstud Tote
The Technology Drawback
Even if shoppers do become intrigued by new styles, they often feel bored by new bags quickly because of overexposure and oversaturation. The internet and social media play huge factors in this boredom. Companies engage in huge media campaigns to create hype around their new accessories. Furthermore, lots of people showcase the same accessories on social media, and erode the novelty and freshness of new pieces. As quoted by Burke,
“Customers are looking at bags prior to delivery and are tired of it [by the time it gets to the store]. It tarnishes in some ways the impulse of a bag purchase. Bags had a lot more longevity before the Internet. If you think of the Fendi Baguette bag, it had a very long run. The shelf life for bags today is extremely short because of their exposure online.”
I have personally experienced this phenomenon many times before. Instagram alone can visually satiate the appetite of hundreds of thousands at a single glance. Through instagram, we share one another’s experiences so vicariously, that it sometimes feels as though we have that “been there, done that” feeling without ever having made it to the store to actually see the bag. Recently on my search to find the perfect Boy Bag, I went back and forth about purchasing the highly sought after purple iridescent Boy from the Cruise collection. Although I can’t deny its beauty, I had seen it so many times and didn’t feel as compelled to purchase it in the end.
The Purple Boy from PurseBop’s Chanel Boy Bag Predicament
Celine Luggage Tote Advertisement
Prada Campaign
The question remains, how can companies respark interest?
The answer is newness, but this is easier said than done. Simply put, consumers are looking for something different, innovative, and personally stirring. One way to achieve this is with bag accessories, which allow consumers to add unique aspects to their bag without detracting from its true look and practical purpose. Fendi is a brand that has truly cornered this market. From brightly colored, novelty bags, to interchangeable straps, and giant, furry bag charms, the consumer has endless options to customize a bag to their preference. However, all the new possibilities to change the look for just one bag keep consumers complacent with their collection. While the sales for bag accessories may rise, consumers still may not have the urge to update and buy a whole, new bag.
Fendi Peekaboo accessorized with Fendi bag charm and interchangeable Fendi”Strap You” strap ~ @upcloseandstylish
@upcloseandstylish
Hermes Jyspiere with added Fendi “Strap You” Strap ~ @mrslulu3
Super Karlito Adorns PurseBop’s Mink Chanel Bag
In order to generate more handbag sales, companies will need to find ways to extend the shelf life and overall appeal of their bags. This may mean focusing on design for some brands or maintaining exclusivity with less flashy advertisement for others. Even with action from the brands themselves, social media from mass consumers can still propel some bags into overexposed territory. With our media obsessed world, overexposure and saturation might always be a challenge. However, overcoming weak sales and obstacles will require companies first and foremost to listen to the consumer desire for real change.
Where do you stand – has “bag fatigue” set in for you at some point? or are you still loving the latest trends? Let’s take the debate to the conversation here on BopTalk.
Love PurseBop
XO
Updated: May 28th, 2017
Comments
5 Responses to “Internet Causes Brand Fatigue for Handbag Companies”
I disagree with impact of instagram, if anything it created more desire for bag. When I think I fell in love with a bag at first sight, I visit the store several times so that it sinks in and I am sure it will be a long term love-this-bag relationship and not just impulsive and won’t-love-it-as-much-later-on relationship.. same for instagram, I check photos of the bag for days until I am sure she’s the one..Instagram created more exposure especially for people who do not have accessability to stores in their countries and after viewing on instagram they can buy online.
Well, so that’s what it’s called. Funny that you should bring this to a post. When I joined instagram, my expenditure on fashion/bags/shoes skyrocketed… I saw so many beautiful things I wanted to have them all… And let’s be honest, I wanted to share and post as well.
But as of lately I no longer feel the compelling shopping impulse and I honestly think part of it is due to the fact that I just got bored… Or overwhelmed…
I am now a lot more careful and strategic with my purchases, which for me means buying significantly less.
Some of the brands got so over-exposed that they no longer appeal to me.
I think Chanel and Hermes still benefit from the “holy-grail” effect, Delvaux is still not as widespread online, so I would not expect a huge impact for them.
But for the others… They’ve gone from luxury, hard to find, exclusive pieces to nearly mass consumption items…
I think the explosion of luxury brands online also made the brands themselves want to ride the wave and profit as much as they could and we’ve witnessed some seriously unjustified price increases.
They might have gotten away with it in the beginning, but consumers are much more sofisticated these days, more analytic towards their purchases and I think this will also start to impact the sales of those brands…
Can I be honest? I think the bag fatigue only hits the ones who have the power (and by power I mean money $$$) to buy whatever bag they want… For the class that can’t have it all I think the overexposure of bags and trends only make them more crazy about it all and wanting everything… And I speak for myself here… I’ve always LOVED bags, but after instagram I became a little monster hahaha and since I can’t just go out and get the bags I want, I always find myself going through second hand stores and ebay to see if I can find any authentic piece that I can purchase… But lately what I’ve been seeing is that with prices going up all the time in the luxury industry, the second hand pieces’ prices are also going up, and with the current super valued dollar, it’s nearly impossible to buy even a second hand item. A pre loved Boy for example is costing over 3k, which in brazilian reals is over 12.6k… Whaaaatttt??? Yeap, it’s ridiculously impossible… Even older versions of classic flaps and vintages (which I’ve been eyeing for years) are all over USD1k (R$4.2k), whereas in the past (before all the exposure) they were a lot cheaper… And that’s when I deeply madly regret not buying a classic flap in the good old days when dollar was cheaper, the bags were cheaper and they would cost me R$2.5k ?hahahaha but yeah, I think this fatigue only hits who already have it all. And just for the record, the Strap You strap is such an incredible idea ?????? loved this post, love ❤️❤️???
The main reason also is the price of these bags have gone up so quickly, paying $3000 and up is crazy, especially since some will be out of season in a few years unless it’s a classic. I love bags but like you said also seeing it so many makes you not want it, I would rather one of the big fashion companies have a service where you could customize the design, leather and hardware of your bag, than that would be UNIQUE!!!
If I was super rich, i would create a Hermes Birkin, size 32 in black clemence leather, triple gold hardware and with a shoulder strap, and collapsible shape to flatten and pullout handles.