Monday 16 March 2009

Who says labels don't have pulling power?

Naturally Fashionista would only be seen wearing the best labels, and her good taste in clothes has never been impugned. She was however shocked to the core when she discovered that some of her men friends had been binge-spending on the latest brand fads which came from ... no, it can't be true ... Wal-Mart!

Right: is it a real Abboud, or a genuine Wal-Mart? Just tug the label ...

The story (according to WalletPop) goes like this. Burlington Coat Factory ("Up to 80% off! Everyone Loves a Good Buy") has been caught passing off low-priced Wal-Mart coats as premium Perry Ellis and Joseph Abboud ("Style with substance") stock. This audacious ploy would have gone undiscovered if a rather surprised customer hadn't noticed that his designer label appeared to have been pasted on. When he gave it a tug, the truth was out. It was nothing but a Wal-Mart product going under a fancy nom-de-plume.

A full-price Perry Ellis coat ($200) looked like a snip from BCF at less than $70 -- except that the original Wal-Mart version, minus the designer label, sold for about $30. BCF denied all knowledge, blaming its suppliers, who in turn blamed a rogue employee who has not been named. Duped shoppers have been offered a full refund plus 20%, which, in the current market condition, they are more likely to spend at Wal-Mart, than BCF.

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