Once the page loaded and all my favorite items from the Vineyard Vines Target Collab were sold out of, literally every size, I debated if it was even worth it to drive down to the store before the doors opened. Since most youtubers had their videos posted within hours of stores opening I wanted to add in my thoughts as to why a business as large as Target would make the “mistake” of running out of product that is clearly in demand.
To start off the review, watch the video below to see me try on all and quality review.
Alright let’s talk business
If you were having deja vu from Target’s Lily Pulitzer collab and puzzled as to why they would still fall short on offering a proper stock order to fit the demand here is why. No, I cannot speak for Target nor will I attempt to, this is merely a hypothesis based on my university studies on the fashion industry. First and foremost, the quantities or lack thereof is in no way a mistake. A collaboration has one purpose, to publicize both brands which is why the sale was heavily advertised.
Why the low quantities? Well in order to create a hype it is yet another marketing strategy to keep people engaged on both ends. Ever heard of the brand Supreme? They thrive based on the fact that they only offer limited stock which makes their customers feel exclusive and special. That being said most of their consumers are reselling the items online for double or triple the original amount. There are even videos online about simply how to purchase items from Supreme since people thrive off simply reselling their items.
Although it may not have been Target’s original concept for people to use this collaboration as a gain of profit it seems unlikely they did not foresee it happening before the launch. The limits were five of one item per person. I don’t know about you but not many people want five of the exact shirt or dress, unless you are planning some kind of team outfit.
Aside from Target customers being mad, Vineyard Vines regular customers would be a bit miffed if they suddenly started carrying the brand at Target long term. Why? Well the average Vineyard Vines product is a higher price point which means most of their customers are expecting a level of exclusiveness as the general public is not willing to spend around $100 – $200 for a summer dress for instance. By offering limited quantities it instills the exclustivity that their customers expect while promoting their brand. Plus the frenzy ended up on the news and broadcasted across several news sites so it is unlikely people have not heard of the collaboration.
The Products Quality
While many people were interested in the collection I believe it was for too many reasons, the classic colors, styles, and the exclusivity. If you shopped online versus in stores you would expect the items quality to be higher since it is a branch from a higher end company. Nope! Each of these products were created for the collaboration which means they are not technically a Vineyard Vines product at all.
Most of the items for the home department were lacking in quality; the plates were plastic, and the materials were on the cheap side. I wish they would have kept a higher end focus for some of the items since the demand was clearly already there. Most of Target’s home decor does not feel cheap so I don’t understand why they did this, unless it was to focus solely on the backyard summer parties.
The dress I purchased was good quality, however, other dresses and cloth items were made almost too cheap for Target’s standards. For instance the dress I discussed in the video, in that sense Target has high priced clothing items so why not increase the quality and price? ha I have no explanation for this besides them being greedy knowing people will purchase the items anyway.
If you purchased something for the collaboration let me know what you got as well as if you purchased it from a third party or Target directly.
XOXO Faith
MaddieAutumn 