Why Is Urban Outfitters So Expensive? A Deeper Look Into UO

Urban Outfitters is one of the most famous outfit stores in the world. They have stores in the US and other European countries.

They have an extensive collection of stylish vintage and repurposed styles. The products are of high quality and unique.

The most prevalent issue with Urban Outfitters is their prices. They sell their products at ridiculously high prices.

Some say you are paying for the brand, and others say you pay for quality. Let us look into the real reason behind the high prices at Urban Outfitters;

Why are Urban outfitters so expensive?

The company is drowning at this point, and they need to charge more to survive. The sales have not been good in the last couple of years, and the company is headed towards bankruptcy. The only way to make more money with the reduced sales is to increase the price.

The Shop Itself

Urban Outfitters is a multinational company with its headquarters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The brand makes products that target young adults. Their products include men’s and women’s fashion wear, footwear, wellness products, house décor, and furniture.

The brand operates in United States, Sweden, France, Germany, Ireland, United Kingdom, Canada, Belgium, Poland, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, and United Arab Emirates.

Their wholesale division makes most of their products. UO is the perfect place for any lady looking for fashionable clothing.

There is a wide range of accessories, covering apparel and shoes for women to choose from. UO beauty is the best place to get make-up and other beauty products.

You will access cult brands, natural cosmetics, lip color lines, and other wellness products. UO also offers an array of intimates to choose from; loungewear, lace bras, bodysuits, cozy socks, and so much more.

For men, an array of premium and trending outfits is always on the shelves. There are exclusive collaborations between your favorite brands, denim, sneakers, and other accessories.

UO music is another reason for you to go to this store. UO offers an array of electronics, cassettes, vinyl, and other accessories.

UO home is also a significant part of this company. Here, you can purchase bedding, home décor, furniture, home textiles, and so much more. You need to ensure your home looks as fabulous and stylish as you do.

The wide range of products offered will ensure that you finish your shopping at the store. Since its founding in 1970, this company has grown and is now one of the biggest stores in the US.

Reasons Why Urban Outfitters Is Disgusting

The success of a business enterprise has a lot more to do with the products offered. There are matters to do with ethics that the public should not overlook.  Over the years, some unethical activities have taken place in UO.

They are overpricing their products

UO has a lot of overpriced products.  The product is of good quality, but it is not exactly worth the price. You could get almost similar products at other stores for nearly half the price.

Some products are rightfully expensive since you are paying for the brand and quality. But most have outrageous prices. Unfair pricing has caused many people to opt into other stores that don’t strain them financially.

Racism, homophobia, and Trans-phobia

There was a time that UO had a shirt promoting gay rights. They pulled the shirt from their racks soon after its unveiling. Dropping the t-shirts was taken by most people, like the store being against gay rights.

Another incident was their grey and white striped shirts with an upside-down pink triangle. This is a uniform that gay men forcibly had to wear in concentration camps.

This product was particularly offensive to Americans who are for gay rights. UO sold a shirt with a Star of David on the left pocket.

This shirt was offensive to Jews since thought history; there are incidents where Jews were forced to wear shirts with the stars of David to identify them.

They had a shirt that said, “New Mexico cleaner than regular Mexico.” This is a statement that is offensive to anyone of Mexican descent.

They pulled the shirts out of the market due to the unrest it caused on the internet and claimed it was a mistake.

Design theft

There are several incidents where UO has been accused of stealing designs from independent designers. This is probably because of their dominance in the fashion industry.

The chances of an artist winning a lawsuit against them are pretty slim.

One of the most known cases is of a female designer whose work was stolen. She wrote to UO on Twitter, and they pulled the line from their shelves.

Pulling the line, to some point, implies guilt. Artists have to be recognized and paid for their talent. Navajo Nation also sued Urban Outfitters in 2012.

The lawsuit happened after UO released a line of clothes containing the tribe’s name and symbols on them.

Other Stores That You Can Use If You Like Urban Outfitters

If you like urban outfitters, but you don’t want to shop there because of the price or quality, there are other stores you could look at. There are some stores that you will find at your local mall or online.

• Madewell is a store for you to purchase anything that is denim, from jeans to jackets.
• Lulu’s and Revolve are online stores that will offer you amazing clothes at an affordable price. Revolve has a lot of designer clothes, shoes, and accessories.
• Reformation has a lot of designs that Urban outfitters will connect to. The merchandise is high quality, and it comes at a fair price.
• Boohoo has been around since 2006. It is not as popular as UO, but it has made its mark in the fashion world over the years.
• Topshop is geared towards more mature and sophisticated fashion lovers. They offer dresses, shoes, and tees. This is a store you should look at.
• ASOS has a limitless array of fashionable clothes, and they offer a more comprehensive range of sizes. They are all high quality yet affordable, with most going for less than $30.

Conclusion

Urban Outfitters is known for having costly apparel. While most of their products are high quality and correctly priced, others are too expensive.

The company has been involved in some cases concerning the ethical lines crossed for the sake of profit. This has caused them to pull some of their products from their shelves. If you don’t want to shop at UO, several other stores will offer you the same services.