Bugbear sighted in London.

       This was in the news on a fashion website:

        "Almost 50% of UK women hate shopping for clothes....trying on clothes is the number one shopping bugbear."

       Personally, I never met a bugbear I didn't like. However we fashion marketers better be concerned.
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       Is this also true here in the United States, or is this a strictly British phenomenon, like room temperature ale, and the way Queen Elizabeth waves from her limo? How do we know for sure?

       We'd better do some research and find out. If customers won't try clothes on, who will buy them?

        Happily, this is a problem you can deal with.

         First, you'll want to find out if it's true. If it is, you'll want to find out why women don't like trying on clothes. The bother? Being talked into things by the salesperson? Finding out their real sizes? Drafty fitting rooms? Snickering tailors? Modesty? The time it takes? Having to get dressed again? Something you wouldn't have thought of in a million years?

         Once you know, you can start coming up with real answers and solutions; changes you could make in the marketing mix.  It would make a good assignment for yourself. The trick is to be kind to yourself and not judge your ideas too early. Hold off judging till you've thought of everything. Then evaluate.

         If you're a real pro, you can go the extra step and do an ad or two, or come up with a sales promotion idea that would do the job. That is, again, once  you knew it was a real problem and found out why.

        And what about American men? Do they feel the same way? Is that why they handle a shopping mission like they're Navy Seals, in and out in a heartbeat?

        Actually, I wouldn't be too surprised if it was just a British thing. They're not famous for taking their clothes off.