Rescuing Purple Rain

[geron]

Received a somewhat bittersweet email from Purple Rain Adventure Skirts today. It seems that in seeking to ramp up production, they farmed it out to a factory -- but found the quality such a let-down that they are now considering legal action. To fund this, they are running a 20%-off promotion for the next few days (of existing stock, presumably). I already have a kilt and three skirts, and I don't think I dare buy any more, but I can't recommend them highly enough. If anyone wants to see what they're about, here's a link:
https://www.purplerainskirts.com/

[e2k2houck]

I agree, I have 3 skirts and 4 kilts. Great company and great skirts.

[Faldaguy]

I went to their site -- did not find anything available in the hiking skirts or kilts -- thought I might try a charity purchase for an outfit so highly recommended here and in an old 'stomping ground' of ours. I jotted a note to Mandy, we'll see if there is a reply -- but if you know of actual inventory they have, and at reduced prices...do tell!

[STEVIE]

Received a somewhat bittersweet email from Purple Rain Adventure Skirts today.

There is a cynical bit of me that says "sales pitch"!
Perhaps, there is a grain of truth, but ask yourself this question;
Would the company have passed on any savings they achieved if the build standard was satisfactory.
My, retail head, take is that Purple Rain tried to cut their costs and paid the price.
The 20% reduction seems like a fairly standard offer for regular deadstock items.
Whether or not it represents good value is the buyers prerogative.
Steve.

[Midas]

I agree. 20% is hardly a discount. I recently bought three dresses from White Stuff for under £75 including postage. The pre-sale price of each was £70-80. I got a similar deal from Weird Fish last year. My dress size is 14 but those who need the bigger sizes can usually find serious reductions all over the place.

[STEVIE]

I was told a long time ago the bargain is true if you would have been happy to pay full price.
When a retailer is setting prices a margin is built in to allow for "discounting" at some future point.
From my own experience, the retail margins on clothes are really quite profitable if correctly handled.
Consumers should also bear in mind that a lot of "sale" merchandise is bought in at very low prices and heavily marked up just for that purpose.
Purple rain may be being honest but?
Steve.
BTW I am a Weird fish 14, White stuff 16 and 18 Tu.
Go figure.

[geron]

There is a cynical bit of me that says "sales pitch"!
Perhaps, there is a grain of truth, but ask yourself this question;
Would the company have passed on any savings they achieved if the build standard was satisfactory.
My, retail head, take is that Purple Rain tried to cut their costs and paid the price.

Stevie, I think your retail head is being a little too cynical here. Purple Rain is a small business which essentially has been working from home for nearly ten years, producing hand-made skirts, kilts and, more recently, dresses, to a very high standard. It's not surprising that the owner has been seeking to offload some of that burden. But evidently she doesn't want to do so at the expense of quality, which has been a main feature of her proposition.

About the 20%-off promotion: on the same web page she points out that she runs another each November as part of an annual event in partnership with other small craft businesses. I've no idea how much of a markup that discount leaves, but bear in mind that she's manufacturing in Oregon and not Pakistan.

[STEVIE]

Stevie, I think your retail head is being a little too cynical here.

Perhaps Geron, but there has to be some degree of ruthlessness to achieve profit and growth in a business.
To be absolutely fair, it will never affect me because I wouldn't have been buying anyway.
I did also say that it is for the buyer to decide on the value regardless of the level of discount offered.
Steve.

[SkirtedWalker]

I have accumulated 8 Purple Rain skirts and 5 Purple Rain dresses since 2014, when the store began on Etsy. Purple Rain Skirts are the best skirts and dresses I have found. Posted pictures of me wearing both skirts and dresses. The pricing is reasonable compared to any good skirt or dress for us. Can highly recommend purchasing a gift card now (as I did), and you can get the skirt you want later. Ms. Bland fully supports males wearing her products.