Comparative Product Analysis Of High And Low End Garment

Identifying the difference in Different Aspects

A consumer while buying a product always tends to make comparison between two specific items. This gradual process of comparing two different products and analyzing them on different variables in general terms is called as comparative analysis (Caro & Martínez, 2015). In the business organization, this comparative analysis tends to become more intricate. In this assessment understated below, a report has been laid out in which two different fashion brands product has been compared and analyzed on the basis of various factors such as product design, product comfort ability, price, price discounts, product line, etc.

The two luxury brands undertaken are ZARA and H&M. Both the fashion brands give tough competition to each other. As both of them try to amend strategies that make them viable in the fashion industry. The comparative analysis has been made on a high end and a low end fashion garments of both Zara and H&M. This report would provide a brief overview of the wide application of comparative analysis in such fashion retail business.

Comparative Product Analysis of high and low end garment 

When it comes to buying garments there are various factors that comes into the mind of a consumer (www.hm.com, 2017). Therefore, the fashion brands Zara and H&M while manufacturing there garment product consider all the factors that would meet up the needs of the customers. But when it comes to comparison each of the brands has to come up with products that would outperform them from the other (Cassidy. 2016). Both Zara and H&M contribute to a fair amount on the production of low and high-end fashion garments. The low-end garment products are often considered to be of poor quality in terms of fittings, structure at a low price but are in the current trend. In case of high end fashion garments are considered to be expensive and high quality (www.zara.com/in, 2017).

To get a competitive advantage over others H&M has introduced women swear at a much affordable price and the quality is disposable, in a developing country like Bangladesh. However, Zara to maintain a status of standard strategizes to attract people of different gender and age groups by the production of varied number of garments at an affordable price in a developed nation like Australia (Giri, Roy& Maiti, 2017). Both have applied different strategies with the low-end garments to make themselves viable in the fashion industry.

H&M in order to establish a market in a developing country like Bangladesh it is important for it to focus on strategies that would gain the brand an easy access. Therefore it is has targeted the female population of Bangladesh. However, Zara has introduced low end apparel line for every category so that it can establish a strong impression in comparison to other apparel companies. For high-end garments, H&M and Zara tend not only try and target the people of high income but also individuals of moderate income. The difference comes when Zara introduces garments of perfect structure, design with an addition of virtues in terms of advertising the garments by celebrities. This makes the garments popular among the both targeted population as every individual has a fetish of following the trends being followed by a famous celebrity. While H&M also targets the same population as Zara but with a different way of approach. It inaugurates the clothing line that is skin friendly and comes with a high-end durability.

Price Differences

Identifying the difference in Different Aspects 

Taking into account the different markets both the brands tend to introduce garments that fits the best in that specific marketing area. While the production of low and high end product the major mark of differentiation comes in the terms of fabrics quality, handling, construction etc.. In the production house of Zara when it comes to the low-end garments then compromise is made on the durability of the fabrics use and the stitching process of the garments. However, in order to make the sale of this product they tend to make the low end products with vibrant colors keeping in considerations on the type of season they are introducing the garment. While in H&M the compromise is made on the fittings and the product is made with little structural imperfections.

However in order to process the uninterrupted sales services they use designs that are little innovative to make them attractive, While considering the high end clothing major stress is focused on the fabrics quality and the design section.  Zara tries to manufacture high products of the best quality with designs that are at the same time classic and trendy with an additional touch of comfort. It uses linen as a fabric, which is considered best natural fabric for high end products and burnet for low end products. Along with this, it frequently utilizes varieties of fabrics in constructing a garment. In H&M the manufacturing of high end products revolves around the concept of having the best of all innovative designs with the perfect stitching and size.

The fabric type used by it is mostly cotton and leather for high end products and duck (durable closely woven cotton fabric) for low end products. So that the garment is available for all size of the people and the desire of every individual to wear the brand could be fulfilled by this concept. The long lasting stitch of the accessories attached to the garment has earned the fashion brand name for itself.  Consumers generally select clothes not on the basis of comfort all the time but they go for the aesthetics of the design of the apparels. Both Zara and H&M when it comes to aesthetics of the design do not compromise at all. They develop designs that maintain the standard quality of high end products. While in the case of low end products H&M with the use of trendy designs they overshadow the imperfections made in the stitching. While in Zara the designs of low end product is made based on mixing both classic and what is running currently. 

Proposal for the reason behind the difference

The manufacturing costs of low end products of Zara for example like the cotton dresses for women during summer is decided by the quality of the material, quantity required and the shipping  of the product. This sums up around $13-53. In H&M the cost of the low end products for example comfortable jeans for both men and women is based on the quality and sales amount. They exclude the shipping price as this costs is charged to the customer leading to profit margin for the H&M organization. All of this sums up to $12-16 with the shipping price charged as $4. While in the case of high end products of H&M the cost of manufacturing is base on the design, designer, quality, length of fabric, staving etc which sums up around a minimal of &45 as a starting price for any apparel this excludes the shipping price. The same goes for Zara with an extra cost of origin of the fabric and the other stated above the amount sums up to $45 for range of apparels.

Size range is more flexible in case of low end products for all age groups in Zara while in H&M the size range is available for all except the difficulty arises in the kids wear marked as low end product. In high end products the size has is not that flexible for both Zara and H&M it is made possible on different consumers requirements as the apparels are rated as exclusive. Irrespective of whether it is Zara or H&M both provide services that meet their consumer’s needs either in terms of high end or low end products because its ultimately the consumers that provide both the brands the name that they are. With their variety of apparels from low price to high price with varied ranges of designs provide their consumers to select their desired clothes based on their comfort, style, size and budget.

Price differences 

The pricing of the products is altogether a different concept for every organization. Especially for the fashion industry, it is considered to be one of the most important aspect (Kim, 2013). Depending on this price difference a consumer makes various types analysis about the product. In addition to this the consumer also compares on the factor that among the products that should be purchased. The pricing of the products also depends on a vital aspect that is the cost manufacture. In terms of low product prices, tend to be of affordable rate in comparison to the high end products. But when it comes to gaining advantage over others then strategy has to be made by each of the fashion organization. The pricing strategy of both the fashion brands in spite of having the similar entry and exit varies to a large extends.

During the production of low end products like the women wear in Bangladesh the H&M opted for having a price bracket of $20-$40 (Kim & Yang, 2015). While Zara for the low end products of all categories create a price bracket of $50-$70. The price of garments of H&M clearly indicates its positive intentions. Since Bangladesh is a developing country, the affordable price for the low end product has to fit the income criteria of the people of Bangladesh. While Australia being a developed nation could afford the price bracket introduced. In high-end garments, H&M has an edge over Zara in comparison over differences in prices.

H&M in order to gain profits has a higher price bracket in comparison to Zara (Kumar & Pandey, 2017). The range gradually starts from $60-$80 for casual women wear, $50-$70 for men’s wear including casual and semiformal clothing. In case of Zara, the pricing strategy is unbalanced. The range for women wear ranges from $50-$65 which includes casuals and few of  highly specific designs while the men wear ranges from $75-$85 (Linden, 2016). Both the retailers tend to set the price brackets considering the cost that have been incurred by fabric consumption, weaving or knitting cost, tools requirement costs, dyeing cost, finishing costs and finally the delivery costs.

Proposal for the reason behind the difference 

The differences in the high end and low end garments of clearly indicates the different marketing strategies that both the brands apply in order to establish themselves as strong firm in various regions (Martínez, Errasti & Rudberg, 2015). Along with this both the brands tend expand their marketing zones with the motive of gaining access in different marketing sectors and establishing themselves as fashion organization that not only renders product that are luxurious but also manufactures products that are moderately priced with innovative designs (Peirson,  2014). The differences clearly signify the sole motive of each of the fashion organization that trying to meet up the needs of the customers on the basis of their various aspects. The common difference between the high and low end garments is in the terms of fabrics, stitching, durability, design structure, pricing etc.

Conclusion 

It can thereby be concluded that a fashion organization based on the requirements of the kind of market produced both high end and low products (Turker, & Altuntas, 2014). Based on the comparative analysis stated above it could be easily stated that the luxury brands H&M and Zara both according to the varying demands in the respective marketing sector introduced both the high end and low end products. In order to make standard existence in the fashion industry it has helped them gain an advantage. The comparative analysis also helped in comprehending the factors that are involved while constructing such high and low end products.

Reference list

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Kim, K. R., & Yang, S. J. (2015). Exploratory Study on the Success Factors of SPA Brands from Marketing Perspectives-Based on Grounded Theory. Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles, 39(2), 190-203.

Kumar, S., & Pandey, M. (2017). The impact of psychological pricing strategy on consumers’ buying behaviour: a qualitative study. International Journal of Business and Systems Research, 11(1-2), 101-117.

Linden, A. R. (2016). An Analysis of the Fast Fashion Industry.S

Martínez, S., Errasti, A., & Rudberg, M. (2015). Adapting Zara’s ‘Pronto Moda’to a value brand retailer. Production Planning & Control, 26(9), 723-737.

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ZARA India – Official Website. (2017). Zara.com. Retrieved 2 June 2017, from https://www.zara.com/in/