What really closed Henri Bendel, the once iconic brand?
by Yvette E
The rise of the internet, poor sales and a withering hashtag (#bendelgirl) are all the reasons some given for the demise of the brand but after shopping the brand in the last few weeks, we saw all the signs of a dead brand. So here were the signs…
Overpriced & Manufactured
Over the years, Henri Bendel went from curating brands to carry in store to a manufactured brand but retained the price points. In today’s market like Wish, Alibaba and other companies, consumers now have a direct line to manufacturers. Also, who is buying $200 charm bracelets that are not gold plated?
Even at 60% off, the products were still too expensive to purchase.
No Social Media Presence
#Bendelgirl sported 8,900 shares which has just reached 28.5K shares today after it closed yesterday. Of course, we will hear how everyone all of a sudden is or was #bendelgirl today.
Too Busy
The LF brand that owned at one time The Limited (closed); Amcrombie & Fitch (bought itself out in 2011) and Lane & Bryant (was sold) is also the owner of Victoria Secret which probably takes up the company’s time as it makes it the most money.
As a sidenote, no fixtures were sold on closing day and the “see ya soon” message smells of rebranding.
Lets cross our fingers!
Happy Friyay!!💋