Introduction
The global clothing market includes thousands of brands, some of which may have the same approach towards their marketing and production efforts while others choose to stand out. Zara and Uniqlo are two clothing brands that are known worldwide due to their affordability and accessibility (Assoune, 2020). While Zara is a brand popular for following trends and renewing collections frequently, which causes higher production costs, Uniqlo emphasizes quality and simplicity in its designs, which allows for maintaining prices on the same level.
Target Customers
Zara’s target audience is customers in the age range 18 to 40 years old. The brand produces trendy clothing that is relevant to the specific season, which means that older demographics may not always find something they can wear from Zara (Roll, 2021). Uniqlo, however, does not have a specific age limit on its designs because they are often timeless and simple, which means that all ages can wear them.
Clothing Prices
When comparing the prices that Zara and Uniqlo set for different product categories, Zara’s products tend to be more expensive. For example, a basic white t-shirt costs $35.90 on Zara’s online store, while a similar shirt costs $14.90 on Uniqlo’s website. Higher prices at Uniqlo often come in clothing collections that the brand releases in collaboration with others (Danziger, 2021). Uniqlo has had quite a success when collaborating with designers such as Christophe Lemaire, J. W. Anderson, and Jil Sander, as well as artists such as Keith Haring.
Marketing
Zara uses its store displays and store locations as crucial marketing elements. The stores are located at the most prominent and busiest locations in a city to ensure high traffic of customers (Roll, 2021). Uniqlo’s marketing has lately entailed distancing itself from being a fast fashion brand and rather focusing on making clothing that will make a difference in its customers’ lives (Danziger, 2021). The LifeWear concept that the brand has developed shows that clothing should be made well, be versatile, and should not cost a fortune.
Conclusion
To conclude, even though Zara and Uniqlo are quite popular brands among customers, the approaches that the companies have taken to be competitive worldwide differ. Zara emphasizes the quantity of products over their quality, giving its customers an extensive range of clothing from which they can choose. Uniqlo’s range is more refined and emphasizes quality over quantity while offering lower prices due to an effective supply chain.
References
Assoune, A. (2020). Top 10 reasons why fast fashion is so popular.
Danziger, P. (2021). Uniqlo is distancing from H&M and Zara to become the world’s top fashion retailer.
Roll, M. (2021). The secret of Zara’s success: A culture of customer co-creation.