Fast Fashion GAP Speeds Up In China And Worries About Local Weakness

Less than P, fast fashion is stepping up its pace of development in China. Following H&M's push to the Chinese market and crowding out Nike Asia's largest flagship store on Wangfujing street, GAP group announced that it will open 35 new stores in China this year. At the same time, GAP group has also optimized its online shopping center and launched a new mode of online ordering and offline picking. Under the dual pressure of weak local market and catching up with ZARA and H&M in China, GAP speed up is understandable, but its prospect is not a smooth road. < /p >
The P GAP group's strength in the Chinese market has nothing to do with its weakness in the US. GAP group previously disclosed earnings report, last year, the company's profits fell 40% to 365 million U.S. dollars over the same period, of which the North American market is not optimistic, the group's brand sales fell by 3%-6% or zero growth. Meanwhile, GAP group plans to close 189 U.S. stores this year, accounting for about 21% of the total number of stores in the United States. Previously, GAP group also said that it will adjust the domestic market and international market sales share, from the previous 87% and 13%, to 70% and 30%. < /p >
Less than P, the sales volume of the local market has made GAP target the Chinese market. However, its development in China is not a smooth road. The head of a GAP flagship store in a shopping mall in Beijing revealed that its stores are selling at a general level. < /p >
< p > the industry believes that although fast fashion has been sought after, but compared to ZARA parent company Inditex group, H&M, UNIQLO, GAP entered China at the latest, and the consumer awareness is relatively low. At the same time, the average price of GAP is about two times that of H&M and UNIQLO, and the rate of fashion and update is also lower than ZARA. < /p >
< p > not only that, but GAP stores also have no advantage. Data show that last year, the number of Inditex stores in China reached 275, UNIQLO reached 184, H&M was 120, and GAP had only 36 stores. The personage thinks, the shop speed of GAP is basically the same as other brands. The first-class shopping malls in the first tier cities have basically been divided up by UNIQLO, ZARA and H&M. GAP can only choose the new shopping center or the two or three line market layout. < /p >
Ke Weijie, President of P Greater China group, said in an interview that GAP group will also choose the right time to introduce other brands of GAP. < /p >