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1. Matt Says:
   March 26th, 2009 at 2:47 pm

   Wow didn’t realise that there were so many people out there mental enough to spend £400 on a jacket that lookslike it came from Top Man. Viva La Credit Crunch!

2. peter walsh Says:
   March 26th, 2009 at 4:58 pm

   The Hand Me Down jacket might not be to everyone’s taste but I don’t think Howies should be lambasted for it. The ideas of sustainability and excellence – quality, as David says in the post – are laudable. It’s just a shame that its arrival has coincided with some of the worst fiscal challenges for generations and while so many people are struggling to keep their jobs, homes etc.

   It makes Howies look out of touch and rather brash, even though the intent might be admirable.

   I think the printshop offer is cool – but thus far, Howies pricing has remained pretty bullish. The kids clothes are way too much. You don’t seem to have sales as often, across the whole range, and you’ve stopped selling clothes through third party online stores who discounted your stuff.

   But that’s just the way it feels. I’m sure you could argue all those points and I know you do other things with your profits that would make it hard to cut item costs. But there’s a lot of swirling psychology around pricing at the best of times and right now we’re on the brink of a depression.

   It’s just getting harder for most people to shell out the extra for your duds…

3. Matt Says:
   March 26th, 2009 at 8:54 pm

   If you are making some more, how about copying the last design of the pilot jacket that had a hood. I always thought it was bit nuts to make a jacket out of a fantastic waterproof material like ventile and then not have a hood on it..

4. maxxo Says:
   March 27th, 2009 at 10:49 am

   yes i don’t know if it’s the impact of the credit crunch, but some of your new lines seem way expensive. i’m actually putting purchases on hold and waiting for your sales, as your sale prices are always good value for money … even if you don’t have them as often!

   i would imagine right now that sustainability doesn’t go hand in hand with cutting costs, not least in the short term. but i’d rather howies stuck to its guns and principles at the end of the day. after all, that’s why i buy howies.

5. matt (bristol shop) Says:
   March 27th, 2009 at 11:32 am

   We just sold another HMD jacket from the bristol store.

   It is a premium product, Ventile is a fantastic fabric and I am confident that those who have been bold and forked out, will ultimately feel they got good value for money.

   Remember that the jackets are guaranteed for 10 years.

   My family and I have felt the effects of the “CC”, believe me.

   We have learnt to compromise in certain areas of our lives.

   There are certain areas however, where will never compromise.

   We still pay that bit extra and buy happy meat, organic veg and milk from our local farm shop near Cheddar Gorge.

   We just buy it less often and make it last longer.

   For me, howies denim is the meat. the merino is the veg and whilst I’m making odd comparisons, the tees are your milk…!?

   Live within your means.

   Spend that bit more on the things worth spending more on, like jeans and merino and if you have the right mortgage right now and can afford it go “mental” and buy a great product from the HMD range.

6. Kevin Says:
   March 27th, 2009 at 1:52 pm

   I got one of the HMD jackets – not the warm version, but the other one. Thing is to compare it to something in Top Man is odd. When you have it in your hand, you can see and feel that it is a thing of quality.
   Re: The whole Credit Crunch thing – how many squander money on things like cable TV, having more than one Mobile phone, sandwiches from shops which cost maybe 3 times more than ones made at home?

   When I calculated it – my HMD jacket was the equivalent price of half a years cable TV. Seems to me that I got the better buy!

7. peter walsh Says:
   March 27th, 2009 at 9:19 pm

   premium product…live within your means…great product

   And buying Howies is the same as eating organic food?

   I’m beginning to get the message.

8. clive Says:
   March 28th, 2009 at 9:53 pm

   chumps x

9. clare Says:
   March 30th, 2009 at 11:15 am

   Just to shed some light on our pricing – we’re battling against bad exchange rates and price increases from factories. It’s pretty tough at the moment. We could bring in our products at a cheaper price, but that would mean we would have to compromise on quality. We reckon our customers would rather pay a bit more for something that lasts, rather than buy something they have to throw away after a few washes.

   Pricing is always tricky to get right. And there are lots of pieces in the current range that we have taken a margin hit on to keep the prices affordable.

   It would be good to get some more feedback:

   What products in the range do you think are too expensive?
   What products do you think are good value for money?

10. Will Kennedy Says:
    March 30th, 2009 at 1:02 pm

    Theres’s loads of good value for money items in your new range I think.
    The t-shirts – £25 for a tee that is soft, comfortable, keeps its shape for AGES! and has a cool design is very reasonable.
    The sweats – Granted I got mine in the sale for £20 (bargain of the year!) still £50 for a sweat that is so comfy and so durable is in my opinion value for money.
    The jeans- Selvedge or 120z organic denim, when you compare howies jeans for price, style and wear and tear against say…. Levi’s or G-star or Evisu (for raw denim) they are very good value. I think your jeans are very similar to Carhaart for price and durability.

    Items I find a bit expensive are:
    The Carnaby skirt (for my girlfriend!)- Im sure there is some justification in the manufacturing process that means it is an expensive product, but couldn’t help noticing the skirts are the same price as the tunics. And 95 pounds is beyond my means at the moment.
    The shorts – Although I dont doubt the quality and design, £50 is a smidge more expensive than some other shorts I have been looking at for this summer.

    I suppose price is relative to your own personal value on money and possesions!

11. peter walsh Says:
    March 30th, 2009 at 1:05 pm

    Right, my obnoxious and opinionated take on your prices…and thanks for asking by the way.

    Jeans and t-shirts are cool – though you could knock a fiver off a few of the ts to make them more enticing.

    Shirts should be in the 50s and not 60s – and enough with the checks, please. Shorts the same, or slightly less. £65 for the Corporation looks cheeky.

    Technical jackets are market leaders – or have been, range has been looking a bit tired of late – and used to be worth the cash, but the lighter, cotton shapes are overpriced, I reckon. I don’t have the money for a HMD and wouldn’t buy one if I did. I don’t hang out with anyone who’d buy one.

    Kids stuff: Longevity less of an issue due to growing wearer. £30 for the hoody is too much – should be £20. Same with the pedal pushers. Jeans should be £25/30. I’d move away from all the pastel colours – they look washed out. Ts are OK.

    I’d buy denim jackets for the kids – £30. Floppy summer hats – £10/15, a warm up soft fleece, £20/25 and a rainproof/waterproof jacket, big zip, two hand pockets, hood, bold colours, £40/45, perhaps a bit more.

    I’m exhausted. Could go on but I demand a choccy hobnob. Best.