Clothing Stores Industry Profile

The US clothing stores industry includes about 100,000 stores with combined annual revenue of about $150 billion. Large companies include TJX Companies (TJ Maxx, Marshalls); Gap; Limited Brands; Ross; and Abercrombie & Fitch. The industry is concentrated: the 50 largest companies account for about 65 percent of industry revenue.

Major clothing retailers based outside the US include Hennes & Mauritz (Sweden), Inditex's Zara chain (Spain), Arcadia Group's Topshop (UK), C&A (Germany), and Fast Retailing (Japan). Many of the biggest US clothing chains are also major international players, such as The Gap and TJX (called T. K. Maxx in Europe).

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Personal income and fashion trends drive demand for clothing. The profitability of individual companies depends heavily on effective merchandising and marketing. Large companies can offer wide selections of clothing and have advantages in purchasing, distribution, and marketing. Small stores can compete by offering unique merchandise, targeting a specific demographic, providing superior customer service, or serving a local market. The industry is labor-intensive: annual revenue per worker is about $150,000.

Competition for the clothing store industry includes department stores, discount stores, and Internet and catalog retailers.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

The clothing retail industry includes stores specializing in women's clothing (50 percent); or men's clothing (20 percent). Stores may also specialize in children's clothing (nearly 10 percent of sales) or accessories. Children's clothing stores include infant wear. Accessory stores may specialize in hats or caps, costume jewelry, ...