Not All Sizes Suit Retailers

Some retailers such as Old Navy have offered a full array of sizes of clothing. However, such merchandising programs are plagued with problems. There is too little demand for the very small sizes and the very large sizes. As a result, negotiating power wanes when retailers procure these sizes. It is just harder to manage a wide range of sizes. It is logical to charge higher prices for large sizes since more material is used and more shelf space claimed. Also, as the sizes of clothing reach the upper bounds, the clothes often have to be redesigned since very large size people have different proportions than other people. For instance, the pockets in shirts and the waistbands in pants have to be moved while dress lengths shift. Big-sized people may not think it is fair to pay higher prices than everyone else. Also, very large people may not feel comfortable shopping for clothes alongside more fit people.