Are consumers getting what they pay for? Whose responsibility is it?
by heathercrawford ~ September 15th, 2010. Filed under: Comm 101.
Lululemon Athletica is a unisex athletic clothing brand that emulates a philosophy of living well and playing hard, while enjoying a calm “yogis” lifestyle. The technical designs of Lululemon’s ”pre-shrunk, flat-seamed, well-gussted” clothing has set it apart from your average pair of athletic unattractive sweatpants. The clothing makes you, the customer; feel good when wearing the product. Not only because of its extreme comfort but also because of the features and benefits that Lululemon’s clothing exclusively promises. The latest of which is a seaweed fiber shirt that releases amino acids, minerals, and vitamins into your skin. However one must question if these “health” benefits even exist. This was the problem when “Lululemon’s VitaSea T-shirts do not contain the 24% of seaweed fiber advertised.” Showing that even with high company standards things can still slip through the cracks, especially when relying on the supplier’s word. Is the consumer getting what they are paying? Or are the company and the shareholders capitalizing on these “trendy” but misleading “health” benefits? Consumers must always be aware of what they are purchasing, but the companies must also adhere to high ethical standards and insure that they are delivering the goods and meeting their customers’ expectations.
Reference to: “Lululemon asked for it” – National Post (Financial Post)
http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=589fb9e5-c143-48f4-99b7-7171630e8546&k=43929&p=2