From our other sites
The story
On the 16th, Uniqlo announced on its official site that it will raise prices on some products and services by an average of about 4% starting November 10. The “Kando Jacket” will go from ¥6,990 to ¥7,990, and bulk sock sales will also be discontinued. On the thread, many commenters said the fabric used to be thicker and the quality better back then, with the discussion mostly revolving around comparisons of quality-to-price balance against Shimamura, Workman, and GU. Opinions were split between those who think the brand’s popularity won’t suffer despite the price hikes and those who see its domestic popularity fading compared to its growth overseas.
Published Mon, Oct 19, 5:07 PM
Oricon
Uniqlo announced on its official website on the 16th that it will raise prices on some products and services, amounting to “an average increase of about 4% in retail price,” starting November 10. The “Kando Jacket” will rise from ¥6,990 to ¥7,990.
Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here
What people said
Quality used to be better back in the day
That's because the yen was strong back then
The sweater I bought this January got covered in pills almost immediately
It used to last years
but that's the only good thing about them
The fabric these days is thin though
Miss those heavy, sturdy old cargo pants
They're not durable at all
Their cotton boxer briefs wear out faster than the equivalent from GU, which is ¥100 cheaper
Where else would you even go? Brand names are expensive and Shimamura looks cheap
I buy secondhand Uniqlo on Mercari (Japan's biggest flea-market app)
Uniqlo isn't cheap and isn't particularly stylish either, so what's the point of it anymore
Uniqlo socks are a no
Shimamura wins hands down
When you take off Uniqlo socks, fibers stick to your feet and it's gross
The only good thing about Uniqlo innerwear
is how it feels against the skin — functionality is low
HEATTECH is the prime example
https://youtu.be/JrCr6FElwHQ?si=WE7s0iD8SThl5Kce
It's the other way around — the kids are wearing the same clothes as the old folks
You're young, go buy some Stüssy or something
Reinvested back into global expansion
Uniqlo is mediocre on both price and quality
Honestly GU's already pretty pricey for how thin the fabric is
>Uniqlo socks are a no
>Shimamura wins hands down
I'll take your word for it (´･ω･`)
Gonna try buying some next time
Jumping in, but yeah you can trust it
Especially for men, Shimamura socks are seriously the best
On the flip side, there's nothing at Shimamura worth buying for an adult man's clothing
Their men's clothing is strictly for middle schoolers and under
Their stitching and overall quality keep getting better every year — it's not cheap-and-nasty anymore
They were already known for high-performance materials, and now the construction's gotten good too, so no complaints at all
Which Workman items are actually good quality?
Supermarkets don't even sell clothes these days
Stop making mommy do all your shopping and go buy your own stuff
Did you lose weight from not eating properly?
It used to be simple items, high quality, low prices
Now they just keep jacking up prices on low-quality stuff chasing trends that are already behind the times
Say what you want, it's reliable
A lot of stuff at a similar price point or a bit higher ends up costing more than Uniqlo while being worse made
It's like Disney
Sales figures
Japan up 3%
Overseas (ex-Japan) up 20% overall
Popularity in Japan is definitely declining
Strip out the weak-yen effect from the overseas numbers and it's probably single digits too
The gap's probably not that big
Honestly it feels like the Japanese market is already fully saturated
Rich people wouldn't even glance at Uniqlo, and poor people go to GU instead
Background and Key Points of This Discussion
This isn’t Uniqlo’s first price hike — these have come in waves in recent years, driven by rising raw material and shipping costs tied to the weak yen. The sense among several posters in the thread that “the fabric has gotten thinner” may be connected to past cost-cutting efforts that kept prices flat while quietly lowering quality instead (essentially the reverse of shrinkflation — holding the price steady while cutting quality rather than quantity), though the thread never verifies when or how any specific product actually changed, so this remains purely a matter of personal impression. There was also a comment to the effect that Uniqlo’s popularity is declining in Japan, but no source was given for the sales-comparison figures cited, and it’s worth noting there’s no official data backing this up. The way Uniqlo, GU, Shimamura, and Workman — brands spanning different price tiers — all get lumped together for comparison reflects how unsettled consumers’ sense of “value for money” has become in the clothing market.
*This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (News Express+) thread “[Price Hike Rush] Uniqlo Announces Price Increase from Nov. 10 — “Kando Jacket” ¥6,990 → ¥7,990, Bulk Sock Sales Also Ending.”
Leave a Reply