Clothes: Different sizes, same price
Why are clothes that are different sizes the same price? Logically, a shirt that is a size extra, extra large uses much more fabric than an extra small, yet the prices are the same. If it was not for time constraints (and perhaps laziness), people could save materials by buying an extra large, cutting off some of the fabric to fit themselves, and use the extra fabric for other clothes (materials for different kinds of dresses are good examples).
I know that all these clothes are made in bulk and the number of clothes sold would make up for the fabric costs and reap a large profit.Yet still, why do people just not charge more for the use of more fabric and earn even more money?
But thinking again, I guess the question about why name brands cost so much comes into play, too. Some brands use very little fabric and would take hardly any money to make, but they cost hundreds of dollars.
In electronics, the more material is needed to make something, the more expensive it is. I just cannot understand why this is not the same in the clothing industry.
10 Responses to “Clothes: Different sizes, same price”
November 21, 2007 at 11:59 pm
Consumers can claim price discrimination? I thought price discrimination was only a label given to the act of a producer charging different prices for the same product (or reasons not associated with cost). And therefore, to me, price discrimination is really just another one of those economic terms to know, but it doesn’t explain anything (but I don’t really know economics, so please feel free to clarify on this subject….).
But taking price discrimination into mind, I’m guessing that these producers are only doing this because they don’t want to fall behind other producers (they would rather be monopolistic and have everyone buy their product than have only certain people buy one shirt and not have bigger people buy it because of the increase in price–the people could find a better deal elsewhere). So, it’s really that they’re afraid of losing out on customers and have a lower total revenue. Is that it?
November 22, 2007 at 12:05 am
Interesting question… that’s actually a really good question. I think big people would feel discriminated against.. and knowing society they’re all for ‘equality’ etc so it’ll become a big deal if they make prices different.
You know when they have ’sales’ it’s always the larger sizes left over.. so I think big people actually have an advantage over those people who fit in the common sizes which is interesting.. so they actually get charged less than the price taken to make the smaller sized item.
Haha yes you must be psychic 
I haven’t updated for so long yet you still found your way there when I did actually update ^^;
November 22, 2007 at 12:29 am
That’s true - price discrimination is a label, but it some cases it can also be illegal. However, I agree with you that at the very core of it, yes, companies are afraid of losing revenue.
November 23, 2007 at 4:58 am
Maybe I’m wrong but…in the stores where I live, sizes XS-L are the same price while XL-2XL or larger are higher priced. Therefore, I don’t particularly see the point to this question.
However, from my standpoint, I do not believe that the prices should be different. Why? Even if it takes ‘more’ fabric, it does not take an incredibly LARGER amount of fabric…the cost difference probably isn’t that great where it’ll affect the overall profit too much anyway. That aside, most (if not all) of the clothing are made with super cheap labor.
Also, the fact that I’m generally buying L to XL sized clothing because I’m ‘larger’ in size…and then having to pay extra simply because I’m ‘fatter’ than others would (or does) offend me. It’s not necessarily that I chose to be the size that I am…and the fact that society already looks down on me because I’m ‘fat’ and then having to spend more money on the same item someone smaller than me can buy for less…I’d say it’s, in a sense, discrimination against…eh…fat people.
November 24, 2007 at 2:14 pm
^ I just went shopping on Black Friday yesterday and all the clothes are the same price, no matter the size. I went to Kohls, Old Navy, Sears, and Macys. Maybe it’s different elsewhere.
I think that the profits outweigh the costs, too, no matter what size it is, but I was just asking why people didn’t want to make even MORE money by charging more for larger sizes? For example, a company charges $10 for XS shirt and it costs $5 to create. They charge $10 for an XL shirt and it costs $7 to create. They are losing out on $2/shirt with the XL shirts. They’re still making a profit, yes, but they might lose out on $1000s of dollars if they had just bumped up the price by $2 dollars to make up for the creation costs.
I don’t understand how it can be discrimination against bigger people. In a parallel situation: it’s not like I want to be near-sighted, but I understand that it’s not discrimination that I have to spend more money to buy these contacts or glasses and go to eye appointments. And it’s not the same item of clothing because more cloth goes into one item than another.
But I already found the answer to this question–it’s better to have some profit than lose out on profit because of raised prices (especially because there are tons of competitors that would just take all the customers).
November 25, 2007 at 10:28 pm
I just have a comment you may or may not know,
If the size is XXL or larger, generally its 2-3 dollars more than the original price. For example: TinyURL.com/2xog5m (its a link to hot topic, showing price difference)
So, my guess is that the fabric scraps they have from making a small shirt, don’t leave any left to make another small shirt? Or something? Am i making sense? Hah…
November 25, 2007 at 10:50 pm
^ I think I knew that and forgot about it. Ha! But, still, XL shirts (not XXL) are quite a bit bigger than XS shirts. Also, now that it’s laid out like that, it seems a bit unfair that XXL shirts can cost more, but XXS shirts cost the same as XS, S, M, etc. Wow…There’s too many sizes for clothes.
November 26, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Yes I agree there are too many sizes for clothing. lol Personally I think that it’s what each consumer is willing to pay for. I’ve seen some stores that actually have higher prices for larger sizes and being the cheap person I am I felt that a few extra dollars for a cotton shirt wasn’t worth it and I knew I could buy something similar for less. It’s all about making money.
November 21, 2007 at 4:16 pm
Maybe consumers would claim price discrimination if the same clothing item for them cost a lot more than for someone else. (We touched over this in econ. class)