Teen Niche Concepts are Failing

Many retailers are struggling with the teen niche concept during the past couple of months. This post on RetaiWire discusses how companies like Pacific Sunwear, American Eagle, The Finish Line, and Abercrombie & Fitch have all closed different concepts that were targeted at slightly different customers than their flagship chain.

Special niches like skate/surf crowd, club kids or slightly older customers have pushed retailers in the past to create special concepts, but the Journal mentions that many of these niches are overestimated. Creating special niches have at times led stores to take their eyes off their main core business.