Esquire Magazine

[Lulu-in-Ny]

I was directed to this article due to the fact that it talks about the very real possibility of Borders Books disappearing by 2010. (I work for Barnes & Noble.) However, it also mentions that Esquire will most likely be gone by then as well. What a shame. Perhaps they should have gone the Maxim route and dropped some half-naked women on their covers...

 

[Sefton]

Esquire has been gone for a long time. Going Maxim would have been dancing on Esky's grave...

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Exactly. It's another case of a business not paying attention to what their customers want. It's the beginning of the end when any business takes the "we know what you really want better than you do yourself" and so many businesses fall into that trap, or seem to plow ahead headlong into it.

And the article nails it in regard to The Gap - "a three-brand company living in a two-brand body." They bought Banana Republic, which was a well-run, financially successfully, high-profit retailer making a more tropical, casual "safari"-inspired line of clothing. Shortly after buying, The Gap got rid of all of the merchandise that created the skyrocketing income and turned it into almost a twin of The Gap for an older demographic...and then wonder why sales on that division fell. "We know what our customers want!" Clearly they don't. And they've shot themselves in the feet with that sort of attitude at Old Navy and The Gap itself over the years.

 

[Charlie Noodles]

Exactly. It's another case of a business not paying attention to what their customers want. It's the beginning of the end when any business takes the "we know what you really want better than you do yourself" and so many businesses fall into that trap, or seem to plow ahead headlong into it.

Looking at the modern consumer I can see why that is so easy for them. Plenty of people really are waiting for someone to tell them what's hot at any given time.

 

[Lulu-in-Ny]

Looking at the modern consumer I can see why that is so easy for them. Plenty of people really are waiting for someone to tell them what's hot at any given time.

Working in a major bookstore, I can safely say that this is 100% true. If I had a dollar for every woman that comes in specifically to buy whatever was on Oprah that day, I'd be a rich woman. Makes you wanna scream, really. No one wants to go to the trouble of browsing around and choosing something that appeals to them, it's just easier to be told what they want. Which of course, brings it around to laziness, which is a whole other ball of wax...

 

[Ethan Bentley]

I had a subscription to Esquire it was something like £18 for the year (the cover price is close to £4 an issue). But I got a free full-sized (70cl) bottle of Glenmorangie 10yr Old Single Malt Whisky.

My reason, I was fed up with the adverts and the pretensions of the fashion.
The business, drinks and general editors were still good but that's less than 20%.

The vintage Esquire books and also the more recent Drink book by them are absolutely superb and recommended.

 

[Lady Day]

Can you really 'browse' in a B&N or any other major chain book store? Looking for books is only fun if they have dust on them. Major chains threat the book like produce with an expiration date, if they dont sell, off they go.

As far as 'giving the customer what they want', I think thats bogus. Customers are always manipulated into buying one thing or the other. That's the fine line the magazine must walk to know how to make that work in their favor. No, they should not tell the customer what to want, but insinuation is an effective tool.

I also think its a better market plan than giving the customer EVERYTHING they want. Do that and the customer gets burned out and fast, then they move on. Entice the customer and you have the potential of having them for their lifetime.


LD

 

[Widebrim]

Esquire has been gone for a long time. Going Maxim would have been dancing on Esky's grave...

Precise, concise, and right on the money, brother...

 

[Ethan Bentley]

Can you really 'browse' in a B&N or any other major chain book store? Looking for books is only fun if they have dust on them. Major chains threat the book like produce with an expiration date, if they dont sell, off they go.

As far as 'giving the customer what they want', I think thats bogus. Customers are always manipulated into buying one thing or the other. That's the fine line the magazine must walk to know how to make that work in their favor. No, they should not tell the customer what to want, but insinuation is an effective tool.

LD

I think you make a good point, in fact part of the reason I stopped my subscription was because I felt that they were telling me what I should want, which is always tiresome.

They did feature some sartorial gems but so much of what they featured seemed over priced and so obviously fashion-conscious that in a year or twos time it wouldn't be "cool" to wear it.

 

[metropd]

3 Fedora Loungers are on the Best dressed Real Men so lets give them some deserved credit.:eusa_clap

 

[Old School QD]

I think that item #3 on the list might actually be good news to the FL people.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

well, if it is any consolation, according to the article, crocs will be going bye-bye soon as well...

 

[morgan]

I guess I'm odd man out here. I still really enjoy Esquire magazine and have just started subscribing to it. I find the articles fairly interesting. My only complaint is their fashion tends to focus on men that are very much in shape and not on guys with some weight like me.


Morgan

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I guess I'm odd man out here. I still really enjoy Esquire magazine and have just started subscribing to it. I find the articles fairly interesting. My only complaint is their fashion tends to focus on men that are very much in shape and not on guys with some weight like me.


Morgan

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap