Hoping some Scoopers with a Retail/Merchandising background can answer the following:
Why have apparel options at Marshalls and TJ Maxx stores been so threadbare the last couple of years? They don't get anywhere near the same selection of brands that they used to and the quality of what they do get has declined precipitously over the last couple of years. I get that neither has ever been anything close to even mid-range, let alone upscale but you used to at least occasionally be able to score halfway decent stuff like Brooks Bros and legit Ralph Lauren Polo Shirts (not their lower end "LAUREN" line) and the like for a reasonable price. It was always hit or miss (mostly miss 75% of the time) BUT you could still find something decent once in while. No longer. Although I rarely bought clothing anyone can see at either of those places, they were great for basics like underwear and T-Shirts. They don't even get the decent brands for those anymore so it's frustrating. On the slightly higher end, the quality of merch at Saks Off 5th and Nordstrom Rack has also declined considerably. I was always aware that even back in the day, those places hardly sold anything that was ever actually on offer at a full service Saks or Nordstrom, but that was ok because you could still get decent stuff. Largely untrue today. If you take an average pair of jeans and look under the hood the quality of the rivets and zippers is garbage now as is the quality of the fabric used to make the pockets. It's very thin and not the heavy canvas they used to be routinely be made of. To get that quality today you have to go to a high end specialty brand like Tellason, APC or Japanese brands and pay well over $200.
