英国品牌美国遇冷 美国人不待见英国货？
英美两国在政治、文化等方面都有着非常深刻的联系，但这种紧密的关系并没有为英国品牌打入美国市场带来什么便利，乐购和玛莎百货等英国知名零售店都在美国市场折戟。问题在哪？
英国实业家珍妮·谢弗(Janie Schaffer)当初走马上任维多利亚的秘密创意总监时，被内部的各自为政彻底整晕了：“我就是不明白，为何文胸与短裤会毫不相干。所有的印花与颜色就一定得相配吗？”谢弗回忆道。新同事却告诉谢弗：美国人买内衣就是与众不同。
英国时尚品牌Ted Baker创始人兼CEO雷·凯尔文(Ray Kelvin)也附和谢弗的说法：“零售商们通常会觉得：‘我们两国说的是同一种语言（英语），所以趣味应该相近。'实际情况是两者风马牛不相及。” 美国市场的特性仍让英国零售商颇感棘手。雷·凯尔文暗示道：尤其是美国消费者相对保守的时尚品位。
英美两国政府之间或许存在着特殊关系，但在购物上，两国国民的品位与习惯则大相径庭。
This lack of understanding has contributed to the undoing of such venerable British brands as Tesco and Marks and Spencer, whose American dreams ended in tatters.Now Primark, which began life as an Irish discount clothing retailer in the 1960s, is poised to enter the US.Already a favourite in the UK and continental Europe, it will make its debut in Boston this year with the first of 10 American outposts set to open by the end of 2016.
由于理解有误，使得乐购与玛莎百货这类英国知名零售店最终在美国市场折戟。如今Primark打算进军美国市场。Primark最初是上世纪60年代创办于爱尔兰的一家服装折扣零售店，如今已是英国及欧洲时尚拥趸的宠儿，它今年计划在美国波士顿开设首家门店，2016年底在全美总共开设10家门店。
Topshop has been in the US since 2009 and now has nine stores and 70 department store concessions.But the journey has not been easy.“LA could be 80 degrees but in Chicago it could be freezing,” says Sheena Sauvaire, Topshop’s global marketing and communications director.“The diversity is the biggest thing we’ve learnt; not only from climate, and therefore product needs, but also from the local fashion savviness.”
Topshop 2009年就已登陆美国市场，至今才开设了9家门店和批准了70家百货店的特许专营权。但整个发展进程并不平坦。“洛杉矶的气温高达摄氏26度时，芝加哥可能还是天寒地冻。”Topshop全球营销与联络部总监希娜·索维尔(SheenaSauvaire)说。“我们最刻骨铭心的是美国市场的多样化：不仅气候差异大导致产品需求千差万别，而且各地的时尚领悟程度各不相同。”
While British brands are used to being well known at home, in the US they need to create awareness and excitement — a big challenge in a crowded marketplace.“We’re a brand that most women have grown up with in Britain,” says Sauvaire.“Women understand how to ‘Topshop’ because it’s in the fabric of British life.Exporting that… is quite hard.”
虽说上述英国品牌在本国可谓家喻户晓，但在美国市场，它们需要另外创建品牌认知度与提高认可度——这在美国这样高度发达的市场是个巨大挑战。“我们的品牌伴着多数英国女性成长，”索维尔说。“英国女性知道如何用Topshop装扮自己，因为它已深入英国人生活的方方面面。而把这样的品牌意识输出到美国可谓任重而道远。”
尽管进军美国市场的路并不好走，但英国品牌并不想放弃这片沃土，他们想出了各种策略来应对挑战。
Burberry, which increased underlying sales in the Americas by 16 per cent in the year to March 2015 and which opened a store in Los Angeles last year, is well-versed in the power of a localised event.The LA opening was marked with a “London in Los Angeles” fashion show in April, with musicians Tom Odell and George Ezra, and the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, who marched down the catwalk.“One of the things that has resonated with the US consumer is the Britishness of the Burberry story,” says John Smith, the company’s chief operating officer.
从年初至三月份，Burberry在美国市场的基本销售额增长了16%，去年它在洛杉矶开设了一家门店，因此深谙本土化活动的超凡作用。今年4月，为庆祝洛杉矶门店开设，博柏利举办了洛城版的伦敦时装秀，邀请歌星汤姆·奥德尔(Tom Odell)、乔治·埃兹拉(George Ezra)以及英国近卫步兵第一团第一营先后亮相T型台。“美国消费者反响最大的是博柏利洛杉矶门店展现的英伦元素。”公司运营总监约翰·史密斯(John Smith)说。
A sense of Britishness has also helped Boden and the lifestyle brand Joules to build their US businesses.But Britishness has been only one element of Ted Baker’s success, according to Kelvin.The brand entered the US 19 years ago and in 2014 sales nudged $500m.For Kelvin, the key is in having distinctive products.“In the 1980s a lot of people went to America to try to sell socks or ties,” he says.“America’s got a lot of big departments selling socks and ties.You’ve got to have something different.”
英伦特色同样帮助Boden以及生活品位品牌Joules在美国生根开花，但在凯尔文看来，它只是Ted Baker品牌成功的一个原因。Ted Baker于19年前进军美国市场，2014年总销售额近5亿美元。在凯尔文看来，成功的关键是推出具有鲜明特色的产品。“上世纪80年代，许多人登陆美国市场，旨在销售袜子与领带。”他说。“美国本国有很多卖袜子与领带的大型百货店，因此向美国人卖的产品必须与众不同。”
Primark’s point of difference, according to analysts, will be its prices — and its range.While US shoppers have plenty of discount options, Stacey Widlitz, an analyst at SW Retail Advisors, says that no low-price US retailer sells everything from lingerie and homewares to “athleisure” .“Retailers and analysts are underestimating the power of Primark,” she says.Neil Saunders, managing director of research group Conlumino, thinks the prices will prove a draw.“Americans still look for bargains,” he says.
在分析师们看来，Primark的优势就是产品价位低廉与品类齐全。尽管美国消费者也有众多打折商场，但SW Retail Advisors分析师斯泰西·维德利茨(StaceyWidlitz)说：美国没有一家低价零售店能一应俱全地销售从女式内衣、家居用品到休闲运动装等各类产品。“零售商与分析师低估了Primark的‘威力’。”她说。零售业咨询公司Conlumino总监尼尔·桑德斯(Neil Saunders)认为实践会证明低价位有很大吸引力。“美国人仍在淘打折产品。”他说。
Even for the retailers that do succeed, the journey can be long and arduous.Kelvin warns: “It’s not a quick win.It takes time and effort.If you’re just going to open a shop there, forget it.”
即便是那些在美国取得成功的零售店，未来之路依然漫长艰辛。凯尔文警告说：“成功不可能轻而易举，它需要付出大量时间以及艰辛的努力。如果只是去美国开设门店，那么请趁早断了这个念想。”
词汇总结
undoing [ʌn’duːɪŋ]
n.毁灭；取消；毁灭的原因；失败的原因
tatter ['tætə]
n.碎布；破布条；破旧的衣服；崩溃;毁坏
This lack of understanding has contributed to the undoing of such venerable British brands as Tesco and Marks and Spencer, whose American dreams ended in tatters.
由于理解有误，使得乐购与玛莎百货这类英国知名零售店最终在美国市场折戟。
well-versed ['wel’və:st]
adj.熟知的,通晓的
Burberry, which increased underlying sales in the Americas by 16 per cent in the year to March 2015 and which opened a store in Los Angeles last year, is well-versed in the power of a localised event.
从年初至三月份，Burberry在美国市场的基本销售额增长了16%，去年它在洛杉矶开设了一家门店，因此深谙本土化活动的超凡作用。
nudge [nʌdʒ]
vt.用肘轻推；推进；向…不停地唠叨
The brand entered the US 19 years ago and in 2014 sales nudged $500m.
Ted Baker于19年前进军美国市场，2014年总销售额近5亿美元。
arduous ['ɑːdjʊəs]
adj.费力的；努力的；险峻的
Even for the retailers that do succeed, the journey can be long and arduous.
即便是那些在美国取得成功的零售店，未来之路依然漫长艰辛。
