Despite the growing number of visits to “fashionable” sales outlets, sales have been actually declining. BNS-Trade Director Vita Voynilovich specifies: the demand for clothes has evolved, the number of people visiting shops and trying on things has grown, but people leave without buying anything. According to Commentator, in Kyiv and other Ukrainian metropolitan cities, the amount of purchased items has significantly dropped during the season.

Branded clothing shops currently offer to Ukrainians men’s winter jackets and coats at UAH 1,500 – 2,000, women’s overclothes at UAH 1,000-1,700. Men’s denims and classical men’s trousers are offered at no less than UAH 600, the average price of a costume shirt totals approximately UAH 350. Women’s tops (blouses, reglans) cost about UAH 400. One will be charged up to UAH 700 for a dress.

Sweaters and down jackets have grown more than other clothes, in average by 20%-22%: from UAH 650 (in October 2010) to UAH 790 (in October 2011) and from UAH 1,400 (last year) to UAH 1,700 (this year), respectively.

Retailers say that the purchasing power of Ukrainians have been falling as compared to last year: in average by 10% per market. Sales of some brands of the medium and democratic segments have fallen even more: by 15%-20%.

As a result of these transformations, buyers have become more responsive to special price offers of seasonal sales (discounts and campaigns).

“With other items of the family budget growing (such as utility bills, transport, food), ordinary consumers have less money to buy clothing and footwear”, - says Natalia Kovalenko, Maratex Development Director. 

According to the estimates of Natalia Lifintseva, Director of FiNN FLARE representative office in Ukraine, every Ukrainian will have to pay in average up to UAH 5,000 to purchase warm clothes for the autumn and winter season, if they buy overclothes and two clothing outfits (for example, trousers and a raglan, a dress and a suit).  

In democratic clothing department stores (which are few in Ukraine), a fashionable men’s outfit consisting of 4 to 5 items (a T-shirt, trousers, a jacket, and a cap) can be bought at UAH 1,000-1,500; a similar outfit for women will cost at least UAH 500 more.

We would like to point out that the average wages of the capital’s resident totals UAH 2,863.

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Source: ua-retail.com