How did WalMart get locked out of THIS market?

Santa Clara, CA:

Sitting here with a friend who is over the edge because she has to buy school uniforms for her daughter. Keep in mind that this is a PUBLIC school that has a dress code. In looking outside of the 'specialty stores' that sell only school uniforms, she was unable to find any store that could meet the dress codes. It appears that the schools are all in bed with the uniform dealers. What should be a $200 purchase at Mervyn's, Target or WalMart, the cost is about $700! How did the big retailers get locked out of such a lucrative market segment?

Do you have kid's and face the same?

 

I may, but I hope not.

I went to a private School and we did not even have a tough of a dress code. Just no t-shirts and no shorts.

 

My private schools had contracts with one place that was allowed to put their logo on things and that is where I was dragged to buy school clothes every year. Of course after the first month of school as long as we had the proper shirt on we could get away with wearing normal polo khaki shorts as long as they were close to the right color. The uniform clothes were the most uncomfortable clothes I ever had. I guess it was made to last forever but it never got soft.

I would think that if Wal-Mart or a place like that would get together with the school system in advance they could work something out if the product could be sold in a lot of places. In New Orlean public schools I don't think they have logos on the uniforms. I think they use a lot of Dickies brand uniform stuff sold at a chain called Soul Train Fashions. I could be wrong. I would think if it was something like that where it could be sold in multiple areas across the country it would be worth Wal-Mart getting into it but if it is select product for select markets I don't think they would be interested.

 

My office manager just got two big boxes of stuff in through UPS a day or so ago.

Several hundred dollars worth of stuff, through a school sanctioned source, after striking out at Wal-Mart, K-Mart, etc.

It's a racket, isn't it??

DM

 

They may not have uniforms, but they have alcohol now!

 

Been there, done that. IMO, the uniform 'source' gives a kickback to the school. I can find NO other reason that they are such nazi's about it.

 

Check eBay.

Also, Target started carrying the uniform pants we need for our son's school this year. On sale for $12/ea.

 

GAWD that's absurd.....I can get two great suits for that much !!