Courtney's Corner: Blog Post #5: Never Stop Exploring

Hello Everyone!

Spring break is finally here!! I couldn't be more thrilled to have an entire week off. But it doesn't exactly feel like spring (it's currently 37* at my house). I was in New York City on Saturday to see Les Miserable on Broadway (I highly suggest it). Although NYC is about 4-5 hours south of my house, it was still chilly! But thankfully, I had my North Face jacket to keep me warm. This is one brand that I'm extremely loyal to. I own two winter jackets and a lighter, spring jacket from North Face. Although they're wicked expensive (I'll get to that later), the quality is unbelievable, and that's why I consistently buy their jackets whenever my current one gets worn out.

Here's a little background on North Face. It was started in 1966 by two hiking enthusiasts. The small retail store sold high-performance backpacking and climbing equipment. In the early 1980's, extreme ski equipment was added to the product offering. In the 1990's, the product line increased, adding more apparel, footwear and equipment for all athletes and outdoor enthusiasts.

I'm an outdoorsy person, but I don't typically buy my North Face clothing to explore in the outdoors. I buy their winter jackets because they're comfortable and protect me against the cold, Vermont weather. However, I do own one North Face skiing jacket (even though I haven't hit the slopes since last year). The outer lining acts as a shield against harsh winds on the top of the mountain and the insulation on the inside keeps my body warm. There's no other brand I would trust to keep me warm in the winter.

One thing that may turn people off from North Face attire is the price. As defined in the marketing textbook, price is "the money of other considerations (including other products or services) exchanged for the ownership or use of a product or service". Since North Face products cannot be bartered, money is exchanged for their products. If you browse through their website, you'll find very expensive apparel, footwear, and equipment. But there's a reason for the steep prices.

One of the pages on The North Face's website talks about the steps they are taking to help the environment and become more sustainable. The video above talks about a trip to Taiwan to visit The North Face factories and examine where improvements can be made. They found that a majority of the product's environmental impact can be found in the material production phase. Becoming more efficient can certainly cut down on costs, but at the same time, The North Face is trying to cut out chemicals that can harm the environment. This can increase costs and ultimately the price of the product. But what the consumer will take into account is that the high price reflects the steps North Face is taking to help the environment.

Materials are not the only elements taken into account when determining the price. Labor, distribution, packaging, and marketing are all factors that set the price of the product. I know the jacket I bought back in the fall was around $100- $120. Did I think it was expensive for a jacket? Yes, but I considered all the costs of creating this high-quality jacket. And I know this jacket will last me a couple of years.

Now that I've been browsing the website, I might as well check out their spring jackets and vests! See you next time!

Courtney