What the hell is Johnnie playing at? Why has Boden dropped size 22 from some of the range?

[Northernlurker]

Thought I'd have a browse this evening and was shocked. Everything I like is now up to 20 only. What the hell? Boden has done a 22 for years. Where does the selective sizing come in?

ANd they've scrapped Johnnie B range.
Tbf they lost the ply when they stopped doing the tartan baggies...
I bought nothing for myself from their range last year and half the stuff I usually would for the boys.
PJs from White Co instead, POP and Canterbury alternatives.
I love Joules at the min as the tops are much longer!

Plot not ply.
Joules sizing is very generous IMO OP, and they go up to a 20, so light be worth a try?

I've already complained to Boden about this, and know of at least one other person who has. The response I got was that larger sizes represented a tiny part of their market. Which of course would be why they always seem to sell out... There's also a couple of things in the catalogue listed as up to a 22, but on the website go up only to a 20. Some real basic stuff as well.

I've looks at joules before and it's ok for Bretons but not that keen on a lot of it. Monsoon isn't bad. I'm just cross. What's the point of this?

I've looks at joules before and it's ok for Bretons but not that keen on a lot of it. Monsoon isn't bad. I'm just cross. What's the point of this?

Mind you as Bretons are one of the things johnnie can no longer bear to sell me Joules it will have to be.

Oh no! I haven't looked recently, that's very bad news. I will be complaining too!

Oh well be a while before I fit into a 20. Silly boden.

By reducing the ratio of sizes (ie 6-22 vs 8-18) there will be a saving on cost price and reduced markdown. By having a size 22 in the range the size 12 for example would cost perhaps 5% more overall- at a time when exchange rates are screwed (thanks brexit) in order to maintain quality and be profitable you will see loads more of this
If it was sold out in 22 it's because they bought less to begin with but literally double fabric of a 12 yet charging same price is a financial stretch to overall profitability
Nb I don't work fo Boden!!

If the size was always sold out, why would you stop selling it?

I am v miffed about the change to the tartan baggies. DS wears them all the time, but they're cut wrong for him now.

Oh yes, size 22 gone. Johnnieb gone too. Well it's been merged with mini, but I can't see some of those clothes, even the upper range, appealing to older teenagers.

Bit weird. Also not much of a range at all online yet

Machi the size is sold because they buy less eg a ratio is a grouping of products which is the agreed order batch sizes placed with the producers- obv figs different to below, but over overall way the fabric will be cut / distributed etc
If they upped the ratio at the top end they use more fabric, the overall cost increases and if it doesn't sell through the overall profit is negated because the profit per se is less on a larger item than smaller, hence why a size ratio pack is agreed - does that make any sense? (Baby won't sleep and 'be not spoken to adults for a couple of days 😳)
6 X 2
8 x4
10 X 8
12 X 8
14 X 10
16 X 10
18 X 4
20 X 2
22 X 2

Impressive!

Yes that makes sense New and it's very interesting.

My mum is devastated by this. She adored Boden and it made her feel better about herself
Bloody poor show

New is it typical that the largest batches will be for sizes 14 and 16 or is that just an example?

I know how your mum feels. I have so much lovely stuff from Boden. Feels sad it's not available now.
The analysis below is standard clothing retail rationale. It doesn't explain or justify not stocking a size altogether. So they ordered two 22 and 10 12. They always sold the 22. Now they've made a decision not to sell it at all.

Good grief! I hadn't thought of it as a Brexit casualty!
Really interesting posts, NewBalla - your talking-to-adult skills are not impaired.

Count yourself lucky, if you are petite (presumably 5ft 3 or under is how most shops qualify it), Johnny says you aren't allowed to be bigger than a size 14

Meck , Johnnie B hasn't gone. It's still on the website.

Interesting stuff NewBalls.

I have to say, I've always wondered how adult clothes are generally the same price in all sizes of a particular design, whereas kids' clothes in lots of shops tend to have different price points depending on what size of the same piece you're buying.

I think it would fair to charge more money for clothes that use more material and that consumers would tolerate this (and less money for smaller sizes) to cover the cost of the extra material. Discontinuing larger sizes just seems lazy and offensive to me - it is saying that larger customers don't matter.

If this is about exchange rates, have they put the cost of the smaller sizes down or are they savong money at the top size end and not passing that down to the rest of their customers?

I agree with stop, children's clothes increase slightly in price as you go up the sizes so why not inflate the larger sizes price slightly rather than cut them?

Of course it was a tiny part of their market - because they never made the bloody sizes

I stopped shopping at Boden years ago despite being bang in their target market and loving their clothes when I got too fat for the top of their sizes when they only went up to an 18/20 which were always on the small side as well. Never bothered to look again since.

It's their own stupid fault.

I remember clothes being sold as more expensive the bigger the sizes were. Mail order used to do this in my childhood and I know La Redoute did it when they broke into Swedish market some 15 years ago. It stopped because it was hugely unpopular and people complained they it was unfair. When La Redoute started selling in Sweden that kind of cost differentiation hadn't been done here for years so it wasn't seen as normal any more, they had to change to do business. I always assumed companies could make up the difference by just spreading the costs though? New's post is very interesting. I still wonder if there isn't more money to make off bigger sizes if they were only available to buy? There's always a load of sixes left in the sales I mean. I'm on the verge of writing a letter to every high street shop in my town and asking them why they stock sz 36x100, sz 38x100, sz 40x50 and sz 42x6 etc - because I often walk off empty handed and then later see alllllll those sz 34s in the sale.