Missoni for Target VS Versace for H&M

Fashionista.com takes a look at Missoni for Target vs Versace for H&M in regards to ebay up-sell in a interesting article showing how the two high end labels contrast in sales and marketing with the new affordable line ventures.

It’s become the inevitable next step following the launch of a hyped designer collaboration: eBay. The collections sell out, and immediately get posted on eBay at jacked up prices. “eBay has always been a destination for hot, hard to find products and even in the early days of the first designer collaborations we saw merchandise arise on eBay,” says Miriam Lahage, Global Head of Fashion Brand for eBay. “Even today there are still Luella Bartley for Target (one of the first designer collaborations) on eBay.”

In the case of Versace for H&M, the collection was up on eBay before the launch thanks to an editor’s only pre-shop event following the runway show (we’re hoping these are clever interns and not top of the masthead folks looking to make a quick buck–even the gift bag items were up for sale).

Since Versace for H&M launched at H&M stores nationwide on Saturday, there are 7,000 listings for the collection on eBay. According to eBay, the average selling price per garment is $191, the highest sold item was the leather gold studded trench for $899 (original retail price $399) and the most expensive item up for sale is the leather biker jacket with the studded lapels with an asking price of $1200 (originally priced at $299). “Versace for H&M” has been searched 40,000 times since Saturday.

There was a ton of buzz leading up to the launch of the Versace for H&M collection, aided by slowly leaked ads and videos, an awesomely disturbing commercial, and, you know, that crazy over-the-top celeb-packed runway show and Prince and Nicki Minaj concert that happened about a week before the collection hit.

Only when it comes to eBay, a pretty accurate reflection of the mass interest in a particular collection, Versace for H&M doesn’t hold a candle to Missoni for Target. Just a few days after the Missoni for Target collection launched (and after Target got their site up and running again), there were 30,000 listings for Missoni for Target on eBay, over four times as many than Versace for H&M. There are still over 10,000 listings for Missoni for Target, over two months after its launch.

Why? Well a few obvious things: the breadth of Missoni’s collection was larger–Versace for H&M did include some home items, the first time a designer collab for H&M has ever included housewares–but Missoni for Target had more. There were plates and bikes and towels and customers who didn’t want to wear zigzags could enjoy them as a fun flourish in their home. But the reason that Missoni for Target generated more demand probably has more to do with accessibility and mass appeal. Versace for H&M is a fun loud and very fashion forward collection. Donatella Versace herself said over and over that she wanted to see it on young people. Missoni for Target wasn’t just for young trend setters but for moms, too.