Brands advanced year-end sales to clear winter stocks

As inventory piles up, brands are expected to launch spring-summer collections around Republic Day

- AKSHARA SRIVASTAVA

Apparel brands have launched their year end sales earlier to resolve piled-up inventory, and offset the sluggish demand for winter garments.

Fashion brands like H&M, Uniqlo, Levi's, and Marks & Spencer, along with multi brand retailers like Lifestyle and e-commerce websites, launched their year end sales as early as mid-December.

“This was a two-pronged departure from usual practice. Usually, festival sales start closer to Christmas or New Year, but this year they started almost two weeks before that. This also meant that there was not much gap between the year-end festival sale and the Black Friday, which was held on November 28,” a merchandise executive at a global apparel brand who did not wish to be named told Business Standard.