If only Urban Outfitters were cheaper.. (Urban Outfitters)

Member Name: natasharadical

Product:	Urban Outfitters
Date:	22/06/08 (163 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Quirky, unusual goods, on trend clothes, cool gadgets / homeware.

Disadvantages: Far too expensive - especially 2nd hand clothes - and sometimes poor quality.

I have a love/hate relationship with Urban Outfitters.

I adore a lot of the clothes sold there - they are a bit quirkier and cooler than most of the fare on offer at other high street stores, yet are still on trend, and the shop offers a decent variety of designers. The homeware section has loads of unusual gadgets which make for fantastic gifts if nothing else; many a time has Urban Outfitters rescued me from the despair of not knowing what to buy someone for their birthday / Christmas / flatwarming. The shop usually has a laid-back atmosphere, and the staff are generally helpful.

However, the store suffers from two pitfalls - it is expensive, and the quality of the goods is often not great. They sell "vintage style" T-shirts with, for instance, Mr Men motifs on, for around £30. The fabric of the T-shirt is always very thin and nowhere near the standard of, say, an American Apparel T-shirt. Quite a lot of their basic tops are made from a very thin material. The shop also has a 2nd hand section which is an unbelievable rip off; it actually makes me feel slightly ill to think of the profits they must make from things that they have found in charity shops. They sell 2nd hand cowboy boots for £75! And recently, I saw a 2nd hand H&M trench coat in there (yes, with the H&M label still on) being sold for £60, when it probably cost at the most £40 brand new.

The jewellery is also not of good quality. I have a gold necklace which cost me around 20 pounds - it isnt real gold - and within a few months it had faded to a silver colour. I bought my sister two bracelets from the store, both of which broke, and when she tried to return them they said they couldnt offer her a refund or replacement as they had none left. So the customer service in that respect is not always good.

Because of the prices being so high, their sales are generally quite good - or at least, they seem good because I am so used to the prices being so high! Relativity aside though, I would recommend going into this shop around sale time as the prices are really reasonable and their stock is a pleasant change from other high street stores.

In short, despite the stores downfalls, I can honestly say that if I need to find a party outfit or a gift for someone, I am guaranteed to find something I like in Urban Outfitters.

Summary: A stylish store which unfortunately overprices its merchandise to a ridiculous degree.