PRACTICAL VIEW : Hosiery Clubs Offer Some Sheer Benefits
Hose, like eggs, really are cheaper by the dozen--if you belong to a hosiery club.
Department and specialty stores now have the clubs and the benefits can include free delivery and frequent buyer freebies.
One of the newest clubs is at Fogal, an upscale specialty hosiery chain with boutiques in Newport Beach and Beverly Hills. Frequent Fogal buyers can join the St. Tropez Club.
Instituted this fall in the Newport Beach store, and now available in Beverly Hills, the club allows customers who buy 12 pair to get the 13th free.
Unlike other clubs, Fogal’s incentive program features only a single sheer style--the St. Tropez.
However, the single style comes in 115 basic and fashion colors, and costs $14 a pair. Hosiery can be mailed to club members at their own expense (shipping charges start at about $3) or delivered free to limited parts of West Los Angeles and Orange County. (Check with the boutique near you to find out if you qualify.)
Fogal’s club, which boasts about 15 members in Newport Beach, was formed to encourage new and loyal business at a time when “the economy is a little off,” explains store owner Joan Wills.
One of the most generous club programs is at Parklane Hosiery, a chain with stores throughout Southern California.
It allows shoppers to receive any two pairs of tights or panty hose free after a dozen pair are purchased, sale items included. Mailing and delivery services are not available.
Among department stores that offer clubs, Nordstrom includes every label hosiery the store carries, from its name brand to designer names such as Donna Karan.
Shoppers must stop by the department and pick up a card to join. When you buy 12 pair of hose, the next pair is on the house. Shipping and delivery cost extra.
At Robinson’s the 13th pair is free, and any brand qualifies--even sale brands--as long as they are not knee highs or discontinued items. J.C. Penney offers a free pair for every dozen purchased. Sale items are included but delivery and mail orders are not available.
At Saks Fifth Avenue, no formal hosiery club or frequent buyer program exists, but if a shopper wants hose delivered to her office, the store’s Fifth Avenue Club will accommodate her. A delivery charge will be levied, however. (Charges start at $4.50.)
Frequent buyer discounts are apparently infiltrating other areas of retail as well.
Robinson’s lingerie department now offers a similar deal on panties and bras. J.C. Penney has a frequent buyer program for cosmetics. Buy any 10 items from your favorite cosmetic line and receive a free lipstick or mascara of your choice. It’s all part of the plan to build store loyalty at a time when sales are down.
