A regional minister in the Spanish province of Castilla y León has come under fire for proposing that brick and mortar clothing stores charge a fee for customers to try on clothes in order to discourage the ‘unethical practice’ of trying on clothes only to buy them cheaper online.
西班牙卡斯蒂利亞-萊昂地區(qū)的一名部長近日因為提議實體店向顧客收取試衣費而被炮轟。該提議的目的是為了打擊線下試衣然后到線上以更低價格購買的“不道德行為”。
María del Pilar del Olmo, Castilla y León’s economy and treasury minister, made her controversial idea known at a recent Retail Industry Conference, after reportedly discussing it with the province’s tourism, trade and industry minister. She argued that nowadays too many shoppers tend to first visit brick-and-mortar boutiques just to try on clothes, and, having figured out which items and sizes fit them best, leave empty-handed only to buy the same clothes online, at lower prices. The regional minister proposed a fee for trying out clothes in order to discourage this ‘unethical practice’.
卡斯蒂利亞-萊昂地區(qū)的財經(jīng)部長瑪莉亞·德爾·皮拉爾·德爾·奧爾莫近日在零售行業(yè)大會上提出了這一爭議性想法,據(jù)說她還曾和本省的旅游、貿(mào)易和工業(yè)部長討論過此事。她辯稱,如今太多購物者一般都先去實體店試衣服,搞清楚要買什么衣服、哪個尺碼合適后就空手而歸,再到網(wǎng)上以更低的價格買同款。這位部長提議收取試衣費,以打擊這種“不道德行為”。
According to Ms. del Olmo, this is less of an issue for big brands that only sell their clothes in their own stores and on their websites, with prices varying little, if at all, between the two, but it is crippling boutiques that carry various brands, which visitors can find on popular online stores like ASOS or El Corte Inglés after trying them on.
德爾·奧爾莫稱,對于那些只在專賣店和官網(wǎng)賣衣服的大牌而言,這個問題不大,因為線上和線下價格基本沒有差別,就算有,也不會太大,但對于出售多個品牌服裝的時裝店來說,卻是致命的打擊。購物者在那里試過衣服后可以在人氣網(wǎng)店ASOS或El Corte Inglés找到同款。
The minister’s proposal has been met with criticism. Many are saying that the price difference on clothing items in physical store compared to online ones is irrelevant, making it unnecessary for shoppers to leave whatever clothes they like in the dressing room only to order them online and wait at least one day for them to arrive. Others claim that boutiques often sell limited-edition items which are very hard to find, elsewhere, even online.
這名部長的提議遭到了批評。許多人表示,實體店和網(wǎng)店的服裝價格差別微不足道,購物者沒必要為了去線上購買而將自己喜歡的衣服扔在試衣間,而且至少還要等上一天才能收到貨。另外一些人指出,時裝店經(jīng)常會賣一些限量款,在其他地方甚至網(wǎng)店都很難找到。
In some cases, people simply try on the clothes and leave them in the dressing room because they plan to buy them when they go on sale, and it’s unclear whether a fee for trying out clothes will help or hurt shops in the long run. And then there is the risk that shoppers who would normally buy the clothes that fit them after trying them on, would avoid going into stores at all because of this tax.
有時候,人們試過衣服就將衣服留在試衣間,因為他們打算等到特價時再買,收取試衣費從長遠來看對實體店有利還是有害尚不清楚。而且那些通常試過衣服覺得合適就會購買的消費者有可能因為要交試衣費而干脆不去實體店。
"It’s just an idea,” minister Del Olmo insisted. “A major part of Spain’s identity is the existence of physical and often bespoke shops in town and city centres and, of course, frequently in villages, too; and the only way to ensure they survive is by seeking out innovative ideas. This does not necessarily mean shops will definitely start charging for trying on – this was only an example.”
德爾·奧爾莫部長堅稱:“這只是個想法而已。西班牙之所以有西班牙的特色,很大一部分是因為小鎮(zhèn)和市中心的定制店和其他各種實體店的存在,當(dāng)然還有村子里的小店;能保證這些實體店存活的唯一途徑就是想法子創(chuàng)新。這不一定是說實體店都要開始收取試衣費——這不過是舉個例子罷了。”
An online poll conducted after the minister’s proposal went viral online showed that 91% of respondents were against the idea, believing that shoppers have the right to see if something fits them properly before deciding whether to buy it or not.
部長的提議在網(wǎng)上瘋傳后,一項在線調(diào)查顯示,91%的受訪者表示反對,認為購物者有權(quán)利先弄清東西是否適合自己再決定買不買。