American Apparel, the controversial Los Angeles clothing label, has launched an online store serving Hong Kong.
The regional web store, located at store.americanapparel.com.hk, will be the company’s first direct e-commerce portal for American Apparel customers in Hong Kong and accept orders placed in Hong Kong dollars.
In creating the new web store, the company will enhance its ability to serve consumers in the region in a number of new ways. The site will allow for localisation based on Hong Kong’s seasonal patterns and its schedule of holidays, it says. While orders will still be fulfilled from the company’s Los Angeles-based factory, the move to the new store will decrease shipping costs for Hong Kong shoppers by US$10 and will provide even better and more timely customer service.
“Hong Kong is one of the most exciting regions in the world to run a business and we’re proud to expand our presence in the area. The parallels between American Apparel and Hong Kong itself – both founded on bedrock of capitalism and free trade – are obvious and I think they’ll only help us in our exploration of this vibrant market,” said Dov Charney, founder and CEO of American Apparel.
Prior to the launch of the web store, customers in Hong Kong shopped through the company’s international e-commerce store, located at store.americanapparel.net. By the time the decision was made to create the new regional web store, Hong Kong had become the highest-performing international region without its own dedicated site.
“We’re thrilled to offer our fans in Hong Kong their own local web store. We saw a fantastic opportunity to better serve our current clientele and hone our message to the region’s potential new customers,” said Christina Naetscher, web director for American Apparel.
This will mark American Apparel’s first retail expansion in the region since April 2010, which featured a month-long concession at Lane Crawford. The company also operates three retail locations in mainland China, as well as a web storefront operated in conjunction with Taobao, an online retailer in Asia.
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