of course, even though Zara tried to follow fashions instead of betting on them, it did make some design mistakes. These were cheap to Items that were typically no immediately three weeks of forward cover for any item. were apparent and were ruthlessly weeded out by store managers with incentives to do the distribution center were either shipped to and sold at other zara or of through a separate chain close-out near the distribution center. The target was to minimize the inventories that had to be sold at marked-down prices in Zara stores during the sales period that ended each season. Such markdowns had a significant impact on apparel retailers' revenue bases: in the United States, for example, women apparel stores averaged markdowns of 30% plus of (potential) revenues in the mid-1990s.17 very rough estimates for Western Europe indicated markdowns that were smaller but still very significant. Zara was estimated to generate 15 20% of its sales at markdowns since prices, compared with 40% for most of its European peers. on the zara had move of its merchandise during such the average for other items affected did not have to as only half as much as the 30 o European apparel retailers, according to Zara's management