The largest cost/barrier of entry to entering the apparel industry has historically been
the acquiring of property and building up of inventories for brick and mortar firms. The
edge in economies of scale for purchasing power is significant for already existing
businesses. However the recent substantial growth in the direct-‐‑to-‐‑customer industry
through e-‐‑commerce has encouraged the entry of many new competitors and an
increase in competition from established companies. In addition, the recent decline in
the economic environment has resulted in increased competition from discount
retailers.