The award for tactless apparel marketing goes to repeat winner: Fashion Nova

Knowing the difference between responsible marketing and shameless advertising during COVID-19 outbreak

Photo credit: Kaboompics .com/Pixabay

Not even 24 hours have passed for recipients to receive stimulus checks related to the high unemployment and underemployment rates from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). But that hasn’t stopped Fashion Nova from reminding its customer base that it has no couth. Text messages went out today with an 80 percent off statewide code for “when that stimulus deposit hits.”

Image screenshot via Twitter

While the retail and apparel industry have tried to ride the line between making a profit — even if it’s just to afford rent payments to their realtors — and understanding that their customer base is going through trying times, Fashion Nova is still oblivious to it all. The knockoff apparel company has proudly become the equivalent of a tech savvy flea market negotiator. But even flea markets are closed these days.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate went from 3.6 percent in January, 3.5 percent in February and 4.4 percent last month. The unemployment rate has not been this high since January of last year and has stayed within the 3 percent range for more than a year. In turn, non-essential purchases have been on the decline, with an apparel purchase decrease of 15 to 20 percent and beauty purchase decrease of 5 to 10 percent.