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The KonMari cultural phenomenon—in which tidying expert Marie Kondo shows people how to keep their homes tidy and clutter-free—has taken on new life with the airing of a dedicated show on Netflix. Kondo encourages the homeowners she visits to eliminate any items in their homes that do not “spark joy,” and then organize the remaining items into explicitly dedicated containers, tucked inside drawers and cabinets. The implications for retailers thus appear mixed. On the one hand, the tidying initiative could spell trouble for fast fashion retailers, as consumers come to embrace the idea that they do not actually need so much stuff. Such a philosophy resonates with sustainability efforts and the prioritization of experiences over products, two norms that already are spreading in modern consumer culture. Together, these consumer trends could reduce purchases in general and diminish impulse purchases in particular, if people start asking whether a quick buy is really going to spark joy for them. On the other hand, for retailers such as The Container Store, Kondo is a boon. The company posted massive sales growth immediately after the show first started airing, suggesting that viewers are taking the recommendations to heart and gathering up more containers to keep themselves and their remaining possessions in tidy, organized shape.

Source: Tom Ryan, Retail Wire, February 12, 2019