Hello Ladies,
Our statistical series returns today, and after dissecting demographics and band size, we’re ready to examine cup size. We know that cup size means nothing without a band to give it context, but for the purposes of our analysis, I want to compare how sales across cup sizes differ. Below is a graph plotting the sales distribution of each cup size. (Note: For my discussion, I will refer to cup sizes using the UK sizing system.)
Observations and Notes:
- Cup sizes E through G account for over 65% of our sales, which is down 5% from last year, and if I factor in D and DD cups, the number jumps to 77.68%, also down from last year’s 80%.
- The GG+ cup sizes account for over 21% of our sales while C-E account for nearly 29% of sales.
- Best-selling cup sizes E-G are all within 2% of each other with the UK F cup (US G) edging out the competition.
The C-E Sizes
When we originally opened, the majority of our inventory focused on DD+ cup sizes because we fully expected Victoria’s Secret to dominate the A-DD market. As a result, we decided not to stock much inventory in this range so that we could give our target customers a better selection instead. Our first year sales suggested we made a wise choice, partially because we inadvertently created a self-fulfilling prophecy. We became known as a bra store for plus size women and/or larger breasted women on account of our reduced selection in mainstream sizes. However, in our second year of operation, we discovered that women in the VS size range, especially those who should be wearing 28-32 bands, want alternatives to the lingerie titan. These ladies crave more unique lingerie or bras with less padding, and in some cases, too large bands contributed to years of fighting with their bras. Consequently, our A-DD selection has expanded slowly through working with Natori, Josie, and Affinitas, and in the future, we hope to expand to b.tempt’d, Felina, and Parisa Fe.
GG+ Cup sizes
Last year, we often went weeks without a single purchase of a GG+ bra, but this year, we’ve seen impressive growth, mostly attributable to non-local customers finding us through the web. The influx of larger cup customers made me more aware of both the demands and limitations of the fuller-bust market. While I have ideas for expanding our inventory, we need more options in these sizes if we truly hope to satisfy the needs of this consumer. Special acknowledgement is due to Parfait by Affinitas for recognizing increased demand and expanding some of their sizes, but more lines need to follow suit and innovate. On this HH cup woman’s wishlist? A longline bra!
The Mainstream
Clearly, the sizes we sell the most fall within the standard D-G cup size range, which intuitively makes sense. Most dress patterns allow for a 5 to 9″ difference between waist and bust—an allowance in line with the D-G market. What interests me while examining this year’s statistics is how the best-selling cup size dropped from a UK G to a UK F cup, and given that we saw more women wearing smaller cup sizes this year, I think the shift downward reflects are evolving customer base. As with bands, we will focus more of our budget on satisfying this market, but I am pleased we are seeing greater diversity in the G+ market as well as in the C-DD range too.
Your turn: Were these cup sizes in line with what you expected? Do you think the average woman falls into the D-G market?
Erica
P.S. For a detailed look at last year’s statistics, check out the following links: Demographics, Band and Cup Sizes, and Bra Sizes.
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