Old Navy Misses the Boat With Licensed Merchandise

I heard some great news last night, as a consumer, about Old Navy getting into the licensed merchandise business. According to the news on one of the New York television stations, Old Navy will soon be selling NFL and NCAA licensed apparel.

Here I am thinking Old Navy can fill the void of Steve & Barry’s, especially since the reporter used the word “affordable.” Plus Old Navy would probably be smart enough to not put a load of UConn sweatshirts in a California location, and would use the power of e-commerce to sell a New York Jets t-shirt to a fan in Iowa.

Then I read the news on Bloomberg.

$19.50 is not an affordable t-shirt. Not when I can buy a men’s polo at Old Navy for $12.50 or something like that. Not when I could go to Dick’s or Sports Authority, the businesses Old Navy is going after with these deals, and get a t-shirt for less. Or… go to Marshall’s and get a Giants t-shirt for $9.99.

It’s a good idea – give Old Navy shoppers another option, and maybe bring in some sports fans like me who may have thought they were getting too old for the merchant. But it looks like Old Navy is missing the boat on pricing.