The major difference between these two brands is the age group they target. Uniqlo targets a broader age group which is between 18 and 40. On the other hand, American Eagle has a much more specific target and it falls between 15 to 25.
Any business, when starting up, creates what is called a customer profile which is determined by a number of things of which age is an essential part.
For, Uniqlo, the ideal customer must be an adult, while for American Eagle, youthfulness is what the brand looks out for.
There is a 2018 survey that reveals that American Eagle is the second most loved brand by teenagers just behind Nike.
This is proof that the American Eagle brand has successfully carved a niche for itself in the teens and young adults market.
Uniqlo targets a wider and older group, and this is great for them because their sales channel will be more diversified and not dependent on a certain age group.
If teens do not buy, adults will. This model has proved incredibly successful for the brand too.
Why the need for this comparison?
These two brands are being compared because they share a lot of similarities. As big players in the fashion industry, Uniqlo and American Eagle are part of the few brands that make fashion items at very affordable prices.
Both of these brands are seen as low-cost brands which means that you can get some of their products at below industry price.
This comparison is also necessary as it will help to bring to light some useful information you never knew about both brands.
This information could play a major role in helping you decide which of the brands you want to patronize and what product.
Uniqlo and American Eagle are brands that deal in the same kind of product and market. They both cater to men, women, and kids.
They also make clothes, jeans, and shoes. This comparison would help customers to decide which brand makes the best jeans or the best shoes.
What are Uniqlo’s Pros and Cons?
Pros
- Big Market
- Free shipping
- Perfect fit
Big Market
One of the biggest strengths of the Uniqlo brand is that it has a wide range of products and serves a wide target market. In Uniqlo, there is a product for everybody, irrespective of age.
This has made the brand accumulate a high sales volume. The best part of this is that delivery is not an issue.
The brand has partnered with multiple international logistics firms to facilitate the movement of orders across different countries and continents.
Free shipping
Customers of Uniqlo are eligible to enjoy free shipping of their orders when they make a transaction that exceeds $99.
This is one of the numerous methods Uniqlo employs to satisfy its customers and encourage them to spend more.
The brand will surely not be able to rack up the high number of sales it has if it never paid attention to satisfying its customers.
Perfect Fit
If you are a fan of skinny jeans like me then you will agree with me that it can be hard to find a pair that fit perfectly. Jeans made by Uniqlo solve the problem of having jeans that do not fit well enough around the ankle.
All of Uniqlo’s jeans, whether the slim fit or the straight fit, look good around the ankle and upper legs. The Uniqlo Slim Fit Jeans is one I highly recommend.
Cons
- It is not all sweet roses with Uniqlo jeans, there are some downsides to the brand and its products. Some are;
- Not Trendy
- Does not cater to short-heighted people
Not Trendy
In every Uniqlo store, you are likely to find very few teens and youths and more old men. This is because the Uniqlo brand makes its clothes with very simple designs.
If you are out looking for tailored and polished classic wear, then Uniqlo is not the brand for you. It is not a brand that can be tagged as a designer brand.
Does not cater to short-heighted people
People with heights below 5’5” constantly face an issue with Uniqlo products, especially jeans. Many times these jeans are too long.
So, if you are not a tall person then you may not really enjoy Uniqlo’s jeans because they will, most of the time, be longer than you want them to be.
What are American Eagle’s pros and cons?
Pros
- Trendy
- Free shipping
- Comfortable
Trendy
What is arguably the major selling point of the brand is the trendiness of its products. As revealed earlier, the brand ranks second just behind Nike as the best teen brand according to a 2018 survey.
It is a fact that teens and youths love to own fashionable clothes with top-tier designs and styles, and American Eagle is the brand that effortlessly gives that.
Free shipping
American Eagle is one of the many brands that offer its customers the opportunity to have their orders shipped to them for free.
However, to enjoy this, customers’ orders must be or exceed $100. This offer is only for countries outside the United States of America.
Orders within the USA that are up to or exceed $75 are eligible for free shipping.
Comfortable
One feature present in all products of American Eagle is that they are all comfortable. Whether it is an American Eagle cloth, jeans or shoes, you will find that they do not only fit perfectly, they are also soft on the skin and generally comfortable.
The American Eagle AirFlex Slim jeans has to be the most comfortable jean in my wardrobe right now. I like that it is not rigid or rough like most selvedge jeans.
Cons
American Eagle is a quality brand with many amazing products, but there is one major problem you may encounter and that is: that they rip easily.
Rip easily
Despite the quality and comfortability possessed by American Eagle’s jeans, it is unfortunate to note that they rip easily.
As someone who has jeans made by different brands like Levi’s, Uniqlo, and the rest, it is no coincidence that the jeans made by American Eagle was the first to get torn.
Under the crotch, and around the back pockets, I have had a couple of American Eagle jeans rip far too easily and too early.
What similarities do both brands share?
Trade Promotions
As a way to drive up their sales volume, both brands have introduced various types of trade promotions to encourage customers to buy their products more.
The trade promotions employed by these two brands are very similar. Some of these trade promotions are; Birthday offers, coupon codes, and free shipping.
Customers of Uniqlo are eligible to enjoy free shipping to any country as long as they make orders that are up to or exceed $99.
American Eagle adopts this strategy too, however, to enjoy this free shipping, customers must order goods up to $100 if they are not in the USA, and $75 if they are in the USA.
In addition to that, these two brands also have a birthday package for their customers. Uniqlo customers with a registered member will get $5 as a birthday coupon on the first day of their birth month.
American Eagle, on the other hand, offers its customers a 25% discount for their birthdays.
Affordability
Uniqlo and American Eagle are not the only fashion brand in the world that makes clothes, jeans, and footwear.
However, these two brands are the leading brands that make fashion products are ridiculously cheap prices. Both brands are known to manufacture highly affordable, quality fashion items.
In a world where many brands want to increase revenue by selling high-priced items, these two brands have opted to reduce costs which helps them to sell their products at low prices, thereby increasing the number of patronages.
The Uniqlo Ultra Stretch Skinny Jeans go for as low as $25 while the American Eagle Airflex+ Skinny Jeans go for $28.
Factory location
It will interest you to know that these two brands have their products manufactured in almost the same countries. Most of the products made by Uniqlo and American Eagle are manufactured in factories located in China and Vietnam.
Uniqlo is a Japanese company while American Eagle is an American company, however, the products of these brands are not even made in the country of establishment.
Many fashion companies also do this and it is basically because manufacturing in these Asian countries helps to save costs in no small way.
Uniqlo vs American Eagle Jeans: Comparison
To provide more clarity, I will be comparing these two brands based on a few sets of parameters: Material, Durability, Pricing, and Sizing.
Uniqlo vs American Eagle Jeans: Material
The comparison of these two brands on the basis of material used has revealed that this is another similarity they share. Both Uniqlo and American Eagle use Cotton Denim in making their jeans.
The cotton denim that Uniqlo uses is gotten from Japan and it carries an authentic denim look. Using this material, the Uniqlo brand is able to produce high-quality jeans that fit nicely and are undoubtedly comfortable.
The Uniqlo Stretch Skinny Fit Colour Jeans is one product that was made out of cotton denim.
American Eagle, on the other hand, gets its own cotton denim from China. The 100% cotton denim used by this brand makes the jeans made out of it stretchy.
This means that most of the jeans made by American Eagle are stretchy which helps to ensure that you are comfortable. The American Eagle AirFlex+ Patched Skinny Jeans is a product made out of cotton denim.
Uniqlo vs American Eagle Jeans: Durability
This is another unifying feature of both brands. The quality of the jeans they make is not in doubt and it explains why they can be worn for many years and still look good without losing their shape.
I have worn the Uniqlo Selvedge jeans for more than three (3) years now and it has shown no sign of fading. Rather this jeans have aged beautifully well and look even fresher than I first bought them.
The same can be said for jeans made by American Eagle. They possess a top quality that is even better than most luxury brands.
Uniqlo vs American Eagle Jeans: Pricing
It has been established earlier that these two brands are low-cost brands. Many of their products go for really affordable prices.
The average price of a Uniqlo jeans is $40, while for American Eagle it is $50. This is very close range and can be deemed to be similar.
Both brands have jeans that sell beyond and lesser than $40 and $50, however, you can always get a decent product from them at that price. Unlike other brands in the fashion industry that have an average price of $100-$150 and above.
Uniqlo vs American Eagle Jeans: Sizing
My experience with these two brands has made me realize that they are similar in their sizing. Uniqlo jeans and American Eagle jeans stay true to size.
Generally, jeans from both brands fit just perfectly, however, you may notice that they tend to be excessive in length, especially if you are not a tall person.
In most cases, problems with sizing can be sorted by ordering a smaller or larger size, but how do you resolve a situation where the jeans fits well but it is too long?
This is a problem that you are likelier to face from Uniqlo, but there are some American Eagle jeans with crazy lengths too.
Why you should choose Uniqlo
If you are looking to do some jeans shopping, then you should really be looking at the Uniqlo brand for two main reasons;
Low price
Who does not wish to spend less? No one! Very few brands can match the affordable nature of Uniqlo jeans.
Oftentimes, fashion items that go for really low prices tend to be of inferior and poor quality, but that is not the case with Uniqlo. You will be getting top quality for a low and affordable price.
Comfortable
Another reason to opt for Uniqlo jeans is for their comfort. The brand collaborates with the Japanese brand, Kaihara, to make one of the softest and most durable cotton denims, which is then used to make most of their jeans.
Uniqlo jeans would not rub against your skin awkwardly and even if you do not like wearing jeans, you will love this one.
Why you should choose American Eagle
Trendy
If you are passionate about not looking out of season then American Eagle is the brand to go for.
The designs of the brand are stylish and they come in impressive colorways that raise your fashion game to an all-time high.
Return Policy
American Eagle provides its customers a 30-day return policy where they can get a full refund should they be dissatisfied with a product. This is a brilliant initiative as it protects customers from having to deal with a product they clearly do not like.
This time, customers can simply walk back to an American Eagle store with their receipt in hand and have that particular changed to a better one or accept a full refund. Great customer retention idea if you ask me.
Which is better?
Choosing which brand is a really hard thing to do. I really wish this cup would pass over me because these two brands are similar in many, and almost every, way. However, I am inclined to choose American Eagle over Uniqlo.
Do not get it twisted, Uniqlo is a top brand, I am just a person who is big on fashion and style, and honestly, American Eagle tops Uniqlo on that.
As much as I want quality clothes that go for cheap prices, I also want them to be stylish and look tailored and well-fitting. These are the unique offerings of American Eagle that Uniqlo does not match.
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