Blogging for Change

I wonder what it costs to make a pair of shorts

by Kim McGrigg on
12/4/2008
in Budgeting and Building Savings

Soon, we are going to shovel our way out of here and head for the beach. In preparation, I bought my son a few new pairs of shorts. The shorts I found were great—they look good, the quality is decent enough, and they fit him well (yea for slims!) The best part is that they were marked down to $2.99.

At first, I though there were some numbers missing, but the salesperson confirmed that they were in fact selling shorts for under $3 a pair. I realize that shorts are out of season where I live, but really, $3?! It’s not that I am complaining, but I can’t help but wonder if they can even make shorts that that little money. When I go to the fabric store (which I admit is close to never), it seems like decent fabric doesn’t get much cheaper than $7 a yard.

Even if you factor in the fact that they buy materials in bulk, they still had to pay someone to design the shorts, someone to make the shorts, someone to ship the shorts, and someone to sell the shorts. Then there are the costs of the tags and the hangers (which they threw in as part of the deal). Those shorts should also pay their fair share of the store’s facility costs and advertising expenses (along with a bunch of other costs I am probably forgetting).

So, why don’t they just send the shorts to Florida or Arizona and sell them for full price? Or put them in a box and get them out for next year? Or sell them online?

Are they just trying to cut their losses or are shorts really so cheap to make that they are still making money at $2.99 a pair?

Kim McGrigg is the former Manager of Community and Media Relations for MMI.

Recommended Articles

Man sitting in front of pile of bills, trying to understand his options.
Professional Budget Advice
Make the most of every dollar and start building toward your dreams! Budget counseling is FREE and available 24/7.
Learn More
Learn more
  • Better Business Bureau A+ rating Better Business Bureau
    MMI is proud to have achieved an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), a nonprofit organization focused on promoting and improving marketplace trust. The BBB investigates charges of fraud against both consumers and businesses, sets standards for truthfulness in advertising, and evaluates the trustworthiness of businesses and charities, providing a score from A+ (highest) to F (lowest).
  • Financial Counseling Association of America Financial Counseling Association of America
    MMI is a proud member of the Financial Counseling Association of America (FCAA), a national association representing financial counseling companies that provide consumer credit counseling, housing counseling, student loan counseling, bankruptcy counseling, debt management, and various financial education services.
  • Trustpilot Trustpilot
    MMI is rated as “Excellent” (4.9/5) by reviewers on Trustpilot, a global, online consumer review platform dedicated to openness and transparency. Since 2007, Trustpilot has received over 116 million customer reviews for nearly 500,000 different websites and businesses. See what others are saying about the work we do.
  • Department of Housing and Urban Development - Equal Housing Opportunity Department of Housing and Urban Development
    MMI is certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide consumer housing counseling. The mission of HUD is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD provides support services directly and through approved, local agencies like MMI.
  • Council on Accreditation Council On Accreditation
    MMI is proudly accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA), an international, independent, nonprofit, human service accrediting organization. COA’s thorough, peer-reviewed accreditation process is designed to ensure that organizations like MMI are providing the highest standard of service and support for clients and employees alike.
  • National Foundation for Credit Counseling National Foundation for Credit Counseling
    MMI is a longstanding member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling® (NFCC®), the nation’s largest nonprofit financial counseling organization. Founded in 1951, the NFCC’s mission is to promote financially responsible behavior and help member organizations like MMI deliver the highest-quality financial education and counseling services.