Forever 21 shocked by Israeli shoppers
Some 4,000 people pass through international fashion chain's new Tel Aviv store in one day, leaving huge piles of clothes and beverage cans scattered all over. 'I've never seen such a thing anywhere in the world,' one of American salespersons tells Ynet
The chaos reached its peak on Wednesday afternoon, but even in the evening hours the two-floor store at Tel Aviv's Azrieli Mall was still crowded with customers tossing clothing items everywhere.
The clothes racks were in utter disorder. It was difficult to find a single stand with the same item in different sizes, as one would expect to find in any organized fashion chain, apart from several racks that were out of the shoppers' reach.
Shopping experience?
Customers were seen trying on clothes outside the fitting rooms and throwing them on the floor in complete mess. A beverage can was seen rolling on the floor under a shoe stand, and another can was spotted in the accessories section. Many of the items, like bras, were sold out on the very first day and the entire store appeared to be out of control.
Saleswoman: It's a catastrophe
"It looks like the scene of a terror attack, Heaven forbid," one of the customers said to a saleswoman. The latter responded, "More like a war."
Another customer mumbled, "It looks like a second-hand store, a market." The saleswoman replied, "You're right."
The Israeli and American workers appeared bleary-eyed. One of the saleswomen told Ynet, "I know, it's a catastrophe, it's terrible."
'Looks like a second-hand store'
Another saleswoman said, "Even the workers from Sudan and Eritrea say they have never seen such a thing in their countries. We brought out boxes to clear the mess, and people just started digging in them and pulling out clothes shamelessly.
"There was a woman who wanted to take a bracelet off a stand and just ripped it. People are stepping on the clothes. It was organized in the morning, I swear."
'We didn't expect such madness'
A source in the fashion chain told Ynet, "The workers are shocked. They got permission to open an improvised shoe store because the customers are attacking the shoes. They can't keep up and have to work all night. They're exhausted."
Is it possible the preparations were inadequate?
"They were properly prepared, but didn't expect such a thing. That's why they are bringing in more workers from abroad. They are surprised by the very successful opening and didn't expect such madness."
The salespeople from abroad appeared particularly shocked, but were very polite. On the one hand, they're finding it difficult to say that they weren't properly prepared. On the other hand, they're finding it difficult to say, "Our customers are animals."
"I'm sorry, I can't find your size," one of the American salespersons told a Ynet correspondent. "There's a big mess here."
Are you arranging it? It looks terrible.
"Yes, it is terrible. We can't seem to get to it."
Is it like this in all your stores around the world?
"Absolutely not. I haven't seen anything like this anywhere in the world."
Another saleswoman who arrived from the United States told Ynet, as she rushed to get some clothes from the storeroom, "We're really trying, but the customers are storming the store and leaving clothes on the floor. We no longer know what belongs where. I'm really sorry."
Would you say you enjoy working in Tel Aviv?
"It's an experience, no doubt."
'We're doing the best we can'
Ofra Bell of Forever 21 explained, "We're doing the best we can, but people are enthusiastic and this is their way of showing it. The amount of people that arrived at the store is inconceivable.
"Only today we had some 3,800 to 4,000 people pass through the store. We've learned that Israelis are the world leaders in the number of items bought at the chain: All over the world the average is two to three items per person, while in Israel it's seven and a half items per person.
"Now it's clear why we experienced this mess. A girl who wants to buy seven items has to try on 20. As there is no available fitting room, she tries it on outside, creating a mess."
The workers appear to have their hands full.
"Throughout the day we placed ropes around the store and let a limited amount of people enter each time, but it didn't help. There are many workers in the store, but they hang up an item and three seconds later it disappears.
"As there are a lot of people and not enough fitting room, because 19 are not enough, customers try on the clothes everywhere and it creates a mess. No matter how many workers we bring in, it's still difficult to arrange this huge store. We want to arrange it and we're doing the best we can."
How long do you expect this situation to last?
"The heavy traffic will continue until after Hanukkah, and then it will slowly cool down. We're still in the opening stages with all the enthusiasm and curiosity."
It is possible you didn't prepare properly?
"We did prepare properly. They have experience. Tomorrow another team is arriving from Japan to help us. In Japan the stores were stormed too, but they are organized people and put everything back in place neatly. The Israelis aren’t as organized.
"Listen, we're happy that there are so many people here and we love it."
