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Abercrombie is taking an extreme measure to catch up to the competition

Jul 22, 2015, 01:56 IST

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Abercrombie & Fitch clothes on display in 2003Getty

Abercrombie & Fitch was once a teen staple

But in recent years, the company has faced declining sales as teens turn to cheaper options like H&M and Forever 21

Abercrombie has responded to the competition by implementing cheaper prices, Eric Beder, an analyst at Wunderlich Securities, Inc. said in a note to clients. 

While Abercrombie has had many sales in recent years, the new pricing policy offers cheaper full-priced assortments. 

Denim prices are about 30% lower than before, according to Beder. 

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Beder also noted that large amounts of "clearance" items may indicate the brand is struggling.

"While the new pricing strategy may increase margins for the company, we believe that significant amount of clearance shows that the company is having difficulty clearing inventory, which may cause further discounting for the company," he explained. 

"This is a retailer where back to school will make it or break it for the company, " Beder said. 

Hollister is faring better than parent company Abercrombie.

The brand is selling more products at full price. 

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Abercrombie faced a serious sales slump in 2014. 

The famously sexy retailer abandoned its controversial policy requiring all sales clerks to be "hot." 

The retailer is also attempting to broaden its target audience by appealing to a demographic beyond teens. New creative director Katia Kuethe, who was previously the creative director of Lucky magazine, will hopefully be the brand's saving grace.

NOW WATCH: The ugly secret behind why J. Crew's sales have tanked

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