Confirmed victory
Petitioning Gap Inc.
1 response
This petition was delivered to:
Gap Inc.
See response

Stop up-charging for women's plus-sized clothing

Renee Posey
Randolph, NY
95,587
Supporters

Every woman knows how hard it is to find a good pair of jeans:  a pair that is the right fit at the right price. That’s why I was shocked when, during a recent visit to Old Navy’s website, I noticed that they were charging $12-$15 more for plus-sized womens jeans -- but not upcharging jeans for “big” men. If they are charging plus-sized women more to cover the cost of the fabric being used, then why aren’t they doing the same for men?

I was fine paying the extra money as a plus-sized woman, because, you know, more fabric equals higher cost of manufacture. However, selling jeans to larger-sized men at the same cost as they sell to smaller men not only negates the cost of manufacture argument, but indicates that Old Navy is participating in both sexism and sizeism, directed only at women.

For example: Old Navy’s Rockstar Super Skinny Jeans cost $27 in a size 6. The same jeans in a size 26 cost $40. Alternatively, the men’s Slim-Fit Jean costs $25--no matter the size.

Old Navy even takes it one-step further, by separating out “Women’s Plus” clothes into a completely different section of the website, but keeping all of the mens clothes together. I don’t understand why me and women like me are being singled out and forced to pay more by Old Navy, when our male counterparts are not.

This is entirely unfair and offensive on many levels. For a company like Old Navy, who claims to be inclusive and strives to provide affordable clothing for everyone, this practice completely undermines their mission.Please join me in calling on Old Navy to take a stand as a leader in their industry, and tell them to stop their discriminatory pricing practices and offer products at a fair cost to ALL people of size, not just men.

Letter to
Gap Inc.
I respectfully ask that you stop charging plus-sized women more for clothing than you do straight-sized women and men and "big" sized men. This overtly discriminatory pricing policy indicates sexism and sizeism on the part of Old Navy that is unfair to women of size and unacceptable to me as a consumer of Old Navy's products. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.
Recent updates

Victory

Nov 21, 2014
Hi Everyone,

When I started this petition a couple of weeks ago, I had no idea what it would lead to. I thought a few people who know me might sign and that would be that. With over 95,000 supporters at the time of this writing, I think it's safe to say that the results have far exceeded my expectations!

That's why I'm so pleased to announce success! Your voices have made a major retailer stand up and take notice that the way they have been doing business with their plus-sized female customers is not OK and changes need to be made. I am thrilled that Old Navy and its parent company, Gap Inc., have chosen to take the very first steps in the long process of making these changes by agreeing to change their returns policy as it pertains to their plus-sized women's line and by instituting a panel of full-figured women to advise them of what we would like to see in their plus-sized range.

I’m sure many of you have read the response from Old Navy’s spokesperson on the petition page, but I wanted to take a moment to give you a more in-depth look inside the discussions we have been having, to help answer some questions that have been raised since their response was posted. In my talks with Old Navy, we have discussed at length the various issues that were raised initially in the petition, as well as those that many of you pointed out after the petition got going. I want it to be clear that I am dedicated to making all of those things happen, and that the steps Old Navy took today have opened the door to make that a reality. Old Navy has assured me that addressing more equitable pricing for plus-sized women, improved plus-sized offerings, real women wearing the clothing that they sell to us online and a return of the plus-sized line to brick and mortar stores will be the central topics of the customer panel -- of which I will be a member -- and they are committed to discussing making all of that and more a reality. So don’t worry, this fight is not over, and our victory today has been an enormous step forward!

I want to make sure that everyone who signed on to this stays in the loop as we move forward, so I will continue to send updates here periodically with news, and I’d like to encourage everyone to continue leaving your ideas and suggestions for changes here so that I can convey them to Old Navy as part of the customer panel.

As a long time Old Navy customer, I am proud to see that they have realized their shortcomings here, and are taking the lead in the industry on these issues. I look forward to seeing other companies follow their example!

Thank you so much for speaking out! This is just the beginning of a change that will transform not only the way Old Navy treats full-figured women, but also the way the entire fashion industry relates to our demographic. You made it possible.

Decision-maker Gap Inc. responds

Nov 21, 2014
To Renee Posey and our valued Old Navy customers: Recently, important questions were raised about Old Navy’s women’s plus size line, which has given us an opportunity to hear invaluable feedback from our customers. What we’ve heard from you has inspired us. We’d like to keep the conversation going. There’s a lot of room for improvement in the way plus-size clothes are designed and marketed throughout the industry-at-large. At Old Navy, a significant amount of work is invested in making sure plus-size women feel beautiful and on-trend at a price they can afford when they wear our label. Not many apparel brands can say that they’ve had a dedicated plus size line for as long as we have (since 1994). But, we always want to learn and see how we can improve. Today, it starts with doing more. We will do a better job communicating the value we provide to plus-size customers and begin forging a stronger relationship with customers. As a result of customer feedback, we are updating our policy to allow in-store returns of women’s plus size clothes, starting December 5. We also hear loud and clear that Old Navy needs to be better about engaging with our plus size customers. To that end, Old Navy will be forming a new customer panel to gather insights that will further enhance our plus size collections. This group, which will kick off in January, will focus on discussion, fashion brainstorming and product feedback directly to the Old Navy design and marketing teams. Meeting four times a year, they will test drive new Old Navy women’s plus designs and serve as a sounding board for the Plus Design team. We are excited about the ways in which their input will enhance the Old Navy customer experience. Some of our customers have pointed out that our women’s plus line is priced differently than our men’s extended sizes line and they're right – it is. It’s priced differently because it is different. We invest more in our product, and we’re proud of what we deliver. Looking back, we have not done enough to celebrate what is unique and special about Old Navy’s plus line. Thanks to the work of a dedicated plus design team – a rarity among our competitors -- we create patterns specifically for our women’s plus size line to ensure the best fit and experience. The reality is that while our men’s line is meant to provide affordable, fashion-forward options for various shapes, sizes and heights, men have different needs when it comes to fashion. Our men’s line embraces the same values of fun, fashion and family, but our extended-size menswear is the exact same design and therefore the exact same price. We plan to continue to offer women's plus fashion essentials at accessible prices. Clothes are meant to be empowering, flattering and a way to express your personal style. Old Navy is proud of the clothes that we create for fashion-forward women of all sizes. Sincerely, Edie Kissko, Old Navy spokesperson
75,000 supporters
Nov 15, 2014
Petition Update

Your Voices Have Created a National Dialogue!

Nov 15, 2014 — I am in awe of the power that so many voices can have when they speak up in unison! Your support of this petition has started a national dialog about gender, size and the business of retail that has needed to happen for a very, very long time. If we continue, if we keep talking about this and not letting up, Gap Inc., and through them, the rest of the industry, will have to listen.

This is a chance to finally get them to sit up and take note that women are sick and tired of being charged more for arbitrary reasons, that plus-sized women will no longer stand for being treated like second-class citizens and that if they want to continue to make money from us, they need to make serious changes to their "industry standards."

If we are to be successful, all of us need to make a concentrated effort to keep this at the forefront! Talk about this issue to your friends and family, share it on social media. Email Gap Inc. and Old Navy. Invite others to sign this petition. Tell everyone why this is important to you. Make sure to use the hashtag #OldNavyPlus when you are talking about this on social media to concentrate the effect of what you are saying.

This is a moment that could change an entire industry. It will be your voices that create that change.Read more
50,000 supporters
Nov 14, 2014
Petition Update

Just why is it that Women's Plus is In-eligible for In-store Returns?

Nov 14, 2014 — First off, I would like to thank all of you for pointing out that only plus-sized women are singled out through an ON policy which only allows them to make returns through the mail, even though all the other sizes that are only available for men an women online only can be returned to brick and mortar stores! I had not realized this was the case! This reinforces my belief that Old Navy and Gap Inc. truly are engaging in sexist and size-ist business practices!

I have spent a great deal of time this morning and last night reading through everyone's feedback and comments, and what I have taken from the comments is this:

1. Old Navy immediately needs to end and apologize for their mail-only return policy that is only applied to Plus-sized women's items, but not to other sizes that are only available online. This is blatantly discriminatory and there is no feasible excuse. All purchases should be eligible for in-store return!

2. The signers of this petition demand a full accounting of just what the extra cost, averaged per garment is, as compared to other "specialized" sizes for both women and men.

3. If this cost doesn't equate to the 30-60% price increase seen in their plus-size versions of items, the signers of this petition demand a reduction in their plus-sized prices.

4. The signers of this petition want to see more of the on-trend colors and styles that are offered to smaller women represented in the plus-size line.

5. Extended sizes need to be available in all their brick and mortar stores, not just online. To help ON make a profit on this, they should indicate their pride in offering larger sizes by making clothing for all people of all sizes a feature that they promote. If they promote it and take pride in it, the customers will come. It has struck me just how many people were completely unaware that they offered larger sizes at all.

6. If we're truly paying a premium for a product specifically designed for and tailored to the plus-size demographic, the sizing and quality should reflect that premium price. We do not feel that it does at this time. Steps need to be taken to correct this.

Please let me know if I've missed anything!

Keep the conversation going through the weekend on social media! Make sure to use the hashtag #OldNavyPlus when you share this with your followers, and join the conversation on Twitter using these links:

Click here to tell Old Navy to stop charging women more for plus size clothing: http://ctt.ec/ox2vC

Click here to ask Old Navy to bring plus sizes back to brick & mortar stores: http://ctt.ec/ctPWs

Thank you so much for making your voice heard!Read more
Petition Update

More Progress

Nov 14, 2014 — Hello All! Thanks so much for your continued support!

I have more exciting news! On Monday at 1pm EST, I will be speaking with Jodi Bricker, the Senior VP of Old Navy Product Merchandising, and Jill Stanton, the Executive VP of Old Navy Product Design & Development.

The conversation will focus on the direction we would like to see them go with their plus-sized design and marketing, as well as giving them an opportunity to provide transparency in regard to the where's and why's of how they do business now.

This is your opportunity to have your voice heard by a major retailer of plus-sized women's clothing at a time when they will be making changes in the way they do business! Make sure to share your thoughts on what changes need to be made!

To keep the conversation going on social media, make sure to use the hashtag #OldNavyPlusSize, and join the conversation on Twitter using these links:

Click here to tell Old Navy to stop charging women more for plus size clothing: http://ctt.ec/ox2vC

Click here to ask Old Navy to bring plus sizes back to brick & mortar stores: http://ctt.ec/ctPWs

Thanks again and cheers!
-ReneeRead more
35,000 supporters
Nov 13, 2014
Petition Update

Discussion with Gap Inc.

Nov 13, 2014 — Thanks so much to everyone for your support of this petition! I wanted to take a few minutes this morning to give all of you some further details regarding my conversation last night with Edie Kissko. After reading, I would love to hear feedback from all of you regarding what direction you would like to go with this

One of the main things that I took away from our conversation last night is that this petition has started a conversation internally within Gap Inc. According to Edie, there have been multiple meetings about this with the brand president and the design team, and they are discussing how they want to deal with it. This has really made them think about how they have been approaching their female plus-sized customer, and although the words "industry standard" were mentioned quite a bit, they are seeing the potential for this to turn them into a pioneer in their industry by truly focusing on what the plus-sized woman is looking for in clothing.

Although she didn't provide specific numbers, she said that it does cost more to create women's plus sizes. She also clarified the industry difference between “extended sizing” (just taking the same pattern and making it larger) versus “plus sizing” (re-making the pattern for a different body type). She said that ON uses plus sizing, which is more labor intensive but produces better products. To further clarify this and provide transparency, she will be getting me in contact with the design team and others at Old Navy. Old Navy is also discussing the possibility of extending dedicated design teams into other areas of their overall line, including Big sized men.

Finally, Edie stated she wants to open up a direct conversation about getting plus sizes back in stores, and has an idea to create a “plus-sized consumer panel” that would include people from different states who can give ON direct feedback on the plus sized lines, how they are presented on the website, the models that they use, the fit, the style, the price etc.

So, folks, what do you think? We have their ear now. What would you like to tell them?

You can share your views with Gap Inc. and Old Navy by using the hashtag #OldNavyPlus when you share this with your followers, and join the conversation on Twitter using these links:

Click here to tell Old Navy to stop charging women more for plus size clothing: http://ctt.ec/ox2vC

Click here to ask Old Navy to bring plus sizes back to brick & mortar stores: http://ctt.ec/ctPWsRead more
30,000 supporters
Nov 13, 2014
Petition Update

Progress!

Nov 13, 2014 — All of your support is beginning to make a difference! Edie Kissko from Gap Inc. contacted me today. We spoke at some length about this petition and the following issues:

1. Our desire to see an end in the pricing disparity between clothing for plus-sized women and their male counterparts.

2. Our desire for transparency on the part of Gap Inc. and Old Navy in regard to their pricing policies and the design and manufacture of their plus-sized line.

3. Our desire to see Old Navy's plus-sized line return to brick and mortar stores nationwide.

I don't want to get into too many details yet because nothing has been set in stone, but the dialog has started! Gap Inc. is listening to what we are saying and if we keep up momentum, changes will happen!

Let's keep the conversation going on social media! Make sure to use the hashtag #OldNavyPlus when you share this with your followers, and join the conversation on Twitter using these links:

Click here to tell Old Navy to stop charging women more for plus size clothing: http://ctt.ec/ox2vC

Click here to ask Old Navy to bring plus sizes back to brick & mortar stores: http://ctt.ec/ctPWs

Also, make sure to check out the second hour of Good Morning America tomorrow! They are running a piece on this petition and I will be talking to them about it on Skype!

Thanks so much to all of you!!!!
-ReneeRead more
25,000 supporters
Nov 12, 2014
Petition Update

Just How More Does It cost ON to Make Women's Plus-Sized?

Nov 12, 2014 — Gap Inc: We are not satisfied with your canned response to our petition, asking you to stop up-charging only plus-sized women.

How much more does it cost you, per garment, to manufacture a plus-sized women's garment than a standard-sized women's garment, or an extended size men's garment?

You have based your defense of the $10-$15 up-charge for women's plus on the cost of special design features and special materials. As a consumer, I would like to know just how much that cost is to you. Is it the $10-$15 per garment that plus-sized women are paying?

Furthermore, as the widely-used rationale for relegating plus-sizes to online is that it saves money, shouldn't that savings cover the increased cost of manufacturing the larger sizes?

...Or is the truth that the cost per garment is nominal, but you add an extreme up-charge because you know plus-sized women lack options for buying affordable stylish clothing and take advantage of an under-served majority that makes up 65% of your female market?

Your customers want answers and we want change.Read more
20,000 supporters
Nov 12, 2014
Petition Update

Spin

Nov 12, 2014 — What a long and crazy day it's been! As many of you may already know, this petition has gained national attention today. I was interviewed by The New York Daily news this morning, after which Buzzfeed and Huffpost published pieces discussing the issues addressed by this petition and outlining Gap Inc.'s response to it. I will be on The Today Show tomorrow, and will address my issues with their response then, but I wanted to take a minute tonight to let you, the supporters of this petition, know what I think.

In a nutshell, I think that they are feeding us a line of bull, and we should not stand for it. Two separate spokespeople for Gap Inc. issues identical messages stating:

1. "Old Navy is proud to offer styles and apparel designed specifically for our plus-size female customer." Really? Is that why you pulled your plus-size line out of all brick and mortar stores in 2007, and why plus-sizes can only be returned via mail, not in the store? Because your so "proud" of your plus-sized customers? I don't think so.

2. "which includes curve-enhancing and curve-flattering elements" Yes, "curve-enhancing," Don't your regular women's clothes include figure-enhancing elements? Or do you you only charge extra for them when they're for big women?

3. "such as four-way stretch materials and contoured waistbands, which most men's garments do not include" Nope, your men's garments don't, Old Navy, but your regular-sized women's garments do. I checked. Regular size: both stretchy and contoured.

4. "This higher price point reflects this selection of unique fabrics and design elements" Ummmmmm... Yup, but they're still the same fabrics and design elements that you utilize in your regular women's line.

Gap Inc. has been caught red-handed and believes that by using some PR spin and slight-of-hand, they will be able to make this all go away, like they and others like them have so many times before. I, for one am not buying it.

As thegloss.com blogger, Kristyn Filip wrote earlier today, "Old Navy, here’s what needs to happen: Lower the damn prices on plus-size women’s clothing. The $10-$15 dollar mark-up is absurd."Read more
17,500 supporters
Nov 11, 2014
Petition Update

WOW!!!!

Nov 10, 2014 — WOW!!!! change.org just mailed out this petition and I am just AMAZED at the response it is getting! I've been reading the comments and am thrilled to see all the support for myself and women like me! Just. Amazed. And thrilled!

I've been reading everyone's comments and am glad to see a lot of people calling Old Navy to the carpet for pulling their plus-sized line from their stores, as this has been something that's bothered me since it happened in 2007. Way to go!

Let's keep the momentum going, folks, and make our voices heard! Although I was only originally planning to gather 4000 signatures, we have already far surpassed that! This petition doesn't close until November 31st, and I would like to have as many supporters as possible when I send it to Old Navy! Please make sure that you're sharing with your network, so as many voices are heard as possible!

And finally, once again, and from the bottom of my heart, thank you.Read more
4,000 supporters
Nov 10, 2014
500 supporters
Nov 8, 2014
Petition Update

300+ Supporters!

Nov 7, 2014 — http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_p0Hp2UN9b4/Tnv8--dEi2I/AAAAAAAABEU/POJjcpdsGNA/s400/300.jpg

I am so amazed and thankful for the support this petition has seen in the past few days, and especially, in the past few hours! Today, it's gone from 46 all the way up past 300. THANK YOU to everyone who has signed and shared this petition, not only in support of plus-sized women, but in support of any woman who has ever been charged more because of her gender!Read more
250 supporters
Nov 7, 2014
Petition started on Nov 4, 2014