retail profiles // classy // luvmyundies

Q&A with Jeffrey Bernstein, Key Buyer.

Number of stores: 1
Location: Palm Springs, CA.
Year opened:

Ted Vayos, BODY: Describe your store.

Jeffrey Bernstein: LuvMyUndies.com is an online retailer of major brands in men’s and women’s lingerie, underwear and swimwear. Our product line features essential and fashion lingerie, foundations, bridalwear, accessories, shapewear, men’s underwear, loungewear , swimwear and cold weather accessories. Our Spanish-language version of LuvMyUndies, IntimosDetalles.com, targets our national Spanish-speaking audience.

Our headquarters moved from New York City to Palm Springs, California in 2009. Our entire operations – marketing, shipping, storage, customer service all operate out of one facility. Originally, part of Chelsea Marketeers online department store, LuvMyUndies launched as a stand-alone website in October 2010. The launch was celebrated with our own Charity Fashion Event benefited the Desert AIDS Project, featuring the Frank Dandy line of mens underwear.

We currently carry product from over 50 different suppliers with upwards of 15,000 SKUs. LuvMyUndies.com is owned and operated by Jeffrey Bernstein and Oscar Chamudes, and is dedicated to providing top quality customer service, establishing long-term relationships with our vendors and a commitment to charitable events locally and nationally.

Ted: What makes your store special?

Jeffrey: LuvMyUndies specializes in well-known brand name products that are not always available in the major department stores and/or online outlets. Although we carry a wide range of products, we consider ourselves a specialty store. Equally important to the varied and unique products we carry, and what we believe sets us apart from the average store, is that we make every effort to have available complete size runs (bras from 32AAA to 50N, shapewear from 3XS to 8X and men’s garments from XS to 5X).

Ted: What do you look for in a brand?

Jeffrey: We look for brands that appreciate and understand the value and recognition our online store brings to them. It is essential to us that our vendors are able to ship quickly, provide quality product photographs and other essential marketing materials to best promote their products and are dedicated to what works for our customers, rather than “the sell.” We attempt to keep full-size runs in stock for every style we carry—quite a feat, considering that some bras come in 60-80 sizes and several colors. For this reason, we need vendors that are well-stocked themselves. Our best “partners” are those who maintain equity in the marketplace so that we are not at a disadvantage against other sellers; or for that matter, the manufacturer themselves. We prefer vendors that do not sell direct-to-consumer and avoid those vendors who actively compete with their own retailers.

Ted: Describe popular styles or trends in your store.

Jeffrey: Our most popular brands are Prima Donna, Hugo Boss, Diesel, Frank Dandy, Leonisa, Panache, Elila, Sassybax, Merry Modes/Flattering Me and Vedette. We do very well with shapewear, bridalwear and full-figure bras. In menswear, we’ve done especially well with brands like Frank Dandy, Hugo Boss and Diesel, which are not quite as ubiquitous in the market. Last year, we introduced men’s swimwear and are now testing “the water” with women’s.

Ted: Describe your price points and size ranges.

Jeffrey: Although we do carry some lower priced items, our prices are generally in the medium to high range. Bras are usually $40 to $150; menswear, $25-75; shapewear and bridalwear, $40 to $140. We carry bras from 32AAA to 50 N, shapewear from 3XS to 8X, and offer men’s sizes XS to 5X.

Ted: What is your average customer size?

Jeffrey: Our most popular bra sizes are in F, G and H cups. Although menswear is focused on Large and Medium we have a robust XXL market. However, most brands do not manufacture above that size.

Ted: What does the average customer spend per visit to your store?

Jeffrey: Our average customer spends $75 to $100 per visit.

Ted: Describe your customer base.

Jeffrey: Our customer base is slightly more female skewed, but usually a brand-loyal, more affluent customer. We cater not only to customers in areas not served by bridal and lingerie specialty stores, but also the urban customer that knows what they want and appreciates the service and convenience of LuvMyUndies.com As our shapewear business develops, our IntimosDetalles line will offer our Latin American audience a tremendous source for obtaining these products.

Ted: What other information would you like to share?

Jeffrey: At LuvMyUndies, we’ve spent a great deal of time testing many different styles, price points, types of items and vendors. Our long-term plans are to focus on the brands that work the best for us, keep them well-stocked, and delve as deep into their catalog as we can.

Although we provide something for everyone, our main goal is to ensure that our core customers find everything they want in one location.

Our relatively new business has grown tremendously over the past two years, and we anticipate continued growth going forward, as more and more people discover the convenience and selection online stores offer.

We enjoy what we do and we want our customers to be just as happy.