Teen clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch reported second quarter earnings this morning before the opening bell, and shares are already down 18% Thursday trading.

The company reported earnings of $0.16 per share (down 20% from last year) versus the $0.31 EPS predicted by analysts. Revenues also came in below expectations, at $945.7 million (down 1% from last year) versus $1.01 billion.

Same-store sales fell 10% in Q2 – down 11% in the United States and down 7% in international business.

Meanwhile, guidance was lousy: Abercrombie expects third quarter earnings per share to come in a range of $0.40 to $0.45, well below the $1.06 EPS predicted by analysts.

"The second quarter was more difficult than expected due to weaker traffic and continued softness in the female business, consistent with what others have reported. In that context we are planning sales, inventory and expenses conservatively for the remainder of the year," said Abercrombie CEO Mike Jeffries in the release. "Despite the challenging environment, we are very pleased by strong growth in our direct-to-consumer business and continued strong growth in China. We have also made excellent progress on our profit improvement initiative during the quarter, and we now expect savings from this initiative to exceed $100 million annually. In addition, we are nearing completion of our long-term strategic review, and we are confident that this will provide us with a clear roadmap for sustainable growth in sales, profitability and return on invested capital."

Click here for the full release »

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Things aren't looking good for Abercrombie & Fitch. 

The retailer reported that sales are down 10%, and outlook for the future isn't great either. 

Abercrombie has faced a stream of controversies that have eroded public perception of the brand. 

The company's exclusion of large women resulted in protests earlier this year. Abercrombie has also upset everyone from Taylor Swift fans to family groups to environmentalists. 

We revisited some of the retailer's worst moments. 

This post contains writing from former BI reporter Eric Platt. 

Abercrombie doesn't sell clothes for large women.

Abercrombie doesn't sell XL or XXL sizes for large women, despite offering them for men. It also doesn't offer above a size 10 in women's pants. CEO Mike Jeffries "doesn't want larger people shopping in his store, he wants thin and beautiful people," retail analyst Robin Lewis told Business Insider. 

After Business Insider's coverage highlighted the brand's exclusion of this group, the company faced a storm of public backlash. 

Prior to a legal settlement, Abercrombie was allegedly hiring predominantly from white sororities and fraternities.

Abercrombie and Fitch has faced a number of lawsuits over discriminatory hiring practices — including recruiting at predominately white sorority and fraternity houses.

In 2004, Eduardo Gonzalez, a lead plaintiff, said he was urged to apply for an overnight stock position and that the store manager favored two white applicants in a group interview. The company settled and said it would change its recruitment practices. 

Abercrombie managers reportedly made an employee with a prosthetic limb work in the stockroom.

But the lawsuits for Abercrombie do not end at the interview process. The teen retailer was also accused of shifting mostly non-white employees and those who were less attractive to the stock room, away from customers.

Then, in 2009, the company was rocked by a lawsuit in the U.K. when managers allegedly forced a 22 year-old employee with a prosthetic arm off the selling floor. 

A decade ago, Abercrombie & Fitch was the must-have brand for teens everywhere. 

But the retailer has fallen on hard times, and today executives reported that sales are down 10%. 

A myriad of bad decisions led to Abercrombie's status as a struggling retailer today, Brian Sozzi, chief equities strategist at Belus Capital, told us. 

Sozzi shared a few reasons why Abercrombie is struggling. 

1. Competition from H&M and Forever 21. These retailers' offerings are cheaper and trendier than the designs found at Abercrombie & Fitch, Sozzi told us. "Abercrombie is no longer the only place in the mall for teens to get stuff to wear to school," he said. 

2. Teen values have shifted."In 1999, we all wanted to fit in, but in 2013 it's about showing your identity by wearing unique accessories or clothes no one else has," Sozzi said. Other retailers like Urban Outfitters' Free People have gotten teens to spend full-price by offering more unique items, he said. But Abercrombie is perceived as boring. 

3. Abercrombie's clothes are too expensive. Abercrombie and competitor American Eagle "are simply not perceived by parents as offering the best bang for their buck," Sozzi said. Online shopping and apps have made shoppers more price-conscious than ever, making this trend likely to continue even as the economy improves. 

So what can Abercrombie do to recover? 

Offer more promotions to get people in stores and convert new customers, Sozzi says. 

Abercrombie CEO Michael Jeffries outlined a similar strategy when he spoke with investors earlier today. 

He also said the company will start opening outlets. 

SEE ALSO: 13 Reasons Why People Hate Abercrombie & Fitch

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Abercrombie & Fitch has found one way to distract from disappointing sales numbers. 

The retailer's investor presentations feature some awfully risqué photos. 

Sapna Maheshwari at Buzzfeed first brought the tactic to our attention when she posted a photo from Abercrombie's investor presentation today. 

We did some digging on Abercrombie's investor relations page and found the company's smoke and mirrors routine has been present for some time. 

These are from the Telsey Advisory Group conference last year: 

Here are a couple from a Bank Of America conference earlier this year: 

And one from today's earnings presentation: 

SEE ALSO: 13 Reasons Everyone Hates Abercrombie & Fitch

SEE ALSO: 13 Reasons Why People Hate Abercrombie & Fitch

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Abercrombie & Fitch's stringent standards for employees extends to hairstyles. 

Sapna Maheshwari at Buzzfeed recently got her hands on the hair-related rules from Abercrombie's employee handbook. 

The notoriously strict retailer, which also bans employees from wearing the color black, doesn't approve of "unnatural" or "extreme" hair color. 

Here's a page from the employee manual, courtesy Buzzfeed: 

Read the entire Buzzfeed article here. 

SEE ALSO: 13 Reasons People Hate Abercrombie & Fitch

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A judge has ruled that retailer Abercrombie & Fitch's ban on religious head scarves in the workplace is illegal. 

Former Hollister employee Hani Khan was fired from a San Francisco-area store in 2010 after she refused to remove her hijab, reports The San Jose Mercury News. 

U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found that by firing Khan, Abercrombie, which owns Hollister, "violated anti-discrimination laws," the Mercury News reported. 

Abercrombie's strict dress code includes a ban on all head coverings, leading the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission and civil rights lawyers to sue the brand for religious discrimination. 

Abercrombie has a September 30 trial date in the case. 

The brand released a statement denying it discriminates based on religion, saying "we grant religious accommodations when reasonable," the Mercury News reported. 

SEE ALSO: 13 Reasons Why People Hate Abercrombie & Fitch

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Abercrombie & Fitch is a business built on sex appeal. 

But employees say the company's "Look Policy" goes as far as to discriminate against religious preferences and personal taste, report Kim Bhasin and Caroline Fairchild at The Huffington Post. 

HuffPo interviewed Hani Khan, the former employee who was fired in 2010 for refusing to remove her head scarf on the job. 

Khan is now suing the company for discrimination. 

She said she felt "ashamed and angry" when she was asked to remove the head scarf. 

Another employee of Abercrombie-owned Hollister told HuffPo that she was forced to cut off a sacred string a Hindu priest had tied around her wrist. 

The company's policies extend to other areas as well. 

"According to store employees, any number of violations can get workers reprimanded, sent home or fired: a decal on a fingernail, a 5 o’clock shadow, hair highlights, traces of eyeliner," HuffPo writes. 

The strict code also extends to certain hairstyles and the color black. 

The company declined to comment for HuffPo's story. 

SEE ALSO: 13 Reasons Why People Hate Abercrombie & Fitch

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Abercrombie & Fitch has agreed to alter the company's "Look Policy" in response to settlement agreements in two discrimination lawsuits against the company.

Hijabs, or head scarves, are now permitted as an exception to the employee dress code, According to Kim Bhasin at Huffington Post.

Current employees will also be informed that exceptions to the dress code can be made upon request. Workers who are reprimanded can also go through an appeal process. 

Abercrombie & Fitch will also submit biannual reports to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for the next three years regarding the new policies, according to Bhasin.

The EEOC filed lawsuits on behalf of two Muslim women who accused the retailer of discriminatory practices. 

The company paid a combined $71,000 to the two women, plus their attorneys' fees. 

"We are happy to have settled these cases and to have put these very old matters behind us," the company said in a statement to The Huffington Post. 

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In retail, store associates are often seen as a reflection of the brand. 

Many national chains hold employees to strict rules concerning their clothing, make-up, and hair. 

We found some of the strictest policies out there. 

1. Abercrombie & Fitch

Abercrombie's image is built around sex appeal, and employees are expected to look good. The company expects "natural" hairstyles, with no "chunks of contrasting color" or "extreme" looks, according to the company's employee handbook. Abercrombie also bans employees from wearing the color black. Employees are expected to wear the brand's clothes. Corporate even dictates how shirt sleeves can be folded. 

Abercrombie recently changed its policies to allow religious headscarves after a former employee successfully sued for discrimination. 

2. American Apparel

American Apparel's rules for employees caused a stir when they leaked in 2010. The rules, which were obtained by Gawker, prohibited lip gloss and most make-up. Eyebrows "must not be overplucked" and blow-drying hair is "advised against." The company also said it prefers long hair for women. 

3. Anthropologie

This grown-up version of Urban Outfitters expects employees to wear minimal make-up and be "well-groomed," employees told New York Magazine. The company bans logos and light-colored denim. Workers are encouraged to wear the retailer's boho-chic designs. "You dress to our aesthetic," an employee told NYMag. 

4. The North Face 

This outdoor brand requires employees to wear head-to-toe clothing from the brand, some of which is provided free-of-charge. Visible piercings are prohibited (even ears), and someone from the corporate office comes every couple of months to ensure employees are complying with dress code. 

5. Victoria's Secret 

Victoria's Secret employees are asked to wear 90% black. "Hairstyles should be neat and tasteful, and makeup must be neat and applied in moderation," the company's employee manual reads. The brand bans nail art and facial piercings.  

SEE ALSO: How To Get Bigger Portions At Chipotle

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When financial analysts try to predict the future of Abercrombie & Fitch, they overanalyze things like its plummeting stock price and abysmal sales figures.

What these number-crunchers don’t realize is that the real indicator is much more obvious: It’s wrapped up in one lousy T-shirt.

The shirt is called the FOX GRAPHIC TEE. It combines the Most Interesting Man in the World image macro with the terribly catchy song “The Fox” by Ylvis.

The problem with the shirt isn’t that it’s garish and kitschy. Or even that it claims the fox says “Fraka kaka kaka kaka kow” when everyone knows it says “Gering ding ding ding dingereringeding.”

It’s the stench of desperation and lack of creativity, a purée of amalgamated pop culture that can only come from combining two viral one-hit wonders.

It will be Abercrombie’s demise.

…

Founded in 1892, Abercrombie & Fitch was one of America’s premier sporting-goods stores. It sold fishing gear, camping equipment, and rifles. 

Business Insider has a great historical overview of the company. “It opened a 12-story store on Madison Avenue with floors that included a shooting range and a golf school. … Its logo was ‘The Greatest Sporting Store in the World.’ In 1927 A&F was the official outfitter for Charles Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Other clients included Ernest Hemingway and Teddy Roosevelt.”

Up until the 1980s, the company struggled, due in part to the Great Depression, poor management, and a failure to realize America’s shift in focus away from the great outdoors.

In 1988 the company was purchased by Limited Brands, which decided to refocus the company around fashion. Through the early 2000s, the brand exploded in popularity and interest thanks to its emphasis on sex, entertainment, and exclusivity. 

Abercrombie & Fitch was for the beautiful people—young men with chiseled torsos and women with flawless physiques. If you weren’t sure if you fit the bill, Abercrombie & Fitch provided you with examples in the form of massive photograph displays, the A&F catalog magazine, and in-store models who grooved to blaring music. In terms of clothing, the brand pushed the limits of decorum. Women’s skirts barely covered rear ends and men’s T-shirts featured frat boy jokes. And yet through all this controversy, Abercrombie’s “we don’t give a shit” attitude prevailed.

By 2000, Abercrombie & Fitch was one of the most popular brands in the country, edging out the likes of Levi’s. In 2005 the company netted more than $2 billion in sales across its four different brands (abercrombie kids, Hollister Co., and Ruehl No. 925). Then the music stopped. And dancing alone in a pair of ripped jeans and no shirt was Abercrombie & Fitch.

(Full disclosure: That’s about when they hired me.)

Shoppers were buying clothing online. Brands like American Eagle and Old Navy catered to the less-than-perfect-looking shopper with smaller wallets. The age of exclusivity was also over. Social networks like Facebook and Twitter were bringing people together in ways never thought possible. 

Today the company is in shambles. It plans on shuttering 180 stores by 2015. Its stock plummeted 18 percent in August. 

Leading up to the release of the the FOX GRAPHIC TEE—an “online exclusive” that came out weeks after the Ylvis buzz had died down—Abercrombie & Fitch released its own YouTube parody of “The Fox.”

“The fox says ‘nobody shops at Abercrombie anymore,’” one anonymous YouTube user commented. 

Abercrombie & Fitch has become the things it once despised: pathetic and ugly. The hot young models have been replaced with lawyers defending the company against discrimination lawsuits and a truly scary looking CEO. 

…

This past weekend, I visited one of its stores in Lexington for the first time in over a year. Sales signs were posted everywhere and clothing overflowed onto the floor. In the back corner of the store was a shelf stacked with simple shirts featuring the Internet’s favorite acronyms, like NSFW (not safe for work) and SMH (shaking my head). 

This shirt in particular summed up my entire experience. And maybe much more.

More From The Daily Dot:

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Help Conan O'Brien Become The Most Successful CEO On LinkedIn

SEE ALSO: This Photoshop Master Sliced His Head In Half For Halloween

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Yesterday we showed you the highest-paying hourly wages in the fashion retail industry.

Now we've ranked some of the lowest-paying companies based on data from Glassdoor.

Out of the 58 fashion retailers Glassdoor reviewed, Pacific Sunwear had the lowest hourly wages at $7.62, followed by Abercrombie & Fitch at $7.69, and Foot Locker at $7.71. For the purposes of the report, the data excludes salary information for managerial positions. 

The average hourly wages for the 10 lowest paying retailers on our list was $7.80, which is $2.28 lower than the industry average for cashiers and salespeople, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

10. Express, Sales Associate, $7.99 an hour

9. Wet Seal, Sales Associate, $7.90 an hour

8. Ross Stores, Sales Associate, $7.90 an hour

7. American Eagle Outfitters, Cashier, $7.87 an hour

6. Aéropostale, Sales Associate, $7.86 an hour

5. Sears, Cashier, $7.73 an hour

4. Charlotte Russe, Sales Associate, $7.72 an hour

3. Foot Locker, Sales Associate, $7.71 an hour

5. Abercrombie & Fitch, Sales Associate, $7.69 an hour

1. Pacific Sunwear, Sales Associate, $7.62 an hour

SEE ALSO: The 10 Highest-Paying Jobs In Fashion Retail

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Teens aren't frequenting malls as much as they used to, putting retailers like American Eagle, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Aeropostale in trouble. 

Teens are visiting the mall 28 times per year, down about 30% from the peak in 2007, according to a recent report by Piper Jaffray. 

This "mindset change in shopping" is probably permanent, according to the report. 

There are a few reasons why teens aren't hanging out at malls, according to the report: 

1. Teens are browsing their mobile devices to find new products. This makes them less likely to be excited by mall offerings. 

2. Young people are only buying clothing when there is a real or perceived need for it. Forget impulse purchases made during a trip to the mall. 

3. Teens don't need the mall for entertainment. Social networks make teens feel connected to one another without actually hanging out. 

These trends are troubling for teen retailers. 

Still, the stores aren't doing all they can to attract young customers, according to the report. 

Retailers can attract teen customers by engaging more on mobile sites and social networks. They also need to work to differentiate their products so teens have an incentive to go there. 

Here's a chart showing how mall visits by teens have declined since 2007: 

SEE ALSO: Why Starbucks Doesn't Have An Express Line For Simple Orders

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Abercrombie & Fitch Co has reported another double-digit drop in quarterly comparable sales as an increasing number of young shoppers abandon the teen apparel retailer.

Sales fell 12% to $1.03 billion in the third quarter ending November 2, the company announced Tuesday evening ahead of its Wednesday meeting with analysts. Same-store sales fell 14% in the same period, an increase from the 10% drop in the second quarter.

The company also revealed that it will close all of its stand-alone Gilly Hicks lingerie stores by the end of the first quarter of 2014. Going forward, the company will sell the lingerie brand in its Hollister stores.

"Our results for the third quarter reflect continued top-line challenges, with overall spending among younger consumers remaining weak," Abercrombie Chief Executive Mike Jeffries said in a statement. "Until we have seen a clear trend improvement, we are continuing to take a cautious approach into the fourth quarter and are working to end the year with appropriate levels of fall carryover inventory."

Abercrombie has revised its adjusted earnings for the full year to a lower-than-expected $1.40 to $1.50 per share from an earlier forecast of $3.15 to $3.25 per share. Analysts were expecting a profit of $1.96 per share, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The company's shares plunged by as much as 6% in after-hours trading.

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Abercrombie & Fitch shares are falling after the company reported horrible sales results.

Third quarter comparable-store sales fell 14%, the company said in a statement. Shares fell about 6% on the news.

"Our results for the third quarter reflect continued top-line challenges, with overall spending among younger consumers remaining weak," Jeffries said. "Until we have seen a clear trend improvement, we are continuing to take a cautious approach into the fourth quarter and are working to end the year with appropriate levels of fall carryover inventory."

Abercrombie has been criticized for not updating its fashions for the fickle teen market and sticking to a preppy aesthetic that many feel is outdated. 

Teens are also going to the mall less frequently, meaning they aren't frequenting Abercrombie stores as much. 

SEE ALSO: Why Starbucks Doesn't Have An Express Line For Simple Orders

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Abercrombie & Fitch has fallen out of favor with the teen set, and it shows. 

Comparable store sales are down a whopping 14% in the third quarter, and outlook for the holiday season isn't good. 

While Abercrombie has made many missteps over the years, three key mistakes have hurt the brand, Brian Sozzi, chief equities strategist at Belus Capital Advisors, said in a note.

These mistakes have helped put longtime CEO Michael Jeffries' fate in question. 

• Starting two dud brands, Ruehl and Gilly Hicks. Ruehl closed in 2010, while Gilly Hicks will close its stand-alone locations soon. These brands were expensive and confused customers. "The build outs of the store were so elaborate and amusement park attraction-like that any new retailer seeking to enter the space will have to completely gut the store and start fresh," Sozzi writes. 

• Aggressive expansion overseas. The brand has opened huge stores all over Europe, even though demand is questionable. "International expansion has been too aggressive, plain and simple," Sozzi writes. 

• Over-promising to investors. The company hyped a turnaround in the spring, only to report disappointing sales and warn that outlook for the future will be bad. This sent the shares tanking and potentially alienated shareholders, Sozzi said. 

It's going to take a major overhaul for the brand to recover. 

Abercrombie also faces other problems, like getting its preppy fashions in-line with what teens want. 

SEE ALSO: 13 Reasons Why People Hate Abercrombie & Fitch

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(Reuters) - Struggling teen apparel retailer Abercrombie & Fitch Co said it would expand sizes, colors and fits for all styles by the spring to attract more customers.

Chief Executive Mike Jeffries has stirred controversy in the past by suggesting the company's clothes were made for "cool" and "attractive" kids and not for "fat" people. The company now does not offer sizes for women above large.

The retailer reported another double-digit drop in quarterly same-store sales on Tuesday and warned of a tough holiday season.

(Reporting by Siddharth Cavale in Bangalore; Editing by Maju Samuel)

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Abercrombie & Fitch Co. laid out its strategy Wednesday to win back teen shoppers after reporting a steep drop in sales for the third quarter. 

But investors are clearly wary of the plan, sending shares tumbling more than 12% since the company reported earnings. Investors' low confidence can be partly explained by these four statements made by company executives on Wednesday:

1. Abercrombie isn’t willing to drop its logo-centric strategy, even though that’s a primary reason why young shoppers have been flocking to other brands, such as H&M and Forever 21.

“We cannot walk away from the logo business,” said Leslee Herro, executive vice president of planning and allocation for Abercrombie.  

2. The company is reinvesting in storefronts, even as mall traffic continues to decline across the country.

“We believe that while digital is becoming a more important channel, stores will continue to to be the key channel by which our target customer will engage with our brands,” Senior Vice President of Marketing Craig Brommers said. New Hollister storefronts marked by giant video displays will be opening by fall 2014.

3. The company is sending a mixed message about its business model.

CEO Mike Jeffries said Wednesday that he wants the company to behave more like a fast-fashion retailer, such as Forever 21, by turning around new styles more quickly.

But Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Ramsden explicitly said Abercrombie is not going to "become a fast-fashion company."

4. Company executives appear to have only just begun researching millennials, Abercrombie's target demographic, and they admittedly know very little about kids in their early teens.

Senior Vice President of Marketing Craig Brommers said Abercrombie has brought in consultants to “better understand the markets we compete in” and to "better understand our target.”

Based on the research so far, the company has concluded that its former target, Generation X, was well-suited for Abercrombie because it “embraced exclusivity, standardization and brand loyalty.”

Then came Generation Y, or millennials.

“They embrace inclusivity and diversity, are budget conscious, have relatively low brand loyalty, seek customization and assume the use of technology,” Brommers said. “We are working to maximize our relevancy to this new generation.”

But while the company works on targeting millennials, an even younger generation is taking their place, of which the company admittedly doesn’t know much about.

“It’s too early to make definitive statements on Generation Z, or kids in their early teens,” Brommers said.

Here's Abercrombie's visual representation of each generation from the slideshow presented at Wednesday's meeting with analysts. The year ranges represent the dates that people in that generation were born:

SEE ALSO: 13 Reasons Why People Hate Abercrombie & Fitch

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Abercrombie & Fitch has hit hard times. 

Sales are in a free fall, and analysts say they aren't sure if and when the retailer will be considered "cool" again. 

The two biggest criticisms of Abercrombie are: 

1. Abercrombie doesn't understand teens' current fashion styles. The brand's clothing looks similar to how it did 10 years ago. 

2. Abercrombie is overpriced. Today's teens are unimpressed by brand names, and can find cheap, trendy stuff at retailers like Forever 21 and H&M. 

For evidence of this disconnect, look no further than these two men's sweaters: 

At $120 each, the cost is steep for teens — especially for a novelty product that they aren't likely to wear every day. 

Emblazoned with a beer mug and #party, it also appears the company is trying too hard to connect with young people. 

Abercrombie customers expressed this sentiment after the company posted a photo of the sweaters on its Facebook page. 

"Do they realize that the majority of people wearing these aren't even old enough to drink beer?" one jilted customer asked. 

"No offense but A&F has gotten down the hill....nobody really wears it anymore lol," wrote another customer. 

"Too pricey. It's ok to make dope clothing at a affordable price," one man wrote. 

"This is a joke right? People actually buy and then wear this?" a woman implored. 

Until Abercrombie & Fitch offers fashionable clothing at reasonable prices, its core customers will continue to snub the retailer. 

SEE ALSO: 13 Reasons Why People Hate Abercrombie & Fitch

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Forever 21 is changing teen retail forever. 

The fast fashion brand's sales increased 82% from 2007 to 2012, according to Reuters. Meanwhile, classic teen retailers like Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, and Aeropostale struggle to connect with customers.

Teens have ramped up spending on electronics, accessories, and footwear, according to Piper Jaffray's Taking Stock With Teens Survey. Forever 21 has stayed ahead by capitalizing on these trends with lightning speed. 

We recently went to a retail location in New York City to see why the brand reigns supreme among teenagers. 

These photos reveal why Forever 21, which has 480 stores from coast to coast (and a handful internationally), is ruling the teen sector right now. 

The retail locations are inviting and modern, with bright lights and white floors. This photo from a Queens mall illustrates the typical Forever 21 storefront: 

Immediately upon entering the store, you see these skirts labeled "trending now." These skirts are bestsellers on Forever 21's e-commerce site. This shows a smart merger between online and offline and a lightning-fast reaction to trends:  

Unlike other teen retailers that only restock for the seasons, Forever 21 has a constant influx of new merchandise, which is displayed throughout the store: 

Teens are increasingly spending less on apparel. This makes Forever 21's low price points key to getting the customer's attention: 

Accessories are a growth category in the teen segment, and Forever 21's store model shows that they're on top of the trend. This location had a room full of accessories and beauty products: 

The brand is also heavily invested in shoes and boots, which is a hot category in teen apparel, according to Piper Jaffray. 

Forever 21 is also invested in hot teen categories like lingerie: 

And activewear, another hot category: 

Forever 21 does a good job of merchandising. Handbags placed alongside apparel and outerwear give the shopper more ideas for styling: 

Forever 21 also takes more risks than the average teen retailer, offering eclectic merchandise that teens love. Here's a "Punk" sweater prominently displayed: 

Teens today spend more on electronics and less on apparel, according to Piper Jaffray. Forever 21 capitalizes on this by offering a wide array of tech accessories at checkout: 

The brand's fast supply chain means that it can be up on current trends. We observed shoppers grabbing up these cat sweaters for $24: 

Forever 21 also has an awesome, newly furnished section for men: 

Instead of skimping on menswear and only offering basics, Forever 21 provides a good mix of merchandise. There are these affordable jackets: 

Forever 21's men's line is fashionable without being too crazy. We saw men purchasing these boots: 

These watches and accessories in the men's section encourage impulse buying: 

The merchandise stands at check-out have a variety of low-priced accessories and beauty products, which encourage teens to spend more as they leave: 

Finally, Forever 21 also has a variety of affordable gifts for the holiday season—a smart strategy to encourage impulsive spending: 

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An Abercrombie & Fitch store in Paris has been ravaged by a fire. 

The flagship store on Paris' Avenue des Champs-Elysées will need to be completely refitted before it can re-open, firefighters told Women's Wear Daily. 

The cause of the fire, which started on the second floor at 7 a.m., is not known. 

Most of the merchandise and furniture inside was completely destroyed. 

No one was injured in the fire. It's unclear whether anyone was in the store when the blaze began. 

Abercrombie hasn't said when the store will re-open. 

Here's a photo of firefighters outside the retailer: 

Abercrombie&Fitch on fire this morning @ Paris pic.twitter.com/C2LuaWh3os

— Shems (@Shems_e) November 24, 2013

Here's a photo of wreckage outside the store:

Voilà une photo d'un de mes collègues. Abercrombie on fire O_o pic.twitter.com/EYLUxjdv68

— Angelina (@Angelina_Yp) November 24, 2013

SEE ALSO: 51 Photos From The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

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