It seems a common misconception in the US that sales represent consumer desire, that things will not sell unless people want them. American's have become a captive market whose purchases are shaped by the whim or taste of the producers... how many real life women can afford to reject fashion and dress sensibly at a reasonable cost rather than becoming "Fashion Victims" for the sake of their social and professional lives. People seem to me to buy what is made available to them and what is promoted to them... production seems rarely a reflection of consumer desire as opposed to what is foisted on consumers IMHO. Likewise, we have long since left behind "competitive pricing" or "cost plus pricing" which have been replaced by "what the market will bare" pricing.