(Oct. 28, 2010) — Every time I visit the mall, upon exiting Abercrombie & Fitch or Hollister, I can still feel my head throbbing from the unnecessary loud music and my nostrils filled with overpowering perfume, this being the very well known trademark of both popular stores. I used to think of Hollister and Abercrombie as very similar, practically identical, but recently I discovered the significant variations between the stores, including dramatic price differences and store conveniences. Not to be misunderstood here though, I do adore both stores. Ever since I was in elementary school I’ve wanted to shop at Abercrombie and Hollister, and the day that I first did was only the start of my love for their clothes. I’m positive that this case is similar for many other students as well; but like any other store, both do have their problems, especially from the costumer’s perspective. A plain white polo from Abercrombie & Fitch could cost you a whopping $50, whereas a very similar plain white polo from Hollister would only cost you $25, half the price. It doesn’t make much sense to have two stores that are owned by the same company selling products that are extremely alike at such different prices. What makes Abercrombie so special that the price tag of a simple hoodie reads $60? I’m not expecting the prices to be under $20, but a more reasonable price might be $40. Is it the fact that there’s Abercrombie written across the chest that makes this sweater worth more, because if it is then Abercrombie & Fitch is being abusive of their well known name, which isn’t right. When stepping into either Abercrombie or Hollister, the pitch dark, overcrowded store can sometimes put the shopper out of place. I wonder how anyone, including myself, can chose what to buy when one can barely see what they’re looking at and can barely hear what someone else has to say about it. I must say, though, Abercrombie is a bit more convenient than Hollister. It’s a larger store, where the racks and shelves are more spread out, leaving you with space to call your own. Also, the lights are one notch brighter than at Hollister, especially in the fitting rooms. At Hollister, the tiny dark fitting rooms that lack a seat and only have three little hangers that are inconveniently placed on the wall make it difficult to decide whether or not you like what you’re wearing. On the other hand, Abercrombie & Fitch has larger fitting rooms that are brighter, and even though they also lack a seat, they do have well-situated hangers that make it easier to decide what you want to buy. I wonder if this may be the reason for pricier clothes at Abercrombie. But even if so, shouldn’t fitting rooms be properly lighted and convenient enough for the customer to feel comfortable anyway? So there shouldn’t be reason for the clothing to be more expensive just because the store is doing what they already should be doing. With clothes as expensive as they are at Abercrombie and the inconvenience level as bad as it is at Hollister, sometimes I wonder why these stores are as popular as they are among today’s youth. The preppy style of Abercrombie and the surfer chic style of Hollister is definitely what most teenagers are seen wearing, but it would be nice if both stores would be considerate of the costumer for a change.