Fashion Localization Pricing
A TCO comparison for fashion brands managing multi-market content operations. See where the real costs are hiding and what a consolidated model delivers.
See the hidden costs ↓Each model has a different cost structure. Only one accounts for total cost of ownership across your entire multi-market operation.
Different vendors for different markets. Lowest per-word rate in each market. But: 3-5x coordination overhead, inconsistent brand voice, duplicate terminology work, and no single point of accountability. Total cost is invisible because it's spread across vendors and internal time.
The invoice looks cheap. The operation is expensive. Internal coordination time, rush fees during peak season, and rework from brand inconsistency never appear as localization line items.
Single vendor for all markets. Technology platform fee + per-word rates + PM overhead. Appears efficient but: PM rotation every 6-18 months, linguists assigned by availability not expertise, rush fees for anything outside standard flow. Fashion is one vertical among dozens — your brand voice isn't their priority.
Platform fees, minimum charges, and project management overhead add up. The "single vendor" efficiency is offset by the cost of managing a provider that doesn't understand fashion's seasonal rhythms.
Retainer + volume pricing with no hidden fees. Same team for years who knows your brand voice, your seasonal rhythms, and your market priorities. Peak season scaling included — no rush fee surprises. Single terminology database across all markets.
ZARA has used this model with Kobalt for 12+ years — zero missed launch deadlines to date. 60% reduction in localization management overhead vs. previous multi-vendor setup. The "more expensive" per-word rate delivers the lowest total cost of ownership.
Per-word rate comparisons miss the majority of localization cost. Here is what a single-partner model actually delivers when you measure total cost of ownership.
20+ markets managed simultaneously. Weekly collection launches localized without delay. Peak season scaling: 3x volume handled without quality degradation or rush fee inflation. 40 hours per week of internal coordination eliminated.
Zero missed launch deadlines to date. The "more expensive" specialist partner delivered 60% lower total localization management overhead.
12+ years 20+ markets 0 missed launches 60% lower overheadPer-word rate comparison misses: internal coordination time eliminated, rush fee avoidance during peak seasons, brand consistency across all markets (reducing rework), and single terminology database reducing duplicate effort.
Kobalt's pricing: Translation + QA + Coordination. No hidden fees. No platform charges. No rush fees during predictable peak seasons. No PM rotation resetting your brand knowledge.
No rush fees No platform fees No hidden chargesNo hidden fees, no platform charges, no rush fee surprises. Every pricing proposal includes these three pillars as standard.
Same linguists for years who know your brand. All markets managed from one team. Peak season scaling included — no rush fee surprises. Sub-minute response as standard.
Single terminology database across all markets. Brand voice guidelines enforced in every language. <1% revision rate. Quality metrics published, not promised.
Integration with your CMS and content workflow. Complete coordination across all markets. Performance reporting. No "technology platform" fees.
Get a transparent proposal based on your languages and content mix.
Request a Custom Pricing ProposalPricing is structured as a retainer plus volume-based rates that cover all markets. You get a single invoice, a single point of contact, and a single terminology database. The per-market cost decreases as you add markets because the same brand voice framework, terminology, and team knowledge apply across all languages.
Yes. Peak season scaling is built into the pricing model. We know fashion operates in seasonal cycles with 3-5x volume spikes. Our team structure and capacity planning account for this. You will not see rush fee line items during launch weeks or peak season.
No. Launch weeks and collection drops are the core of fashion localization. Charging rush fees for predictable, recurring volume spikes is a sign that a provider does not understand fashion operations. Our pricing includes peak season capacity as standard.
The per-word rate may appear higher than your cheapest vendor. But total cost of ownership is typically 40-60% lower when you account for eliminated coordination overhead, rush fee avoidance, reduced rework from brand inconsistency, and consolidated terminology management. We include a TCO comparison in every pricing proposal.
Yes. Many clients start with 3-5 priority markets and expand as the team builds familiarity with their brand. The terminology database and brand voice guidelines scale naturally to new markets. Adding a new language pair typically takes 1-2 weeks to onboard.
New markets are added within the existing pricing framework. The onboarding process takes 1-2 weeks: we extend the terminology database, assign qualified linguists for the new language pair, and align them with your brand voice guidelines. No separate contract or platform fee required.
Within 48 hours of receiving your brief. We need your current market list, content types, approximate monthly volume, and seasonal patterns. The proposal includes transparent line items and a TCO comparison against typical multi-vendor setups.
Initial agreements typically start at 12 months to allow the dedicated team to build full familiarity with your brand. After that, agreements renew annually. The value of a specialist partner increases over time as institutional knowledge compounds. ZARA has renewed continuously for 12+ years.
Tell us your markets, content types, and seasonal volume patterns. We will send you a transparent pricing proposal within 48 hours — including TCO comparison vs. your current setup.
Prefer email? ricard@kobaltlanguages.com