Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Tepid sales growth anticipated while birthrates stabilize
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- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of children’s clothing, at current prices, 2010-20
- Children grow too fast!
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- Figure 2: Attitudes toward children's clothes shopping, by repertoire analysis of retailers shopped, August 2015
- Parents stick with their favorite retailers
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- Figure 3: Retailers shopped for children’s clothing, August 2015
- The opportunities
- Influence the influencers
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- Figure 4: Influencers when shopping for children’s clothing, by generation, August 2015
- Appeal to shoppers’ sense of style
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- Figure 5: Shopping behaviors and/or attitudes towards children’s clothing, August 2015
- Consider trade-in or clothes swap programs
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- Figure 6: Consignment/resale store shoppers, by select demographics, August 2015
- What it means
The Market - What you need to know
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- Tepid growth anticipated as birthrates stabilize
- Girls’ clothing comprises share, but growth to come from infant/toddlers
- Childhood obesity still a major issue impacting today’s youth
Market Size and Forecast
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- Slow and steady sales pace
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- Figure 7: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of children’s clothing, at current prices, 2010-20
- Figure 8: Total US sales and forecast of children’s clothing, at current prices, 2010-20
Market Breakdown
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- Girls’ clothing commands highest share
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- Figure 9: Total US retail sales and forecast of children's clothing, by segment, at current prices, 2010-20
- Figure 10: Total US retail sales and market share of children's clothing, by segment, at current prices, 2013 and 2015
- Department stores comprise one third of sales
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- Figure 11: Total US retail sales of children's clothing, by segment, at current prices, 2012
- Active sportswear for girls gaining ground
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- Figure 12: Percent of girls’ clothing expenditures by type, 2013
Market Factors
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- Hispanics are a major force
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- Figure 13: Percentage change of population age 11 and under, by race and Hispanic origin, 2015 vs. 2020
- Birthrates show signs of stabilization
- Shifts in parenting demographics impact the market
- Older moms
- Single parents
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- Figure 14: Children’s living arrangements, by age, 2013
- Same-sex couples
- Childhood obesity perpetuates sizing issues with clothing
- Grandparents are also viable targets
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Retailers lean on value and celebrity influence to appeal to parents and children alike
- Tepid sales pace negatively impacting some players
- Technology and tools can assist with sizing issues while opportunities exist to promote children’s well-being
What’s Working?
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- Retailers focused on creating value; some using celebrities as a key strategy
What’s Struggling?
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- Competitive marketplace leads to store closings
What’s Next?
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- Many unique ways to address issues related to size
- Sizing tools
- Subscription services
- Fitness clothing
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Most items are purchased instead of received
- Department stores and mass merchandisers are key destinations
- Finding clothes that fit can be a challenge
- Children are influential
Method of Acquiring Children’s Clothing and Items Purchased
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- Forty percent of parents received clothing items for their children
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- Figure 15: Method of acquiring children’s clothing, August 2015
- Household income has little impact on children’s clothing purchases
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- Figure 16: Method of acquiring children’s clothing, by select demographics, August 2015
- T-shirts and jeans: the everyday uniform
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- Figure 17: Items purchased, August 2015
- In their words
Retailers Shopped
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- Department stores and mass merchandisers preferred
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- Figure 18: Retailers shopped, August 2015
- Majority of shoppers frequent three to four retailer types
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- Figure 19: Repertoire analysis of retailers shopped, June 2015
- Resale market – one to watch
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- Figure 20: Consignment/resale store shoppers, by generation, August 2015
- Shopping can become habitual
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- Figure 21: Shopping behaviors when looking for children's clothing, by hispanic origin, August 2015
- Curbside services are of interest
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- Figure 22: Shopping behaviors when looking for children's clothing, by generation and by Hispanic origin, August 2015
- In-store preferred
- Online preferred
- No preference
CHAID Analysis
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- Older millennials more likely to shop at specialty stores
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- Figure 23: CHAID analysis among those who want their children’s clothing to by stylish and trendy, August 2015
Frustrations Encountered
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- Sizing challenges and shipping charges are barriers retailers need to address
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- Figure 24: Frustrations encountered – any rank, August 2015
- The trying on process is trying
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- Figure 25: Attitudes toward children's clothes shopping, by repertoire analysis of retailers shopped, August 2015
- Hispanics value customer service, but are underwhelmed when shopping for children’s clothes
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- Figure 26: Frustrations encountered when shopping for children's, by Hispanic origin, August 2015 – any rank
- In their words
Shopping Behaviors and Attitudes Toward Children’s Clothes Shopping
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- Sales and other unique promotions can drive potential sales during off-peak periods
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- Figure 27: When the bulk of children’s clothing is purchased, by gender and parental status, August 2015
- Quality is not most important factor
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- Figure 28: Shopping behaviors and/or attitudes towards children’s clothing, by demographics, August 2015
- Purchase drivers: in their words
- Most children want to express their individuality through their clothing choices
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- Figure 29: Children’s attitudes toward fashion, - Agree, April 2014-June 2015
Influencers
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- Young millennials are influenced and influential
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- Figure 30: Influencers when shopping for children’s clothing, by generation, August 2015
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- Figure 31: Influence on other parents, by repertoire analysis of retailers shopped, August 2015
- Optimizing social media
- In their words
- Social media influence
- Children’s influence
Shopping Process: In Their Words
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- Current Process
- Ideal Experience
- Do they shop for themselves?
- It’s all about my kids
- I treat myself too
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – Market
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- Total market data
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- Figure 32: Total US retail sales and forecast of children's clothing, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2010-20
- Market segment data
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- Figure 33: Total US retail sales and forecast of children's clothing, by segment, at current prices, 2010-20
- Figure 34: Total US retail sales and forecast of infant/toddler clothing, at current prices, 2010-20
- Figure 35: Total US retail sales and forecast of infant/toddler clothing, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2010-20
- Figure 36: Total US retail sales and forecast of boys' clothing, at current prices, 2010-20
- Figure 37: Total US sales and forecast of boys’ clothing, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2010-20
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- Figure 38: Total US retail sales and forecast of girls' clothing, at current prices, 2010-20
- Figure 39: Total US retail sales and forecast of girls' clothing, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2010-20
- Figure 40: Percent of boys’ clothing expenditures by type, 2013
- Other macroeconomic data
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- Figure 41: Boys and Girls population by age group, 2014-19
- Figure 42: Population aged 18 or older, by race and Hispanic origin, 2010-20
- Figure 43: Population age 11 and under, by race and Hispanic origin, 2010-2020
- Figure 44: Annual births and fertility rate, 2003-13
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- Figure 45: Annual births and fertility rate, 2003-13
- Figure 46: Annual births and fertility rates, by race and Hispanic origin of mother, 2003-13
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- Figure 47: births, by age of mother, live-birth order, 2013
- Figure 48: Median household income, by race and Hispanic origin of householder, 2013
- Figure 49: Household income among same-sex and different-sex couples raising children under age 18, by marital status, March 2015
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- Figure 50: Percentage of youth with overweight or obese bmi, by age, gender and race/hispanic origin, 2011-2012
- Figure 51: Consumer confidence and unemployment, 2007-August 2015
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- Figure 52: Percentage of public and private schools requiring students to wear uniforms, by school level, 2003-04 - 2011–12 academic year
- Figure 53: Estimated average annual costs for children's clothing, 2010-2013
Appendix – Consumer
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- CHAID Methodology
- Additional consumer data
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- Figure 54: Children’s top 15 favorite stores, April 2014-June 2015
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