What you need to know
Consumers were already becoming more comfortable with shopping for clothes online, and the COVID-19 pandemic has further shifted consumer behaviors and attitudes in this direction. Some will consider online shopping the preferred way to shop, viewing it as a cleaner and safer option. While this will benefit ecommerce sales, the overall apparel category will face challenges due to limited and prioritized spending and fewer reasons to buy clothes. To keep consumers engaged moving forward, online retailers must ensure a frictionless and enjoyable shopping experience across the entire consumer journey – including the product search and discovery process, customer service, checkout, and post-purchase needs.
Key issues covered in this Report
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The impact of COVID-19 on consumer behavior and online apparel retailing.
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Consumers’ changing apparel needs and spending habits.
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How the value-driven approach to clothes shopping goes beyond price.
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Barriers to shopping for clothes online.
This Report was written July-August 2020.
Definition
This Report focuses on how consumers are shopping for apparel online and how that behavior has evolved or changed in recent years. We also explore motivators/barriers for shopping the category online, and what retailers can do to improve online apparel shopping in the future.
This Report builds on the analysis presented in Mintel’s How Online Shopping for Apparel is Evolving Online – US, December 2018, Women’s Clothing – US, August 2019 and Men’s Clothing – US, April 2018.
