Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
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- Figure 1: Fan chart forecast of total retail sales of children’s clothing, 2008-18
- Market factors
- Birthrate and number of children in the US will impact the market
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- Figure 2: Population (in millions) by age 11 and under, 2008-18
- Figure 3: Population (in millions) by age 11 and under, by gender, 2008-18
- Hispanics represent opportunity for children’s clothing market
- Childhood obesity remains a concern
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- Figure 4: Prevalence of obesity among children aged 2-11, 1971-2010
- Impact of online and mobile shopping
- The consumer
- Parents shop at mass merchandisers and value department stores (in-store and online)
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- Figure 5: Types of retailers shopped for children's clothing, online vs. in-store, August 2013
- Most parents loyal to certain stores but sales will drive them to other retailers
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- Figure 6: Shopping behavior when buying children’s clothing, August 2013
- Parents enjoy shopping for children’s clothing
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- Figure 7: Attitudes to children’s clothing and shopping for children’s clothing, August 2013
- Poor selection, long lines, crowds frustrate parents when shopping for children’s clothing
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- Figure 8: Frustrations encountered when shopping for children's clothing, August 2013
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- How big a threat to in-store shopping is online buying?
- The issues
- The implications
- Aligning with parents’ savings strategies
- The issues
- The implications
- The impact of the Hispanic population
- The issues
- The implications
- What frustrations do parents encounter when shopping for children’s clothing?
- The issues
- The implications
Trend Application
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- Inspire Trend: Guiding Choice
- Inspire Trend: Let’s Make a Deal
- Mintel Futures: Old Gold
Market Size and Forecast
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- Key points
- Sales of children’s clothing expected to grow
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- Figure 9: Total US retail sales of children’s clothing, at current prices, 2008-18
- Figure 10: Total US retail sales of children’s clothing, at inflation adjusted prices, 2008-18
- Fan chart forecast
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- Figure 11: Fan chart forecast of total retail sales of children’s clothing, 2008-18
Market Drivers
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- Key points
- Birthrate and number of children in the U.S. likely to impact this market
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- Figure 12: Fertility rate and number of births, 2002-12
- Figure 13: Fertility rate*, by race and Hispanic origin of mother, 2002-12
- Population by age and gender, race/Hispanic origin
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- Figure 14: Population of children under 12, by age and gender, 2008-18
- Figure 15: Population of girls aged younger than 6, by race and Hispanic origin, 2008-18
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- Figure 16: Population of girls aged 6-11, by race and Hispanic origin, 2008-18
- Figure 17: Population of boys aged younger than 6, by race and Hispanic origin, 2008-18
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- Figure 18: Population of boys aged 6-11, by race and Hispanic origin, 2008-18
- Hispanics represent opportunity for children’s clothing market
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- Figure 19: Average household size and average number of adults and children in households, by race and Hispanic origin, 2012
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- Figure 20: Average annual expenditures on clothing for children, by Hispanic or Latino origin of reference person, 2011
- Shifting demographics of parents affect children’s clothing purchases
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- Figure 21: Births, by age of mother, 2012*
- Consumer confidence is a key indicator of spending
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- Figure 22: Index of consumer sentiment, May 2007-August 2013
- Childhood obesity remains a concern
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- Figure 23: Prevalence of obesity among children aged 2-11, 1971-2010
- Cross-channel competition intensifies
- Impact of online and mobile shopping
- School uniforms
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- Figure 24: Share of public schools requiring uniforms, selected years 1999-2010
Retailer Overview
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- Clothing specialists
- Abercrombie & Fitch
- Carter’s
- Gap Inc. (Gap and Old Navy)
- Gymboree
- H&M
- Hanna Andersson
- The Children’s Place
- Issues and opportunities for clothing specialists
- Current retail model and key issues
- Opportunities
- Department stores
- JCPenney
- Kohl’s
- Lord & Taylor
- Macy’s
- Nordstrom
- Sears
- Issues and opportunities for department stores
- Current retail model and key issues
- Opportunities
- Mass merchandisers
- Walmart
- Target
- Kmart
- Issues and opportunities for mass merchandisers
- Current retail model and key issues
- Opportunities
- Discount stores
- T.J. Maxx and Marshalls
- Ross Stores
- Burlington Coat Factory
- Issues and opportunities for discount stores
- Current retail model and key issues
- Opportunities
- Online-only retailers
- Amazon.com
- Boden
- Zulily
- Issues and opportunities for online only
- Current retail model and key issues
- Opportunities
Innovations and Innovators
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- J.Crew introduces J.Crew baby
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- Figure 25: Screen shot of J.Crew Baby, October 2013
- JCPenney launches giggleBABY and Disney shops in stores
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- Figure 26: Screen shot of giggleBABY for JCPenney, October 2013
- Figure 27: Disney shop at JCPenney, October 2013
- Figure 28: Screen shot of Disney items at jcp.com, October 2013
- Diane von Furstenberg creates second collection for GapKids
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- Figure 29: Diane von Furstenberg explorers collection for GapKids, April 2013
- Bersica Futurewear adds technology to clothing
Marketing Strategies
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- Strategy: Brands you can trust
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- Figure 30: The Children’s Place TV ad “The Children's Place - The Place for Back to School,” July 2013
- Figure 31: Carter’s TV ad “Count on Carter’s,” November 2012
- Strategy: Exclusive offerings
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- Figure 32: “Joe Fresh Kids New at JCPenney”, August 2013
- Figure 33: “GapKids 2013 Collection by Diane von Furstenberg,” April 2013
- Strategy: Focus on price and promotions
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- Figure 34: GapKids email ad, September 2013
- Figure 35: Old Navy email ad, October 2013
- Figure 36: Carter’s BOGO email ad, October 2013
- Figure 37: Carter’s Friends and Family email ad, September 2013
- Strategy: Cause marketing
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- Figure 38: Carter’s Pajama Program email ad, October 2013
- Figure 39: Screen shot of H&M’s All for Children collection, October 2013
Children’s Clothing Purchases
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- Key points
- Buying children’s clothing is more common than gifts/hand-me-downs
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- Figure 40: Acquisition of children’s clothing, bought or received hand-me-downs/gifts, by age of child for boys vs. girls, August 2013
- Purchase of clothing for boys
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- Figure 41: Purchase of clothing for boys, by age of child, by gender and age, August 2013
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- Figure 42: Purchase of clothing for boys, by age of child, by household income, August 2013
- Purchase of clothing for girls
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- Figure 43: Purchase of clothing for girls, by age of child, by gender and age, August 2013
Types of Retailers Shopped for Children’s Clothing
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- Key points
- Mass merchandisers, value department stores main choices for children’s clothing (both in-store and online)
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- Figure 44: Types of retailers shopped for children's clothing, in-store vs. online, August 2013
- Types of retailers shopped – In-store
- Men choose channels providing greater customer service
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- Figure 45: Types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (in-store), by gender, August 2013
- Younger parents likely to shop at discount stores, warehouse clubs for children’s clothing
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- Figure 46: Types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (in-store), by age, August 2013
- Higher-income parents choose value department stores for clothes shopping
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- Figure 47: Types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (in-store), by household income, August 2013
- Types of retailers shopped – Online
- Moms and dads choose different online retailers for children’s clothing
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- Figure 48: Types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (online), by gender, August 2013
- Younger parents shop at a variety of online retailers for children’s clothing
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- Figure 49: Types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (online), by age, August 2013
- Parents with lower incomes less likely to shop online
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- Figure 50: Types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (online), by household income, August 2013
When Children’s Clothing is Purchased
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- Key points
- Parents buy clothes throughout the year, when children grow out of current sizes
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- Figure 51: When children's clothing is purchased, August 2013
- Dads tend to buy for back-to-school, moms shop as needed
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- Figure 52: When children's clothing is purchased, by gender, August 2013
- Older parents shop for back-to-school, young parents buy as seasons change
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- Figure 53: When children's clothing is purchased, by age, August 2013
- Lower-income households more likely to buy clothing when children ask
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- Figure 54: When children's clothing is purchased, by household income, August 2013
Shopping Behavior when Buying Children’s Clothing
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- Key points
- Most loyal to certain stores but sales will drive parents to other stores
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- Figure 55: Shopping behavior when buying children’s clothing, August 2013
- Moms and dads both savvy – look for savings in different ways
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- Figure 56: Shopping behavior when buying children’s clothing, by gender, August 2013
- Younger parents more likely to browse, buy clothing online
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- Figure 57: Shopping behavior when buying children’s clothing, by age, August 2013
- Lower-income parents less likely to wait for sales, use coupons
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- Figure 58: Shopping behavior when buying children’s clothing, by household income, August 2013
Attitudes to Children’s Clothing and Shopping for Children’s Clothing
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- Key points
- Parents enjoy shopping for children’s clothing
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- Figure 59: Attitudes to children’s clothing and shopping for children’s clothing, August 2013
- Moms struggle with size inconsistency, dads ask others where to shop
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- Figure 60: Attitudes to children’s clothing and shopping for children’s clothing, by gender, August 2013
- Young parents seek and give advice on where to shop for children’s clothing
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- Figure 61: Attitudes to children’s clothing and shopping for children’s clothing, by age, August 2013
- Grandparents help out lower-income parents by buying grandchildren’s clothes
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- Figure 62: Attitudes to children’s clothing and shopping for children’s clothing, by household income, August 2013
Frustrations Encountered When Shopping for Children’s Clothing
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- Key points
- Poor selection, long lines, and crowds frustrate parents when shopping for children’s clothing
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- Figure 63: Frustrations encountered when shopping for children's clothing, August 2013
- Dads don’t like long lines at checkout when shopping for kids’ clothes
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- Figure 64: Frustrations encountered when shopping for children's clothing, by gender, August 2013
- Personal shoppers can help parents receive one-on-one assistance
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- Figure 65: Frustrations encountered when shopping for children's clothing, by age, August 2013
- Parents of all income levels dissatisfied with selection of children’s clothing
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- Figure 66: Frustrations encountered when shopping for children's clothing, by household income, August 2013
Children’s Attitudes to Clothing and Clothes Shopping
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- Key points
- 6-11-year-olds like to receive clothes and gift cards to clothing retailers as gifts
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- Figure 67: Children’s attitudes to clothing and clothes shopping, August 2013
- Gender stereotypes confirmed by girls’ and boys’ interest in clothes
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- Figure 68: Children’s attitudes to clothing and clothes shopping, by gender, August 2013
- Older girls ditching the parents when clothes shopping
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- Figure 69: Children’s attitudes to clothing and clothes shopping, by gender and age, August 2013
- Walmart and Target favored by boys and girls for clothes
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- Figure 70: Children’s favorite stores and stores visited in last month, by gender and age, May 2012-June 2013
- Black children prefer a variety of stores for clothes shopping
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- Figure 71: Children’s favorite stores and stores visited in last month, by race/Hispanic origin, May 2012-June 2013
- Girls are interested in fashion and style
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- Figure 72: Children’s attitudes toward fashion, by gender and age, May 2012-June 2013
Race and Hispanic Origin
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- Key points
- Non-Hispanics choose specialty stores, Hispanics and Blacks prefer discount stores for children’s clothing
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- Figure 73: Types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (in-store), by race/Hispanic origin, August 2013
- Parents of all races/Hispanic origin shopping online for children’s clothes
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- Figure 74: Types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (online), by race/Hispanic origin, August 2013
- Hispanics and Whites buy children’s clothing throughout the year
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- Figure 75: When children's clothing is purchased, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2013
- White parents wait for sales, Black parents compare prices
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- Figure 76: Shopping behavior when buying children’s clothing, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2013
- Blacks and Hispanics enjoy shopping for their children’s clothing
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- Figure 77: Attitudes to children’s clothing and shopping for children’s clothing, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2013
- Adding in-store amenities can help alleviate parents’ frustrations
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- Figure 78: Frustrations encountered when shopping for children's clothing, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2013
- Black children seek the latest clothing styles
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- Figure 79: Children’s attitudes toward fashion, by race/Hispanic origin, May 2012-June 2013
Appendix – Other Useful Consumer Tables
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- Purchase of clothing for boys
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- Figure 80: Purchase of clothing for boys, by age of child, by marital status, August 2013
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- Figure 81: Purchase of clothing for boys, by age of child, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2013
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- Figure 82: Purchase of clothing for boys, by age of child, by generations, August 2013
- Purchase of clothing for girls
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- Figure 83: Purchase of clothing for girls, by age of child, by marital status, August 2013
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- Figure 84: Purchase of clothing for girls, by age of child, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2013
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- Figure 85: Purchase of clothing for girls, by age of child, by generations, August 2013
- Types of retailers shopped – In-store
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- Figure 86: Types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (in-store), by marital status, August 2013
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- Figure 87: Types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (in-store), by generations, August 2013
- Types of retailers shopped – Online
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- Figure 88: Types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (online), by marital status, August 2013
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- Figure 89: Types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (online), by generations, August 2013
- Purchase of clothing for boys by Types of retailers shopped
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- Figure 90: Purchase of clothing for boys, by age of child, by types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (either in-store or online), August 2013
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- Figure 91: Purchase of clothing for boys, by age of child, by types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (either in-store or online), August 2013 (continued)
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- Figure 92: Purchase of clothing for boys, by age of child, by types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (either in-store or online), August 2013 (continued)
- Purchase of clothing for girls by types of retailers shopped
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- Figure 93: Purchase of clothing for girls, by age of child, by types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (either in-store or online), August 2013
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- Figure 94: Purchase of clothing for girls, by age of child, by types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (either in-store or online), August 2013 (continued)
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- Figure 95: Purchase of clothing for girls, by age of child, by types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (either in-store or online), August 2013 (continued)
- When children’s clothing is purchased
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- Figure 96: When children's clothing is purchased, by marital status, August 2013
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- Figure 97: When children's clothing is purchased, by generations, August 2013
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- Figure 98: Purchase of clothing for boys, by age of child, by when children's clothing is purchased, August 2013
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- Figure 99: Purchase of clothing for girls, by age of child, by when children's clothing is purchased, August 2013 (continued)
- Shopping behavior when buying children’s clothing
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- Figure 100: Shopping behavior when buying children’s clothing, by marital status, August 2013
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- Figure 101: Shopping behavior when buying children’s clothing, by generations, August 2013
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- Figure 102: Purchase of clothing for boys, by age of child, by shopping behavior when buying children’s clothing, August 2013
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- Figure 103: Purchase of clothing for boys, by age of child, by shopping behavior when buying children’s clothing, August 2013 (continued)
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- Figure 104: Purchase of clothing for girls, by age of child, by shopping behavior when buying children’s clothing, August 2013
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- Figure 105: Purchase of clothing for girls, by age of child, by shopping behavior when buying children’s clothing, August 2013 (continued)
- Attitudes to children’s clothing and shopping for children’s clothing
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- Figure 106: Attitudes to children’s clothing and shopping for children’s clothing, by marital status, August 2013
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- Figure 107: Attitudes to children’s clothing and shopping for children’s clothing, by generations, August 2013
- Frustrations encountered when shopping for children’s clothing
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- Figure 108: Frustrations encountered when shopping for children's clothing, by marital status, August 2013
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- Figure 109: Frustrations encountered when shopping for children's clothing, by generations, August 2013
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- Figure 110: Frustrations encountered when shopping for children's clothing, by types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (either in-store or online), August 2013
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- Figure 111: Frustrations encountered when shopping for children's clothing, by types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (either in-store or online), August 2013 (continued)
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- Figure 112: Frustrations encountered when shopping for children's clothing, by types of retailers shopped for children's clothing (either in-store or online), August 2013 (continued)
- Children’s attitudes to clothing and clothes shopping
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- Figure 113: Children’s attitudes to clothing and clothes shopping, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2013
Appendix – Trade Associations
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