Women's Clothing - US - July 2017

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Definition
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
The issues
Market vitality is weak
Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of women’s clothing, at current prices, 2012-22
The basics are broken
Figure 2: Attitudes toward price and quality of clothing, April 2017
Role of the physical store transforming
Figure 3: Retailers shopped, by generation, April 2017
Figure 4: Desired in-store improvements, by generation, April 2017
The opportunities
Address sizing concerns
Figure 5: Size-related attitudes and interests, by age, April 2017
Find the mobile touchpoints
Figure 6: Mobile attitudes and behaviors, by generation, April 2017
Capitalize on the social nature of shopping
Figure 7: Influence of social media, by age, and shopping mindset, April 2017
What it means
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Large market, slow growth
Economic factors look positive, so why aren’t women spending more on clothes?
Obesity remains a key issue
Mobile device ownership means more mobile orders
MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Market remains soft
Figure 8: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of women’s clothing, at current prices, 2012-22
Figure 9: Total US retail sales and forecast of women's clothing, at current prices, 2012-22
MARKET BREAKDOWN
Activewear a bright spot in this fragmented sector
Figure 10: Total US retail sales of women's clothing, by segment, at current prices, 2012-17
Figure 11: Total US retail sales of women's clothing, by segment, at current prices, 2015 and 2017
Womenswear commands lion’s share, but menswear outpacing in growth
MARKET FACTORS 
Female population growing, aging, and diversifying
Figure 12: 18+ Female population by age, 2017-22
Figure 13: 18+ Female population by generation, 2017
Figure 14: Women by race and Hispanic origin, 2017-22
Consumers maintaining balanced approach when it comes to finances
Figure 15: Top ways extra money is spent, January 2017
Obesity dilemma worsens, bringing more demand for plus-sized clothing
Figure 16: Prevalence of obesity among US women aged 20 and over, by age, race and Hispanic origin, 2015
Mobile device ownership reaches new heights
More people working at home
KEY PLAYERS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 
Pop-up retailing embraced by brands and shoppers
Plus size market still underserved
Is the pressure to differentiate impacting quality?
Will Amazon rule women’s apparel too?
The fine line between automation and hyper human service
WHAT’S WORKING?
Fashion trends: what’s old is new again
In their words: current trends and cool brands
Athleisurewear remains a bright spot
Alternative retail shops emerge
Physical stores seek options for flexibility
Stores fold to focus online
Pure-play expands to physical world
WHAT’S STRUGGLING?
Fit to be tried
Sizing tools
Plus and petite sizes
Department stores consider their options
Missing the mark on quality
Affordable luxury is the new upscale
In their words: Outdated trends and brands
WHAT’S NEXT?
Technology changing how women shop
Figure 17: Interest in technology, by age, April 2017
Service models changing how women engage
Retail automation
In their words: robots versus humans
Clienteling
The Amazon effect
Clothing gets smarter
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 
For most, clothes shopping is an occasional leisure time activity
Men are in the category too
Department stores most shopped channel
Mobile at the core of online shopping
Women generally optimistic about shopping
SHOPPING FREQUENCY AND SEASONALITY
Half of women shop only occasionally
Figure 18: Shopping frequency, April 2017
Women under 35 shop the most often
Figure 19: Shopping frequency, by age, April 2017
Lack of seasonal variation
Figure 20: Seasonality, April 2017
In their words: impulse versus planned
ITEMS PURCHASED 
“The basics” are still popular
Figure 21: Items purchased, January 2016 – March 2017
Casual clothing prioritized over more formal pieces
Figure 22: Select items purchased, January 2016 – March 2017
Men play an important role in gifting
Figure 23: Women’s clothing items purchased by men, January 2016 – March 2017
SPENDING PATTERNS 
Spending remains status quo for most
Figure 24: Spending, April 2017
In their words: spending more, less or the same?
More
Less
About the same
Majority of past three-month spending falls below $300
Figure 25: Amount spent on women’s apparel in past three months, by gender, January 2016 - March 2017
In their words: clothes or experiences?
SHOPPING MINDSET
Give me the basics
Figure 26: Shopping mindset, April 2017
Being practical becomes more important as women age
Figure 27: Shopping mindset, by age, April 2017
Most women see clothes shopping as fun, social and a chance to try new styles…as long as the price is right
Figure 28: Retail shopping segmentation, percentage by segment, January 2016 - March 2017
Figure 29: Retail shopping segmentation, by age, January 2016 - March 2017
Figure 30: Attitudes about fashion and shopping, by select segments, January 2016 – March 2017
In their words: women describe their personal style
RETAILERS SHOPPED 
Department stores hang on, but for how long?
Figure 31: Retailers shopped, April 2017
Age factors into retailer choice
Figure 32: Top retailers shopped, by age, April 2017
In-store environment affects shopping process
In their words: how environment makes a difference
Experiential retailing takes shopping beyond mere transactions
ALTERNATIVE SHOPPING OPTIONS 
Subscription services
In their words
Figure 33: Stitch Fix television ad, June 2017
Figure 34: Stitch Fix E-mail advertisement, April 2017
Figure 35: Fabletics television ad, May 2017
Rental services
In their words
Preowned marketplace
In their words
ONLINE SHOPPING PROCESS 
Online shopping spans generations
Figure 36: Retailers shopped online, by generation, April 2017
Path to purchase reaffirms mobile’s role
Computers versus mobile devices
Figure 37: Preferred devices for online shopping, by age, April 2017
Retailers’ sites versus brand/manufacturers’ sites
Figure 38: Preference for retailers’ vs. brands’ sites, by age, April 2017
Mobile shopping behaviors
Figure 39: Mobile shopping behaviors, by age, April 2017
Opportunities to engage at the store post-purchase
Figure 40: In-store pickup and return preferences, by age, April 2017
ATTITUDES TOWARD CLOTHES SHOPPING 
Clothes shopping is a passion area for many
Figure 41: Percentage who enjoy clothes shopping, by key demographics, April 2017
Figure 42: Spending, by attitudes toward clothes shopping – Any agree, April 2017
Attitudes related to cost
Shoppers have been trained not to pay full price
Figure 43: Cost-related attitudes, April 2017
Attitudes related to customer service
Nearly half of Millennials would consult their phone before a salesperson
Figure 44: Customer-service related attitudes, April 2017
In their words
Marketing opportunities
Shoppers seeking transparency and improved quality
Figure 45: Attitudes related to marketing and clothing quality, April 2017
Figure 46: Attitude regarding use of real women versus models in advertising, by key demographics, April 2017
INFLUENCERS
Media carries huge influence
Figure 47: Influencers, April 2017
Social media is number one influencer among 18-24s
Figure 48: Top media influencers, by age, April 2017
Figure 49: Social media websites visited, by age, April 2017
Shoppable imagery moves online shoppers along the path to purchase
DESIRED RETAIL IMPROVEMENTS 
Sizing improvements top the list
Figure 50: Desired retail improvements, April 2017
High-value customers reinforce importance of proper fit, quality merchandise, and in-store experience
Figure 51: Spending more, by select desired retail improvements, April 2017
TURF analysis provides quantitative support for maximizing reach
Figure 52: TURF Analysis – Desired retail improvements, April 2017
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES AND ABBREVIATIONS
Data sources
Sales data
Fan chart forecast
Consumer survey data
Consumer qualitative research
Direct marketing creative
Abbreviations and terms
Abbreviations
Terms
APPENDIX – MARKET 
Figure 53: Total US retail sales and forecast of women's clothing, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2012-22
Figure 54: GDP change from previous period, Q1 2007-Q1 2017
Figure 55: Consumer confidence and unemployment, 2000-May 2017
Figure 56: Disposable Personal Income change from previous period, January 2007-May 2017
Figure 57: US gasoline and diesel retail prices, January 2007-June 2017
APPENDIX – CONSUMER 
Figure 59: Table - TURF Analysis – Desired retail improvements, April 2017
Figure 60: US retail sales at clothing and clothing accessories stores, 2015 - May 2017
Figure 61: Purchase incidence of women’s clothing, by gender, January 2012 – March 2017
Figure 62: Women’s clothing items purchased, January 2012 – March 2017
Figure 63: Amount spent by women on women’s apparel in past three months, by age, race and Hispanic origin, January 2016 - March 2017
Figure 64: Women’s lingerie items purchased, January 2016-March 2017
Figure 65: Bra brands purchased, January 2016-March 2017
Figure 66: Retail shopping segmentation, by household income, January 2016-March 2017
Figure 67: Attitudes/opinions about apparel, by segment - part one, January 2016-March 2017
Figure 68: Attitudes/opinions about apparel, by segment - part two, January 2016-March 2017
Figure 69: Attitudes/opinions about shopping, by segment - part one, January 2016-March 2017
Figure 70: Attitudes/opinions about shopping, by segment - part two, January 2016-March 2017
Additional qualitative information
Spending amounts
Spending priorities
In-store environment
Subscription services
Customer service
Current trends and brands