Trainers, tops, social media and delivery choice are key for fashion e-tail - report

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Mar 13, 2019

UK online fashion shoppers are buying trainers and tops more than any other products and are heavily influenced by social media, while price, choice and convenience are some of the driving factors for clothing and footwear shoppers to buy online. That’s the conclusion of a report from parcels carrier Royal Mail, which spoke to 502 consumers about their online activity.

The survey showed that T-shirts and tops are the most commonly purchased clothing items with 46% of e-shoppers buying them, while plenty of them also buy jeans online (30% are planning to buy a pair in the next year.)

In footwear, trainers (72%) are the most commonly purchased item, with sandals next (50%), followed by smart shoes (38%) and boots (34%).

The report showed social media playing a big part in influencing e-shopping purchasing decisions. Some 49% of online shoppers “consider social media influential when purchasing clothing and accessories,” we’re told. And within this, digital content about discounts and offers is influential (48%), followed by friends’ recommendations (42%) and retailer ads (41%).

Peer-to-peer recommendations are also crucial in driving footwear purchasing decisions. Almost three in five footwear shoppers consider social media to influence their purchases. Offers (56%) and friends’ recommendations (50%) have a bigger impact than celebrity endorsements (17%) and blogger recommendations (28%).

Consumers are clearly dedicating a large chunk of their fashion budgets to online shopping. Taken across a three-month period, the survey showed the “average” clothing shopper (who’s aged 46, more likely to be female and living in the suburbs) spending £28 online compared to £27 spent in-store per month. 

These consumers choose to buy clothing online because they can make purchases in their own time (64%), are attracted by a wider choice of products (53%) and can find cheaper prices (42%).

The average footwear e-shopper, is a bit younger (aged 42) and spends £27 online compared to £22 in-store. They buy for the same reasons (and in roughly the same percentages) as clothing shoppers.

The quality of the delivery experience plays a key role in driving clothing customers online. Factors that would encourage customers to shop more online include delivery tracking (20%) and the option to collect items (14%). Some 42% are prepared to pay more for the convenience of a home delivery and 56% would track every item they order, if the service was available.

The delivery experience is also important for footwear with 64% of shoppers feeling more confident when ordering online with tracking. Some 59% would track every item they order if they could.