Volume of Clothing Purchased
For starters, we looked at how many clothing items consumers are adding to their wardrobes each year. As expected, it varies quite a bit.
The largest portion – 24% – of consumers say they purchased between 11 and 20 items of clothing in the last year. Another 23% purchased between 21 and 30. Over a third (34%) indicate they’ve purchased more than 30 items in the last 12 months.
Total Monthly Clothing Spend
We know how many clothing items consumers are purchasing each year. But what does that equate to in terms of monthly spending?
Nearly a quarter (24%) spent between $51 and $100 each month on clothing items. Another 24% spend between $101 and $200.
Online Clothing Spend
Ecommerce continues to grow across all product sectors – including apparel. As such, we also wanted to understand how much consumers are spending online on clothing products.
The largest portion (25%) spend between $51 and $100 each month on clothing items. 23% spend between $101 and $200 online, and another 23% spend $50 or less.
Purchase Considerations for Clothing Shoppers
Consumers weigh many factors when considering whether to purchase a clothing item. However, some factors rise to the top.
Size and fit is #1 on the list; 92% of consumers consider this when considering a clothing purchase. 86% consider comfort, and 78% feel overall quality is important. Nearly three-quarters (74%) want to understand what a product looks like on people in real life.
It’s important to note that many of these factors are hard to access when shopping online. To bridge the gap, many clothing shoppers seek out user-generated content to learn about the experiences other customers have had with the product in question. We take a closer look at the importance of UGC for clothing shoppers here.
Key Information Sought Out by Clothing Shoppers
Clothing shoppers seek out different types of information to inform their purchase decisions. Not surprisingly, price tops the list. 83% of clothing shoppers say they look for pricing information to determine whether or not to purchase a clothing item.
User-generated content (UGC) is next on the list. Over three-quarters (77%) look for ratings and reviews when deciding whether or not to purchase an item of clothing, and 59% seek out photos and videos from others who have purchased the product in question.
Consumers Continue to Spend on Clothing
We may be in the midst of economic uncertainty. But many shoppers continue to spend on clothing.
Nearly a quarter (24%) have added between 11 and 20 clothing items to their wardrobes in the last 12 months; 23% have added between 21 and 30.
Clearly, there’s opportunity for clothing brands and retailers. However, it’s a crowded market. Brands and retailers must understand consumers’ expectations and what influences their behavior – and then adjust their strategies accordingly.
More Clothing is Being Purchased Online
Ecommerce is growing across all categories. Clothing is no exception. In fact, our survey respondents are spending the majority of their clothing budgets online.
Clothing brands and retailers must deliver winning digital experiences to the growing portion of consumers shopping for clothing online.
That said, brick-and-mortar isn’t dead. As such, the most successful brands will be those that deliver seamless, connected experiences across channels.
Clothing Shoppers Consider Many Factors – Many of Which Can Be Addressed with UGC
Clothing shoppers weigh myriad factors when making purchase decisions. Sizing, comfort and overall product quality top the list.
These factors can be difficult to assess when shopping online. While brand-provided content is important, most consumers also seek out unbiased feedback from those who have actually purchased and used the product in question.
It’s essential to prominently showcase user-generated content – including ratings and reviews, photos, and videos on your product pages and throughout your website. That way, consumers can get feedback on those hard-to-assess factors that can make or break a sale.
Ratings and Reviews are Second Only to Price in Terms of Importance
Clothing shoppers seek out many different types of information when deciding whether or not to purchase a given product. Not surprisingly (especially in today’s economy), price tops the list. However, ratings and reviews are a close second, followed by user-generated imagery.
Those shopping for clothing actively seek out user-generated feedback. If they come up short, they’re likely to look elsewhere. As such, it’s essential to ensure you have plenty of this content available for all of your clothing products.