Almost half of British consumers claim that ease and cost of delivery are the primary deciding factor when ordering clothing online. However, retailers spending big on sponsorship could be wasting their money as consumers fail to engage. The online fashion shopping insights are the results of an an international survey into online shopping habits.
The survey found that 49% of UK shoppers put the ease & cost of delivery as a priority above the price of the garment (45.6%) and the quality of the garment (37.4%) they are buying, with the ease and cost of returning items (37.4%) and the speed of delivery (31.58%) ranking almost equal to the specifics of the products purchased.
The findings are from a global study on shopping habits and concerns of 6,000 women across the UK, USA, Italy, Australia and Japan, conducted on behalf of DHL, the global experts in fashion retail and logistics. The research showed different priorities in different countries, with consumers in Japan, Australia and the USA being driven more heavily by the price of the garment(s), while Italians placed the strongest emphasis on the speed of delivery.
“We live in a society where instant gratification is the norm, and the key to a successful e-commerce business is providing a positive experience in terms of delivering the product to the consumer seamlessly. A poor delivery experience after purchase is the equivalent of substandard service in a bricks and mortar store, leaving a bad taste in a customer’s mouth.”
– Fashion and retail expert, Karen Kay
“Online clothing and footwear shopping has moved from being a curiosity 20 years ago to a huge £4.48 billion global industry. Our survey results found many consumers have very high standards for service. Speed of delivery and ease of return are real drivers for customers and businesses that offer quality delivery services are often the preferred option.”
– Arjan Sissing, SVP Brand Marketing, Deutsche Post DHL Group
Shoppers around the world were in agreement that the convenience of the ‘anytime, anywhere’ purchase was the thing they value most about online shopping, with competitive pricing proving the second most popular driver. UK consumers cited the ability to try garments in the comfort of their home, with existing items in their wardrobe, as the third reason for shopping online, while respondents in Japan, the US, Italy and Australia gave the ability to compare prices easily as their third reason for ordering online.
When it comes to purchase decisions and issues that might affect their choices, one in four British customers (24.48%) say their priority is the welfare of the brand’s staff, while 22% suggest that hearing negative news coverage on a business would affect whether they buy from them or not. Almost one in five UK shoppers care about a brand’s carbon footprint (19.1%), and the bio-degradability of their garments (19%) once they are disposed of. Only one in 40 British shoppers cites celebrity ambassadors as relevant to their purchase decisions, with just 6.5% interested in a brand’s sponsorship of sports, cultural or arts groups, events or initiatives.
