Success factors of the customer journey 2018 for fashion retailers

Together with the market research institute Psyma, the agency examined the information and purchasing behavior of fashion buyers in the "Fashion Shopping 2017" study. A total of 939 luxury clothing buyers from Germany, the UK and the USA were surveyed on their information and purchasing behavior from January to June 2016. The study was presented for the first time in October 2017.

Success factors of the online customer journey:

Enable fitting

For 38% of fashion shoppers, the fit of clothing is the second most important factor in their purchase decision after the price (study by Delasocial and Psyma*). For fashion retailers, the implementation of virtual try-ons is a must. Less technically demanding methods include the integration of videos in which models present the clothing. Advice tools and size charts can also help - but are only useful if they are proactively offered to the customer.

Outfits awaken a desire for spontaneous purchases

Fashion is bought less spontaneously online than offline (65 versus 77 percent). To encourage spontaneous purchases online, retailers should present entire outfits rather than individual items of clothing. They inspire customers more and emotionalize the shopping experience. Outfits can be clustered in fashionable theme worlds that customers can easily browse through.

You are what you wear

27% of fashion shoppers who inform themselves via social media make their purchase decision based on recommendations from experts or influencers. Brands and retailers should include influencer marketing in their marketing mix and inspire the fashion victims among their customers with outfit suggestions from fashion icons.

Share shopping experiences

A fifth of fashion shoppers decide against online stores because they don't get advice from friends or sales staff. Yet online fashion shopping can also be staged as a community experience. Retailers should ensure that customers can easily share their looks and outfits with their friends directly in the store, for example via Messenger or on social media channels.

Dialog is dialog, no matter where

Customer dialog is the area of the customer journey with which fashion shoppers are most dissatisfied (27%). Retailers should see concerns from (potential) customers across all contact channels not as a burden, but as an opportunity. Many more listen to the conversation via social media - all the more reason to make an effort.

Success factors of the offline customer journey:

Better dovetailing of channels

57 percent of fashion shoppers get their information online. For a better cross-channel experience, marketers should combine online and social media advertising measures with the POS. For example, influencers can also act as shop-the-look testimonials in stores.

More information on the shelf

A fifth of fashion shoppers prefer to find information on retailer or brand websites rather than in-store because they can find more information online. Free Wi-Fi, QR codes on clothing or shelves and touchscreens, for example, help to compensate for this shortcoming in stores.

Use proximity to the store

40 percent of fashion shoppers still prefer to shop in brick-and-mortar stores because they get a visual and tactile impression of the clothing. To attract more visitors to the store, mobile ads are recommended, which are displayed when consumers are in the vicinity. The content of the ads can be current promotions at the POS or vouchers that can be redeemed immediately using QR or barcodes in the ad.

Delasocial explains further tips on how fashion brands and fashion retailers can offer their customers a better cross-channel experience in the latest white paper on the "Fashion Shopping 2017" study. It also describes how augmented and virtual reality as well as the Internet of Things can be used. The whitepaper can be downloaded at Fashionjourney.net can be downloaded against contact details.