Study: Apparel retailers still seek the perfect technology fit

As more shoppers embrace digital solutions, apparel retailers must merge online and offline experiences to drive e-commerce sales.



This was according to “Apparel Trend Report: Reconciling the Tech with the Tactile,” a report from Criteo that highlights the latest shopping trends in the apparel and accessories retail category. The report offers insight into shifting shopper behavior and actionable intelligence for retailers and brands as they seek to fully capitalize on the apparel e-commerce ecosystem.



On average, there are more than three products in every online shopping cart. Carts with an apparel item averaged $95.21 during the third quarter of 2016, highlighting the need for marketers to maximize cross-selling opportunities. Meanwhile, one-third of all apparel purchases were made via mobile phones during the weekends in December 2016 at the height of the holiday shopping season — a factor that suggests marketers need to adopt ‘mobile first’ strategies to capitalize on this trend.



Specifically, the Sunday peaks reflect the omnichannel nature of e-commerce. The average cart size hit $126 on Sunday, Nov. 13, and the second biggest day was Sunday, Dec. 7 — with shoppers likely identifying clothes in-store and purchasing online at a convenient time, the report said.



“The apparel and accessories category is witnessing a massive transformation,” said Jonathan Opdyke, president, Brand Solutions, Criteo.



“Millennial shoppers purchase the majority of their clothing and accessories online and retail storefronts are shifting to showrooming, in which shoppers can experience in real life and then purchase online,” he added. “Apparel brands and retailers must embrace the new ‘always-on’ retail paradigm, where seasonality plays less of a role and in-store and online technology innovation enhances the shopper experience.”



To attract the omnichannel shopper who is merging offline and online experiences, retailers should:



● Embrace in-store and online tech innovation: Augmented Reality experiences, as well as in-store technology, like eBay magic mirrors, enhance the shopping experience.



● Leverage sponsored product listings to drive awareness and sales: Sponsored products, which are relevant to the purchaser and multiple SKU categories like Apparel and Accessories, reach shoppers at the point of need.



● Explore your retail lifestyle: The top retailers all treat their sites like a combination of a store and Vogue: they tell lifestyle stories in which shoppers can ‘see themselves’ as they go through the purchase process.



● Use paid search to help increase organic rankings: Paid search is proven to drive immediate product sales with the added benefit of lifting search rankings overall.



● Personalize everything: The word “bespoke” is suddenly back – but this time it defines how an item of apparel is tailored through technology to be something unique and special, whether in the fit of the garment or other elements.



● Make e-commerce marketing an always-on strategy: E-commerce has fundamentally changed retailing seasonality. Marketers’ brand budgets must be able to cover not just traditional retail seasons like holidays and spring, but the entire year.



● Try before you buy: With subscription boxes like PopSugar and Bespoke Post, marketers can – and should – get their brands into the hands of shoppers. Cultivate these sampling programs that work especially well for accessories.



● Ditch print in favor of digital: There is no more effective way to build up your customer email database than permission to email shoppers their receipts. It’s a technique that consumers increasingly expect and can be used to connect offline shopper data sets to online ones for retargeting online based on offline purchasing patterns.