Survey: Apparel driving consumer spending across channels

No big surprise that apparel continues to be the most popular retail category across all channels, but what is noteworthy is that clothing purchases show no sign of slowing, particularly online.



A survey by Onestop Internet revealed that the apparel category is driving online growth, with 45% of respondents saying they plan to buy more clothing online than any other retail category in the next 12 months.



Of the 80% of respondents who reported making an apparel purchase within the last year, 75% said they've made a clothing purchase online. Furthermore, 52% of those who have made an online apparel purchase in the last year said they plan to purchase more clothing online in the next year.



The results also indicate a substantial growth opportunity for online apparel retailers, as a quarter of respondents that did not make any online purchases within the last year said they plan to buy clothing online in the next 12 months.



"We're seeing consumers that have never bought online expressing plans to take that first step with apparel,” said Michael Wang, president and CEO of Onestop.



Wang added that the improvement in consumer confidence with buying clothing online is likely due to increasingly flexible return policies and the influx of online retailers like Warby Parker that offer shoppers the ability to try on at home before purchasing.