Both trends and the fashion ecommerce sector change quickly.
In only the past ten years, the online buying and selling of fashion and apparel-related goods, such as clothes, accessories, and shoes, has expanded and changed rapidly. The fashion ecommerce industry has completely changed as a result of developments in social fashion e-commerce, omnichannel marketing, and even augmented shopping experiences. This has compelled firms to adopt new technology and develop a purchasing experience that appeals to customers of all demographics.
In fact, according to Statista, sales of clothing and fashion ecommerce will account for 20% of all retail sales in 2024. Retailers must continue to be flexible and adjust to changing customer needs if they hope to maintain a portion of the online fashion e-commerce market.
To help fashion and clothing firms remain ahead of the competition and enhance their e-commerce strategy, we have put together a list of some of the most popular trends and tactics.
Trends to watch in fashion e-commerce:
Convenience and ease of use are two of the main drivers of e-commerce. However, a growing number of fashion ecommerce firms are also utilizing their potential to enhance the efficiency and personalization of shopping experiences.
Most significantly, artificial intelligence has completely changed the fashion sector by enabling companies to update every aspect of their operations. AI may be used in your fashion business in a myriad of ways, such as supply chain optimization, trend forecasting, and consumer behavior analysis.
Chatbots are among the most popular (and well-established) uses of AI on the internet. Chatbots respond with details on a customer’s request, like “I would like to return a piece of clothing.” AI may be used in your fashion business in a myriad of ways, such as supply chain optimization, trend forecasting, and consumer behavior analysis.
Chatbots are among the most popular (and well-established) uses of AI on the internet. Chatbots provide specifics regarding a customer’s request, such as “I want to return clothing,” in response. Many businesses can integrate this simple technology onto their websites with a few clicks. For many customers, having flexible payment alternatives is the best aspect of the checkout experience. If there are not enough payment options accessible, 13% of customers will leave their carts empty. Try to provide options such as digital wallet payments like PayPal or Apple Wallet, or one-click checkout options like Bolt.
One of the most popular new payment methods is buy now, pay later (BNPL), especially in the e-commerce fashion industry. By working with companies like Klarna, Sezzle, and Affirm to enable online shoppers to pay in installments without paying extra interest, clothing manufacturers may boost conversion rates, average order values, and sales.
Enhance the experience of shopping.
Both online and physical clothing retailers have embraced the augmented reality (AR) business, which is expected to grow to a value of $78 billion by 2028. Smart-fitting technologies now allow clients to find the right size by supplying their specific measurements or inputting their normal sizes for other companies. Beyond this functionality, other technologies use 3D technology to show the customer exactly how a thing will appear. AR fitting rooms give customers a clear image of the size, fit, and style of a product by recognizing its contours and allowing them to select which articles of clothing they wish to put on from the comfort of their mobile device.
Real-time product interaction not only offers online buyers a more engaging experience but also gives them the confidence to make purchases they might have been hesitant to make at first. Shopping is a social activity.
Anyone who spends time on social media can see the slow progression. Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok have evolved over the last few years into social media hubs as well as social commerce hubs.
In fact, according to 2023, fashion ecommerce and clothing accounted for 26% of sales on social media platforms, making it the most popular product category. Additionally, 110.4 million individuals are expected to shop on social media in 2024, according to Insider Intelligence.
The popularity of experiences like one-click checkout and live shopping, which make it simple for users to search for and purchase items, has led to these channels becoming more and more customer-friendly. Additionally, social commerce offers a low barrier to entry, allowing fashion e-commerce companies of all sizes to grow their clientele, increase brand recognition, and offer a smooth buying experience.
Sustainability is still of utmost importance:
Sustainability is more than just a catchphrase for today’s internet shoppers. More than 70% of consumers stated they would be prepared to pay extra for products made responsibly, per a recent PwC poll.
Many fashion ecommerce businesses are now embracing more environmentally friendly practices, such as secondhand retailing, in the face of rapid fashion companies like Shein and Zalando, which have long been condemned for their labor abuses and detrimental effects on the environment. In actuality, it is anticipated that the US e-commerce resale market will reach $80.60 billion this year, representing a 3.4% increase from the previous year.
See BigCommerce’s research on Global fashion ecommerce Insights for Fashion Retailers for additional noteworthy e-commerce fashion trends.
Assessing whether a technological trend is appropriate for your online store.
Even while everyone enjoys sparkling new toys, it might not be wise for your company to abandon everything and follow the latest technological fad. Here are some things to think about before implementing a new e-commerce technology.
Expenses.
There is a cost associated with each addition to your company’s IT stack. That can occasionally be a financial expense, such as monthly software or service fees, or license fees. That can occasionally be time-consuming, particularly when incorporating new tools or software into workflows that already exist. Regardless of the price, it is critical for your company to assess whether the tool or service’s perceived value justifies the expense.
Requirements for business:
FOMO abounds in the tech sector. New technology arises, becomes popular for a while, and then vanishes from the conversation as fast as it appeared.
A new piece of technology may be just what you need at times. Your SEO team might find that a generative artificial intelligence copywriter to be a very useful optimization trick. Returns depending on size could be greatly aided by a new augmented reality technology. Some new technologies, however, may cause more harm than good. Just because you do not want to miss anything, do not leap on the newest trends and subjects. They make sense for your business, so take advantage of them.
According to history, humans began wearing garments or materials from 40,000 to 3 million years ago. The exact date of its beginning is unknown.
However, human cultures began producing garments by hand and weaving textiles. They also made use of cloth, leather, and skins.
Clothes have a very long history. So, it’s hard to know when clothes started, as it could have been millions of years ago. However, it is time to discuss fashion design’s past.
1. Always keep an eye on the trends:
The meanings of these developments vary.
The stats are the first trend you should research. It refers to the needs, market value, successful business model tactics employed by other brand owners, etc.
The products themselves will be the next big thing. Given how quickly the fashion industry moves, particularly in light of social media… You need to keep up with the design trends in fashion.
In this manner, you will know what clothing to produce or procure for customers of contemporary fashion.
Due to its main advantages, which consumers adore, the fashion e-commerce sector is one of the fastest-growing online marketplaces. These advantages include creative and consistently surprising product descriptions, motivational visualization techniques, and a high degree of human presence as demonstrated by reviews, testimonials, and social media sharing. Because of these factors, purchasing online has become a lot like shopping in physical places. However, these are just a few essentials that any online fashion store should offer to clients to increase conversion rates.
After ranking second in the US for retail e-commerce sales for the last four years, the online fashion industry is predicted to nearly triple its 2010 ($28 billion) revenues by 2016. With sales rising from $35 billion in 2010 to an anticipated $80 billion in 2016, computers and consumer electronics rank first. Therefore, if you want to be successful in this very competitive industry, you must adapt your online store to the needs of your clients and offer them something unique that will position you as a top brand in fashion e-commerce.
Suggestions for Your Online Fashion Store
1. Creative Presentations of Products
It is well known that customers cannot feel the texture of clothing in an online store. The main way to get rid of this concern is to provide customers the opportunity to shop in your online store in real life so they can examine the fabrics and even touch the clothing.