Over the past decade, online fashion shopping has risen dramatically across the world. Customers now expect to be able to purchase clothes, shoes, and accessories conveniently from their phones or computers. The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 further accelerated this trend, as lockdowns and store closures pushed even more shopping online. Research shows global fashion ecommerce sales increased an estimated 27% between 2019 to 2020. And these sales are projected to continue growing rapidly in the coming years.
Convenience and Selection Driving Customers Online
One of the biggest appeals of online fashion shopping is convenience. Customers can easily browse thousands of products from the comfort of their homes at any time without worrying about store hours or dealing with traffic. They also have access to a much wider selection than what can be stocked in physical stores. Online retailers can feature inventory from all over the world, giving customers nearly unlimited choices. This massive selection means shoppers are more likely to find exactly what they want without settling for alternatives. The convenience and selection of online shopping have made it the preferred method for many modern fashion consumers.
Growth Across Fashion Ecommerce Industry
The growth of global Fashion Ecommerce is happening all over the world. While more developed markets like North America and Western Europe led the way early on, emerging markets are starting to see even faster increases. Asia Pacific in particular has seen explosive growth, accounting for over 50% of the global fashion ecommerce market in 2020 according to some estimates. China alone represented over 40% of total Asian Pacific online fashion sales that year. Latin America and the Middle East/Africa regions are also seeing strong double-digit increases in fashion purchases made over the internet as more consumers go online. No region is being left out of the worldwide shift to online fashion shopping.
Mobile Drives the Boom
A huge part of the global online fashion boom can be attributed to increased mobile use. More people are making purchases directly through smartphone apps and mobile websites instead of only desktop computers. In fact, over three-quarters of all online fashion sales worldwide in 2020 occurred via mobile devices. This shift has been great for both consumers and retailers. Customers gain even more convenience by being able shop from their phones anywhere, anytime. Meanwhile, retailers can meet shoppers where they increasingly spend their time – on mobile. By optimizing sites and apps for phones, online fashion companies are tapping into the largest segment of ecommerce growth worldwide.
Cross-Border Shopping Emerges
As the digital world grows more connected, cross-border online fashion shopping is also increasing significantly. Consumers now venture outside their local markets in search of unique products, better prices, or hard-to-find sizes and styles. This type of international ecommerce allows exposure to niches and cultures from around the globe. Top cross-border fashion categories include modest, plus size, athletic, and niche brand apparel not always readily available in certain markets. These overseas purchases were already rising quickly before COVID-19, and have accelerated further since as options became even more limited locally. Cross-border shopping now represents around 15-20% of total global online fashion sales and looks set for sustained long term growth.
Challenges of Supply Chain and Delivery
While online fashion shopping continues booming, it does face challenges retailers must address – particularly around supply chain and delivery logistics. Shipping products across long distances takes more coordination and planning. Issues like customs delays, duties/taxes, and inaccuracies in addresses become more common with cross-border transactions. Within countries as well, the sheer volume of parcels from thousands of daily online orders puts pressure on carrier networks. Delivering purchases promptly yet affordably remains an area fashion ecommerce companies focus on improving. Standardizing infrastructure, establishing regional distribution hubs, optimizing packaging, and investing in innovative delivery options all help alleviate these supply chain strain points over time. Continued enhancements will be required to satisfy the rising expectations of digital fashion customers worldwide.
Personalization and Marketplaces Emerge
As global fashion ecommerce matures, retailers are finding new ways to enhance the customer experience. Personalization plays a key role, with tools that learn shopper preferences over time to deliver hyper-targeted product recommendations. AI and advanced analytics power these personalization engines by understanding individual behavior patterns across websites, apps, and activity on social media. Marketplaces are also growing in popularity, allowing smaller brands and independent designers to reach worldwide audiences. Powered by leading ecommerce platforms, these digital bazaars provide extensive communities for discovery plus logistics and transaction management. Both personalization technologies and online fashion marketplaces will continue revolutionizing how fashion is consumed digitally around the globe in the future.
The fashion ecommerce sector worldwide has seen tremendous growth over the past decade and will only expand further moving forward. More customers in developing regions are gaining internet access and transitioning online for their shopping needs. Widespread adoption of mobile devices ensures anytime-anywhere access to global digital fashion selections. Advanced technologies will continue enhancing the customer experience through personalized recommendations, seamless content across touchpoints, and marketplaces connecting every part of the world. While logistical challenges around scale remain, innovation keeps resolving these issues to satisfy rising consumer expectations. Overall global fashion ecommerce is positioned for ongoing surge and will majorly impact how we view digital fashion ownership in years to come. The future remains bright for this booming worldwide industry.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
Author Bio:
Money Singh is a seasoned content writer with over four years of experience in the market research sector. Her expertise spans various industries, including food and beverages, biotechnology, chemical and materials, defense and aerospace, consumer goods, etc. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/money-singh-590844163)
