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1 in 10 UK shoppers buy clothes for hashtag moment: Study
21 Aug '18
3 min read
Courtesy: Barclaycard
Almost one in ten Brits reveal that they have bought clothes online (9 per cent) to wear once with the aim of posting a photo to social media and subsequently returning their purchases, according to a new study that shows that ‘outfit of the day’ posts have literally become just that. This rises to almost one in five among 35-44 year olds (17 per cent).
Surprisingly, it is men who are more ‘socially self-conscious’ than women – with 12 per cent posting a clothing item on social media and then returning it to an online retailer compared to only 7 per cent of women, as per the new research from Barclaycard. Consumer research was conducted by Opinium surveying 2,002 adults.
One in ten men also say they would feel embarrassed for a friend to see them in the same outfit twice compared to 7 per cent of women, says the report. More men (15 per cent) also admit to wearing clothes with the tags on in case they want to return them, compared to 11 per cent of women.
Additional Barclaycard research has also revealed that men are bigger spenders on fashion than women. Despite common assumptions, men’s spending on clothes and shoes totals £114 per person each month, equating to over £300 more per person than women a year.
The rise of the ‘try before you buy’ policy, which allows shoppers to order clothes online and only buy them if they decide to keep them, may well be contributing to the ‘snap and send back’ trend. More than three in ten Brits (31 per cent) say they are more likely to return items they purchase online using ‘try before you buy’ because they do not have to pay for the item beforehand.
“It’s interesting to see the social media trend further fuelling the returns culture. Retailers are adopting new processes to make returns easier as they know how important this is to customers. But to ensure shoppers are getting more wear out of their clothes - for posting on social media or for those real-life moments - retailers could think about introducing more varied photography and video content to their websites. By showing how to style items for different looks and how they will appear when worn, they could reduce the number of shoppers ‘snapping and sending back’,” said George Allardice, head of strategy, Barclaycard Payment Solutions.
“If you’re looking to buy new outfits in-store, try them on before you purchase and you can take some practice shots for social media so that you have an idea on how the clothes will look in photos. When purchasing new outfits online check if there is an option to see how they will appear in real-life. Many retailers offer ‘online catwalk’ videos or even better, ‘virtual fitting rooms’ to see how clothes will fit your size and shape. This way, you will avoid disappointment and start to understand the styles which will suit you best,” said celebrity stylist Alex Longmore. (KD)
Surprisingly, it is men who are more ‘socially self-conscious’ than women – with 12 per cent posting a clothing item on social media and then returning it to an online retailer compared to only 7 per cent of women, as per the new research from Barclaycard. Consumer research was conducted by Opinium surveying 2,002 adults.
One in ten men also say they would feel embarrassed for a friend to see them in the same outfit twice compared to 7 per cent of women, says the report. More men (15 per cent) also admit to wearing clothes with the tags on in case they want to return them, compared to 11 per cent of women.
Additional Barclaycard research has also revealed that men are bigger spenders on fashion than women. Despite common assumptions, men’s spending on clothes and shoes totals £114 per person each month, equating to over £300 more per person than women a year.
The rise of the ‘try before you buy’ policy, which allows shoppers to order clothes online and only buy them if they decide to keep them, may well be contributing to the ‘snap and send back’ trend. More than three in ten Brits (31 per cent) say they are more likely to return items they purchase online using ‘try before you buy’ because they do not have to pay for the item beforehand.
“It’s interesting to see the social media trend further fuelling the returns culture. Retailers are adopting new processes to make returns easier as they know how important this is to customers. But to ensure shoppers are getting more wear out of their clothes - for posting on social media or for those real-life moments - retailers could think about introducing more varied photography and video content to their websites. By showing how to style items for different looks and how they will appear when worn, they could reduce the number of shoppers ‘snapping and sending back’,” said George Allardice, head of strategy, Barclaycard Payment Solutions.
“If you’re looking to buy new outfits in-store, try them on before you purchase and you can take some practice shots for social media so that you have an idea on how the clothes will look in photos. When purchasing new outfits online check if there is an option to see how they will appear in real-life. Many retailers offer ‘online catwalk’ videos or even better, ‘virtual fitting rooms’ to see how clothes will fit your size and shape. This way, you will avoid disappointment and start to understand the styles which will suit you best,” said celebrity stylist Alex Longmore. (KD)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India
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