As the pandemic rages on in India and lockdowns the norm, more and more people are shopping online. A category that has witnessed a boom in the work from home era is lingerie. 

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has wrought a tremendous change in the online shopping behaviour of Indians. E-commerce giants are here to stay and the pandemic ensured that innumerable niche players jumped on to the online bandwagon. And one category that has emerged as one of the fastest growing categories in recent times is lingerie. 

According to Wikipedia, the Indian lingerie market reached $3 billion in 2017 and is estimated to touch $6.5 billion by the year 2023. The rising middle class population and an increasing number of financially independent women can be seen as the prime factors behind this robust growth. Some of the other major factors pushing the growth of online sale of lingerie are: 

Changed shopping behavior 

Lingerie shopping has come a long way, and is no more a hush-hush thing. Amidst the pandemic, the purchase of lingerie has undergone a drastic change. Pre-pandemic, women chose to buy innerwear from physical stores where they could look, touch and feel the products. However, due to COVID-19 and the mandatory lockdowns, customers were forced to stay indoors triggering a shift in purchasing behaviour. Women now are buying their innerwear from e-commerce platforms that offer them varied designs at good discounts along with doorstep delivery. This also offers them better privacy.

The increasing smartphone and internet usage along with a strong social media with its wide reach has played a vital role in tapping the target category of young and modern females and has helped in increased sales of lingerie via e-commerce platforms.

Comfort factor

To prevent the spread of the disease and save lives, everyone had to follow the 'Stay home Stay safe' guideline. Spending the whole day at home can be a challenge in itself and casualwear along with lingerie brought comfort and a feel-good experience in people's day to day life. 

The comfort factor while working at home also served as a catalyst in online sale of lingerie. Moreover, social media helped consumers understand the importance of self-hygiene and the benefits of good quality lingerie. With millions of women working from home, they opted for comfort and self-care. 

Shopping trends 

Tapping into what today's woman wants, manufacturers and brands have come  up with many varieties and categories which online aggregators sell in reasonable rates and a host of attractive offers. Online shopping comes with various benefits like availability of wide variety, products in different sizes, well stocked pieces that offer complete information about the fabric, guidelines on 'how to wash', how to style the product, and the like. Plus, there is a wide range of bralettes, activewear, resort wear, sports bra, chemises, bodysuits, hosiery, plus size lingerie, and lots more for women to choose from as per their choice and requirements.  

Men have also emerged as significant buyers of women's intimate wear, specially during the wedding season.

While there is no denying that the traditional method of purchasing innerwear from the physical stores might not be over yet, the freedom that online lingerie shopping has to offer could indeed take sales of intimate apparel to the next level in the times ahead.