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E-com to play a key role in apparel sector success: NPD

13 Jul '20
2 min read
Pic: Shutterstock
Pic: Shutterstock

E-commerce will continue to play a strong role in the apparel industry’s success, particularly while the in-store shopping experience feels different from what consumers are accustomed to, according to the ‘Future of Apparel’ report by The NPD Group, which found in June that more than half of the planned apparel purchases of US consumers for the next two weeks would be made online.

This is supported by NPD’s checkout receipt harvesting research, which showed online purchase activity across key softlines channels holding steady at 50 per cent above pre-COVID-19 levels in the first half of June, even as store activity increased.

“The pandemic forced an increase in online shopping out of necessity, and the result was a stronger connection with the apparel consumer,” said Maria Rugolo, apparel industry analyst at The NPD Group. “Consumers have embraced new shopping habits.”

US apparel has been one of the hardest hit general merchandise industries during the COVID-19 pandemic, with year-over-year dollar losses nearing 45 per cent in the three months ending May 2020. But online shopping has been an increasing source of optimism as apparel e-commerce unit sales increased 30 per cent compared to last year, and dollars grew 4 per cent.

Brick-and-mortar stores are reopening, restoring the consumer’s ability to touch and feel clothing before making a purchase, but the shopping experience will feel different.

In May, nearly a third of consumers said they would be uncomfortable with shopping in a store once stay-at-home orders related to the pandemic were relaxed, according to a press release from the group.

Every retail channel has seen online unit growth during the pandemic, but much of apparel’s online momentum during the pandemic has come from the mass and athletic specialty channels.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

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