Online Shopping has been on a rise in the past years. This has been true especially since the advent of the Covid towards the end of 2019. People have been restricted in terms of when, where, and at what time they can venture outside. Stores on the other hand have had faced restrictions with regards to when and for how long they can open up. This has increasingly led stores as well as consumers to get online.
Now, that stores have ventured online, they are facing a need to well understand the online shopping behaviour, of consumers. Through data and analytics, online businesses can understand the quantitative factors about their existing as well as potential consumers.
However, there is also a need for a qualitative approach to understanding online shopping behaviour. Here, we have tried to gauge the online shopping behaviour for an apparel based on not the quantitative, but the qualitative understanding.
Online Shopping Behaviour for Apparel:
• The conservative shopping behaviour: There are many conservative shoppers for whom the physical purchase of apparel is the perfect way of shopping. For them seeing and feeling the product before they make an actual purchase is of utmost importance. For such shoppers, online shopping is only an alternative when physical / in-store shopping is not possible. These people require online shopping to feel simple and easy. The website should be easy to navigate, should preferably provide free shipping, and doesn’t have unnecessary hassle like registration. They will prefer to have Cash On Delivery Options so that they can make sure of the quality of the apparel and then only pay for it.
These are the types of shoppers who wouldn’t shop online if it is feasible for them to shop physically from the store. If online stores can provide such shoppers with an easy and clear experience of online shopping, they would be then better inclined to shop from the same website.
• Spontaneous shoppers: Many online apparel shoppers are spontaneous with their purchases. They tend to be active and emotional with their online shopping. Online stores tend to advertise largely various discounts or new sales. These shoppers are easily swayed by such offers and will spontaneously shop when there are good sales or better apparel selection. The fact that online shopping is easy and fast enables them to make purchases now and then spontaneously.
Considering such online shopping behaviour, online apparel stores can target such consumers through email marketing of new sales, providing some discounts/ benefits/ giveaways on larger purchases, reduced shipping cost, or free shipping, etc. Also, such shoppers will be shopping quickly and don’t spend much time in decision-making. Thus, proper visuals too will better help cater to such consumers.
• The forerunners: This is the online shopping behaviour in which the shopper is very comfortable as well as experienced in online shopping. Online consumers are well aware of all the new trends and can easily adjust to any new technicalities. These consumers are not emotional and take their time in making purchase decisions they will take their time finding the right brands, comparing features, reviews, and prices, etc.
These people tend to follow fashion influencers or trendsetters and make purchases accordingly. Also, they will come back to an online store if they have a previous good experience. They will even leave reviews and comments on their purchases.
These are some of the Online Shopping Behaviours for apparel that is apparent in online consumers. Online stores need to understand these consumers’ behaviour and accordingly cater to their needs to increase their sales.
