PlusOne – Marketing Musings

Do you buy clothing online? To me its an unthinkable activity because of the sizing issues. Change brand and the sizing regime seems to go out the window. Plus the difficulty of exchange. It is all so much easier at the shop.

However in the USA things seem to be different. Possibly this is to do with their history of catalogue buying or possibly when you buy a shirt n one size, no mater the manufacturer, that shirt will fit. Or possibly once people have bought one shirt from one suplier and it fit, they are incredibly loyal…as long as you gut does not get too big

So maybe this is why clothing sales in the USA are continuing to grow.

Research indicates that that online clothing sales reach $9.6 billion in the USA in 2006,with that number expected to grow by 18% this year.

This is despite a preference of buyers to be able to touch and feel the merchandise. Yet online sales continue to grow.

So why is there this growth in online clothing sales?

It appears that online retailers are finally overcoming the ‘database presentation’ mentality. This is where the website is merely a  pretty interface to the core product information in the database.

Instead a more ‘human needs’ approach is being taken to overcome customer resistance to actually purchasing online.

Internet clothing retailers are pioneering the use of visualization tools, personalising service (finally) and adopting liberal shipping and return policies – we all need to be able to return goods that are the wrong size.

Of course these modifications to online business practice can be applied  to any other product category.

Have views or experiences on this topic – please share them via comments 

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