Asos Marketplace reports lockdown growth

Asos Marketplace, the platform where customers can shop the best new and vintage fashion from independent boutiques around the world, has reported “strong sales” as well as brand and traffic growth in April and May as consumers turn to online vintage fashion.

In April, Asos Marketplace added 80 new independent boutiques after lockdown measures created a “surging demand” for brands who primarily sell through bricks-and-mortar stores or at markets to have an online presence. This increase is close to 100 percent growth in brands on last year, added Asos.

One of the key new additions to the marketplace is Truman Markets, the world-famous market situated on London’s vintage hotspot Brick Lane, which has launched a virtual market supporting its fashion traders and has added more than 20 sellers on the platform.

To support these new boutiques and offer opportunities for small fashion businesses, Asos added that it has waived its monthly rental fee for new and existing independent retailers to help them continue to trade during lockdown on Asos Marketplace.

As well as increasing interest from bricks-and-mortar boutiques, Asos Marketplace has also reported “strong growth” in year-on-year sales and customer traffic during lockdown.

Truman Markets launches on Asos Marketplace as demand for vintage fashion online surges

Customer behaviour on Asos Marketplace has also shifted, with the surge in demand for loungewear across the country translating to year-on-sales in April increasing dramatically for jumpers up 421 percent, womenswear hoodies increased by 119 percent and sweatshirts by 166 percent. In addition, shoppers have also been stocking up on socks, particularly trend-led tie-dyed versions, with sales up 1,418 percent compared to last year.

Jo Hunt, head of Asos Marketplace at Asos, said in a statement: "We’ve always strived to use Asos Marketplace to support and foster young, independent fashion boutiques and talent, helping them grow their businesses and at times even move over to the main Asos site.

“Now more than ever, we’re grateful we can use our platform to assist fashion traders and boutiques that would otherwise normally rely on foot traffic, and we’re incredibly excited both to be partnering with the world-famous Truman Markets to bring its sellers onboard and for what the future holds for Asos Marketplace.”

Since Asos Marketplace launched in 2010, it has supported thousands of international small brands, giving them an online space to sell vintage and independent fashion as well as access to Asos’ global customer base of fashion-loving twenty-somethings.

Currently there are more than 800 brands from around the world and over 130,000 products, ranging from vintage pieces sourced by its community of expert vintage boutiques to unique fashion designed and created by the latest independent brands on Asos Marketplace.

Images: courtesy of Asos; main image - Lucky Girl Vintage; other image - HMS Vintage