Value retailers not maximising online fashion

Multichannel value fashion brands are losing out on online sales due to poorly designed websites, according to the 2010 Multichannel Fashion Report from GSI Commerce International. Value fashion brands are failing to connect with their online

shopper and 40% of online shoppers avoid buying due to lack of images and poor usability. The survey reveals that, while 6 in 10 consumers would visit a fashion brand’s website if the product was out of stock in store, value fashion retailers are leaking sales due to a lack of extra web functions essential in converting visits into sales.

Multichannel fashion retailers have to pull out all the stops to satisfy the very specific demands of customers. Over two thirds (69%) of apparel customers cite an inability to physically touch items as the main deterrent for purchasing online.

40 per cent of customers would currently avoid purchase if they saw no lifestyle images of products on the website, and nearly half (48%) would not make a sale if there was only one product image available.

The report reveals that customers of value multichannel fashion retailers are not swayed by low prices alone when buying online. Over half of consumers claim that features such as image zoom (58%) and 360 rotation of products (51%) will increase the likelihood of online purchase.

89 per cent of pensive value shoppers also claimed a poor multichannel returns process was the main deterrent from shopping on a fashion brand’s website.

Steve Davis, EVP and President International of GSI Commerce commented: “It’s clear that the lower the price of your products, the more you have to do to garner that all important product quality trust with customers. The results of the report show that value retailers have to make the most of web functionality to turn a browse into a sale, so ensure that you’re not simply displaying one product image on the website.”

“Give consumers the luxury of ‘build the look’ applications on the website, which allows them to speculatively match different items of clothing by colour and material, amongst other factors. Providing a search filter that allows categorisation by size, colour and availability has also proved extremely popular, and gives your website that extra added convenience that store level can’t provide as well. It’s really quite simple: take the pain out of shopping online, by bringing the store experience as far as possible to your web users.”

Image: Sale