T-shirts, tops and trainers drive UK online fashion spend

T-shirts, tops and trainers are the most commonly purchased clothing items when it comes to buying online, new research from Royal Mail reveals.

A survey of over 502 consumers’ online shopping activity revealed that almost half (46 per cent) purchase t-shirts and tops, while trainers (72 per cent) are the most commonly purchased item of footwear online. Sandals (50 per cent), smart shoes (38 per cent) and boots (34 per cent) are also popular.

When asked why shoppers opt to buy online, 64 percent said it’s because they can make purchases in their own time, 53 percent said they are attracted by a wider choice of products and 42 percent said it’s because of cheaper prices.

For footwear shoppers, being able to make purchases in their own time (56 per cent) was the main reason they chose to shop online, while a wide range of choice (54 per cent) and cheaper prices (44 per cent) were also important.

So what does the average online shopper look like? They are 46 years old, most likely female and live in the suburbs, according to the research. They also spend an average of 28 pounds online per month compared to 27 pounds in-store.

The average footwear shopper is slightly younger at 42 years old, is also more likely to be female and live in the suburbs, and spends 27 pounds online per month compared to 22 pounds in-store.

Convenience, range of choice and price most important for online shoppers

Social media, quite unsurprisingly, plays a big part in influencing online shoppers, with almost half (49 per cent) saying it affects their decisions when purchasing clothing and accessories. Breaking this down, digital content concerning discounts and offers are the most influential (48 per cent), followed by friends’ recommendations (42 per cent) and retailer adverts (41 per cent).

Social media is also important for footwear shoppers, with three in five saying it influences their purchases. Online offers (56 per cent) and friends’ recommendations (50 per cent) are far more influential than celebrity endorsements (17 per cent) and blogger recommendations (28 per cent).

The data also showed that the delivery experience plays a key role in driving customers online. In particular, shoppers like delivery tracking (20 percent) and the option to collect items if they are not in (14 percent). As much as 42 percent of shoppers said they are prepared to pay more for the convenience of a home delivery..

The delivery experience is also key for footwear shoppers, with almost two thirds (64 per cent) feeling more confident when ordering online with tracking.

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