Fashion sales surge with end of lockdown in sight

There has been a surge in online fashion shopping in the UK, particularly for sunny weather-related products, following the announcement of England’s roadmap out of lockdown, new data reveals.

According to UK software company Salesfire, the fashion and travel industries both received sales boosts since Boris Johnson outlined a “cautious” easing of lockdown restrictions.

The roadmap, announced on February 23, included the reopening of non-essential stores from April 12 and the lifting of all restrictions on social distancing by June 21.

Monthly data gathered from 3,000 online retailers by Salesfire’s e-commerce analytics platform, TrendDesk, showed total orders with UK online retailers surged more than 75 percent year-on-year following the news.

The fashion sector did particularly well, with orders up 119 percent, a hint that shoppers are readying up to venture outside and reunite with friends after a year of on-and-off lockdowns, suggested Salesfire CEO Rich Himsworth.

“The reopening of non-essential retail stores from April could have seen shoppers hold back on online orders, but demand remains really strong compared to last year,” Himsworth said in a statement. “So many consumers have adapted to the convenience of buying from home, so the surge in demand for online retail we have seen over the last year is likely to continue.”

Shoppers seek fashion for sunny weather

In a separate indication that shoppers are prepping for post-lockdown life, members-only shopping app Wholee Prime revealed it has seen bumper sales of summer products following the government’s roadmap announcement last Monday.

The Singapore-based app, which works on a zero-mark-up pricing model, said it saw week-on-week sales of sunglasses and sunhats increase by over 600 percent, while its swimwear ranges for men and women recorded a seven-fold increase compared to the pre-lockdown period.

Sales of travel suitcases, beach towels, and men’s flip-flops also increased by 220 percent, 160 percent and 100 percent, respectively.

“We’re delighted with this sales data. Not only do they reflect the hope expressed by millions of British consumers the length and breadth of the country, but they also reflect the trusted role Wholee Prime is playing in the eyes of consumers as their trusted go-to shopping platform of choice,” said a Wholee Prime spokesperson.

Since its launch last year, the Wholee Prime app has been downloaded more than 2 million times.

Image: courtesy of Andrea Piacquadio, Pexels