US Clothes Shoppers Driven by Necessity

July 5, 2011

harris-clothes-type-purchase-july-2011.JPGMore than one-third of US clothes shoppers (36%) made their most recent clothes purchase due to necessity, according to results of a May-June 2011 Harris Poll. This placed the US third in making necessity-driven clothes purchases among nine North American, Asian and European countries surveyed, behind Germany (43%) and France (41%).

The next-most-popular reasons for US shoppers to buy clothes are an item being on sale (20%), and an item catching the eye of a shopper who is browsing (19%).

9 in 10 Indians Like Clothes Shopping

harris-clothes-feelings-july-2011.JPGNine in 10 (92%) Indians say they like or love clothes shopping, giving India the highest rate of liking clothes shopping among all countries surveyed. China came in second at 39%, while the US ranked eighth at 38%.

US, France Lead in Dislike of Clothes Shopping

Interestingly, Americans and French had a much higher rate of disliking or hating clothes shopping (30% for each country) than any other nationality surveyed. Great Britain followed with 23%. Conversely, only 1% of respondents in India and Singapore disliked or hated clothes shopping.

Brands Crucial in China, India

harris-clothes-brand-july-20111.JPGRoughly three-quarters of respondents in India (74%) and China (72%) said brand names are very important or important in making decisions on purchasing clothes and fashion accessories. These rates were about twice the rate of respondents in the next-most-brand-conscious nation, Singapore (36%).

Germans were the least brand-conscious clothes shoppers (22%), while brand is very important or important to 26% of US consumers.

8 in 10 Indians, Chinese Have Made Clothes Purchase in Last Month

harris-clothes-last-purchase-july-20111.JPGRespondents from India (80%) and China (78%) also lead in likelihood to have made a clothes purchase in the last month, as well as in the last week (44% and 42%) and in more than a week but less than a month (36% of each).

Americans were most likely to have a made a purchase a month or more ago (55%) and more than three months ago (31%), and tied with Singaporeans for having made a purchase more than a month ago but less than three months ago (25%).

Apparel Shopping Importance Grows in US

Department and discount store shopping for apparel have become increasingly important for consumers, according to December 2010 data from Stores Magazine and BIGresearch. In 2010, one-quarter (25.2%) of respondents said department store shopping is untouchable, up close to 20% from the 21.4% who said so in 2009. The survey also found that consumers really aren’t willing to sacrifice a new pair of jeans these days (24% said new jeans are untouchable in 2010, up almost 20% from 20.6% in 2009).

About the Data: This Harris Poll was conducted online within the United States (from May 24 to 26), Singapore, Hong Kong, India and China (from June 1 to 10, 2011) and Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain and Italy (from May 25 to June 1, 2011) among 9,222 adults (aged 18 and over).

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