Apparel shoppers in the US are more likely to be buying clothes on Amazon than any other online retailer, according to a recent study. Half (50.7%) of the 2,000 consumers surveyed for the report [download page] from CPC Strategy said they shopped for clothing with Amazon within the last six months, compared to the one-third (33.9%) who shopped from the runner-up, Walmart.
Why are so many shoppers buying their apparel on Amazon? The answer seems to be primarily because of the free and fast shipping offered by Amazon. More than one-third (36.9%) of respondents who had purchased clothing on Amazon said they valued this feature above all others.
Likely lulled by Prime, free shipping is the most prevalent reason why consumers shop at Amazon, generally. Shipping fees have an adverse effect on e-commerce purchases, with high shipping fees being the main reason for cart abandonment on other sites.
Convenience is the next-most important factor drawing shoppers to Amazon, closely followed by low prices, according to the report’s findings.
What Type of Apparel Are Consumers Buying Online?
Nearly 3 in 5 (59.2%) shoppers purchased casual apparel from online retailers during the six months prior to the survey. This percentage is slightly higher than the 55% of shoppers who purchased casual apparel in a similar study last year.
Activewear and outerwear were also popular sellers online. Almost one-third (31.5%) of online shoppers purchased activewear and more than one-quarter (26.3%) bought outerwear within the previous six months.
Conversely, formal wear, which tends to have a higher dollar value attached to it, especially compared to casual apparel and activewear, was only purchased online by about one-eighth )(13.2%) of survey respondents.
Other Survey Highlights
In other notable findings from the report:
- Amazon is the online shop of choice for Gen Z (63.4% – defined as ages 18-24) and Millennials (57% – ages 25-34) while Walmart is gaining on the giant online retailers with older generations.
- Shoppers, in general, prefer to shop on desktop or laptop (63.1%) than on mobile devices, however more than half (53%) of younger shoppers (ages 18-24) prefer shopping on their mobiles.
- Seven in 10 Gen Z respondents have bought casual wear online in the past six months.
- Up from 2017’s 14%, some 18.3% of shoppers purchased clothing online regularly (at least once a month) in 2018.
About the Data: The report results are formulated from a survey of 2,000 adults, ages 18-65 years, who reported purchasing clothing online.
