Consumers are trying out new fashion retailers, and are lured into doing so by good deals rather than advertising, finds Market Force Information in a new study. 39% of respondents, surveyed last year, said they had tried out a new retailer in the previous 90 days, up 22% from 2011, and almost triple the 14% from 2010. Among those who tried a new retailer, the top triggers were a sale, promotion or discount (19%) and a recommendation from a friend (17%).
Advertising, by contrast, was not much of an influence on these consumers. Just 3% said a TV ad propelled them to try out a new fashion retailer, and magazine and newspapers ads fared no better. That type of result may be why local businesses are spending far more on promotions than advertising, per a new Borrell Associates study.
Social media also appears to have only a minor influence, cited by only 4% as a reason for trying out a new retailer. In fact, just 24% of respondents overall said that social media is extremely or highly influential when deciding where to shop for clothes and accessories. That’s down from 30% in the previous survey. Nevertheless, a growing number (42%, up from 37% the previous year) are using social media to find information about fashion retailers.
About the Data: The survey was conducted in February 2013 across the United States. The pool of 4,000 respondents reflected a broad spectrum of income levels, with 60% reporting household incomes of more than $50,000 a year. Respondents’ ages ranged from 18 to over 65. Approximately 40% were men and 60% were women and nearly two-thirds are married.
