More than a quarter (28 per cent) of Britons are shopping for clothes online at least every two weeks , reveals new research by the Fashion Retail Academy. Meanwhile, almost a third (32 per cent) shop online monthly.
When it comes to age groups, 35-44 year olds are the most frequent shoppers with as many as 10 per cent admitting that they shop for clothes online seven days a week, while 24 per cent of 24-34 year olds search for their next purchases on a weekly basis.
The poll of 2,000 people showed that there was no divide along gender lines as 28 per cent of both men and women said they shop for clothes online at least every two weeks. However, more men buy clothes online every day than women — 5 per cent for men vs 3 per cent for women.
Londoners are the most frequent online shoppers compared to any other region in the UK, with 10 per cent of them saying they shop on clothing websites every single day.
Convenience was cited as the number one reason why people shop for fashion online, followed by the ability to shop 24/7 and the lower price options. The ability to shop at any time of the day was more important to younger people, with 69 per cent of 18-24 year olds saying this was the main reason why they shopped online compared to 50 per cent of 45-54 year olds, and 38 per cent of people aged over 50.
Yet, despite the widespread popularity of online shopping, 63 per cent of people said they had bought an inexpensive item online only to find it looks nothing like the picture shown on the retailer’s website.
The survey found the problem most encountered by shoppers was discovering the material looked different to how it appeared online, with 30 per cent of respondents saying they had encountered this. In total, 28 per cent said they had bought items which were much too small, and a fifth (20 per cent) received clothes which were much too big.
Lee Lucas, principal and CEO of the Fashion Retail Academy, comments: “Online shops are always open for business, and that makes it incredibly convenient for Brits who want to get their hands on the latest fashions but don’t have the time to visit the high street.
“The fact that the biggest group of daily shoppers were aged 35-44 suggests that Brits with busy work schedules, a school run and children to look after, are most keen to embrace the convenience offered by online retailers.
“However, while you know exactly what you are getting when you buy a TV or book online, it is not always possible to tell the exact fabric or colour when it comes to clothes.
“One benefit of retailers who have physical stores as well as an online presence is that items are less likely to be of poor quality. They are being picked up and handled by shoppers every day and that acts as a bit of an insurance policy for the shopper who goes straight to online.”