Data from UK-based Columbus Consulting reveals, 64 per cent shoppers in the country are ready to purchase new fashion items within a month of the coronavirus lockdown’s end, with another 24 per cent expressing interest in buying within the following three months.
While 70 per cent shoppers admitted to tightening their purse strings amid the virus’ economic disruption, Columbus Consulting partner Charlotte Kula-Przezwanski was quite surprised to find that more than three-fifths of shoppers were already contemplating their next shopping excursion.
Despite being confined to their homes in the near-term, shoppers are likely getting antsy about returning to some semblance of their normal lives, she said. UK’s high street retailers and others have undoubtedly suffered, she admitted, pointing to popular department store Debenhams, which officially filed for administration, equivalent to bankruptcy, in early April. Nearly one-quarter of surveyed shoppers said they wouldn’t purchase any fashion items while the pandemic rages on, and about half said they might—but the purchases will be few and far between.
More than 70 percent of all consumers admitted to increased purchases via e-commerce channels, while 29 percent copped to significantly upping their online shopping game since the lockdown began.
Kula-Przezwanski touted sites like Boohoo, Missguided and PrettyLittleThing as winners with Gen Z and millennial shoppers ages 14-30. Brands are also bombarding young shoppers—who are glued to their mobile devices—with unbeatable deals.
With consumers relegated to their living rooms and home offices, comfortable, casual picks have resonated best, Kula-Przezwanski said. One-third of shoppers said casual wear would be their most likely purchase, while 19 per cent said active wear was their shopping priority.
Consumers are also placing a much larger emphasis on quality than they did before the crisis, with 80 percent of shoppers saying the global health event has prompted them to consider and appreciate their purchases more than they did in the past.
