CorpComms Magazine

Just under half (45 per cent) of British consumers prefer to shop for clothes online rather than in-store, according to a recent study by digital marketing firm GSI Commerce.

According to the '2011 Fashion Retail Report', six in ten shoppers will seek advice from a fashion retailer's website or do some research before they buy a garment. This number has increased by five per cent year on year. Irish shoppers are the most likely (87 per cent) to do this kind of pre-buying research, followed by seven in ten of those who live in South-East of England.

The study found that women were more likely to browse online shops, with 71 per cent admitting to doing it regularly compared to just 52 per cent of men. The over 55s were the least likely age group to buy clothes online.

However, shoppers concede that the online shopping experience needs to improve more than the high street but 35 per cent said that nothing would convince them to pay a visit to a shop. Just one in ten shoppers say they would never buy online. 

Hosein Moghaddas, vice president and international managing director of GSI Commerce, said: 'The online fashion buying boom is long overdue, primarily due to the problem that consumers previously had with not being able to touch and feel items when buying on the web. Our research has suggested on site and cross channel features now available in the e-commerce arena have helped consumers overcome this hurdle, with better content, technology and delivery options at their disposal to make purchases.'

A recent survey by eDigital research, a digital market research firm and Interactive Media in Retail Group which is the UK's industry association for e-retail, found that more than one in three British consumers are planning to order this year's Christmas gifts online via their smartphone.

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