A Seamless And Personalized Shopping Experience For Consumers In The Fashion Industry

Every year, fashion companies are investing in more tactical strategies to stay on top of their competitors and adopting new smarter approaches to move forward with their evolving consumer demands. As 2018 is coming to an end, here are three trends that have shaped the fashion industry this year.

Personalization has been cited as the priority investment by retailers as they continue to experiment with various approaches in creating a seamless and personalized shopping experience for consumers. Many fashion companies today are using AI (artificial intelligence) and advanced algorithms to predict customer behavior, generate one-on-one chat service, and recommend products based on past purchases or items they have previously put in their shopping carts. Brands like Stitch Fix and Affinity successfully use data to provide personalized curation by recommending styles and fashion pieces based on algorithms. Furthermore, some fashion industries are already taking personalization to the next level by offering products tailored to their customer’s individual needs. Mon Purse, for example, grants made-to-order items, allowing customers to select from different color and texture options as well as add customized monograms. In addition to that, they offer an in-store service for hand-painted illustrations, in which they work with talented artists to create customers’ bespoke paintings.

With the introduction of the digital revolution, customers demand convenience and flexibility which some retailers have achieved through adopting an omnichannel approach. To maximize sales and profitability in the retail environment, retailers can deliver a seamless experience across all channels and allowing customers to shop, however, wherever, and whenever they want. For instance, a growing number of consumers today prefer shopping from the comfort of their homes, whereas some others still prefer going to physical stores. Additionally, some people love getting their products delivered to their door while the others prefer to pick up in store. Digital brands such as Everlane, Glossier and Bonobos have expanded into brick-and-mortar spaces, allowing them to reach new customers and interact more closely with existing ones. For example, Bonobos’ Guideshops provide elevated retail experiences that include special event appointments and complimentary style assistance. Expanding beyond just the Internet allow retailers to offer excellent shopping experiences in-store which could set them apart from their competitors. Glossier’s flagship store in New York has an integrated ID system where you can return in store, shop wallet-less, and apply any existing credits to your purchase.

Driven by a younger generation of environmentally and socially conscious consumers, fashion companies have increasingly started to underline the importance of sustainability and grew their focus on being socially responsible. Retailers are approaching different ways of reducing fashion waste by recycling and even transforming by-products, waste and unwanted materials into new products. Nike runs a Reuse-A-Shoe program where the company uses recycled sneakers, plastic bottles, and manufacturing scraps to make new footwear and apparel. Reformation chooses to make almost 15% of its products from old, leftover, and over-ordered fabric.

Additionally, Burberry has signed a deal with sustainable luxury manufacturer Elvin & Kresse to reuse its leather offcuts by stitching them into a robust fabric. “Modern luxury means being socially and environmentally responsible,” commented Burberry CEO, Marco Gobbetti. Other retailers are using a different approach by creating a trend towards second-hand as well as vintage products. Outdoor clothing company Patagonia has made “Worn Wear” its marketplace for their second-hand products. Moreover, outdoor retailer REI has used a gear website which encourages customers to “Reduce, Reuse, Adventure.” Lastly, Levi’s has introduced an Authorized Vintage line, where they refurbish their most authentic pieces that have at least 30 years under their belts. “Levi’s® Authorized Vintage is the bang-on-trend right now as far as sustainable fashion. People are looking for one-off pieces and a story behind them.”