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Mastering omnichannel in fashion retail

by Klaudia Wachnicka
In fashion, competition is fierce and building a seamless omnichannel strategy is a must. There’s no “one size fits all”, “straight off the rack” solution. But just as on the catwalk, it’s all about accessorising and bringing all the key elements together into one stunning ensemble - an omnichannel shopping experience that turns heads and wins conversions.

Online fashion sales are among the highest of any industry. In fact, recent data shows that 13 of the world’s top 20 D2C brands occupy the fashion and apparel space, with fashion accounting for 23 percent of total online retail sales in the U.S. alone. Ordering clothes and apparel online is now commonplace - it’s something that the vast majority of us have done at least once, and a significant amount of people do it on a regular basis.

With ‘look and feel’ being so important in fashion - the first thing we do when in-store shopping is reach out and touch the item - it may seem counterintuitive that online sales are so healthy, with ecommerce transactions making up 21% of total fashion retail sales globally.

The rise of the ROPO and BOPIS boom in fashion

However, the lack of tactility and assurance of suitability when purchasing online is more than offset by the convenience of being able to browse, select, and buy an item online in minutes without leaving the comfort of your home. Add to this the ease of returning unwanted items for a full refund, and you have a situation in which online sales have become an indispensable revenue stream.

Most of these online orders are for delivery, but a growing number are of the ROPO (research online, purchase offline) or BOPIS (buy online, pick up in-store) persuasion. In fact, a hefty 55% of consumers explore products online before checking their availability in nearby physical stores.

The omnipresence of omnichannel in the fashion industry

In days gone by, there’s no doubt that highstreet stores were the leading public face of a brand. Through them, a fashion company had its main chance to shine by showcasing their best lines, a welcoming place to try on clothes, and a personal and expert one-on-one service.

These days, there are many more digital channels that fashion brands have to manage and constantly optimise - from websites to apps, social commerce, CTV, marketplaces, and even the Metaverse. Statista revealed that the global social commerce market alone is predicted to top $2.9 trillion by 2026.

Fashion brands that embrace all omnichannel elements can achieve extraordinary things - C&A’s app makes up 50% of its digital sales. AllSaints also proves that integrating a great-looking and intuitive app into an omnichannel strategy can pay dividends. Since its launch in March 2023, the app has been downloaded more than 75,000 times, yielding a significant portion of the brand’s total ecommerce revenue.

There’s an imperative in fashion to engage shoppers while putting forward the brand’s image and values in the best possible light. No channel can be ignored, and your brand message should permeate across all platforms. Developing a seamless omnichannel experience is a must for all fashion brands. The Harvard Business Review revealed that a significant 73% of customers use multiple channels during their purchase journey.

In fashion, omnichannel is very much the name of the game. And it’s backed up by revenue figures - using three or more channels with a campaign can bring a 494% increase in order rate than a single-channel campaign.

But how to harmonise these channels and combine them into one cohesive, consistent, and holistic shopping experience?

Top tips for omnichannel success in the fashion industry:

  • Leverage touchpoints. By analysing data from different devices that consumers use to search for your products, you can curate a truly personalised journey based on shopper habits and preferences.
  • Assess early funnel behaviour. Knowing what motivates shoppers early on gives you the best chance of delivering the right messaging at the right time.
  • Embrace the latest technology. There’s no more effective tool in online advertising than Deep Learning, the most powerful type of AI. It can analyse many times more touchpoints in real-time and swiftly adapt to the emergence of highly dynamic situations and trends. 
  • Personalise to capitalise. Over 80% of consumers expect retailers to cater to their preferences, and 50% of all purchases are driven by personalisation. Again, Deep Learning excels at this. Of course, personalisation is for nothing if your creatives aren’t top-notch - they should always look great and carry the same personalised, on-brand message that your customers receive in-store. 

Master omnichannel and win big in fashion

Mastering omnichannel in fashion is a must to stand out in the context of off-the-charts competition in the industry. Digitally savvy natives are entering the fray daily with innovative strategies, and legacy giants have to avail themselves of the latest technology to protect and build on their market share, striving towards a goal as old as commerce itself–driving sales in the most efficient way possible. The digital era has brought many effective marketing tools to elevate brands and persuade consumers to buy and buy again. So why not use them?

Useful resources:
RTB House
RTB House is a global company that provides state-of-the-art marketing technologies for top brands worldwide.
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