Women prefer to buy in-store, but digital gaining ground

Dive Brief:

A poll from Mintel and Lightspeed GMI found that women are more likely to buy apparel in-store than via digital channels for retailers that offer both.
74% said they use digital technologies to identify and research items before visiting a brick-and-mortar location to buy.
Another study from Refinery29 found that three quarters (75%) of female shoppers in the U.S. research what products are made of on a digital device prior to purchase.

Dive Insight:

While women in the U.S. are increasingly reliant on digital channels for apparel product discovery and research, they still buy more in stores, according to an eMarketer analysis of recent surveys from Refinery 29 and Mintel/Lightspeed GMI. The market for women’s apparel in the U.S. is expected to grow 14.5% through 2019 to reach $139 billion.

Results from the Mintel/Lightspeed survey say that while female apparel shoppers like to buy in-store in all types of outlets offering physical locations and a digital presence, many report using both channels to make purchases.