Check out the report in The Age today about UK retailer ASOS. They’re flying in nearly 4 jumbo jets of product into Australia each week. Free shipping is helping drive this. Many local Australian fashion retailers are paralysed by the extraordinary impact overseas retailers are having on their businesses.
How we shop has changed forever, not just for fashion but for almost everything. Fashion is the category in focus because of far greater perceived value from online.
Australian fashion retailers were, and still are, VERY slow to embrace online.
While the high dollar has had some impact, local fashion retailers have no one but themselves to blame for the situation they are in.
On a personal note…myself and some girlfriends enjoy Friday night shopping…interestingly we do it with a glass of wine, by the fire, in comfy yardies, after work, after dinner, after children and partners are safely ensconced in front of various screens in the house ranging from facebook to the footy…we go shopping not for anything in particular…just for a look…we visit ASOS, The iconic, Light in the Box, Ebay and others…Last week without stepping a foot out of the house I purchased a pair of shoes for $19.97 a new dress for $33.99 and a pair of sunglasses for $8.85..free shipping and free returns if anything doesn’t fit….the others purchases ranged from $25.00 to $300.00..our ages between 43 and 49…and I have to say it…we enjoy the shopping ‘experience’…traditional fashion retail needs to look at itself quickly…fast fashion houses got smart about four years ago and saw the writing on the wall…my post offers no real insight into the problem just a little insight into what a lot of 40 something women are doing these days..