Forget looking down the back of the sofa for loose change, Brits are hoarding tens of thousands of pounds worth of clothes that they’ve never worn in their wardrobes, as revealed by the latest data from True Fit, a global data platform for fashion industry that decodes personal style, fit, and size for millions of consumers to help them discover clothes and shoes they’ll love and keep.
Research from over 2,000 consumers polled as part of True Fit’s Fashion Derailed report showed that over a lifetime Brits will amass £32,951 worth of unworn clothing in their wardrobes – equivalent to the average cost of a wedding
The average British woman will stash £22,140 worth of unworn clothing in their wardrobes – the equivalent to a house deposit for a first-time buyer
With British women forecast to spend £29.4 billion on clothing this year alone.
And this fashion discovery epidemic, True Fit’s data suggests, extends beyond women’s wardrobes. With only 1 in 2 (44%) of the UK’s garments fitting them properly, the average Brit admits they only wear three quarters (74%) of the clothing in their wardrobes. When it came to finding clothes they love, and choosing the right style, fit, and size, jeans proved the trickiest item to shop for online for both men (15%) and women (21%), followed by trousers (12%), boots (5%), dresses (4%) and heels (4%).
And, such is the frustration with style and sizing guesswork that over three quarters of women (77%) now say they choose not to purchase clothing online because they are unsure of which styles suit them best and which size to buy. Half (50%) even purposely avoid certain retailers because the style, fit, and sizing of their clothes is so unpredictable, causing shoppers to lose confidence in buying from them.
Lars Rabe, a business leader and fashion expert at True Fit, commented: “There is so much disparity in retailers’ sizing – with consumers’ clothing fluctuating several dress sizes depending on where they shop, for example – it is leaving many shoppers confused and frustrated when shopping for fashion online.
“And it’s not just bad for consumer confidence, it’s also bad for the retailers themselves. Not only might they lose out on sales and erode customer loyalty, but they may also end up bearing the cost of fulfilling redundant items and orders – where shoppers order several items of the same product due to size uncertainty – as well as the cost of returns due to any combination of ordering items aren’t right for a shopper’s personal taste, body, or size,” he added.
Romney Evens, Chief Product and Marketing Officer at True Fit, said: “The fact that half of the female consumers we polled avoid certain retailers due to inconsistencies in style, fit, and sizing is a clear indication of the confidence gap consumers face when shopping for fashion online. If retailers make recommendations for customers based on what they believe their average consumer would prefer, they are making that customer conform to an imaginary and inaccurate concept. This is where sophisticated AI technology can help – true one-to-one personalisation is needed to satisfy and delight consumers. This means making recommendations for that individual customer, not for people similar to them. Consumers are demanding an easier experience, and it’s exciting to see leading retailers adopting this capability.”
Research for True Fit’s Fashion Derailed report conducted by One Poll of 2,000 UK adults from 20 – 26 November 2018
- Hitched.co.uk wedding survey, 2018 average UK wedding costs £32K
- Department for Education, University fees for 2019/2020 academic year £9250
- UK House Price Index September 2018 average = £232,554/100 x 5% = £11k, 627 x 10% = £23k
- Family and Childcare Trust, 2018. Day nursery, outside London, 50 hours for a child under two @ £232.84 x 47 weeks = £10, 943.48
- Mintel, 2108: https://fashionunited.uk/news/retail/british-women-set-to-spend-29-4-billion-pounds-on-clothing-in-2018/2018091438906
