Online Shopping & Fiber Content
September 21, 2021
INFO: [email protected] LIFESTYLEMONITOR.COTTONINC.COM
All content sourced from Cotton Incorporated’s 2021 Online Shopping Survey, a survey conducted with 1,000 U.S. consumers,
April 2021. Additional Sources:
2
Census Bureau.
3
Cotton Incorporated's 2021 Coronavirus Consumer Response Survey, Wave 6,
a survey conducted with 1,000 consumers May 2021. ©2021 Cotton Incorporated.
he COVID-19 pandemic caused a fundamental shift in how consumers shop for clothing and other
goods. In February 2020, 12.5% of retail sales were online. By April of the same year, this number
had jumped to 18.7% of sales
2
. Throughout the pandemic online sales continued to spike
compared to previous years, and Cotton Incorporated consumer research indicates that many of these
consumers will continue to shop online even after pandemic fears ease and communities re-open.
With more online shopping, clothing retailers look to maximize their platforms to provide the
information consumers want and the easy navigation they need. Fiber content is a key piece of
information consumers seek, and by making it readily available, retailers can meet consumer
expectations and increase satisfaction.
T
ONLINE SHOPPING
& FIBER CONTENT
PRE-
PANDEMIC
3
57%
DURING
PANDEMIC
3
77%
POST-
PANDEMIC
3
70%
CONSUMERS ARE SHOPPING ONLINE
FIBER CONTENT IMPORTANT IN-STORE & ONLINE
Consumers who shop for some or all clothing online:
Half of consumers check labels for fiber content
when shopping for clothing in physical stores.
What they learn from fiber content:
74%
70%
63%
How comfortable garment is
Garment Quality
How to care for/launder garment
80%
Say it is important to know fiber content when
purchasing clothing online.
75%
Likely to shop a different online retailer if they
could not find fiber content information.
72%
Have returned a garment they purchased online.
Reason for Return: 50% cite the feel of the
fabric/fiber content was different than
expected.
COTTON INCORPORATED’S
|
SUPPLY CHAIN INSIGHTS
What makes a website great for online shopping:
WHAT RETAILERS CAN DO
NAVIGATION TOOLS MOST USED IN CLOTHES SHOPPING
REASONS TO SEEK COTTON
EASY
NAVIGATION
59%
SEARCH BAR
60%
FILTERS
57%
PRODUCT
CATEGORIES
53%
EASY
TO FIND
51%
Are likely to
use a filter for
fiber content if
available.
41%
Easy ordering &
shipping are top
factors that make
for great online
shopping.
57%
Actively seek out
certain
fibers/fabrics
when shopping
for clothing.
47%
COTTON MOST SOUGHTAFTER FIBER
80%
COTTON
SILK
50%
WOOL
42%
LINEN
40%
Among those who seek out a fiber.
COMFORT
60%
EASY TO
CARE FOR
51%
DURABLE/
LAST LONGER
50%