Hybrid shopping is fashion consumers' conscious choice: EPAM Continuum

Hybrid shopping has become a conscious choice of fashion consumers after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, according to an 18-month, four-stage survey in the US, the UK, and Germany by Boston-based firm EPAM Continuum. The survey also revealed that consumers aspired to buy sustainable fashion products, but affordability was still the preference.

Many shoppers said they were increasingly conscious of brands’ claims around sustainability and said they would often look for more sustainable options. This was true even among those who regularly purchase fast-fashion brands. However, rising costs mean sustainability considerations have become a highly personal calculation balancing sustainability against quality, fit, design, and cost.

Brands able to make the decision easy—by offering the combination of ethics, sustainability, quality, and value without requiring the customer to work hard to find it—are best placed to succeed, as per EPAM Continuum’s survey.

Consumers were quick to share experiences—good and bad. With an enduring hybrid model, it’s important for brands to create equally positive experiences in-store and online.

Read the full article here.

Download EPAM Continuum’s Consumers Unmasked report here.