Shoppers sick of their closets and looking to return to work should boost apparel sales, with nearly nine in 10 (89%) planning to spend more money on clothes than they did during the pandemic, said “The State of Smoooth: 2021 Reopening Insights Report,” a report from Klarna, a global payments provider, retail bank and shopping service.
The report, which features insights from consumer surveys, as well as Klarna’s proprietary shopping and app data, is designed to equip retailers and brands with key information needed to best serve consumers’ changing tastes and demands for the second half of 2021.
“After a lengthy lockdown, it doesn’t come as a surprise that nearly 90% of consumers will update their wardrobes, to look their best as they return to work and social settings,” said David Sykes, head of North America, Klarna. “Given the rise of budget-conscious shoppers, retailers should consider implementing services that provide additional flexibility to consumers, including deals, rewards programs or alternative payment options.”
Also boosting apparel sales is a return to the gym; nearly two-thirds (64%) of shoppers said they need new fitness apparel.
However, shoppers will continue to rely on e-commerce and seek value, with 69% of shoppers say the pandemic changed their shopping habits, with 80% saying they now prefer to shop online, 74% now looking for flexible payment options, and 56% now looking for deals or coupons. Even so, the vast majority of shoppers (80%) also missed the in-person shopping experience — especially Gen Z and millennials. Younger shoppers (Gen Zers: 33%, Millennials: 27%) were more likely than older shoppers (Gen Xers: 23%, Baby Boomers: 22%) to miss in-person shopping “a ton.”
Beauty and wellness also should see a boost as people return to socializing in person; nearly three-quarters (74%) of shoppers plan to spend more money on makeup than they did throughout lockdown. In May, more people bought beauty products in physical stores (42%) than online (28%). This was up significantly compared to numbers in March, when the number of people who shopped in physical stores was equal to those buying online (26%).
