A recent PricewaterhouseCoopers survey found that the share of internet users who reported buying clothing online during the preceding month went from 8% to 16% between September 1999 and May 2000. It also revealed that a very large share of users, 60%, go online to shop for clothing. Among online clothes shoppers, the survey noted: 41% shop online for clothing at least once a month 56% have made at least one online clothing purchase. About 40% of online apparel purchasers expect to purchase more clothes online in the future. Online clothing purchasers are significantly more likely to be women and are more often younger than 35 years of age. Not surprisingly, the clothing category purchased most often online is women's clothing.

The survey reveals different aspects of the shopping and buying process for clothes online. Among other things, it underscores the importance of brand familiarity as a very strong influence on where users go to shop for or buy clothes. For example, 80% of shoppers who have shopped for clothing online in the past six months and 77% of online clothing purchasers did so at sites operated by a store or catalog retailer. One-third shopped for clothing at sites operated by a manufacturer. In contrast, 12% or less shopped online for clothing among the following places: auction sites, internet-only retailer sites, sites operated by a portal or ISP, online shopping malls, or sites using shopping agents, bots or search engines.

The report argues that in the overall clothes shopping experience, apparel websites play a variety of different roles. Most frequently mentioned are looking for specials or promotions and doing price research. Comparison shopping among retailers was cited less frequently by respondents, suggesting that price comparisons are not as easily accomplished or as important in this category as they are in commodity categories such as books or electronics.

When it comes to making a purchase, offline stores are definitely preferred. Less than 30% of online clothing buyers prefer buying online to offline. Online clothing purchasers are also likely to be catalog customers, indicating that they are already used to buying clothes without being able
to touch the fabric, see the color, or try the items on for size. Online shoppers who also buy online differ from non-online buyers in where they like to buy clothes offline. Online clothes buyers were much more likely to buy at specialty stores or through catalogs. Non-buyers online tended to buy clothes at discount department stores.

The big drawback to online clothes buying has always been the inability to try on something to check the fit and feel the material. This is clearly reflected in the survey data, along with the obstacles standard to shopping for or buying any type of merchandise online. Free shipping would entice nearly half of the shopping-but-not-buying group to make a purchase, and lower prices relative to stores and catalogs would make 40% more likely to do so. Over one-third responded that nothing would make them more likely to buy clothes online.

The data was collected through PricewaterhouseCoopers' monthly E-Retail Intelligence System which surveys approximately 500 Internet users regarding online shopping behavior and attitudes and Internet usage. The most recent survey was fielded from May 31 to June 8 among internet users using NFO's Interactive Panel. Most survey respondents access the internet at least
weekly for non-business use.