Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The global fashion e-commerce market was valued at $752.5 billion in 2020
Fashion e-commerce sales are projected to reach $1.2 trillion by 2025
Mobile commerce accounts for over 65% of fashion e-commerce traffic
52% of online fashion shoppers prefer to buy from brands offering free returns
88% of fashion consumers abandon carts due to unexpected costs at checkout
The average online return rate for fashion items is around 30%
71% of fashion e-commerce traffic comes from mobile devices
86% of fashion retailers use social media to promote their e-commerce stores
60% of Gen Z consumers discover fashion products via social media
Instagram is responsible for 25% of fashion e-commerce traffic from social media
Fashion is the second-largest B2C e-commerce segment globally
The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for online fashion sales is expected to be 10.6% from 2021 to 2026
58% of online shoppers consider user reviews when buying fashion products
Cart Abandonment and Purchase Barriers
- 88% of fashion consumers abandon carts due to unexpected costs at checkout
- 43% of fashion shoppers abandon carts due to lack of preferred payment options
- Fashion e-commerce returns cost U.S. retailers over $100 billion annually
- Fashion e-commerce logistics costs have risen by 18% year-over-year
- 65% of fashion e-commerce shoppers abandon carts due to high shipping costs
- Fashion e-commerce conversions drop by 7% for every one-second delay in load time
Interpretation
In fashion e-commerce, a slow website, unexpected fees, or limited payment options can turn even the most stylish cart into a $100 billion regret.
Consumer Behavior and Preferences
- 52% of online fashion shoppers prefer to buy from brands offering free returns
- The average online return rate for fashion items is around 30%
- 60% of Gen Z consumers discover fashion products via social media
- 58% of online shoppers consider user reviews when buying fashion products
- Personalized product recommendations increase conversion rates by up to 26% in fashion e-commerce
- 63% of online fashion shoppers say delivery speed influences purchasing decisions
- 39% of fashion consumers say sustainability influences their online purchasing
- 54% of fashion purchases online are influenced by social media ads
- Video content increases fashion purchase intent by 64%
- 75% of online fashion shoppers expect delivery within 5 days
- 85% of online shoppers want more detailed sizing information from fashion e-commerce stores
- 47% of returns in fashion e-commerce are due to poor fit or sizing
- 72% of fashion e-commerce buyers reconsider brands after poor return experiences
- 74% of customers are more likely to buy from fashion e-commerce stores offering live chat support
- 49% of consumers say virtual fitting rooms improve online shopping experience
- Clothing is the most common category bought online, with 60% of internet users purchasing fashion items
- 91% of fashion e-commerce shoppers would switch to a brand offering loyalty rewards
- Sustainable fashion-related searches have grown 37% year-over-year
- 68% of e-commerce fashion consumers expect same or next-day delivery
- TikTok influences purchasing decisions for 41% of Gen Z fashion shoppers
- 32% of fashion brand email campaigns have a conversion rate higher than 5%
- 62% of fashion e-commerce brands use customer segmentation to target emails
- 80% of top fashion e-commerce brands use retargeting ads
- 30% of consumers say fashion e-commerce content personalization improves shopping experience
- 55% of fashion shoppers say flexible payment options like BNPL influence purchasing decisions
- 34% of online fashion shoppers rely on influencer reviews before purchasing
- Conversion rates for fashion e-commerce average around 2.7%
- Email open rates in the fashion e-commerce sector average 25.1%
- 35% of online fashion buyers say social proof boosts trust in e-commerce stores
- 70% of online fashion shoppers are influenced by visuals like images and videos
- 48% of Gen Z buy fashion items online monthly
- Omnichannel customers spend 30% more on average in fashion e-commerce
- 21% of fashion online shoppers use voice search to discover products
- 69% of fashion e-commerce customers expect personalized product recommendations
- 61% of millennials purchase more fashion products online than in-store
Interpretation
In the fast-paced, filter-fed world of fashion e-commerce, where Gen Z scrolls to shop, visuals drive desire, and sizing snafus fuel sky-high return rates, the brands that blend speed, personalization, sustainability, and seamless service aren’t just dressing customers—they’re winning them for life (or at least until the next algorithm update).
Market Size and Growth
- The global fashion e-commerce market was valued at $752.5 billion in 2020
- Fashion e-commerce sales are projected to reach $1.2 trillion by 2025
- Fashion is the second-largest B2C e-commerce segment globally
- The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for online fashion sales is expected to be 10.6% from 2021 to 2026
- The luxury fashion e-commerce market is predicted to reach $133 billion by 2026
- U.S. fashion e-commerce revenue was $126 billion in 2021
- Online-only fashion retailers grow 30% faster than brick-and-mortar counterparts
- Asia-Pacific accounts for 35% of global fashion e-commerce revenue
- The fashion resale market online is expected to hit $77 billion by 2025
- Secondhand fashion online is growing 11x faster than traditional retail
Interpretation
Fashion may be cyclical, but with global e-commerce rocketing toward $1.2 trillion and secondhand threads outpacing traditional retail 11 to 1, it's clear the industry's future is online—and moving faster than a flash sale.
Sales Channels and Devices
- Mobile commerce accounts for over 65% of fashion e-commerce traffic
- 71% of fashion e-commerce traffic comes from mobile devices
- 86% of fashion retailers use social media to promote their e-commerce stores
- Instagram is responsible for 25% of fashion e-commerce traffic from social media
- 81% of fashion retailers plan to increase investment in e-commerce in the next 12 months
- Email marketing drives 19% of fashion e-commerce traffic
- 67% of fashion brands use influencer marketing to boost online sales
- Shopify powers over 1.7 million fashion e-commerce websites globally
- 82% of fashion consumers use smartphones to browse product catalogs
- 91% of fashion brands believe digital channels are essential for business growth
- Online marketplaces account for 59% of global fashion e-commerce sales
- Mobile fashion purchases increase by 23% year-over-year
- Desktop users spend 40% more per order on fashion e-commerce than mobile users
- Email generates the highest ROI for fashion e-commerce at $42 for every $1 spent
Interpretation
In the fast-paced catwalk of fashion e-commerce, mobile reigns as queen, social media struts as her publicist, email proves it's still the savvy moneymaker behind the curtain, and while influencers sparkle in the spotlight, it's data driving this digital runway revolution.
Technology and Innovation
- AI-driven personalization in fashion e-commerce can boost revenue by 15%
- AR try-on technology can reduce returns in fashion e-commerce by 36%
- 78% of fashion retailers plan to move to headless e-commerce platforms
- 82% of fashion retailers use at least one AI-powered tool in their e-commerce operation
- Use of chatbots in fashion e-commerce improves customer satisfaction by 20%
- 46% of fashion brands use automation tools to streamline e-commerce logistics
- Only 17% of fashion brands offer virtual try-on tools, despite customer interest
Interpretation
In the high-stakes catwalk of fashion e-commerce, AI-driven personalization, AR try-ons, and headless platforms are strutting their ROI, while most brands still haven’t zipped up the opportunity of virtual try-ons—despite customer demand knocking at the fitting room door.