Katie is Mintel’s Senior Retail and eCommerce Analyst. She has expertise in researching client conduct and
enjoys observing the ever-evolving retail panorama. Previous to Mintel, Katie was a strategist at an company engaged on model
and shopper advertising and marketing tasks. She has a background in writing and advertising and marketing.
The underwear market is poised for progress and speedy change. Shoppers are searching for authenticity from underwear manufacturers, on the lookout for them to showcase what actual individuals appear to be and go away behind unattainable physique requirements. As manufacturers look towards inclusive sizing, progressive supplies, and new use circumstances, the long run for underwear is vibrant. Shoppers are embracing gadgets for each inside and outerwear events, displaying off their fashion, character, and confidence.
However budgets are being crunched by rising costs, forcing customers to think about what they actually need to spend their cash on. Manufacturers want to supply worth to buyers throughout this troublesome financial time interval, each monetarily (eg gross sales, bundle choices) and non-monetarily (eg sturdy gadgets, good customer support.) And so they can stand out by making underwear enjoyable.
Enjoyable piques curiosity
Whereas consolation and match are nonetheless priorities, manufacturers can stand out by making underwear enjoyable. Operate continues to be key for Gen Z and Millennials, enjoyable elements of underwear gadgets are of larger significance to those generations in comparison with the final inhabitants. Youthful customers are searching for extra from their underwear: consolation and match are vital, however so are color and style. To infuse enjoyable into underwear purchases, manufacturers might supply extra colours and types, in addition to lean into customization. Practically 1 / 4 of customers are buying based mostly on the enjoyable elements of an merchandise, demonstrating that these elements shouldn’t be ignored.
Manufacturers can look to supply customization choices, notably for various events, like bachelorette festivities or weddings.They can even encourage customers to depart suggestions on social media, or run completely different polls to see what customers are all for subsequent. Getting customers concerned within the growth course of makes them really feel heard and gives them with choices that they really need to see.
Underwear manufacturers can profit from impulse purchases
Whereas the vast majority of customers buy underwear based mostly on want, there may be ample alternative to drive impulse purchases. Practically 40% of customers buy underwear even when they don’t have a necessity to interchange gadgets.
Underwear manufacturers can look to accomplice with different clothes manufacturers to supply full outfit strategies, or promote underwear gadgets with different gadgets in the identical model household. Realizing that underwear can affect a client’s temper, manufacturers can counsel “energy outfits” for events corresponding to interviews, or the primary day on a brand new job. These strategies might additionally happen at checkout (particularly on-line), when customers are buying different clothes. Empowerment can movement from the entire outfit itself, and underwear could be a part of these outfit strategies.
Taking the lead from MeUndies, manufacturers might additionally lean into seasonality choices. Seasonal underwear drives exclusivity for the time interval, drives urgency, and brings a little bit extra pleasure to the season. It additionally creates impulse purchases, as customers would possibly need the merchandise due to its restricted availability, even when they don’t want underwear in the meanwhile.
Youthful customers are open to model discovery
Youthful customers are much less more likely to be as model loyal as older generations, making them a primary goal for underwear manufacturers. They’re acutely aware of the manufacturers they’re purchasing, wanting into what the model stands for and the way their very own values align (or not) with the model.
Youthful customers additionally need a well-rounded expertise from manufacturers and retailers. Manufacturers can supply personalization choices, and will additionally embrace post-purchase follow-ups to test in with customers. Comply with-ups would allow manufacturers to see if clients want something adjusted or corrected, and encourage them to depart opinions. It’s additionally a method to construct a relationship with the patron, and doubtlessly earn their loyalty, speaking with them from the beginning of their buy journey all through to their subsequent discovery.
What we predict
When deciding what underwear to buy, customers prioritize consolation and match. The pandemic accelerated consolation as a precedence as customers stayed residence. At the same time as they enter again into places of work and social actions, customers need to really feel snug all day lengthy. Color and style might be vital components, however consolation will stay the precedence for customers buying underwear.
Moreover, since customers have been pulling again on spending, underwear manufacturers might want to give customers a motive to make purchases. Manufacturers can put money into enjoyable colours and types to perk up at-home dwelling, and likewise remind customers that underwear is a necessity, even when the remainder of their wardrobe is in any other case enough.
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