Where Consumers Get Apparel Ideas…

When planning marketing strategy, it is helpful to know where consumers get apparel ideas and what will catch their attention. Reliance on external sources for apparel ideas has soared since 1994, especially among minorities. Store displays are the most effective means of reaching consumers of all racial/ethnic backgrounds, and this source of apparel ideas shows the least disparity among the groups.

The second most powerful persuasion tool for reaching minority markets is commercials and advertising, followed by fashion magazines. Approximately half of minority shoppers say they rely on images and messages about clothing from media and magazines, compared with a third of white shoppers. Hispanic and black apparel shoppers are more likely than others to look to family, sales associates, and celebrities for ideas, while Asian Americans are more likely than others to get ideas from catalogs or people they see regularly. Since 1994, catalogs have gained the most in influence among consumers overall, while sales people continue to rank last as idea sources. This observation poses a challenge to retailers to increase the knowledge and helpfulness of their front-line employees.