LET’S GO SHOPPINGWomen Love Shopping For A Variety Of Reasons
Cassandra is in a good place in her life; she’s just scored a new and more lucrative job, she’s down to her goal weight and with graduate school behind her, she has a lot more time on her hands. When asked how she plans to celebrate the newest phase in her life, she answers succinctly, “Shopping.” With the new influences in her life, Cassandra is likely to find good company when hitting the stores. According to the Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor™, nearly 75% of women say that their enjoyment of shopping has remained the same or increased over the past three years. Within this group, nearly one in three stated that their enjoyment increased “a little” to “a lot more” based on changes in their financial situation, their appreciation for current fashions, and changes in size or other garment fit issues. “Everyone has different reasons for apparel shopping and it’s very interesting to see how life situations can influence how much, or how little, a woman enjoys the process,” says Melissa Bastos, Manager of Market Research for Cotton Incorporated. “And the reasons aren’t always what you might expect.” For instance, Bastos explains, a change in income does not always mean a woman has more money. A decrease in disposable income can also spur a spree. “There are certainly women who love shopping more when they are in a tighter financial situation, since it forces them to be savvier consumers,” Bastos concedes. Carol Davies, a partner with Fletcher Knight, a marketing and brand innovation consultancy, agrees. “We know that there are women who are game shoppers and they are looking for the bottom line best bargain,” she details. “When they have less money at hand, the sense of accomplishment in getting the best deal is greater. Making more with less is rewarding; a bottomless bowl of candy may not taste as sweet as a few savored pieces. ”But perhaps knowing you can always have a wee bit more does make the shopping process a little sweeter, maintains Alle Fister, Principal of Bollare, a fashion and lifestyle public relations company based on the West Coast. “With higher disposable income comes more flexibility in purchasing, and we all definitely enjoy flexibility and options! ”As with a change in income, a change in fit and style as a shopping rationale is not always due to weight loss. Rather, it’s about achieving the right level of health from a weight perspective, whether that means a weight loss or weight gain reflecting these positive feelings towards shopping. There’s an added bonus, too, observes Davies. “If your body has changed, you really do need to go out and buy new clothing. It’s a license to shop and it removes any guilt you might have about spending money.” Putting down some cash for something you really like is also gratifying and the current variety of fashions certainly seems to resonate with women. For female respondents who told the Monitor that they enjoyed shopping “a little bit more” in the past three years, new style choices were the number one motivator (26%). Respondents who enjoyed the process “a lot more,” cited this variety as the second most compelling factor (20%). There are certainly direct and indirect influences at play here, says Bastos. “Whether women admit it or not, celebrities and the media do have an influence on how many women feel about certain fashions. ”Indeed, the messages are everywhere. “With greater attention to shopping, style and fashion, there has been a rise in ‘style experts’ appearing in magazines and on television giving consumers an almost inside track on fashion,” Fister explains. “When people are given the information and the tools about how to look and feel better through their wardrobe, they definitely enjoy shopping more!” Fister should know; she has appeared as a notable fashion resource on countless network and broadcast shows, from FOX and ABC to VH1 and MTV. The female consumer is also more educated about what she is buying. For example, the average woman is fairly knowledge of easy-care attributes in cotton clothing: 77% know that cotton is an easy care fabric, that it can have stretch (74%), that it is available with wrinkle-resistance (68%) and that it can be stain resistant (55%). Another factor not mentioned directly by female respondents are the multiple channels for purchase, which have likely fueled an increased interest and enjoyment in apparel shopping. “There are more options for women to shop today,” Fister continues. “Whether it is shopping in a mall with a girlfriend, relaxing in a personal shopper’s office or shopping online from home or the office, women definitely have access to the items that they want!” Also not mentioned directly by respondents but just as important is finding the right venue with the right personal touch, according to Tess Enright, a co-owner of the upscale boutiques Tess and Carlos in Boston, who lives this credo firsthand. “It’s about creating a personal relationship that makes people want to come back in and trust you as a resource for great clothing,” she tells. “It’s about creating a caring and comfortable environment.” Finding those factors of care and comfort just might underscore any reason why women enjoy shopping for apparel, from finding a good fit to discovering a great fashion to keeping tabs on one’s financial compass. It just might be the reason you hear someone say, “Let’s go shopping!”
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This story is one in a series of articles based on findings from Cotton Incorporated’s Lifestyle Monitor™ tracking research. Each story will focus on a specific topic as it relates to the American women’s wear consumer and her attitudes and behavior regarding clothing, appearance, fashion, fiber selection and many other timely, relevant subjects.
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