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Top Challenges Affecting the Fashion and Apparel Industry
Leveraging consumer data can help middle-market fashion and apparel companies understand consumers' requirements and want, safeguard margins through simplification, and create good consumer relationships.
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Applied Technology Review | Monday, January 30, 2023
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Leveraging consumer data can help middle-market fashion and apparel companies understand consumers' requirements and want, safeguard margins through simplification, and create good consumer relationships.
FREMONT, CA: During the pandemic, fashion and apparel businesses used direct-to-consumer techniques to attract homebound buyers. Easy access and efficiency pleased customers. As stores reopen and mobility improves, consumers return to pre-pandemic spending habits. Convenience and established behavior will keep people buying online, but many will return to brick-and-mortar establishments for in-person experiences. Smart fashion and clothing companies will examine and change preferred channels to meet consumers where they are, whether online or in stores. Strong brands should co-develop a sales strategy with retail partners. Also important are data security and privacy.
Consumers and investors notice social responsibility: Consumers make purchases based on their values and value. An increasing number of consumers care about the importance of their favorite companies, and investing in sustainably sourced materials is crucial. This investment makes consumers feel good about the things they buy, and they may pay more. Many fashion and apparel firms are incorporating ESG into their brand strategy. Middle-market fashion and apparel companies seeking finance often attract new investors and receive higher valuations if they can show their ESG business model's integrity. As educated consumers learn more about data breaches, they will buy from a reputable brand focused on privacy.
Adapting supply chain: Factory closures, workforce shortages, geopolitical worries, and freight issues disrupted fashion and clothing supply chains. Organizations have shifted their product sourcing, and factories to other regions, changed their product mix and tried alternate freight methods. Companies will also improve management and use leaner supply chains to maximize supply chain management. To foresee future demand and be nimble, companies should examine consumer preferences for their target demography and enhance forecasts utilizing data. Middle-market fashion and apparel enterprises must watch inventory levels to avoid overstocking.
Innovatively meeting consumer needs: In this competitive environment, fashion and apparel companies must be creative and imaginative to meet consumer demand. Organizations must innovate and offer new sustainable products to remain competitive and increase their consumers' wallet share. Legacy fashion companies use digital tactics to improve operations and reach consumers. It involves leveraging augmented reality and other technologies to imitate conventional in-store interactions and advanced digital transformation solutions to optimize speed and accuracy for seamless experiences. Connecting and transacting with consumers through social media and influencers builds community and brand loyalty.