19 minute read
How Will Women Buy Tomorrow?
SALON DIALOGUE HOW WILL WOMEN BUY TOMORROW?
What is the key when it comes to buying fashion? Storytelling is fair enough, but how much advice is really desirable? And what about online shopping? In our style in progress salon dialogue, female consumers and retail experts dis- cuss the current state of the retail trade and its future.
Interview and text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photos: Peter Schaffrath
Retail experts and female con- sumers met up in Düsseldorf’s Malkasten for the style in progress salon dialogue,
style in progress: Today, the retail trade offers an enormous variety, but fewer and fewer customers are willing to visit stores. Is everyone shopping online?
Stephanie Mayer, fashion editor at Jades24: I do believe that the mass of fashion overwhelms many. In addition, there isn’t just one trend to follow, but ten. That’s why our online shop Jades24.com offers style suggestions for every item of clothing to show what it could be combined with. Most employed women certainly have no desire to sacrifice an entire Saturday for shopping. Time has become the greatest luxury of all. Ultimately, our online shop does nothing else than gift our customers more time. Simone Chrystall, owner of Chrystall Düsseldorf: The time factor definitely plays into the hands of the online trade. In my Chrystall store, I have attempted to combine shopping with gastronomy. This approach caters for customers who have the time to meet their girlfriends for a coffee after buying fashion. Today, the café is operated by someone else, mainly because I couldn’t give the catering operation the time and passion it deserves. Even though my customers still combine a shopping session with a visit to the café, my customer frequency continues to decline and I haven’t found a solution yet. Given the enormous product ranges, consumers definitely crave guidance. But many retailers fail to supply just that.
This is one of the reasons why new job profiles, such as shopping consultants, have emerged. Maria Mertens, you act as a style coach for your clients in Paris and Milan. How did that come about?
Maria Mertens:It wasn’t difficult to get started in Paris. I was selling fashion in my store at the time and a woman was so excited by my look that she asked me whether she could book me as a consultant. She was really thrilled with my service and recommended me to others. I was also recommended in Milan by a friend with a large circle of friends and acquaintances. So one thing led to another.
Why not in Germany?
Maria Mertens:In Germany, there are many women who would like to receive my advice, but they are not willing to pay for it. Some of them are friends, but I also believe that this stance is rooted in the German mentality. Other countries, like the US, are a little further in this respect. There, style coaching is a welcome service and is paid as such.
Many German luxury retailers, such as Breuninger, have been offering this service for quite some time and not only to their VIP customers.
Maria Mertens: When the advice comes from a business, it is no longer objective. Style coaching is hard work. I have to make myself acquainted with the wardrobe of the respective client to determine what it lacks and what would fit in. I need to know the product range of all stores in order to find the right fashion for the respective type. After all, I don’t want to redefine my client or impose my style on her. The work behind the scenes often goes unnoticed. I know a woman who goes into town with her husband every weekend and spends 30,000 Euros on clothes. However, the looks she creates are often not particularly flattering. This woman would never admit that she needs advice. That applies to many people, I think. Everyone thinks they have taste. Patricia Dickmann, real estate agent: I also believe that there is a market for coaching - or better: that there will be a market in this country. In my industry, we have companies that style homes in order to make them more marketable. It’s called home-staging. This method is particularly beneficial in new properties, because the interior designer can influence the process from the start, which also gives customers planning security. I can imagine that the same would work well in the fashion industry.
Allegra, at the tender age of 19 you are the youngest in the group. Do young people prefer to buy online - espe cially as you grew up with the Internet?
Allegra Isert, AMD fashion student: I prefer visiting the stores. I want to see the colours as they really are and I love the feel of materials. But maybe I’m not your average customer in this respect. My friend recently
told me about her last visit to Zara. She left straight away, because she felt the place was too untidy! So she ordered loads of stuff online - only to send everything back, because she didn’t like any of it. Many think that’s the way things work today. Personally, I find it too time-consuming to go to the post office with a parcel or to pay in advance for something that I don’t want to keep. If I shop online, I do so quite deliberately - only when I have seen an item and know the size fits, but the store didn’t have it in stock. In those cases, I prefer to shop online rather than having to go back later. Peggy Berger-Hopp, marketing assistant: I really don’t like visiting stores like Zara; the volume of goods drives me crazy. You could move the hangers ten years ago, but not anymore. I have so little desire to go shopping anyway; I simply don’t have enough time. I prefer to frequent a few smaller stores. In Düsseldorf, for example, I enjoy concept stores such as Unterhaltung:Lieblingsstücke or Selekteur. In these stores, I never look for anything specific, but I always find something. I find things that surprise me! I have the best ideas in such stores, including gift ideas. I’m not
Simone Chrystall, owner of Chrystall Düsseldorf a customer who looks for specific items. I’d return home frustrated after not finding anything. Patricia Dickmann:If I want to buy white pants, I usually do some research in advance as to where they can be purchased and then I buy them too. I’m usually in a rush timewise, which is why I’m not overly critical, even if the pants aren’t exactly what I was looking for. If I have more time, I enjoy visiting small stores like the ones in Düsseldorf-Flingern. I love stores in which I can feel that the owner shares my fashion taste. In those cases, it feels like they bought all their stock just for me. Stephanie Mayer: Today, it is more important than ever to sell a lifestyle. Some smaller stores create entire theme worlds that prove the owner has thought very hard about the customers and what they could like besides fashion. At Jades24, we also promote specific topics such as the Coachella Festival. While it is clear that not all of our customers are likely to attend the festival, they still enjoy buying a piece of the dream and lifestyle. This is exactly where the retail trade needs to do more to attract those who may not enjoy buying fashion. Simone Chrystall:That’s exactly what we’re working on. However, we have noticed a trend proving that impulse buys, such as a vase decorated in the style of the fashion, are in decline. An increasing number of customers want to check online first to see whether the item is cheaper somewhere else. And there’s always someone online who has put that particular series on sale, thus offering it cheaper! It makes life very difficult for us. Even when customers trust us and are convinced by the product, they want to make sure that they pay the cheapest price. Patricia Dickmann: I really enjoy buying an item I love right on the spot. I enjoy the experience all the more when a salesperson packs it nicely and maybe even puts a cute bow on the bag. This is what defines a great shopping experience for me. Simone Chrystall: However, many customers come to the store to look around before they go online to see if the desired item is available as a bargain somewhere else. The industry itself has to shoulder much of the blame. I haven’t reduced prices as rigorously as I used to for the last two years; I believe one shouldn’t devalue the product too much. On a different note, I feel as if looks aren’t as new and different every season. The new collections don’t surprise me as much as they used to. The fact that retailers fall prey to their own insecurities - and thus order similar ranges and avoid risks - reinforces this impression. But if I buy something out of the ordinary for the store, I can tell that my customers aren’t ready for it yet. They’ll ask for it a season later, when I no longer have it in stock.
At the same time, fashion has gathered pace again. This certainly has something
“Influencers may always look great, but they no longer embody their own style. They get all their stuff from brands. In my opinion, that’s not real.” Allegra Isert, AMD fashion student
to do with the fact that today’s consumers are better informed. Does this mean it takes longer than we think for a trend to reach consumers?
Maria Mertens:It does in many cases, yes. The first pre-fall turtleneck sweaters hit the stores in April, which is before consumers have even worn their summer wardrobe. This pace overwhelms almost everyone. Peggy Berger-Hopp: I thought it was a good time to buy a new bikini back in March. I entered the store wrapped in thick clothes, because it was quite cold outside. I tried on two or three models in the changing room, but nothing looked good on my winter-white skin with pressure sores caused by stockings on my leg. It was definitely too early for bikinis! I only felt a desire to buy summer things when the first warm rays of sunshine appeared in mid-April. Simone Chrystall: I feel the same way. But sometimes I have a plan and buy early, mainly because I know that I won’t be able to get certain items later. Maria Mertens:At Eickhoff, certain items really weren’t in stock later. They had three versions - that was it. Today, creating an
“I love stores in which I can feel that the owner shares my fashion taste. In those cases, it feels like they bought all their stock just for me.” Patricia Dickmann, real estate agent
artificial shortage no longer works because of online shopping. Today, items one can see at online fashion shows are - in some cases - available instantly. Fashion customers want those items right away, not in half a year. Stephanie Mayer:The entire Missoni swimwear collection was sold out at Jades24 in March within a few days, which surprised us somewhat. Some collections by famous bloggers sell out within seconds. Our typical customer is fashion-savvy, is aware of upcoming trends, and knows what is limited. In this segment, there really are no boundaries in terms of “too early” for us!
Speaking of bloggers and their playground, Instagram: both play an important role in the promotion of fashion trends today.
Allegra Isert: Personally, I am not a big fan, even though I find the influencer phenomenon quite exciting from a professional point of view. They may always look great, but they no longer embody their own style. They get all their stuff from brands. In my opinion, that’s not real.
Are your friends, especially those who don’t study fashion, aware of that?
Allegra Isert: I guess not. Most people don’t bother with looking behind the scenes and just want to own everything they see. Even a shower gel that was created by some influencer… At the end of the day, it’s just a normal shower gel that costs three Euros more. Stephanie Mayer: In fact, 90 to 95 percent of my outfits are inspired by Instagram. I don’t care whether influencers are paid to wear certain brands. The look is the only thing that counts for me. And every look can be replicated with other brands than Gucci and the like. I am, for example, inspired by Anine Bing, who showcases very wearable fashion. Her street styles don’t look like they’ve come straight out of a shop window or reflect some obscure looks presented in glossy magazines.
The huge advantage of e-retailers is convenience.
Maria Mertens: With the disadvantage, however, that one needs to pay twice when ordering two sizes to choose from. Stephanie Mayer: Not in our case! We offer shopping on account, meaning that we only debit the price of what you actually purchased.
The high return rate is indeed a huge issue for many e-retailers. Is it actually worth it for a multi-label retailer to have an online shop?
Stephanie Mayer: In our case it definitely is. Ordering that much to choose from is rather exceptional. Maybe the fact that we operate in a high-price segment makes people more deliberate. Customers who order five items from us usually don’t send them back. It’s certainly different for Zara and Mango. We also strive to be as precise as possible in the description of the items in order to avoid returns. Simone Chrystall: At Chrystall, we actively promote the option to take home items to choose from. Strangely, this offer is rarely accepted. It seems as if customers have inhibitions to do so. An online shop will always remain impersonal, which means stores will always be able to convince with personality and individual advice. However, selling something is a very difficult skill to master and entails so much more than merely taking sweaters off shelves. Allegra Isert: I am a woman who knows exactly what she wants. I don’t need much help, even though it sometimes feels odd when I have to do everything myself in a store. On the other hand, I don’t want to be asked constantly: Do you like that? Does this suit you? I welcome a few suggestions or that the sales assistant hangs up an item in the changing room for me. Simone Chrystall: Giving excellent advice is an art. One should never give customers the feeling that one is eager to convince them of buying something desperately. One mustn’t forget that salespeople are required to work in the stores until 7pm and even on Saturdays, mostly at a relatively low income. This job is subject to very different demands than ten years ago. In addition, the profession is usually undervalued.
What needs to change to make you want to return to stores? What is important to you personally?
Peggy Berger-Hopp: I always enjoy exploring the background story of what I buy. Is it a small manufactory that keeps traditional craftsmanship alive by utilising old machines? Or is it a footwear specialist from Portugal that lovingly manufactures handsewn shoes? I am willing to spend more money on such stories. Allegra Isert: I come from Bocholt near the Dutch border, where there are many small stores in which one knows everyone personally. Even when I’m in Holland, I prefer to visit the small boutiques, where everything is closely related and paints an overall picture. Brands are more of an afterthought in this context. On the other hand, I also buy a lot from Zara, mainly because the price is good and the trends are fast. Peggy Berger-Hopp: My grown-up daughter, who is 21 years old now, doesn’t like going into town at all. She only frequents two or three stores in which she has enjoyed positive experiences and that offer inexpensive fashion. An example is Subdued in Düsseldorf’s historic town centre. Our buying behaviour is contrary. If I leave the
“In Germany, there are many women who would like to receive my advice, but they are not willing to pay for it.” Maria Mertens, style coach
3XDRY ® COOLER PANTS
house on a Saturday, I open my closet. If she leaves the house on a Saturday, she wants to go shopping. I’m a stranger to this world. I prefer buying something that is more durable due to its quality. That seems more sustainable to me. Stephanie Mayer: Clothing is always an expression of how you feel. It allows you to discover and express new facets of your personality. This obviously plays into the hands of the fashion industry. Peggy Berger-Hopp: I believe there are so many other ways to express your identity other than via clothing, as so many young people tend to do. I wish they could just rest within themselves. Then everything else would fall into place. Stephanie Mayer: But clothing can be helpful in this respect. I chose to wear a blazer today; it makes me feel a little smarter!
Today’s consumers are said to be loyal to neither store nor brand. Do you still experience such loyalty nonetheless?
Patricia Dickmann: I have this loyalty. Even though I look all over the place, I still always return to that one underwear store. I think the range assembled by the owner is simply stunning. I am also loyal to some brands. However, quality is more important to me than a brand.
Peggy Berger-Hopp, marketing assistant
What do you expect from a store that you visit? Or what do stores lack from time to time?
Patricia Dickmann: I would like a holistic approach to advice. I know what I like, but I sometimes struggle with combinations. I’d enjoy some styling advice as long as it comes at a reasonable price. Stephanie Mayer: Modern consumers want to be inspired and surprised. While Zara redecorates several times a week, the smaller stores display the same collections for weeks. It’s more difficult for them, because they don’t have the capacity to re-dress the mannequins and re-design the shop window every day. Maria Mertens: One also doesn’t even get new goods delivered anymore. Simone Chrystall: We are trying to offset that problem by not presenting all goods at once, but by releasing them to the sales floor gradually. Peggy Berger-Hopp: As a salesperson, one needs to develop a sense for the customer. I work in the Düsseldorf branch of Repeat Cashmere a few days a week. Recently, a lady entered the store just before closing time. She had visited us many times, but she had never bought anything. She seemed really unfriendly at first. I still acted the same as I always do, with the result that she left the store happy an hour later, after spending 1,000 Euros. Maria Mertens: She noticed that someone is taking the time to serve her. That’s why she felt comfortable and started buying. Simone Chrystall: We have very different types of salespeople; they are just as diverse as our customers. Some enjoy intensive advice and want the sales assistant to be right behind them, while others feel beset in such a situation. Some customers prefer to visit the store when their favourite sales assistant is on duty. I don’t think that a consistent strategy for how best to deal with customers exists. Stephanie Mayer: Many customers are highly sensitive. They want honest advice, but not all of them can stomach an honest opinion. Simone Chrystall: Most women feel comfortable when a sales assistant has an open ear for their wishes and takes the time for a personal exchange. Stephanie Mayer: Our online customers may have spent the whole day talking, be it with their kids or in business meetings. They are happy to be left in peace. When buying online, one doesn’t have to engage in small talk that may cost another half hour. Simone Chrystall: Still, I don’t believe that all stores will have disappeared in ten or twenty years time. Maybe there will be more showrooms to facilitate online shopping, but I am convinced that brands will still have to present themselves offline. It is still very difficult to create a brand online. Why
“Time has become the greatest luxury of all. Ultimately, our online shop does nothing else than gift our customers more time.” Stephanie Mayer, fashion editor at Jades24
else would so many e-retailers open stores of their own? Because it’s easier to interact with customers… Peggy Berger-Hopp: The retail industry will prevail, albeit perhaps not in the form as we know it today. The young consumers of today will undergo a transformation. Just think how many goods are being produced despite dwindling resources. I can’t imagine it will go on like this forever. Maria Mertens: I wouldn’t be surprised if craftsmanship experiences a renaissance. The personal and individual aspects are becoming even more important, because the consumer is overwhelmed by mass in the long run. Stephanie Mayer: Nevertheless, the online trade will certainly continue to grow, because the time factor plays an increasingly important role too. I think that stationary retailers will draw more from digitisation in the future, for instance by installing intelligent mirrors. There are an increasing number of smart, digital solutions that can be integrated into a business naturally. But there will also always be customers who love the shopping experience only a store can offer and who will take the time for a proper shopping spree.
