Clothing Tops Computers in Online Sales
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James Joyner | Tuesday, May 15, 2007 |
BizReport passes on word that “U.S. residents bought $18.3 billion dollars worth of clothes and shoes online last year compared to $17.2 billion spent on computer hardware and software.” In fact, the category trails only travel tickets in gross online sales over the last decade.
Shop.org, the group that released the report, also found that about 14 percent of clothing bought online is returned – about double the return rates for other types of products purchased on the Internet. Still, online clothing retailers are doing phenomenally well, despite worries that shopping was one activity that people would prefer to do in person, what with the advantages of being able to touch fabrics and try on clothes to see if they’re exactly the right fit.
The International Herald Tribune reports that Scott Silverman, executive director of Shop.org, said, “If you are looking for a sign that online retailing has really gone mainstream, I don’t think you can find a better one than this.”
Indeed, that’s phenomenal. The fact that a significant percentage is returned is a feature, not a bug. The ability to easily return items they don’t like is the reason people feel confident buying clothing online in the first place.
About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and infant daughter.
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