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Zendor Research Reveals Almost Two-Thirds of Fashion and Footwear Retailers Have Yet to Launch a Transactional Website

Press Release

By: Zendor
21 March 2007

Research carried out by Zendor, the Manchester-based multi-channel retail expert, reveals that the number of fashion and footwear retailers who have launched transactional websites has increased from 23% in 2003 to 39% in 2006. Zendor has been tracking 130 of the UK’s top retailers since 2003, and the results mean that almost two-thirds are currently unable to take advantage of the online opportunities available to them. Surprisingly, 11% of these retailers do not even have a basic website presence. This is despite reports that sales of clothing and footwear via the Internet have surged 461% in the same period reaching a record £1.2 billion, according to Mintel.

However, Zendor also identified that 2006 saw the most activity in the online fashion and footwear sector when there was a 42% increase in the number of retailers to launch an e-commerce operation (compared to a 9% increase in 2005 and a 10% increase in 2004.) This illustrates that although the market has been one of the slowest to embrace online retailing, 2006 was the year that signified a step change.

Broadband adoption, customer confidence and demand for wider ranges are the key drivers of online sales of clothing and footwear. Now retailers need to utilise technology to provide better picture quality and product presentation i.e. zoom facilities, and adopt shrewd e-commerce and marketing strategies to claim a share of the £2.9 billion sales forecast for 2011 (Mintel).

Nick Allen, Zendor’s Chief Executive, says “Fashion and footwear is going to be a dominant area for online market growth in 2007. Already we have seen at least nine transactional sites planned or launched by major fashion retailers this year. Those that are still unconvinced that clothes and shoes won’t sell because customers want to ‘touch and feel’ the product should wake up to the substantial opportunities online retailing presents; the perceived limitations of selling these products online have simply been quashed by the uptake of broadband.”