As Seen On International Screen
April 8th, 2010
If there’s one area of the high street that has been less affected by 2009’s financial downturn than others it is fashion retail. In fact, some high street giants such as Topshop and Miss Selfridge, both part of the Arcadia Group, reported record profits for last year.
What’s even more evident is the marked, and continuing growth reported by online fashion retailers. The e-commerce industry body IMRG reports that online sales of clothing, shoes and accessories were up by 18% from Dec 2008 – 2009, and that fashion e-tailers were the leaders in the UK online market.
It is generally acknowledged that internet shopping has provided customers with a whole new shopping experience, making it far easier and quicker for us to get our hands on the most recent must-haves, and allowing companies to maximise sales by reaching a market of consumers who might not have easy access to their stores.
By taking the notion of online retailing one step further and going international, the opportunities for growth for the retailer are taken to a whole new level. Cross-border e-commerce has proven to be hugely successful for online fashion retailer ASOS.
Launched ten years ago, ASOS (As Seen On Screen) currently sells to 150 countries. From France to Fiji and from Ireland to Iran, ASOS reports having 2.9 million registered users worldwide. These days, an image of a British celebrity wearing the latest trend can be published instantly around the world on the net, potentially creating a huge demand for the exact look. By grabbing this opportunity with both hands, ASOS managed to up their international sales by 102 % last year alone. In fact, the site has done so well in the USA that the company plan to start up a US-specific site later this year, a project fellow retail giant Topshop has already taken on, and is currently reaping the rewards of.
ASOS states that it increases its multicultural usability by sticking to the guidelines set out in the Plain English Campaign by keeping the English language on the site clear and concise. It also features a currency converter for all of the countries it markets to. By making the website as culturally ‘friendly’ as possible, ASOS broadens it potential customer base.
Ensuring a website’s usability maximises its full potential provides companies with the ability to gather far more detailed consumer data. By using the information gathered from cross-border purchases and subscriptions to e-newsletters etc, companies can target popular trends, age groups and sizes, and ensure that their sites reach a global market in the best possible way.
With such a globalised fashion and celebrity culture, now is the time for online fashion retailers to take full advantage of international e-commerce. Statistics show that shoppers are gradually becoming more and more confident buying products from abroad, with cross-border purchasing having more than doubled since 2003. And while both businesses and customers have expressed concerns over fraud, payment problems, and logistics when it comes to overseas online purchasing, with today’s advanced security software, safe payment options such as PayPal, and with the benefits of selling internationally being so evident, surely now is the time to reach out to the global fashion community.
By Anna Pearce
