Shopping for apparel online is a continually growing trend. It really doesn’t get much more convenient. The selection and offers are endless. Shipping and returns have become less daunting. So just what is the challenge to this #1 online category?

I think it comes down to consumers’ relationships with the brand. For example, there are certain brands I’m very comfortable buying online. It comes down to feeling confident that the brands I like won’t mess with quality or sizing. I need to know that the picture I’m seeing online is a real representation of what I’m about to buy. And I need to know that if I bought a size medium last time, I can buy a medium again…and it will fit.

On the flip side, this is exactly the reason I would have a hard time buying apparel from an online retailer that I’ve never purchased from. Sure I could be motivated to browse, but for my first purchase, I would really want to head to the store and try it on, touch it, feel it…all this good stuff. Once comfortable with the brand and confident of the style and sizing, you better believe I can be wooed to the online experience.

So what’s a online retailer to do? Well the first thing to do is recognize the reality of cross-channel shopping. Don’t just recognize it. Embrace it. Offer first time visitors coupons that they can use online or at one of your actual stores. A little web personalization can help here. Hook them whatever way you can. Impress them with quality, service and brand. Over time, I think the initial challenge of not seeing and touching will diminish. Over time, there will be a comfort level not to mention the whole convenience and offering that’s waiting on the web.

For an interesting report on this very topic, read this article from eMarketer: http://www.emarketer.com/Report.aspx?code=emarketer_2000423

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