Menswear eCommerce: how to capitalise on the fashion-unconscious?

What menswear eCommerce should look like?

The sky is blue. The leaves are green. And men hate shopping.

That’s not necessarily true. Certainly not all men don’t care about appearance. Global fashion market for men is growing, according to BOF.

But obviously, men tend to shop differently from women. They spend less time in bricks and mortar stores, but more time on mobile eCommerce, for instance.

An Instagram account MiserableMen sums up how men have different expectations when it comes to shopping. Those photos of men challenging their limits and patience went viral and got people sympathy.

How can fashion eCommerce appeal to less fashion-conscious men?

Women consider shopping as a “social event”, while men consider shopping as a “mission” (Clulow&Associates).

Here are some general, though interesting data on ‘less fashion-conscious’ men (TechinAsia)

• They get bored at shopping faster
• They spend less time on shopping compared with women
• They have little or no contact with shop staff

I hear retailers booing. BUT don’t judge too fast. Because the last point is crucial.

• They are loyal customers.

While female shoppers’ tastes tend to be changeable, men want to stick to particular fashion brands. So this difference is also apparent on eCommerce platforms.

Here is the thing, men eCommerce (or men-commerce) needs a distinctive digital strategy. Particularly if you want to sell to fashion-insensitive (but more practical) male consumers. The majority of eCommerce features today are catered for female shoppers’ needs and behaviours. Features such as product recommendation engines are rather favoured by women, not necessarily by men.

Besides those male consumers are not as much sensitive to price comparison as their female counterparts.

Convenience, speed and customisation  

Some male fashion brands like Edit Suit Co understand their clients’ priorities – convenience and practicality. They sell tailor-made shirts attracting young professionals in the banking and finance sector.

But it doesn’t stop there. They have a twist – they send over outfitters to their clients’ nearest locations to take measurements, according to TechinAsia.

Another example, an enthusiastic fashion startup Tate&Tonic  also has a unique twist – they deliver a selection of clothes based on your fashion preference to your doorstep. The customers then only select and pay for the items they want. No shipping fees.

With ‘dress well with no hassle’ as their motto, such men’s fashion eCommerce seek to capitalise on men’s unique shopping behaviour. 

Key points to success

As you can guess by now, the first one has to be convenience. Ladies like spending time wandering online and offline stores with friends. But your target audience might not find that process enjoyable.

The second one is functionality. If you are offering a unique service, it has to work well. If you are offering an absolutely tailored product, then you have to get it right (TechinAsia). If you are delivering the products, then make sure there is no surprise costs.

Last but not least – a great service with a twist creates values to your eCommerce business. Remember if everything done right, they will be loyal to you.

What do you think?

Appnova is a digital agency specializing in web design, UX, eCommerce, branding, digital marketing and social media.

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