Survey Reveals Online Shoppers Are Open to Recommendations If

SAN FRANCISCO, May 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lucidworks, the provider of next-generation AI-powered search apps and pioneer of the Connected Experience Cloud, surveyed consumers in the US and UK who buy clothes online. Respondents said there has been a noticeable increase in “out of stock” messages during the pandemic, but they are open to relevant substitutions that match their tastes, preferred fit and price range. Point-in-time recommendations require apparel e-tailers to understand a shopper’s specific desire, predict inventory availability, and promote the items shoppers are most likely to add to cart. The survey report outlines consumer preferences and behaviors regarding online clothing purchases during the pandemic.

Buyers are open to relevant substitutes
76% of shoppers say they will sometimes or always buy a substitute, even if they buy with a specific garment in mind. However, openness to substitutions differed geographically. Overall, US shoppers are more than three times more likely to purchase an alternative clothing product at any time than UK consumers. When consumers were asked if there was an item of clothing they would never replace, they expressed preferences based on brands, styles and fits that are non-negotiable in categories such as jeans, shoes and underwear.

Inventory-based notifications are a reliable engagement tool
Nearly a quarter of shoppers say that even though they are looking for relevant substitutes, they know what they want and are willing to wait for their favorite sneakers, jeans and underwear to come back in stock. Proactive notifications can save shoppers from the nasty surprise of an “out of stock” message. 91% of shoppers want to be notified when an item they love is back in stock and 61% of shoppers say they’re more likely to purchase an item in their size if they know it’s out of stock of stock. Email, SMS, or app notification alerts are an effective way to ensure shoppers get what they need.

Smarter search sells what’s in stock
Inconsistent recommendations aren’t the only reason your customers leave empty-handed. 15% of shoppers said they usually end up on a “no results” page when an item they’re looking for is out of stock. This means that retailers do not offer relevant substitutes in place of a preferred item. Retailers who invest in semantic vector search technology learn from customer behavior to match queries to products with a similar goal so that shoppers never end up on a dead-end, “no results” page, even if the Expected item is not available.

Other key findings from the survey include:

  • 57% of shoppers say they find the specific item of clothing they are looking for online goes out of stock frequently or every time they buy.
  • 86% of online shoppers prefer to have their clothing purchases delivered to their home (rather than picking them up in store).
  • More than two-thirds of shoppers (69%) will buy from another apparel retailer if they can’t find what they need on their favorite app or website.
  • Among respondents who want to receive back-in-stock notifications, 75% prefer to receive email notifications and 38% prefer SMS notifications.
  • Men are more than three times more likely to buy a substitute at any time than women.

The survey was conducted in March this year and was limited to respondents who buy clothes online at least once a month. 401 respondents located in the UK and 401 respondents located in the US participated. Download the full survey report today.

About Lucidworks
Lucidworks connects experiences across the user journey to meet customer and employee intent in the moment. Lucidworks Connected Experience Cloud (CXC) enables customers to easily capture user signals and create personalized search, browse, and discovery experiences. The world’s biggest brands, including Lenovo, Red Hat, Reddit, and Cisco Systems, rely on Lucidworks’ suite of products to power commerce, customer service, and workplace apps that delight customers and empower employees . Lucidworks investors include Francisco Partners, Sixth Street Partners, Top Tier Capital Partners, Shasta Ventures, Granite Ventures, and Walden International. Learn more about Lucidworks.com.


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