Fashion: Bye-bye High street

Over the last 5 years or so, online shopping has completely changed the way we buy clothes and many of the so-called giants of the high street have fallen by the wayside.  

Whether you see this as progress or a step back depends on your own personal situation, but the fact is that shopping online for clothes and fashion accessories is just more convenient than wandering around the town all day. Especially if you really don’t like shopping that much. You know that guy standing outside the woGmen’s clothes shop looking bored on a Saturday afternoon? That’s me.

However, just because you can buy it online, doesn’t always mean people want to keep it. A recent survey by market research group Mintel found that approximately 25% of all clothes online were sent back. That figure compares to less than 10% of clothes bought in the high street.

Now on some sites, you also have these ‘buy now pay later’ payment systems like Klarna, and because most places offer free returns you can try something on in the privacy of your own home before deciding if it suits you or not.

Then there is the group of shoppers who will buy ten outfits and will keep one. Before the internet there was ‘the catalogue’ and an ex-girlfriend of mine would often ‘buy’ a new dress for a wedding or big night out, only to realise it didn’t suit her the next day and send it back for a full refund!

Although you do actually have to go to the post office or drop off place to send the stuff back, online stores like dresshub.com enable shoppers to buy all the big brands under the same digital roof, plus with fewer overheads than traditional bricks and mortar stores, prices are generally cheaper too. Dress hub has mens and women’s clothes, not to mention accessories like bags and backpacks and a cool range of footwear too. Some of the brands include Burberry, Fendi, Alexander McQueen and Gucci. Incidentally, look out for the new movie about Gucci (The house of Gucci) starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver coming soon. 

For someone like me it’s the ideal solution. Unlike my ex, I tend to be a bit more choosy about what I buy and I actually very rarely send anything back either. I do wonder what she orders these days with the whole internet at her fingertips, I’m just glad it’s not me taking it back to the post office any more!