Stylist App- Mintel Findings

WOMENSWEAR APRIL 2013

• 'Clothes remain high up on women's spending priorities lending the womenswear clothing sector an element of resilience. The continuing touch economic climate however, has meant that females have become more discerning about what they buy and how the pay for it, meaning retailers need to compete even more for their custom.' - Given that women are more concerned about their spending habits means that an app that utilises their current wardrobe would help them get more from the money they've already spent on clothes.
• 'Young consumers aged 16-24, who are the most fashion conscious and the main clothes shoppers are facing rising social and financial pressures and as a result are beginning to rein in their spending on fashion' - 16-24 are the main age range for the app so it links in well that this target market are beginning to evaluate their spending habits. Consequently, this app is perfect to help them still feel fashionable and on trend but with their current wardrobe.
• 'Women's clothing sales have risen 14% over the last five years to reach £20.7 billion in 2012...Mintel forecasts that the women's fashion sector will grow in value by 12% between 2012 and 2017.'
• 'Primark is the most popular womenswear retailer, with around 14.2 million women shopping there, equivalent to over half of the female population. Most popular with 16-24s.'- Women want fast fashion at cheaper prices. However, if they made better use of their wardrobes they could afford more expensive pieces that enhance their current closet. 
• 'Women are increasingly only buying clothes when they are reduced, comparing prices more before buying and purchasing cheaper items from their usual stores.'

FASHION ONLINE AUGUST 2013

• 'Shopping for clothes is a truly cross-channel experience and while people are increasingly purchasing clothes online, they also use the internet to just browse and still visit stores.'- Shopping online is becoming increasingly more popular showing that shopping on the high street is losing its touch slightly. More people interact on a digital level- perfect for an app.
• 'Mintel estimates that online sales of clothing and footwear will increase by 18% to reach £7.1 billion in 2013 as fashion has outperformed all other sectors online.'
• 'Almost two fifths of internet clothes shoppers bought clothing from eBay in the last year, making it the most popular website for fashion.' - Again, people want high street clothing but at discounted prices.
• '68% of consumers were selling unwanted clothes online to make room in wardrobes for new clothes.'

E-COMMERCE JULY 2013

• 'Some 54% of smartphone/ tablet owners told us they had shopped via a mobile device away from home in the past year.'
• Retailers will need to develop an online proposition that is mobile-centered: more targeted product recommendations, predictive search, navigation designed principality for smaller screens, new payment options and simpler (preferably single click) checkouts.' - The app will be able to provide more personal recommendations for users that co-inside with their current wardrobe.
• '63% of online shoppers were buying clothing and footwear'

ONLINE FASHION SALES GROW FASTER THAN HIGH STREET- JANUARY 2013

• 'Multichannel retailers are increasingly focusing on improving their online offer as online sales growth is outpacing store sales. Consumers are taking advantage of the benefits offered by online shopping, which includes comparing prices using different devices and reserving and collecting in-store. While a growing appetite for fashion e-commerce is being boosted by burgeoning smartphone and tablet ownership, barriers such as websites with slow loading times and security issues are putting shoppers off using these devices to actually purchase clothes online.'
• 'Eight in ten consumers say that shopping online helps in avoiding crowds in shops and three quarters say that browsing online has reduced the amount of time they spend in stores.' 
• 'However, over half (53%) of shoppers also use the internet to compare prices and hunt out the best bargains, as cost-conscious shoppers tighten their purse strings in the current era of austerity. As consumers become more skilled at seeking out bargains, the importance of brand or retailer loyalty is waning and shopping around will rise.'- Shoppers are more focused on bargain hunting, hence the need for this app to make the best of a consumer's existing wardrobe.
• 'Burgeoning smartphone and tablet ownership has helped fuel interest in online fashion as shoppers are using their devices to research clothing brands, read reviews and make purchases. Total retail search volumes of clothing rose by 20% in the fourth quarter of 2012 compared with the previous year. The latest Google Online Retail Monitor in partnership with the British Retail Consortium showed the extent to which search volumes on tablet devices outpaced those on any other devices including smartphones. Clothing showed the strongest growth rate of all categories for tablet retail search volumes, increasing 273% during the same period, compared with an 87% rise in smartphone search volumes'- The app will be able to link straight to websites on mobile devices so consumers can make purchases.