Fashion brands have more data about customer behavior than ever. The challenge is knowing which behaviors give an indication of future sales. Through investigating search activity, social media saves, clicks on emails, return visits, and traffic to a website, marketers can learn what customers think before they actually buy something. This can allow fashion marketers to determine how to make better choices when launching a new item, organizing products, conducting promotional campaigns, and selling products. Brands should look for several signals indicating a trend rather than react to each sudden change in the market.
Exploring trends through search activity can indicate what customers are already investigating. An increase in searches related to linen, suede, oversized outerwear, barrel leg jeans, or a specific neckline might reveal the rising interest of customers before they actually buy. Marketers can analyze the changes in search along with their product offer. If they see that many product categories tend to appear in the searches at the same time, they should plan the introduction of similar products in their merchandising strategy.
Observing such a behavior can help tell if someone is showing lasting interest, or if they simply follow the latest social media trend.
Email campaigns provide a great deal of information, beyond the open and click-through rates. Brands can find out what products generate the maximum clicks in their lookbooks. The collection could contain any number of dresses, jackets, shoes, or accessories, showing high engagement for a particular category instead of another. The aforementioned click patterns can facilitate targeted segmentation. In the case of subscribers that have been clicking tailoring over and over again, for instance, they can be provided with styling tips and exclusive access to new drops. Moreover, the click clusters allow the merchandising teams to define what products can be promoted in their future campaigns.
A visitor who looks at one product and leaves is only giving a small signal. Someone who looks at a variety of related products and returns multiple times provides a more consistent picture of interest. Brands can monitor the number of page views, categories checked, and frequency of session and number of visitors who viewed the website repeatedly. If visitors are browsing frequently but not buying, they could be looking for more information before making a final proposal.
Intent data becomes effective only when it translates into an actual decision made. For example, a search peak may affect the time a collection is launched. A good rate of saving may call for more creativity. The rate of return can give rise to personalized suggestions. The activity related to stock alerts can serve as an impetus for a decision about replenishment. It is most efficient when the indicators give several signs of the same direction. Any newsworthy post can draw attention, though it does not mean the emergence of a permanent demand. But growing interest in searches, saves, views, and hits on emails about a certain silhouette gives an outstanding reason to act.
Thus, fashion brands can use intent signals as an early note of danger. Offering this option will allow merchandisers to rely not on sales data, but on shoppers’ searches, saves, clicks, views, and visits.
