2 min. reading

UK Fashion E-commerce 2024: BNPL Growth and Subscription Trends

The way that customers purchase and pay for their clothes is changing significantly in the UK fashion e-commerce market. According to data from InternetRetailing, the industry is experiencing notable shifts driven by intriguing trends in subscription services, delivery preferences, and payment methods.

UK Fashion E-commerce 2024: BNPL Growth and Subscription Trends
Source: Depositphotos

Fashion Subscription Services

Despite being innovative, fashion subscription boxes have only been moderately adopted; 5% of UK fashion e-shoppers choose to subscribe to accessories boxes, while 8% choose clothing and footwear boxes. When Stitch Fix, a significant player since 2019, announced its departure from the UK market in 2023, citing macroeconomic pressures, it brought attention to the market’s difficulty.

Subscriptions that focus on delivery, however, have been more successful; 26.7% of fashion buyers have yearly subscriptions for improved delivery services. As consumers’ expectations for convenient shopping experiences grow, these subscribers primarily benefit from free delivery (83.6%) and expedited shipping options (68.4%).

The Evolution of Payment Methods in Fashion E-commerce

Preferences for payments exhibit both consistency and change. With 92% of consumers using debit or credit cards, traditional payment methods are still popular, but digital alternatives are becoming more popular. 61% of fashion buyers use third-party checkout services like PayPal, and 36% of consumers now use mobile payments, which has doubled in popularity.

fashion uk - payment methods

Source: Internetretailing

The Rise of Buy Now Pay Later Services

One particularly intriguing trend is seen in the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) industry. Although usage has slightly decreased from 25% to 23%, the market has grown significantly, quadrupling since 2020.

According to projections, it will surpass the £16.7 billion spent in 2023 through BNPL services, reaching £30 billion this year.

While adhering to ethical lending standards, major fashion retailers have embraced BNPL options. For example, customers can divide payments into several installments with Shein’s flexible payment plans via Klarna and Clearpay.

Similar to this, ASOS offers a number of installment plans, but their payment pages prominently display cautions about responsible spending.

The changing payment landscape is a reflection of broader shifts in consumer behavior and financial preferences, even though retailers are stressing the value of careful spending when utilizing options for delayed payments.

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