We live in the digital age where everybody knows way too much about everything, and that's a fact. Apart from people stalking each other on Instagram, there is another thing to which the all-seeing eyes of the public are peeled: the fashion industry. With every year, people become more aware of the horrifying stuff that brands do: and they have to adapt to their consumers' needs and beliefs if they want to survive, staying competitive.
Going Green
We have come a long way in sustainability awareness in the past few years. People all around the world started paying attention to this global problem, and it just so happens that the fashion industry is high on the list of Earth polluters. Social media doesn't help the brands either, especially on Covid times, when everyone went online and started diving deeper into the deep topic of being on the green side. We see industry leaders getting bashed by their consumers for using too much plastic, and it's probably for the good. People are willing to pay more for their peace of mind, so it's up to the brands to take action and become more aware of the materials and packaging they use and change them to more sustainable options.
Social Media
Social media is a very powerful tool, and brands have started to actively use it to promote and celebrate their diversity, appealing to the masses and minorities at the same time. Hundreds or even thousands of consumers are defining brands now, as they do not hesitate to attack them on Twitter if they do something that has no place in 2021. As a result, we started seeing the usual beauty standards as the thing of the past, embracing the fact that people come in all shapes and sizes. Apart from satisfying their customers, brands that decided to embrace the changes have seen significant growth rates, and they are likely to see even more in the future.
Online Shopping
Since the beginning of the pandemic, we all had to stay at our homes and had no choice but go with deliveries for everything. This led to a big boom in the e-commerce industry: leaders had to invent new ways to provide a better experience for their customers to stay competitive when the new brands had to go online first. This push for online shopping led to many positive results, as we now have same-day deliveries, click and collect, even AR gimmicks to see how a piece of furniture will look like in your room. Regardless of when the pandemic ends, online shopping will probably stay and continue to grow, adapt, and overcome.
Personalization
Brands had to stop with their old ways of "one size-shape-color-and-everything-else" long ago, but today it's even more apparent that more changes are necessary to stay afloat. It is safe to say that people have grown lazier throughout the years, and they have to be shown what they want to buy directly without even searching for it. That is where personalization kicks in: brands develop algorithms that suggest merchandise to their customers based on their previous searches or purchases, driving more sales their way, giving people what they want. Some websites go even further, sending you personalized recommendations directly to your E-Mail, their app, or your messenger. One of the most awesome tricks that many e-commerce companies do is remind you when something is left in the cart for some time: talk about a next-level call to action!
Expectations
All the previous points led to this one: expectations. Customers have become more demanding and that is something that will not change. We always expect more from the company we buy, as it must be in their core values to cater to the always-changing market requirements. We, as buyers, shape all the industries. As one of the graters marketing rules says: demand creates its supply.
