I already wrote about how Covid has and continues to, change in-store shopping and ways retailers adapted. (You can read more about that: ARE RETAILERS READY TO REOPEN?)
But unfortunately, other sectors of the industry were hit as well. From the way people buy and wear clothes, to those whose jobs are getting it all from point A to point B, everyone has felt the aftermath of the virus.
HAS THE PANDEMIC CHANGED THE WAY, WHAT, AND HOW WE BUY?
Staying at home took away the need for us to dress up. Ok, maybe you put a nice shirt on for Zoom calls but most of us didn’t look the way we do at school or work.
The focus shifted on buying athleisure but still, sales of other items have declined but not enough to have anyone too worried. Clothes were bought for special occasions, like when we finally get to go out.
What a lot of people noted was the fact they looked into more sustainable choices. With the rise of education on all the effects the industry has and the lessened need for new clothes, consumers started making smarter purchases - smaller amounts of clothes that were produced and sourced more ethically.
Of course, because we did not have access to physical stores, we turned to ones online. Most sales revenue last year was made on the internet.
WHAT ABOUT THE EMPLOYEES?
The fashion industry has a huge number of people involved in the process of making and selling the products and unfortunately, those are the ones who get overlooked the most. Stores had to close, but a question was left open - what are the employees going to do now?
Some bigger brands were lucky enough to still be able to pay their workers, give them unpaid vacation days, or moving their role to a temporarily different one, but not everyone enjoyed that luxury. Trying to keep business afloat, some employers had no other option but to lay off some of their workforces, leaving a large number of people without income.
When things started getting back to seemingly normal, there was no other choice but to go back to the stores and factories. Working and being surrounded by other people as a part of their jobs imposed a risk of infection for everyone involved.
In most countries where production is based, there are no laws or unions protecting employees, leaving them to their own devices. Being at the bottom of the power chain and dependent on money to survive, factory workers had to return to work, exposing themselves to potential health problems as well.
Online sales increasing also put immense pressure on delivery workers. Having to work longer hours to meet all the deadlines while, in a lot of cases, not being compensated is still something delivery companies have to face and fix, either by paying overtime or employing more people.
IS THE PRESSURE ON THE SUPPLY CHAIN GROWING?
Short answer, yes.
Ok, now on to the long answer. Due to Covid, production and shipping were delayed making that wave felt all the way to consumers.
Compared to July 2019, prices for shipping containers from Asia to the west coast of the USA became 10 times higher this July (2021) making it harder for smaller brands to receive their goods.
Not being able to get their hands on needed items created pressure on inventory and warehouses. Brands need to keep their stocks at a higher volume than before, which can create problems, especially in the fashion industry. Unsold inventory, no longer considered "trendy" leads to waste and lost profit, further hurting the business.
The growing need to have inventory also gives buyers less choice because most retailers chose to buy a larger quantity of a smaller range of products.
On the other hand, most luxury brands have the resources to afford other modes of transportation, and due to the fact most of their production is based in Europe, they aren’t experiencing as many issues surrounding their supply chain.
Thankfully these shipping complications are expected to be resolved by 2022 and hopefully smaller brands and businesses will be able to recover.
HOW DID BRANDS ADAPT TO SELLING ONLINE?
In today’s world a large number of sales are done online but last year it significantly increased. Brands were expected to have their inventory posted on their websites, up and running.
Now, more than ever, retailers could test their ability to sell outside their retail space and see how it affects their business.
Some brands offering free shipping and returns saw a greater return on investment, some gave their customers the option to pick up their orders at the store or drop points, while others stuck to their old ways, not changing anything.
The pandemic proved the need to invest in logistics and innovations in that field because, even though it is the most important link connecting products and consumers, it is still not nearly as developed as it should be.
HOW DO PEOPLE VIEW CLOTHES AND DRESSING UP AFTER NOT BEING ABLE TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES?
This is a completely subjective question and most people can be sorted into one of two categories.
Those who now view every outing as a little fashion show, wearing their most extravagant clothes, wanting to finally express themselves and be seen.
And those who, after spending months in pajama pants, still choose comfort over everything.
Regardless of what group you fall into (probably both depending on your mood), last year taught us nothing can be taken for granted and that, to run smoothly, every part of the business needs to be taken care of and supported to bring the best results.
Thank you so much for reading!
These have been a couple of questions I was really interested in exploring (and still am) so I might even end up writing more on specific topics.
Have you personally felt any of this? Also, I would love to hear your thoughts and answers to every question especially the last one! :)
INSTAGRAM: @youworemeout