How are Fashion Retailers Taming Trend Data?

Forget the catwalk. The fashion trends you really need to focus on these days are digital.

So, what is trend data? And how can fashion retailers use it to drive sales?

Trend Data

There are two types of search data:

1. Predictive trends – these focus on key evergreen or seasonal search terms, allowing you to forecast repeat trends e.g. what time of year do people typically buy summer dresses?

2. Reactive trends – allowing you to react to spontaneous trends e.g. what fabrics are people wearing right now?

But how can these trends be harnessed? Think turbo-charged marketing and product strategies...

When will there be demand for my product?

Predictive strategies allow you to produce content that remains relevant and targets customers at the right time. PI Datametrics suggest the following strategy:

1. Plan – ensure stock reflects all round interest and peak purchasing times to capitalise on one-off season sales of summer clothing for example.

2. Influence – capitalise on consumer shopping patterns to ensure effective targeting at the right time.

3. Peak – use peak purchasing periods to re-target lost customers.

4. Repeat – optimise evergreen content to grow traffic over time.

How do I capitalise on instant trends?

Reactive strategies allow you to capitalise on fashion trends as they happen. As eConsultancy suggest:

1. React (quickly) – create and optimise landing pages for the trend term as quickly as possible and use a variety of marketing channels to mainstream content and ensure visibility.

2. Perform – tailor and personalise content as a given keyword becomes more popular and optimise/reorganise the stock you already have while waiting for manufacturing and distribution channels to catch up.

3. Review – knowing when to stop is as important as knowing when to press the start button. Trends can disappear as quickly as they start and stock needs to be adjusted accordingly and landing pages linked elsewhere.

What do you think about search trend data? Is it a nice to have for the eCommerce team or should it influence top down decision making?

Email us your thoughts.