For too many women, purchasing lingerie can be a rushed, impulsive decision. With our busy lives, we rarely have enough time to peruse the lacy delights of our local lingerie boutique.
Instead, refreshing our underwear drawer usually involves hurriedly grabbing a multipack of knickers during the weekly grocery shop.
However, online shopping is changing how we buy lingerie, offering women an extensive range that can be browsed at their leisure.
Online lingerie shops
Purchasing lingerie is an incredibly personal experience. As you’d expect, online lingerie stores have had a number of hurdles to overcome in order to ensure their customers can confidently make a purchase.
Danielle Kisby of independent online retailer Bras Galore gives her top tips for conquering the online lingerie market.
Perfecting product photos
With a bricks and mortar store, customers can view and handle products, so they know exactly what they are buying. As online retailers, we have to recreate the in-store experience via digital means.
Product images are incredibly important to all online businesses, especially clothing retailers. Shoppers trust their instincts. If a product image fails to impress, customers simply won’t be interested in the product.
Photographs should portray products in the best possible light without being misleading. For lingerie retailers, front and back shots are great for showing customers exactly what the product is like, eliminating any surprises when their order arrives.
Finding the right fit
A well-fitting bra can do wonders for a woman’s posture, confidence and overall demeanour. Online retailers are unable to offer their customers a physical changing room, so they must find other ways to provide essential sizing information.
Clear and easy to use size conversion charts are an absolute must for all clothing retailers. As many women are guilty of wearing ill-fitting bras, a guide to finding out your bra size will also be beneficial. Both will provide additional information that images simply can’t convey.
Confidence is key
Of course, even with the most detailed size guides, some items just don’t feel or look right when worn. A time-consuming and complex returns policy could alienate customers and frustrations are easily shared via word of mouth.
A simple returns procedure is essential for all brands, as it provides a safety net for when items aren’t quite right. As such, customers are reassured and may be more inclined to buy.
Have you ever ordered underwear online? What do you expect from an online lingerie retailer? Let us know in the comments below.