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~ Digital River ~

Whether you’re selling physical goods or subscription services, cross-border
commerce presents several challenges and obstacles. But clothing and apparel fulfilment
comes with its own set of unique issues. Consumer expectations and cultural considerations
can make fulfilment especially challenging. You must understand your market in extreme
detail to be successful. But brands have every incentive to get it right.

pparel is the number one category purchased Taken altogether, these challenges unique to clothing
online across all geographies. With the and fashion fulfilment mean you have to build your
Atotal addressable market expected to reach strategy carefully and fully understand your target market
beyond $1 trillion by the end of 2024, the industry when deciding which geographies to sell into.
isn’t just rebounding but thriving in the wake of
pandemic-related declines. If you want to build Building a Clothing Fulfilment Network That Drives
an apparel fulfilment strategy to capitalise on Success
this worldwide industry growth and enable global It can be difficult, expensive and time and resource-heavy to
success for your brand, here are some things you become in-house experts on fulfilment and logistics. Here
need to consider. are some tips on how to build a successful clothing fulfilment
network:
What Makes Apparel Fulfilment Unique
More so than many other product categories, there are a lot of • Conduct extensive market research
nuances in the apparel industry. Much of that has to do with Identify fulfilment preferences in your target market and
the products themselves. For example, selling high fashion work to understand buying behaviours in detail. Understand
goods requires a completely different set of sales strategies, clothing and fashion’s place within the wider culture,
marketing techniques and consumer experiences compared ascertain key consumption habits, and establish whether
with clothing intended for mass markets. High fashion also there’s a clear need or sufficient demand for your offerings.
goes out of style quickly, and inventory is expensive. So, if you
can’t fulfil orders in a timely manner, you could jeopardise • Decide where you want your inventory
revenue. Whether you adopt a “ship-to” or “ship-from” model, make
sure you have the ability to move product quickly. If you want
Beyond the products themselves, there are also cultural and to have warehouses in-country, you will need to account for
personal components that make apparel challenging from a local acquiring and payment methodologies.
fulfilment perspective.
• Guarantee landed costs for your brand
For example, some geographies are more affluent and can It can be fairly easy these days to get a landed cost guarantee
therefore be more style-conscious and image-conscious. for customers. But can you guarantee it for your brand and
Buyers in these markets will likely expect the white glove what you end up paying the carrier? Talk with prospective
treatment for luxury goods, including packaging and partners about whether they can provide this kind of
communication that reflects the premium price. In emerging guarantee.
economies where there is less affluence, consumers value
clothing much differently. Businesses may be able to adopt a • Optimise the checkout experience
different approach to apparel fulfilment in these markets— Update your e-commerce site with clear messaging
but only after an in-depth look at prevailing attitudes and throughout the entire checkout experience and beyond so
norms. that customers know what to expect in terms of delivery.

Of course, differences in habits across markets can be much • Optimise the returns experience
more practical in nature, too. The way consumers want to pay To simplify reverse logistics and appeal to your customers,
for apparel can vary greatly by region. For instance, buy now, consider partnering with third-party drop-off sites for brands
pay later methods are rising in popularity in France, yet in that don’t have physical stores. Another option would be to
Japan, paying with cash on delivery remains common. include return labels with shipped goods to make returns as
painless as possible.
Meanwhile, the fact that clothing is also a personal expression
impacts buying behaviour—and, in turn, shapes clothing Apparel Fulfilment Services: How to Find a Partner
fulfilment needs. Returns are common, and many buyers will in Growth
purchase the same item in multiple sizes with the intent to Cross-border e-commerce for clothing brands is no simple
return the extras. business. From initial research and market entry to checkout

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