Casual Wear Market in China

Casual wear market in China: a challenge but obtaining significant potential

According to research conducted by Daxue Consulting, the casual wear market in China is far from the saturation point. Among the various categories, women’s wear generated the largest retail sales volumes. What’s more, the increasing disposable income as well as social media, online communities and tools are the main drivers causing an increase of consumption.  However, the segment is becoming increasingly competitive. Click here to read more about the market opportunities and existing market players in the casual wear market in China.

Facilitating the decision-making process by knowing consumers’ attitudes and behavior

Daxue Consulting’s client, a dynamic company, operating in the casual wear market in China, approached our research team to conduct an in-depth consumer research. The apparel firm aimed to get insights into different aspects such as the consumers’ attitudes towards fashion trends, the client’s products, as well as their attitude towards the company itself to be able to develop its marketing strategy for the upcoming year.

Daxue Consulting designs custom-built approaches to ensure the best results

The research team started with an extensive desk research to gain an overall overview of the casual wear market in China, trends, and top players by cross-checking various sources. The gathered information helped the consultants to develop knowledgeable and relevant questions for the following step.

Daxue utilized its mobile app for the client’s survey and customized it for the research. It allowed for flexibility and efficiency, as well as reliable data collection. The app, uniquely designed by Daxue, enabled the researchers to manage the project within a short period though having over 500 participants spread across China, comprising different tier-cities.

After creating and formatting the questionnaire, the consultants recruited and trained the fieldwork assistants who gained access to the mobile app. The app also comprised the researchers’ mission including the quota to fulfill with regards to gender, age, or disposable income, for instance.

The survey, consisting of several parts, dealt with open- as well as closed-ended questions comprising issues such as the shopping frequency and preferences concerning the casual wear market in China. It also included buying behavior with regards to sensitivity to and inspiration from fashion trends, offline and online channels, or the price and style of casual wear apparels. Additionally, the participants answered questions directly related to the client’s brand and firm such as, for instance, their overall impression, idea, and feelings about the company, shopping experience, reasons for purchasing the client’s products, or the effect of the brand’s presence on social media to them.

Daxue Consulting could manage and monitor the researchers’ progress at any time, as the app enables database management on cloud and mobile, which allowed the team to check the collected data on a daily basis.

What could the company gain from this research in the casual wear market in China?

After data validation and cleaning, Daxue Consulting’s experts analyzed it and presented the findings. The team then provided the client with a comprehensive final report including in-depth insights about who their typical customer is. Deriving from their profile and experience, the researchers could gather information about consumer behavior within the casual wear market in China as well as perceptions, and expectations towards fashion. The research team helped the company understand their targeted consumers’ attitudes towards the brand and its products in different age groups, regions, and occupations. The consultants also advised the client which market trends to follow: Clement Mougenot, Head of Research at Daxue Consulting, stressed the importance of O2O (Online-to-Offline), the influence of KOL’s (Key Opinion Leaders) or the significance of e-commerce platforms. Finally, Daxue Consulting gave strategy recommendations concerning SEO, social media, e-commerce, and on which main channels of communication (in-store and online) best to focus.

DISCOVER THE IMPORTANCE OF BRANDING FOR THE FAST FASHION MARKET IN CHINA