China Apparel Consumer Insights – Who Shops, What do they Shop, How do they Shop and Why do they Shop

China Apparel Consumer Insights Report Overview

Most Chinese consumers are optimistic about the country’s economic outlook for the next six months, with nearly 50% of consumers expecting overall economic improvement and around the same percentage anticipating improvement in their finances. As a result, more Chinese consumers are planning to spend more on clothing & accessories, and footwear, especially among females, driven by their inclination toward following trends.

There is a clear preference for online shopping among Chinese apparel shoppers, propelled by the well-established online market and digital-savvy consumers. Likewise, sportswear has seen a burgeoning popularity among Chinese apparel shoppers, especially men’s sports clothing and footwear.

The China apparel consumer insights report provides detailed consumer insights into the Chinese apparel market. It centers on consumer sentiment, categories purchased, channel usage, motivations for purchasing, purchase frequency, and the most popular global brands.

China Apparel – Consumer Sentiments

Chinese consumers remain optimistic about the future despite a real estate crisis and high youth unemployment. Most consumers plan to spend more on clothing & footwear over the next six months, thanks to increased consumer confidence. Furthermore, females will spend more on apparel compared to males over the next six months, as they often tend to follow trends more and shop more frequently.

What consumers plan to spend over the next six months

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China Apparel – Shopper Preferences

Who Shops & What They Purchase: While most consumers across all age groups and genders purchased apparel in the past year, those aged between 25-54 were most likely to do so. This is due to middle-aged consumers having the most disposable income. Female shoppers drive accessories purchases as they strive to embellish their outfits. Menswear was purchased by consumers more than womenswear, driven by the demographic split being more weighted towards men in the country, and the fact that female shoppers often buy menswear for their partners or relatives.

Where People Shop: Chinese consumers favored shopping online for apparel in 2023, resonating with brands’ investments in their digital propositions. Most apparel shoppers purchased apparel online, driven by a heightened digital savviness among Chinese consumers and an established online market facilitated by the country’s rapid urbanization. China boasts a well-established online market with efficient and rapid fulfillment options, enabling the channel to effectively cater to a vast consumer base. Consumers favored sportswear and casualwear brands, prioritizing comfort, and value for money. In 2023, among the global apparel brands, Nike emerged as the top choice for Chinese consumers, driven by the sustained demand for sportswear. The other popular brands included Uniqlo, Adidas, New Balance, Puma, and Jordan among others.

Leading Chinese Apparel Brands, 2023 (%)

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Consumers’ growing concern regarding the environment should drive retailers to place greater emphasis on sustainability and ethics. While this awareness spans all demographics, it is particularly strong among younger consumers, so brands should prioritize improving their sustainability credentials and enhancing transparency in their supply chains to attract and retain environmentally conscious shoppers. Secondhand retailers should invest in marketing and authentication to attract Chinese consumers. Among different age groups, a higher proportion of younger shoppers under 44 expect to increase their spending on secondhand apparel, with online resale platforms particularly appealing to this demographic, while younger shoppers also demonstrate a heightened awareness of sustainability issues. Online resale platforms were most popular for secondhand apparel purchases, thanks to their convenience and accessibility.

Where shoppers purchased secondhand apparel in the last 12 months

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China Apparel – Sportswear

Sportswear is widely popular in China, driven by the athleisure and streetwear trends, especially among male consumers. A continued emphasis on health and fitness will also boost the sportswear demand. Men’s sports clothing and footwear are more popular than women’s, as men tend to participate more in sports activities. Running sportswear stands out as the top choice among Chinese sportswear shoppers, driven by its versatility and comfort. In the past 12 months, running sportswear emerged as the most popular category among Chinese sportswear shoppers, driven by the versatility and comfort of items such as leggings and trainers, which fit into the athleisure trend. The other categories that gained popularity were outdoor sportswear, basketball, training, and cycling among others.

Sports activities consumers purchased sportswear for in the last 12 months

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Key Highlights

• Chinese consumers remain optimistic about the future despite a real estate crisis and high youth unemployment.
• Most consumers plan to spend more on clothing & footwear over the next six months, thanks to increased consumer confidence.
• Females intend to spend more on apparel as they tend to keep up with the latest fashion trends more.
• 25-54s shop for apparel the most due to their higher discretionary incomes.

Reasons to Buy

• Learn about where the demand lies within the China apparel market, to allow you to maximize customer acquisition
• Understand consumer sentiment in the China apparel market and what this means for apparel brands’ next steps