Over a third of women now prefer to do their clothes shopping online, research has found. The results come as it is revealed that scores of women actually hate clothes shopping, with snotty staff and trying on clothes amongst friends making a third feel as though it wasn’t worth their time.
Two thirds of women said they hate trying things on, 43% said they get stressed going in shop after shop and a third said it was physically exhausting.
The poll by online clothes retailer Marisota found that 48% of women have felt intimidated when clothes shopping.
The lack of choice in stores riles women too; over half of those who prefer shopping online appreciate the wider range, with nearly two thirds appreciating the time saved not wandering around the shops.
One in ten said they feel embarrassed asking for their size, while 37% said they feel uncomfortable getting undressed in changing rooms- another reason why many women prefer shopping online, as over half appreciate being able to try things on at home.
Coleen Nolan, brand ambassador for Marisota said:
‘’Retail therapy is a common phrase associated with women and shopping but for some females clothes shopping can be far from a therapeutic experience.
“If you aren’t a standard size clothes shopping is not always easy.
“Even women with a perfect figure will have been in the situation where everything they try on looks awful and despite searching high and low and trailing the high street for hours, go home empty handed.
“No female should ever be reduced to tears when shopping for clothes, it should be a pleasurable experience but shopping on the high street is a time consuming task whereas online shopping can take away many of the intimidating situations and will minimise stress.”
Of the 2000 women polled, over half said they have never felt the ‘buzz’ that women talk about when bagging a bargain and a third said they don’t find the shopping process therapeutic.
The main reason women get stressed out in shops was not being able to find anything, with a hatred for trying clothes on in changing rooms coming a close second.
A third said it was because they hated queuing and 34% said they were ‘a funny shape’ which made shopping hard.
In fact:
- A wishful thinking 42% of the women studied said shopping would be much easier if they looked different;
- 80% said they would enjoy the experience of shopping more if they were thinner;
- Half said having a bigger bank balance would improve things.
The study additionally found that 44% of women dread the prospect of going shopping for a new outfit for a special event with weddings being voted as the worst.
Coleen Nolan added:
“Many issues that women have with shopping whether it’s patronising sales staff or the physical exertions can be eliminated with internet shopping.
“Modern women work long hours and having to search in numerous different shops is a lengthy process.”
The study found that 15% of women have even cried on a shopping trip, with the biggest reason being listed as looking to fat, followed by not being able to find anything; it’s a no win situation however, as 10% have shed a tear for being too skinny.
As a result, half of self-conscious shoppers prefer to shop alone.
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