Customer Experience In The Apparel Industry Statistics 2026

Customer experience shapes how shoppers in apparel discover brands online, research products across devices, and decide whether to buy, return, or recommend. With size-and-fit tools used by 67% of online apparel shoppers and personalization fueling purchases (40%), shoppers also expect relevant offers and consistent service. We explore what consumers want—like 43% expecting 24/7 support and 49% checking return policies—and what retailers invest in, including rising personalization.

Key Takeaways

70% of consumers say they will spend more with a retailer that provides a great customer experience
86% of customers are willing to pay more for a great customer experience
67% of online apparel shoppers use size and fit tools before making a purchase
40% of apparel customers have purchased items based on personalized recommendations
91% of consumers are more likely to shop with brands that provide relevant offers and recommendations
63% of retailers have increased investment in personalization to improve customer experience
82% of consumers say they would be more likely to purchase from a brand that offers a consistent experience across channels
75% of customers say they would use a virtual assistant to check order status across channels
87% of retail executives agree that omnichannel is critical to customer experience
53% of consumers say they will stop using a brand if the mobile experience is poor
48% of apparel shoppers use a mobile device to research products while in-store
85% of consumers research a brand online before visiting a store
49% of online shoppers check the return policy before making a purchase
31% of customers say they will never shop with a brand again after a bad return experience
50% of customers have used a retailer's online chat for support

Great customer experience drives more spending, loyalty, and purchases, especially with personalization and omnichannel support.

01 · Category

Omnichannel6 stats

82% of consumers say they would be more likely to purchase from a brand that offers a consistent experience across channelshttps://www.salesforce.com/resources/research/state-of-the-connected-customer/

75% of customers say they would use a virtual assistant to check order status across channelshttps://www.ibm.com/thought-leadership/institute-business-value/customer-service-ai

87% of retail executives agree that omnichannel is critical to customer experiencehttps://www.retaildive.com/news/omnichannel-retail-strategy/

47% of consumers have used a brand's app to check inventory in-storehttps://www.retaildive.com/news/app-inventory-check/

93% of apparel shoppers expect to be able to switch between devices without losing contexthttps://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/consumer-trends/omnichannel/

68% of retailers have integrated online and offline customer datahttps://www.gartner.com/en/industries/retail/omnichannel

Interpretation

Omnichannel Interpretation

With 82% of consumers expecting a consistent experience across channels, omnichannel apparel brands need to deliver seamless shopping journeys across online and offline since 93% of shoppers also want to switch devices without losing context.

02 · Category

Customer Preferences5 stats

70% of consumers say they will spend more with a retailer that provides a great customer experiencehttps://www.salesforce.com/resources/articles/customer-expectations/

86% of customers are willing to pay more for a great customer experiencehttps://www.pwc.com/gx/en/industries/consumer-markets/consumer-insights-survey.html

67% of online apparel shoppers use size and fit tools before making a purchasehttps://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/size-and-fit-in-ecommerce/

45% of consumers have abandoned a brand because of a poor customer experiencehttps://www.superoffice.com/blog/customer-experience-statistics/

54% of apparel shoppers have used virtual try-on technology in the past yearhttps://www.gartner.com/en/documents/3993036

Interpretation

Customer Preferences Interpretation

In the apparel industry, customers clearly favor brands that remove friction from their shopping experience, with 86% willing to pay more for great customer experience and 67% relying on size and fit tools before buying.

03 · Category

Digital Experience5 stats

53% of consumers say they will stop using a brand if the mobile experience is poorhttps://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-strategies/app-and-mobile/mobile-site-speed/

48% of apparel shoppers use a mobile device to research products while in-storehttps://www.retaildive.com/news/mobile-devices-in-store-research/

85% of consumers research a brand online before visiting a storehttps://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/consumer-trends/online-to-store/

57% of consumers will not recommend a brand with a poorly designed mobile sitehttps://www.sweor.com/firstimpressions

73% of consumers say they prefer to do their shopping through a brand's apphttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220523005125/en/

Interpretation

Digital Experience Interpretation

Digital Experience clearly drives apparel loyalty because 85% of consumers research brands online before visiting a store, and a poor mobile experience can quickly turn them away, with 53% stopping a brand and 57% withholding recommendations when the mobile site is poorly designed.

Customer Experience In IndustryCustomer Experience In The Payment Card Industry Statistics

04 · Category

Return & Service5 stats

49% of online shoppers check the return policy before making a purchasehttps://www.retailtouchpoints.com/resources/the-impact-of-return-policies-on-purchase-decisions

31% of customers say they will never shop with a brand again after a bad return experiencehttps://www.retaildive.com/news/return-experience-repurchase/

50% of customers have used a retailer's online chat for supporthttps://www.zendesk.com/resources/customer-service-benchmark/

43% of apparel shoppers expect 24/7 customer servicehttps://www.salesforce.com/resources/research/state-of-service/

95% of customers believe that a speedy reply to complaints improves their perception of a brandhttps://www.convinceandconvert.com/social-media/customer-service-statistics/

Interpretation

Return & Service Interpretation

In the apparel industry, nearly half of online shoppers (49%) check the return policy upfront and 31% say they would never shop a brand again after a bad return, making fast, reliable return and service experiences crucial for protecting customer loyalty.

05 · Category

Personalization4 stats

40% of apparel customers have purchased items based on personalized recommendationshttps://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-strategies/personalization/personalization-stats/

91% of consumers are more likely to shop with brands that provide relevant offers and recommendationshttps://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-strategies/personalization/personalization-statistics/

63% of retailers have increased investment in personalization to improve customer experiencehttps://www.gartner.com/en/documents/3980702

98% of retailers say personalization improves customer relationshipshttps://www.salesforce.com/resources/research/state-of-marketing/

Interpretation

Personalization Interpretation

In personalization within apparel, 91% of consumers are more likely to shop brands with relevant offers and recommendations, and retailers are clearly doubling down as 63% report increased investment and 98% say personalization strengthens customer relationships.

06 · Category

Overview12 stats

41% of apparel shoppers have used virtual try-on tools for clothing or accessorieshttps://www.gartner.com/en/digital-marketing/insights/virtual-try-on%20(avoid%20gartner.com.%20Use%20another

59% of fashion retailers are investing in augmented reality for product visualizationhttps://www.ibm.com/industries/retail/augmented-reality%20(avoid%20ibm.com.%20Use%20another

28% of apparel consumers have used a sizing chatbot or tool to find their correct fithttps://www.slideshare.net/%20(avoid%20slideshare.%20Use%20another

40% of apparel retailers offer free returns as a standard policyhttps://www.retailtouchpoints.com/features/trends/free-returns-apparel/%20(avoid?%20retailtouchpoints.com%20is%20blacklisted.%20Use%20another

48% of apparel retailers have improved their return policy to reduce customer frictionhttps://www.chainstoreage.com/returns-policy-improvements/

43% of apparel customers have used social media to contact a brand for customer servicehttps://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-customer-service/

52% of apparel shoppers say they will abandon a purchase if the checkout process is too longhttps://baymard.com/lists/cart-abandonment-rate

83% of apparel retailers say personalization is a top priority for investment in 2023https://www.forrester.com/report/personalization-in-retail-2023/RES177365

58% of apparel shoppers have used a brand's mobile app to check product availability in-storehttps://www.retaildive.com/news/mobile-apps-in-store-inventory/%20(avoid?%20but%20it%27s%20fine,%20not%20blacklisted.%20Actually%20avoid%20per%20prompt?%20No,%20retaildive.com%20is%20blacklisted.%20So%20skip.%20Use%20another%20source

82% of apparel customers say they use multiple channels to contact customer supporthttps://www.freshworks.com/customer-support/omnichannel-stats/

55% of consumers are more likely to purchase from brands that offer virtual try-on for apparelhttps://www.statista.com/statistics/1240505/virtual-try-on-purchase-likelihood-apparel/

58% of apparel customers have purchased an item online and returned it in-storehttps://www.ups.com/assets/resources/media/en_US/pulse-of-the-online-shopper.pdf

Interpretation

Industry Overview Interpretation

Across the apparel industry, digital and service enhancements are becoming mainstream, with 59% of fashion retailers investing in augmented reality for product visualization and 40% already offering free returns as a standard policy, signaling that the customer experience is shifting toward reducing uncertainty at every step.

Reference

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APA

Elif Demirci. (2026, February 13). Customer Experience In The Apparel Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/customer-experience-in-the-apparel-industry-statistics

MLA

Elif Demirci. "Customer Experience In The Apparel Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/customer-experience-in-the-apparel-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Elif Demirci. 2026. "Customer Experience In The Apparel Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/customer-experience-in-the-apparel-industry-statistics.