What should you do to increase revenue? We asked 1,000 U.S. shoppers how they prefer to buy, what makes them spend more, and how long they’re willing to wait for their orders to deliver. Here are the results. (See below for our survey methodology.)
Why do people shop online for branded apparel?
One in three Americans (30%) said they’d prefer to shop online for branded merchandise, and another third (28%) said they’d buy both online and in person. These behaviors extend across age ranges, including generations that didn’t grow up in a digital-first economy. For people ages 60+, 22% say they’d prefer to buy online and 31% shop both online and in person.
Their top motivations to shop online are choice and convenience.
Top 3 Reasons People Shop Online
- To see all available options and designs (25%) – Chipply’s auto art placement and curated store templates makes it easy to offer more artwork, colors, processes, and products.
- To avoid waiting in line (22%) – Mobile-optimized web stores with easy one-click payment options like Google and Apple Pay help your customers make purchases quickly and easily.
- To find the right size (18%) – Offer a wide range of sizes without worrying about backorders or storing overstock. Inventory thresholds means you only show customers the options for colors and sizes that are in-stock—without nixing the entire SKU.
Survey Question: What would be your top reasons for purchasing branded apparel or merchandise online?
What makes people buy more when shopping online stores for promo products?
People buy more when they feel like they’re getting extra value. Apparel decorators and promotional product distributors can also increase average order values by offering more product and design options in their stores.
Top 3 Reasons People Buy Multiple Items
- A discount on the full order
- A one-time promo code
- A wide variety of options
Survey Question: If you were browsing custom apparel or merchandise online, what would most motivate you to purchase more than one item?
What motivates people to spend more on a single product?
People value quality and brand familiarity, and that means they’ll spend more so they can trust that they’re getting the best products. It’s worth noting that almost half of participants selected quality and durability as one of the main drivers for expenditures. This goes hand-in-hand with the recent trend within the promotional products industry for more sustainable and eco-friendly products. Rather than cheap and quickly disposed of products, consumers prefer items that aren’t destined for a landfill.
Top 3 Reasons People Buy More Expensive Products
- Quality or durability (44%)
- Personal experience with the brand (21%)
- Superior product features (17%)
Survey Question: What would make you purchase a more expensive product from one brand over a less expensive product from another brand?
How long will people wait for online custom merch orders?
Even in today’s Amazon-obsessed culture, more people are willing to wait for their online orders than you might assume.
- People Are Patient – Most people (81%) said they would wait one week or more to receive their online orders for custom apparel.
- Fewer Are Antsy – Only about 1/10 of people (13%) would expect their order within 2 days.
- Gen Z Will Wait – Even Gen Z survey respondents are patient when it comes to online orders, with 77% saying they’d wait a week or more. That includes 7% of Gen Z who said they’d be happy waiting up to a month for their orders, and 6% who said they didn’t care when it came as long as it arrived.
Survey Question: If you bought custom apparel online (e.g., shirt for a fundraiser, for your company, or merch from a local venue), how long would you be willing to wait to receive your order?
Key Takeaways from the Full Survey
- Most people want to shop online for custom gear, including seniors
- Customers appreciate versatility, and it’s the top reason they shop online
- People buy more when they feel like they’re getting a special deal
- Nearly half of people would spend more for quality products
- Most people are willing to wait at least a week for their orders, including Gen Z
Survey Methodology
Chipply contracted TEAM LEWIS, a leading global marketing agency, to conduct this survey. TEAM LEWIS surveyed 1,000 individuals in the U.S. All respondents were 18 or older, and the sample was census-balanced by age and gender. TEAM LEWIS collected data through an online survey. The survey respondents were independently sourced from Paradigm Sample.