UK COVID-19 lockdown data
This fortnightly lockdown data release provides exclusive lockdown data from UK retailers and insight into what people are buying during the second lockdown in the UK.
Lockdown Data is collected from sales, prices, and discounts from 1,000+ UK retailers. Consumer demand is determined using data from 6 million UK shoppers using LovetheSales.com.
Issue #8
Wednesday, 2nd December 2020.
Top Lockdown Data Insights
Black Friday weekend by the numbers. (GO TO DATA)
Arcadia Group caught in a cycle of ‘unsustainable discounting’. (GO TO DATA)
Fashion trends change in the final week of lockdown - Outerwear and Partywear are winning. (GO TO DATA)
Black Friday weekend 2020 by the numbers
In an unprecedented Black Friday and Cyber Monday for retailers, where, for the first time, most Black Friday deals were solely found online, LovetheSales.com reveals the important numbers from the extended weekend of deals.
Data is aggregated across 1,000 online UK retailers, including; pricing, product volume and sales made over the Black Friday weekend. (27th Nov - 30th Nov.)
57% of all online items were on discount. This weekend saw the highest volume of deals online ever for a Black Friday. The volume of deals were 5 percentage points higher than Black Friday weekend 2019 (52% in 2019, 50% in 2018, 51% in 2017).
‘37% off’ was the average discount for an online Black Friday deal. Retailers broke discounting records, offering the deepest discounts ever for a Black Friday. (Average discount for an online item in Black Friday 2019 was 33% off, 31% off in 2018, 30% discount in 2017.)
£5.5bn spent online over Black Friday weekend. Online UK spending for Black Friday weekend increased by 45% year-on-year, £3.8bn was spent online in 2019.
Stuart McClure, co-founder of LovetheSales.com, said on Black Friday discounting, “This was the biggest Black Friday weekend ever, in terms of online sales. UK retailers didn’t disappoint and ended up pushing more deals online than ever before. Black Friday 2020 has proven to be a record breaking year for online spending and discounting as increasing numbers of shoppers see online as their primary purchase channel, thanks to uncertainty on the high street.”
Arcadia Group caught in a cycle of ‘unsustainable discounting’
Exclusive data released by the LovetheSales.com data team shows an ‘unsustainable pattern’ of heavy discounting by each brand owned by Phillip Green’s Arcadia Group.
Black Friday weekend 2020 saw the Arcadia Group’s deepest period of discounting in its history, with each brand offering at least 40% off all online products over the weekend.
(If you would like the specific data on each brand in the Arcadia Group, please see the bottom of the issue).
Level of online discounting by brand, over Black Friday weekends.
% = Average % off price, on a brand’s Black Friday weekend sale
Stuart McClure commented on the Arcadia Group brands’ heavy discounting, “We’ve tracked the deepest level of discounting for each of the Arcadia brands this Black Friday weekend. Brands such as Topshop and Miss Selfridge have been increasing discounts across the last five Black Friday weekends. Prolonged heavy discounting is unsustainable. It’s an issue we are personally trying to solve for online retailers through smart use of pricing data and linking the right items to the right consumers earlier in the product lifecycle.”
Fashion trends change in the final week of lockdown - Outerwear and Partywear are winning
In the previous issue of the Lockdown Report, the LovetheSales.com data team reported a steep increase in demand for ‘lockdown essentials’, namely loungewear. However, in the final week of lockdown, shoppers have completed a U-turn in clothing choices, and are looking ahead for a brighter festive season and venturing out for the party season.
Fashion Categories with the highest increase in demand (week-on-week changes)
Knitwear +136% week-on-week increase
Overcoats +162%
Trainers +111%
Gilets +71%
Bodysuits +62%
Boots +59%
Scarves +56%
A Line dresses +41%
Casual Shirts +38%
Fashion brands with the highest increase in demand (week-on-week changes)
Ralph Lauren +81% week-on-week increase
Ted Baker +69%
River Island +60%
Stuart McClure commented on the change in shopping behaviour, “At the beginning of November, LovetheSales.com data revealed shoppers had reverted back into lockdown mode. Customers were searching for comfy clothing and had ditched many of the fashion staples associated with the winter season. This spending behaviour has changed rapidly in the final week of lockdown, shoppers are preparing to be out and about more and are stocking up on Partywear and winter clothing.”
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Issue #7
Wednesday, 18th November 2020.
Top Data Insights
What are shoppers buying during the second lockdown? (GO TO DATA)
Biggest Black Friday ever! Retailers post record levels of discounts. (GO TO DATA)
Premium brands soar, High Street & Luxury struggle in lockdown. (GO TO DATA)
Lockdown 2.0 - What are shoppers buying?
England is now half way through a second lockdown, but what are shoppers buying online? Has lockdown shifted shopping normal November shopping behaviour? The LovetheSales.com data team reveals the buying behaviour of 6 million online shoppers, during the second lockdown.
Popular products increasing in demand for November
Loungewear demand +122% in November, compared to November 2019 figures. Brands such as Ugg, Calvin Klein and Nike are doing particularly well in terms of consumer demand.
Popular Fashion categories:
Hoodies +164% increase in demand v November 2019 figures.
Joggers +118%
Sweatshirts +81%
Tie-dye clothing +72%
Slippers +42%
Ugg +52%
Popular Fashion brands:
Calvin Klein +42% increase in demand v November 2019 figures.
Nike +25%
Exercise equipment demand has jumped by +113% in November, compared to November 2019 figures.
Popular Active categories:
Yoga mats +132% increase in demand v November 2019 figures.
Kettlebells +101%
Exercise bikes +40%
Activity trackers +70%
Popular Active brands:
Peloton +74% increase in demand v November 2019 figures.
Garmin +20%
Cooking equipment demand +99% in November, compared to November 2019 figures. LovetheSales.com has seen a spike in demand for the home baking staples.
Popular Home categories:
Bread makers +104% increase in demand v November 2019 figures.
Aprons +82%
Baking trays +69%
Stand mixers +55%
Popular Home brands:
KitchenAid +29% increase in demand v November 2019 figures.
Cath Kidston +29%
Products struggling in demand for November
Office wear demand dropped -145% in November, compared to November 2019 figures.
Suits -166% drop in demand v November 2019 figures.
Belts -150%
Men’s shirts -130%
Smart trousers -127%
Derby shoes -103%
Party clothing demand dropped -99% in November, compared to November 2019 figures.
Wrap dresses -115% drop in demand v November 2019 figures.
Bodycon dresses -99%
Polo shirts -75%
Clutches - 61%
Demand for new shoes dropped -95% in November, compared to November 2019 figures.
Heels -110% drop in demand v November 2019 figures.
Trainers -98%
Boots -95%
Wellies -77%
Stuart McClure, co-founder of LovetheSales.com, said on shopping behaviour during lockdown, “Shoppers have gone back into lockdown mode with their spending habits, choosing comfort and convenience whilst stuck indoors.”
“We are tracking the same amount of spending on lockdown essentials as we did back in March. We would normally see a wave of spending on work clothing and partywear, as workers start planning ahead for December celebrations.”
“However, shoppers seem confined to the fact that celebrations this year will most likely be in sweats rather than suits. Once again, with gym’s closed all around the country, we’ve seen consumers keen to keep fit at home with a boom in demand for exercise equipment.”
Biggest Black Friday ever! Retailers post record levels of discounts
LovetheSales.com data reveals the volume of online discounts is up 49%, compared to November 2019. Retailers are offering a record number of discounts for November in a bid to offset the bricks and mortar sales lost by lockdown. An increased number of retailers have already offered shoppers early Black Friday deals this year.
Early Black Friday discounters so far:
Karen Millen: 50% off everything
Coast: 50% off everything
AllSaints: 30% off everything
Dainel Footwear: 25% off everything
Reiss: 20% off full price items.
Currys: Matching Black Friday prices now, or your money back.
Deepest discounts ever by retailers for a November:
35% off is currently the average discount on a sale item. (6 million online sale items checked)
vs
31% off the average discount this time in November 2019.
28% off the average discount this time in November 2018.
29% off the average discount this time in November 2017.
28% off the average discount this time in November 2016.
Which products are being added to the November sales by retailers?
Mens Shirts: +66% in the volume of discounts, compared to November 2019.
Heels: +30% in the volume of discounts, compared to November 2019.
Dresses: +35% in the volume of discounts, compared to November 2019.
Coats & Jackets: +26% in the volume of discounts, compared to November 2019.
Jeans: +82% in the volume of discounts, compared to November 2019.
Stuart McClure said on the increase in retailer discounting during lockdown, “This is an unprecedented situation for retailers. Many shops would have earmarked the holiday season to drive sales and make up for the downturn at the beginning of the year, but a second lockdown has shifted priorities.”
“Retailers are now pushing record levels of deals online and using ‘early Black Friday deals’ to entice shoppers to spend throughout November. We expect this to be the biggest Black Friday ever for online shopping.”
Premium brands soar, High Street & Luxury struggle
Shoppers can be cautious with spending during the lockdown period, but the announcement from the Chancellor to prolong the furlough scheme until March has boosted shopping confidence and search for certain categories. The LovetheSales.com data team reveals which type of brand shoppers are buying during lockdown?
Online demand for Premium brands +31% in November 2020, compared to November 2019.
Online demand for Luxury brands -44%
Online demand for High Street brands -23%
Stuart McClure said on the impact lockdown is having on brands, “As we saw with the first lockdown, Premium brands like Ralph Lauren and Ted Baker are thriving. Shoppers are in no rush to keep on top of trends and fast fashion and are choosing to spend on quality reliables over quantity.”
“Luxury clothing is also suffering with shoppers reluctant to invest in high price tags for clothing that they might not be able to show off in 2020.”
We know everything about Black Friday 2020.
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Issue #6
Tuesday, 16th June 2020.
Top Data Insights
Fashion retailers react to Amazon’s ‘Biggest Sale in the Sky’ fashion event (GO TO DATA)
High street now open, demand for high street brands increases by 16% (GO TO DATA)
Amanda Holden’s top 5 summer dresses influence fashion searches (GO TO DATA)
Fashion retailers react to Amazon’s ‘Biggest Sale in the Sky’ event
Amazon is set to launch its ‘Biggest Sale in the Sky’ on Monday 22nd of June, working with distributors to offer huge savings on fashion items. According to retail commentators, this sale aims to help sellers offload excess stock that has built up since March’s lockdown.
Some of the UK’s biggest fashion retailers have attempted to beat Amazon to the punch by offering striking deals of their own before the big sale. The number of online fashion discounts has increased in June and is currently up 13% year-on-year.
Stuart McClure, co-founder of LovetheSales.com said of the increase: “Amazon has been trying to make waves in the fashion industry for the last couple of years now. With news that the coveted Prime Day is being pushed back to September, Amazon has instead put on a summer fashion sale exclusively for Prime members. This has rustled many UK retailers’ feathers, who see Amazon as a big threat to online sales, especially during this exceptionally challenging time. And whilst many retailers already have large discounts on (to clear excess inventory), many have supersized them in an attempt to siphon off customers from the ‘Biggest Sale in the Sky’ event.”
Fashion retailers that have increased the number of discounts in June (month-on-month comparison)
1. Ted Baker +46% more discounts month-on-month
Ted Baker is offering shoppers up to 50% off women’s, men’s & kid’s fashion, in their end of season sale.
2. River Island +28% more discounts month-on-month
River Island is offering their customers up to 30% off seasonal styles for both men’s and women’s fashion.
3. John Lewis & Partners (fashion only) +26% more discounts month-on-month
John Lewis is offering a huge clearance on clothing. Their customers can find up to 70% off women’s & men’s fashion and up to 70% off premium brands like Barbour, Ralph Lauren and Levi’s.
4. Topshop / Topman +24% more discounts month-on-month
Topshop is offering shoppers up to 30% off summer styles, including dresses, jeans and tops.
Topman is offering online shoppers up to 30% off selected lines.
5. Superdry +22% more discounts month-on-month
Superdry is offering up to 50% off men’s & women’s clothing in their mid season sale.
High street now open, demand for high street brands increases by 16%
Doors opened on the high street for the first time since March and queues formed around the block for high street brands like Topshop and Primark. The buzz around the high street has spilled over to online shopping with searches for high street brands up 16% year-on-year. Sales for high street clothing has suffered online throughout lockdown, but with shops now open, demand for high street fashion has begun to recover.
Fashion searches for both luxury and premium brands have remained fairly flat, demand for luxury fashion increasing by 5% year-on-year, with demand for premium brands increasing by 2% over the same period.
Demand for high street brands: +16% YOY
Demand for luxury brands: +5% YOY
Demand for premium brands: +2% YOY
Amanda Holden’s top 5 summer dresses influence fashion searches
The Britain’s Got Talent judge and Heart radio host has been wowing fans with her summer looks. The 49 year old mum of 3 has been posting her outfits she wears online, to the delight of her 1.5 million Instagram followers.
The Insta frenzy for Amanda’s outfits drives demand and online sales for lucky fashion brands, with UK stylists dubbing it ‘The Amanda Effect.’ Stylist Jessie Stein commented on the looks: “Amanda has a huge fan base online. Her looks are timeless and affordable, it’s no wonder why they grab so many headlines. The TV personality embodies such a strong and confident style for women everywhere. It’s no surprise most of her top looks include affordable brands like Zara and River Island, shoppers love replicating celeb looks and in Amanda they’ve found a modern day fashion icon.”
LovetheSales.com has tracked every outfit Amanda has worn since May. On average, Amanda’s summer looks increase fashion searches online by 53% in the week following her outfits being posted online.
Amanda’s top 5 most wanted summer dresses
5. May 18: River Island floral maxi dress - 41% increase in demand
Amanda was showing off affordable looks with a floral dress from River Island. The frock, which is currently sold out, had UK shoppers searching online in droves for similar looks. Demand for ‘floral River Island dresses’ shot up by 41% towards the end of May.
4. May 11: Very denim dress Michelle Keegan collection - 47% increase in demand
Amanda sent ‘denim dress’ searches into overload, increasing by 47% after Amanda modelled the dress on her Instagram. The ultra affordable outfit is currently on sale at Very for £36.
3. May 12: Melissa Odabash Agata dress - 49% increase in demand
Fans of Amanda’s style got serious beach vibes as she was papped walking to the Heart radio offices. The nautical themed dress had shoppers searching for ‘red stripe dresses’ 49% more than they did the week before.
May 19: Forever Unique halter-neck dress - 61% increase in demand
Amanda wore a jaw dropping pink dress with a tied belt detailing from Forever Unique. The look was a huge hit with her online fans and shoppers alike, searches for ‘pink dresses’ shot up by 61% in the final week of May thanks to her.
June 10: Zara pink pleated dress - 78% increase in demand
The high street dress was a massive hit online with over 250,000 fans watching Amanda model the Zara number on her Instagram. The dress garnered a lot of publicity online as it left little to the imagination when Amanda was papped leaving the Heart radio offices in London. This only bolstered shoppers' desires for the dress, selling out on Zara and sending searches for ‘pleated dresses’ skyrocketing by 78% in the last week.
LovetheSales.com is a global marketplace for shopping discounts, the platform partners with more than 1,000 UK retailers.
LovetheSales.com stores data from more than 16,000 high street, premium and luxury brands that appear on the site.
Examples of brands by category:
High street brands: River Island, Topshop
Premium brands: Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren
Luxury brands: Burberry, Gucci
Want to be on the exclusive mailing list for the next issue? Please contact:
Head of Content
+44 7414 633 197
Head of Brand
+44 7979 913 665
Issue #5
Wednesday, 3rd June 2020.
Top Data Insights
Which UK retailers are offering the best deals to drive sales post-lockdown? (GO TO DATA)
Demand for high street brands increases for the first time since March (GO TO DATA)
‘The Holly Effect’ rules fashion - Demand for Holly Willoughby’s This Morning outfits double during lockdown (GO TO DATA)
Which UK retailers are offering the best deals to drive sales post-lockdown?
Retailers are now battling to sell clothes online since their physical stores closed over two months ago, on March 23rd. Since the nationwide lockdown came into place, online discounts have soared, up 20% year-on-year. Now with apparel stores set to reopen on June 15, LovetheSales.com data experts reveal the top 10 UK retailers with the best deals.
Top 10 biggest UK fashion sales right now (by retailer)
Clothing retailers with biggest on sale selections in the UK today - list is compiled from a score of highest percentage of stock on discount and highest average discount of that stock.
1. French Connection - 90% of all online clothing currently discounted
French Connection is offering 25% off its Spring fashion. New customers who sign up to the FC newsletter can get 10% off full-price purchases. The average discount on a French Connection sale product is an incredible 52%. Time to get shopping.
2. Miss Selfridge - 83% of all online clothing currently discounted
You can find up to 50% off selected styles in the Miss Selfridge summer sale. The retailer has an average discount across sale items of 48% off.
3. Dorothy Perkins - 81% of all online clothing currently discounted
Dorothy Perkins is offering its customers up to 50% thousands of summer style clothing. The UK retailer has an average saving of 42% across its discounted clothing.
4. Burton - 80% of all online clothing currently discounted
Burton is also running an up to 50% of summer sale campaign on its website. The menswear retailer has an average discount of 36% on its sale products.
5. Allsaints - 77% of all online clothing currently discounted
Allsaints currently have up to 50% off thousands of online products. New customers can also get 15% off full price products online. The average discount on an Allsaints item is currently 42% off.
6. Topshop - 69% of all online clothing currently discounted
Topshop is running up to 50% off new styles and up to 30% off summer clothing. The high street retailer currently has an average discount of 29% on its sale collection.
7. Ben Sherman - 64% of all online clothing currently discounted
The menswear retailer has an average discount of 48% on its sale items. Shoppers can get an extra 20% off Ben Sherman clearance clothing with code CLEAR20.
8. Reiss - 62% of all online clothing currently discounted
Reiss is offering up to 50% off its mens and womenswear ranges. The average discount on a Reiss sale item is 47%, the highest it has been in 2020.
9. Converse - 61% of all online clothing currently discounted
The shoe retailer has an average discount of 43% off Converse sale items. If you sign up for emails you will get a generous 20% off your next purchase.
10. Joules - 58% of all online clothing currently discounted
Joules is running up to 25% off selected products on their website. They also have a sign up offer, giving new customers £10 off purchases over £50, plus free delivery. The average discount of a Joules sale item is currently 42% off.
Demand for high street brands increases for the first time since March
Are we all hankering to get back on the high street now that lockdown is on the verge of being lifted? If online demand is anything to go by, the answer is a resounding Yes! Demand for high street fashion has increased for the first time since lockdown began in March.
Searches for high street brands are up 11% year-on-year. LovetheSales.com reported a 5 year low for high street fashion in the first weeks of May, but with clothing stores set to reopen in two weeks, demand for high street labels has increased.
Apparel is bouncing back, searches for luxury fashion continue to increase, rising by 22% year-on-year, whilst demand for premium brands remains the same.
Demand for high street brands: +11% YOY
Demand for luxury brands: +22% YOY
Demand for premium brands: No change
‘The Holly Effect’ rules fashion - Demand for Holly Willoughby’s This Morning outfits double during lockdown
Holly Willoughby is one of the few UK celebrity influencers who has maintained a constant TV presence during lockdown. Her consistent appearances on This Morning have kept the nation entertained, but it’s her on screen style that’s driven greater demand for fashion than any other UK TV star.
The huge online buzz from her outfits drives online sales for the lucky brands she chooses, leading stylists to dub the phenomenon ‘The Holly Effect.’ Stylist Jessie Stein commented on the news: "It's no surprise that Holly's timeless and accessible style has made her the most influential fashion icon of lockdown.
The brands she chooses to wear on TV every weekday benefit from the 'Holly Effect' as she shares shots of her outfit in her daily dressing room on Instagram and are seen by her 7 million strong following, often leading to items selling out. Ghost, Whistles and Sandro Paris are a few of Holly's most worn brands and are perfect for the upcoming summer season."
LovetheSales.com has tracked each outfit Holly has worn on This Morning during lockdown and demand for her fashion has doubled since March. On average, Holly’s lockdown looks increase fashion searches online by 65% for the week following each outfit’s TV appearance.
We take a look at Holly’s top 5 most desired looks in lockdown.
5. May 20: J Crew Midi Dress in Embroidered Chiffon
In the week following Holly’s appearance on This Morning in this stunning summer dress, searches for ‘yellow midi dresses’ increased by 57%.
4. March 25: Whistles Almond Blossom Misha Dress
Searches for ‘Whistle dresses’ increased by 77% in the following weeks, after Holly wore this ensemble. The dress is currently in the sales with £70 off.
3. April 27: Ghost Daisy Print Lucinda Dress
In bronze position was Holly’s cute daisy detailed dress from Ghost. The dress sold out instantly, and searches for ‘daisy print dresses’ spiked by 79% in the coming days. One fan commented on her Instagram post “💖 Just ordered mine! Finally back in stock after the Holly effect!!”.
2. April 20: Sandro Paris Knitted Tailored Dress
After the Easter break, Holly came back to our screens with a bang. She wore a tailored fit black mini dress from Sandro Paris, the dress was completely sold out in May and searches for double-breasted midi dress increased by 81% as a result.
1. March 24: Ghost Tiggy Midi Dress
On Monday 2 June, Holly returned to the This Morning sofa from a half-term break in a floral print dress by one of her favourite brands, Ghost. The dress has caused a huge buzz online in the last 24 hours, increasing searches for yellow floral dresses by 86% on LovetheSales.com. The dress is already sold out in sizes small and medium.
LovetheSales.com is a global marketplace for shopping discounts, the platform partners with more than 1,000 UK retailers.
LovetheSales.com stores data from more than 16,000 high street, premium and luxury brands that appear on the site.
Examples of brands by category:
High street brands: River Island, Topshop
Premium brands: Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren
Luxury brands: Burberry, Gucci
Want to be on the exclusive mailing list for the next issue? Please contact:
Head of Content
+44 7414 633 197
Head of Brand
+44 7979 913 665
Issue #4
Wednesday, 20th May 2020.
Top Data Insights
Fashion discounts up 43% YOY as retailers prepare for biggest summer sale ever. (GO TO DATA)
Kate’s influence on shopping searches increases by 58% in lockdown (each lockdown outfit currently SOLD OUT). (GO TO DATA)
Demand for high street brands hits a record low for May (-145% YOY), luxury fashion continues to rise. (GO TO DATA)
Fashion discounts up 43% YOY as retailers prepare for biggest summer sale ever
UK retailers hit hard by the shutdown are preparing for ‘the biggest summer of discounting in years. Retailers in desperate need to sell excess stock are planning to offer unprecedented levels of discounting to shoppers this summer. Online retailers have begun kickstarting demand by offering 43% more clothing discounts than this time last year, an increase of 13% week-on-week.
Stuart McClure, co-founder of LovetheSales.com said on the increase in discounting,
“The pandemic has hit retail hard. Initially, China's shutdown meant chaos for orders and deliveries of goods that led to delays in arrival to the UK - this meant reduced selling time for those goods. Then, stores closed in the UK, meaning further loss of opportunity to sell. Whilst eCommerce has seen a bit of an uplift, it's not anywhere near enough to offset the loss of physical sales. Retailers have an ever increasing volume of inventory they need to sell. This can be seen in the data we are tracking on our marketplace.
The volume of products discounted is currently up 43% YOY and this is increasing - WOW increase was 13% from this week to last. We're already seeing a huge surge in sales online, and we'll see the same in store when they re-open. Under the circumstances retailers find themselves in, we expect this to be a record breaking summer sales period for retail discounting.”
Clothing categories with biggest surge in discounting
Handbags: +88% year-on-year
Jeans: +66% year-on-year
Dresses: +64% year-on-year
T shirts & vests: +56% year-on-year
Swimwear: +50% year-on-year
Kate’s influence on shopping searches increases by 58% in lockdown (each outfit currently SOLD OUT)
Kate influences more shoppers in lockdown than in normal life.
The duchess has appeared publicly on Zoom 8 times in lockdown, we compared the demand from her 8 outfits worn in lockdown to the previous 8 looks she wore before lockdown started in March. On average, Kate’s lockdown outfits will attract 58% more online searches than one of her normal stately looks.
Every lockdown outfit Kate wears in isolation sells out within a matter of days.
Stuart McClure, co-founder of LovetheSales.com commented,
“UK shoppers have been unable to hit the stores for two months now and more women than ever are turning to Kate for fashion inspiration. Kate’s popularity and global appeal is so significant, there isn’t another public figure out there that can match her influence in the virtual space. We expect Kate to continue her charity work online and lucky brands will be watching in anticipation of the duchess wearing their clothes.”
Kate’s 8 lockdown looks - timeline.
May 18, 2020: Mental health awareness week, Zoom call.
Kate wore the Beulah London ‘calla rose dress’ on Monday, in just 24 hours the dress sold out online. Searches for ‘rose print dresses’ have subsequently increased by 42%. (SOLD OUT)
May 15, 2020: Zoom call with SHOUT volunteers.
Kate wore a cecil scalloped white cardigan by brand Sandro. The cardigan has sold out in all sizes and colours online, and searches for ‘scalloped neckline clothing’ have increased by 29% since Friday. (SOLD OUT)
May 12, 2020: International nurses day, Zoom call with the Royal family.
Kate wore the ‘aimee style dress’ by brand Altuzarra. The dress sold out online in a matter of days after the Zoom call and in the last week we’ve seen an increase in searches of 66% for ‘polka-dot dresses’. (SOLD OUT)
May 8,2020: VE day interview, Zoom call with veterans.
Kate wore the 'cayla dress’ by British brand LK Bennett, she first wore this to Wimbledon back in 2015. Sales for the dress by 133% in 24 hours, and is now out of stock. (SOLD OUT)
May 7, 2020: This Morning interview, launching the “Hold Still” project.
Kate wore a tree print silk dress by Raey, a house brand of Matches fashion. Sales for the dress shot up by 193% in a week, before it completely sold out. (SOLD OUT)
May 3, 2020: Zoom call with midwives on a maternity ward staff.
Kate wore two outfits for different parts of the call. The first outfit was a chevron jumper by Brit brand Tabitha Webb, which is currently out of stock. Demand for chevron jumpers went up by 119% in the following week. Kate’s second outfit was a wrap midi dress by Boden, which sold out within 24 hours after the zoom call was published online. Sales of the Boden dress shot up by 198% before selling out completely. (SOLD OUT)
April 23, 2020: Kate pictured outside her house taking part in ‘clap for our carers’.
Kate wore the anouk dress by brand Ghost, online searches for the dress increased by 121% before selling out in the last week of April. The dress was such a viral sensation that Ghost have donated the profits from the dress to NHS charities. (SOLD OUT)
April 9, 2020: Zoom call with staff and students from Casterton academy.
Kate wore a mustard puff sleeve top from Zara, this was a past season item and is currently not available online. Searches for 'mustard coloured tops’ did increase by 41% in the week after the duchess’ zoom call.
Demand for high street brands hits a record low for May
High street fashion continues to struggle in lockdown. Demand for high street brands is down 145% year-on-year, a 5 year low for May.
Jessie Stein, professional stylist said of the data,
“Many shoppers I speak to don’t want the hassle of returning low value items, whilst stuck inside. High street brands thrive on a buzzing high street, where shoppers can try before they buy with ease. The lockdown has stopped a lot of impulse buying for cheaper, ‘wear once’ type clothing.”
Demand for luxury fashion continues to rise, growing by 32% year-on-year. Luxury labels took a hit in demand at the beginning of lockdown, but are now starting to recover in May.
Demand for high street brands: -145% YOY
Demand for luxury brands: +32% YOY
Demand for premium brands: -2% YOY
LovetheSales.com is a global marketplace for shopping discounts, the platform partners with more than 1,000 UK retailers.
LovetheSales.com stores data from more than 16,000 high street, premium and luxury brands that appear on the site.
Examples of brands by category:
High street brands: River Island, Topshop
Premium brands: Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren
Luxury brands: Burberry, Gucci
Next issue: Tuesday, 2nd June 2020.
Want to be on the exclusive mailing list for the next issue? Please contact:
Head of Content
+44 7414 633 197
Issue #3
Wednesday, 6th May 2020.
Data timeframe:
Month-on-month comparisons referenced in the report are from Apr 6-May 6 2020 v previous month
Year-on-year comparisons referenced in the report are from April 23-May 6, 2019 v April 23-May 6, 2020
Top UK data insights
School’s still out: Online sales for kids clothing shoots up by 151% in April (GO TO DATA)
Luxury fashion back on the rise, demand falls for high street and premium brands (GO TO DATA)
Trending fashion - Kate’s zoom call style, rainbow fashion, activewear overtakes loungewear, doggy jumpers (GO TO DATA)
Commentary on the report (GO TO COMMENT)
Sales for kids clothing skyrockets by 151% in April
Coronavirus caused school closures across the UK on March 20th, since then homeschooling has been in effect. New data shows parents are buying their kids new casual clothing during lockdown.
To substitute for the everyday school uniform kids would normally be wearing and wearing out in playgrounds and classrooms, parents are having to buy their children more every day clothes to wear at home. Sales of kids fashion has increased 151% year-on-year.
T shirts have had the biggest rise in sales, up 225% year-on-year, whilst other notable rises have been in skirts (+161%), and jumpers up 133% in sales.
The most popular brands driving sales during lockdown include Disney & Marvel clothing, sales up 80%, Nike kids clothing (+72%) and Joules kidswear, up 65% year-on-year.
Luxury fashion back on the rise, demand drops for high street and premium clothing
Demand for luxury fashion has shot back up in the past fortnight, searches for luxury brands are 27% up year-on-year. Demand for luxury labels had fallen at the beginning of April year-on-year, but is beginning to turn around in May.
Jessie Stein, freelance stylist said of the data: “Many fashion conscious Gen Z and Millennials are thinking about great clothing items to lift their spirits and what to wear when lockdown lifts. The data shows that people are now investing in more quality pieces that they can really look forward to wearing and that will stand the test of time - Gucci, Balenciaga and Prada are all trending at the moment on social media and that’s reflected in what people are hunting for when shopping online. Luxury rules in lockdown.”
High street fashion continues to struggle, demand for high street brands is down 102% year-on-year. Demand for premium brands, which had an increase in April, have subsequently dropped in May by 19%, as shoppers start trading up to luxury pieces of clothing.
Demand for luxury brands: +27% YOY
Demand for premium brands: -19% YOY
Demand for high street brands: -102% YOY
Fashion trends - what’s trending in lockdown?
Kate Middleton’s Zoom call fashion, sparks demand for UK clothing brands
The duchess has been influencing fashion through her webcam. Kate held four video calls with health care workers in April, all of which have resulted in huge spikes in searches for her outfits. In her most recent call, with maternity staff on Sunday 3rd of May, Kate wore a blue and white chevron sweater by Tabitha Webb. Searches for ‘chevron jumpers’ spiked by 119% in the following days.
She also wore Boden’s aurora midi wrap dress, (now sold out), in the second part of the interview, with searches for ‘Boden dresses’ up 98% in the last week on clothing marketplace LovetheSales.com.
Demand for rainbow fashion increases by 566% in April
Views on rainbow fashion wear have skyrocketed by 566% in April, compared to a year ago. Online shoppers are showing their support for NHS workers by wearing rainbow colours at home. Lorraine Kelly wore a Boden Erica rainbow dress on Good Morning Britain and in the days after, the dress had a 233% boost in page views on clothing marketplace LovetheSales.com.
Searches for fashionable face masks jumps by 285% in a month as luxury masks sell out
Demand for fashionable face masks are up 285%, month-on-month. Shoppers are anticipating needing face masks when social restrictions are lifted and many want to use this as an opportunity to accessorize. This luxury Off-White mask is one of the most searched for fashion masks online and is currently sold out.
US brand Rag & Bone, the brand recently released a fashionable ‘stealth mask’ for customers (now sold out), with part of the profits going to Covid-19 charities. Boohoo’s line of fashion masks have had an increase in page views of 218%, in the past fortnight.
Demand for activewear overtakes loungewear, runners and cyclists peddling the trend
Demand for active clothing has shot up by 141% in May. At the beginning of lockdown, LovetheSales.com reported a 433% increase in demand for loungewear, however, as we enter the second month of lockdown, shoppers are focusing on clothes for outdoor exercise and keeping fit. Runners and cyclists are driving the trend with searches for running and cycling shorts up 159% and 147% respectively.
Under Armour and New balance are the brands of choice for runners, with demand for both brands up 65% and 60% year-on-year. Cycling clothing brand Castelli has had the biggest jump in search compared to its competitors, with demand up 98% this month.
Demand for activewear: +141% YOY
Demand for loungewear: +69% YOY
Searches for fashionable pet clothing (dog jumpers) increases by 88% in lockdown
Pet fashion is one of the unusual categories of clothing to have a bump in demand during April. Demand for dog jumpers is up 88% year-on-year. Missguided were first to react to the trend, releasing their own line of doggy fashion. As owners spend more quality time with their pets at home, updating their dog’s wardrobe is as important as updating their own.
Commentary on the “Lockdown Economy” Issue #3
Rupert Walker Head of Brand at LovetheSales.com commented: “It’s very telling that demand for children’s clothing has spiked since the closure of UK schools in March. Normally parents can rely on tough school uniforms to bear the brunt of wear and tear 5 days a week. Now children are at home 24/7, UK parents are having to shell out for new play wear and sales of skirts and jumpers are booming, with Disney and Marvel brands really profiting from lockdown.
Data also shows that the Duchess of Cambridge is the ultimate Royal fashionista, she can inspire global fashion demand even on virtual tours, the spike in demand for British clothing brands, Tabitha Webb and Boden, was almost instantaneous after her online appearance.”
LovetheSales.com is a global marketplace for shopping discounts, the platform partners with more than 1,000 UK retailers.
LovetheSales.com stores data from more than 16,000 high street, premium and luxury brands that appear on the site.
Examples of brands by category:
High street brands: River Island, Topshop
Premium brands: Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren
Luxury brands: Burberry, Gucci
Next issue: Wednesday, 20th May 2020.
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Head of Content
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Head of Brand
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Issue #2
Wednesday, 22nd April 2020.
Data timeframe:
Month-on-month comparisons referenced in the report are from March 1st - 22nd 2020 v April 1st - 22nd 2020
Year-on-year comparisons referenced in the report are from April 1st-22nd 2019 v April 1st-22nd 2020
Top UK Stories
Retailers increase prices on garden care and outdoor furniture by 43% month-on-month (GO TO STORY)
High street and luxury fashion brands struggle as demand falls 179% and 34% year-on-year (GO TO STORY)
Winners and losers of the lockdown economy - consumer demand (GO TO STORY)
Lockdown wardrobe - what’s trending? (GO TO STORY)
Retailers increase prices on garden essentials and outdoor furniture by 43%
Retailers have increased prices on garden essentials, including lawnmowers, BBQs and garden table sets. Garden category prices have shot up in April by 43% month-on-month, and by 36% year-on-year.
A combination of housebound shoppers and good bank holiday weather has created a huge surge in demand for garden goods. Online searches for lawn mowers have increased by 401% in April and BBQs by +174%, month-on-month. Data suggests retailers are looking to cash in on popular outdoor products, while they can.
Biggest increases in online search:
Lawnmowers: +401% month-on-month ,+310% year-on-year
BBQs: +174% month-on-month, +57% year-on-year
Garden chairs & tables: +400% month-on-month, +260% year-on-year
Hedge trimmers: +123% month-on-month, +125% year-on-year
Price rises:
Lawn mowers: +76% month-on-month, +62% year-on-year
BBQs: +54% month-on-month, +48% year-on-year
Garden chairs & tables: +39% month-on-month, +45% year-on-year
Hedge trimmers: +42% month-on-month, +36% year-on-year
High street and luxury fashion brands struggle as demand falls year-on-year
Online searches for high street and luxury fashion brands have fallen in mid-April, compared to this time last year. High street and fast fashion brands are the biggest hit by the lockdown as online searches for cheaper branded clothing is down 179% year-on-year.
Demand for luxury labels have fallen by 34% year-on-year, it’s only premium brands that have increased in demand, searches Ralph Lauren Calvin Klein and other premium labels are up 18% year-on-year.
As shoppers shift their spend to home improvement, fashion demand, in general, is falling. Premium fashion brands are still on the up though, most likely bolstered by broad ranges in popular categories like loungewear and fitness.
Examples of brands by category:
High street brands: River Island, Topshop
Premium brands: Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren
Luxury brands: Burberry, Gucci
Winners and losers in the lockdown economy
Winners
Sex toys: UK demand for sex toys has increased by 126% in April, compared to April 2019. As the lockdown is extended into May, the public looks for more intimate ways to pass the time in isolation. (READ MORE HERE)
Home office equipment: With staff set to continue working remotely into May and possibly June, demand for home office products have shot up by 219% year-on-year. (READ MORE HERE)
Outdoor living: Online searches for lawn mowers have increased by 401% month-on-month, BBQs +174% month-on-month and garden chairs and tables by +400% month-on-month.
Losers
Luggage: With the majority of the UK grounded, the need for holiday luggage has fallen dramatically. Online searches for suitcases have dropped by 74% year-on-year and searches for cabin luggage have declined by 64%.
Handbags: Fashionable bags have taken a huge hit in demand, with less need to update this wardrobe ‘essential’ during the lockdown. Searches for handbags have dropped by 46% year-on-year and for purses by 63% year-on-year.
Dresses: April through July is the peak period for dress sales, but searches for frocks are down 33% year-on-year, searches for playsuits are also down 54% on the year before. Loungewear continues to rule in April 2020 and demand is up 411% year-on-year.
Lockdown wardrobe - what’s trending?
Luxury belts & pillows: After the #pillowchallenge went viral on Instagram, shoppers have been clamouring to show off their entries, using designer belts. Searches for Gucci belts have increased by 71% month-on-month. Searches for Saint Laurent, Off-White and Moschino belts have increased month-on-month by 68%, 65% and 59% respectively. Demand for pillows has also increased month-on-month by 88%.
Tiger print clothing: Since the hit show Tiger King came out on Netflix on 20/03/2020, consumer searches for tiger print clothing have increased by 90% month-on-month. Tiger logo brand, Kenzo, has also benefited since the show's release, with demand for their big logo jumpers increasing by 126% month-on-month.
Ugg slippers - The nation continues to look for comfortable clothing in lockdown with searches for slippers increasing by 49% year-on-year. Ugg slippers are proving hugely popular with shoppers, with page views for the cosy footwear shooting up by 66% year-on-year.
Premium lingerie - Demand for lingerie has increased by 42% year-on-year, lace teddies, suspenders, and thongs are the most popular products among UK shoppers. Premium lingerie brands, Agent Provocateur and Ann Summers have benefitted the most from this trend with year-on-year demand for their lingerie increasing by 49% and 42% respectively. (READ MORE HERE)
Quote on the report
Rupert Walker, Head of Brand at LovetheSales.com commented: “April has been a turbulent month for retailers, consumer buying behaviour is changing by the day. With lockdown set to be extended by 3 weeks we can expect garden and outdoor brands to continue to grow in popularity, people are focusing on making the most of their home environment where they’re having to spend 23 hours a day.
Self care is high on people’s agendas as can be seen in the spike in slippers, loungewear, lingerie and sex toys.
There are further warning signs for high street and fast fashion clothing categories as people look to premium brands for stay at home apparel.”
LovetheSales.com stores data from more than 16,000 high street, premium and luxury brands that appear on the site.
LovetheSales.com is a global marketplace for shopping discounts, the platform partners with more than 1,000 UK retailers.
Next issue: Wednesday, 6th May 2020.
Want to be on the exclusive mailing list for the next issue? Please contact:
Head of Content
+44 7414 633 197
Head of Brand
+44 7979 913 665
Issue #1
Wednesday, 8th April 2020.
Data is a year-on-year comparison:
25th March - 7th April 2020
25th March - 7th April 2019
Top Stories
Big category winners: Exercise equipment, beauty & grooming and loungewear are the big winners in the new ‘Lockdown Economy’, with record levels of demand.
Raising prices: Online retailers raise prices of exercise equipment and beauty & grooming products, as demand soars.
Online retailers backpedal on 1,000’s of lockdown discounts: Online retailers remove 1,000’s of discounts on popular lockdown clothing, including hoodies & joggers.
High street struggle: Online demand plummets by 149% for high street brands, as shoppers switch to premium and luxury labels.
Brand winners: Lockdown brands, Ugg, Crocs & Calvin Klein have the biggest surge in consumer traffic.
Tops v bottoms - clothing: Top half clothing categories (t-shirts, formal shirts, jumpers) are being searched for 132% more than bottom half clothing (trousers, shorts, joggers). As waist-up video conferencing becomes the norm for ‘at home’ workers.
Online retail category data
Below are categories and brands that have experienced the highest surge in online consumer demand, year-on-year. Alongside this are noticeable changes in online retailer pricing or volume of discounted products available, year-on-year.
Exercise equipment
Kettlebells
Yoga Mats
Skipping Ropes
Barbells
Dumbbells
Best Lockdown Brands
Ugg
Crocs
Calvin Klein
Fashion Brands
High Street
Premium
Luxury
Lockdown Clothing
Loungewear
Hoodies
Sweatshirts
Joggers
Tops v Bottoms Clothing
Tops
Bottoms
Beauty & Grooming
Beard Trimmer
Hair Clippers
Hair Removal
Electronics
Tablets
Televisions
Games Consoles
Consumer Demand YOY
+419%
+260%
+233%
+219%
+188%
Consumer Demand YOY
+132%
+95%
+64%
Consumer Demand YOY
-149%
+85%
+36%
Consumer Demand YOY
+433%
+267%
+177%
+116%
Consumer Demand YOY
+167%
+39%
Consumer Demand YOY
+138%
+102%
+45%
Consumer Demand YOY
+153%
+84%
+82%
Prices YOY
+55%
+29%
+44%
+37%
+52%
Volume of Discounts YOY
-22%
+15%
-47%
Volume of Discounts YOY
+103%
-27%
-48%
Volume of Discounts YOY
-49%
-36%
-26%
-34%
Volume of Discounts YOY
-33%
-45%
Prices YOY
+84%
+19%
+38%
Prices YOY
+42%
+21%
+29%
LovetheSales.com is a global marketplace for shopping discounts, the platform partners with more than 1,000 UK retailers.
Next issue: Wednesday 6th May 2020.
Want to be first to access the next issue? Please contact:
Head of Content
+44 7414 633 197
Head of Brand
+44 7979 913 665
