How is Technology Reviving Apparel Brands?

Retail technology is fuelling brand growth and enhancing the appetite for success. The latest innovative solutions are enabling brands to optimize retail operations, improve customer experiences and streamline time-consuming processes. Implementing effective retail technology can enable more streamlined operations, enhance customer experiences and provide staff with a wider range of opportunities to drive sales.

From the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to advancements in RFID and cloud, modern innovations are essential for retailers to thrive in today’s landscape. For apparel retail, where the customer experience is more important than ever, retail technology plays a significant role, transforming the way retailers operate and interact with customers.

There are plenty of technology solutions available today, and it may seem difficult to know where to begin. In this blog, we explore some of the most powerful innovations that are reviving apparel brands in today’s evolving retail landscape…

Personalized shopping experiences

Failing to adapt to the new digital age puts retailers at risk of missing opportunities to engage effectively with their target consumers. Customers seek seamless and tailored experiences when looking for their next purchase. This can be a particular challenge when it comes to shopping for clothing items – the friction that comes with locating items, trying them on and deciding between colors and sizes can decrease customer satisfaction. Personalized and convenient shopping experiences can engage consumers and increase the likelihood of sales. According to Statista, 64% of consumers reported that they preferred to shop from brands that catered the shopping experience to their wants and needs.

Investing in a Secure Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform offers retailers a consistent view of each shopper’s purchasing history, preferences and habits in real-time. As a result, staff can deliver more personalized shopping experiences, offering tailored product recommendations and exclusive loyalty discounts. The secure CRM technology also provides retailers with clear visibility over all orders being placed. Orders can be easily managed and modified in the cloud HQ, enabling retailers to adapt quickly to customer needs. Orders placed online or in-store can also only be fulfilled based on stock availability, avoiding stock-outs and unhappy customers. Ultimately, this leaves customers feeling valued and strengthens loyalty. 

Similarly, many apparel brands are benefitting from virtual try-on technology. This tech facilitates immersive shopping experiences, allowing consumers to virtually try on items before making a final decision. Utilizing augmented reality (AR), virtual images are placed over the shoppers’ real-world view to create a realistic impression of what the item looks like when worn. In-store, this decreases the time it takes to try on physical items and minimizes future product returns as customers are more secure in their purchasing decisions. Meanwhile, when shopping online, AR helps consumers replicate the in-store experience from the comfort of their own home. Seemingly small innovations such as virtual try-on technology – which can seamlessly elevate the visual element of any purchase – make a big difference in the apparel customer experience.

AI and data-driven operations

AI can play a crucial role in helping retailers significantly enhance operational efficiency. In fact, 80% of retail executives expect that their brands will use intelligent automation technologies throughout 2025, and 40% already use some form of it. AI-driven tools can assist retailers in many aspects, such as pricing strategies, consumer behaviour and forecasting. By integrating AI, retailers can analyze vast amounts of real-time data faster and more accurately. This helps them make more effective and timely decisions across their entire operation.

Data and analytics are important for retailers, empowering them to predict consumer behaviors and preferences, and make educated decisions based on reliable data. Using insights offered by AI algorithms based on the analysis of historical data can deliver retailers with significantly enhanced results, that generate return on investment (ROI) quickly. 

Teamwork Commerce’s Reporting and Analytics provides retailers with clear visibility of retail performance and KPIs in real-time. Brands can see live store performance and gain access to relevant information at their fingertips. This also comes in useful when accessing data for reporting and assessing operational performance.

Enhancing omnichannel capabilities

By 2027, 23% of all retail purchases are expected to take place online. However, most Gen-Z shoppers still prefer physical stores for essential apparel and accessories. Consumers today need the option to shop how they like, whether that’s in-store, online, or a balance of both. Customers must be able to receive the same consistent experiences across all sales channels. When brands can successfully deliver seamless top-tier experiences, this benefits them in the long-term, encouraging repeat purchases, creating a loyal customer base and improving a brand’s overall perception.

Shoppers interact with brands in a range of ways, and when retailers can provide a consistent experience through different channels, customers appreciate enhanced convenience and seamless transitions between each retail touchpoint. Buy Online, Pick-Up In-Store (BOPIS) capabilities allow retailers to blend online and in-store experiences seamlessly. By October 2024, The integration of multiple channels provides retailers with a variety of data-driven insights, ultimately resulting in better decision making going forward and a deeper understanding of consumer behavior and habits. 

The takeaway 

It’s important for brands to adapt and align with the evolving retail landscape. Deploying the correct retail technology can uplift and empower retailers to stand aside from competitors, achieve operational efficiency and drive sales. AI-driven data, omnichannel selling, and delivering personalized shopping experiences all combine to create the ultimate success package for apparel brands, stopping them from falling behind the curve.

To explore these options further and see how Teamwork Commerce can help your apparel brand excel, get in touch today.