Zalando: Romanian consumers want a personalized and innovative shopping experience

Romanian consumers are increasingly looking for a richer, more personalized and innovative online shopping experience when buying fashion items, shoes and accessories, according to a study commissioned by German retail company Zalando. The study, conducted among Romanians who shop online, shows that they value not only convenience and accessibility, but also a varied selection of styles and brands, quality content, personalized recommendations, as well as innovations such as size recommendations, virtual fitting rooms and shopping tips based on artificial intelligence.

Daniel Roginski, General Manager Central & Eastern Europe Zalando, said yesterday, in a meeting with journalists: "The results of the study confirm that product selection, content, personalization and innovations are becoming increasingly important in retail in general. Romanians want to choose from a variety of styles, with all price options. They are looking for a personalized shopping experience that inspires them, they want it to be easy for them to find the right size and it is a pleasure to discover new fashion products. Zalando offers a varied selection for all price levels and continues to innovate in the consumer experience. The impact of these innovations can be significant: for example, they help to find relevant products faster and contribute to reducing the return rate. The recent launch of the Zalando AI assistant in Romanian and several other languages is a perfect example of personalized fashion advice. We also have a dedicated Size & Fit team, which helps customers find the right size more easily. This study confirms Zalando's mission to set new standards for online shopping, personalization and inspiration in the fashion and lifestyle industry."

• Focus on product selection, quality and brands

As in many other countries, accessibility is a critical factor for Romanian shoppers when choosing online fashion stores, with half of respondents (52%) considering this criterion as the most important in choosing a platform. The second most important reason for choosing an online fashion store is product quality, chosen by a fifth of Romanians (20%), followed by product selection and availability (10%) and brands (7%). Almost half of Romanians (46%) agree with the statement "I prefer to buy fashion items from platforms that offer high-quality brands", compared to 41% who are neutral and 13% who disagree or do not buy fashion items online.

Asked about the reasons that lead them to shop online rather than in-store, convenience is the most frequently cited argument by respondents, after finding better prices. The fact that you can shop at home, whenever you want (both 24%) are important reasons for Romanians who buy clothes and shoes online. However, they consider product selection to be another essential factor in the decision to shop online or offline. One in five Romanians (22%) appreciate the variety of sizes and styles available online, and 18% mention product diversity as important. One in ten respondents mention access to international brands and exclusive collections among the reasons why they would choose to shop online instead of in a physical store.

The quality of products and brands are not the only factors that influence the online shopping experience. Asked what would make online fashion shopping easier or more enjoyable, two in five Romanians want clear product details (40%), high-quality images (32%) and photos or videos that show the garments on real people (30%). Also, almost two-thirds (62%) of respondents agree that they are more likely to buy clothes if they can see them on models with different body types. Almost half (49%) agree that content inspired by current trends helps them buy new fashion products.

• Personalized recommendations, preferred

Romanian consumers also value personalized recommendations and accurate size guides in their shopping experience. 65% of respondents agree that they rely on size guides and feedback from other customers to ensure they choose the right size. Over half (53%) enjoy discovering fashion products with the help of personalized recommendations and often consider recommendations about items that match those already chosen (52%). Respondents also enthusiastically welcome innovations that help them find the right products: a clear majority (57%) agree that they would use a virtual fitting room or augmented reality to help them find their size. Half of respondents (50%) would consider shopping tips based on artificial intelligence, if available.

Comparing different age groups, the study shows that younger consumers (18-24 years old) are more engaged in online shopping and are more influenced by fashion trends and personalized recommendations, preferring a more dynamic and trend-oriented experience. Consumers aged 25-44 also have a stronger preference for personalized recommendations than the average. In contrast, older groups (45+ years old) place greater emphasis on convenience and quality indicators such as brand reputation, thus underlining their preference for a trusted and simple shopping experience. Zalando recently tested a new virtual fitting room pilot, which showed customers how fashion items fit on a 3D avatar. The virtual fitting room allowed users to take their body measurements using their smartphone and see how the items fit based on their unique body shape. Zalando has already seen a reduction of up to 40% in the return rate for those products for which the virtual fitting room technology is used.

The study for Zalando was conducted by Publicis Groupe Data Intelligence among a sample of 1,001 Romanians, men and women, aged between 18 and 65, who have shopped online at least once. Data collection took place between October 28 and November 4, 2024.