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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Opportunities
- Market size & forecast
- Outlook
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OPPORTUNITIES
- Reimagine the customer journey with seamless tech integration
- New tech tools make the experience more seamless than ever
- The tech trio powering the future fashion of ecommerce
- Enhance transparency through digital product passports
- How fashion brands can leverage DPPs
- Address sustainability challenges
- Connect fashion shopping to entertainment
- Seamless integration feels more organic to consumers
- Turn binge-watching into brand engagement
- Predicting 2030: an in-stream fashion customer journey
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CONSUMER
- Online fashion shopping habits
- Women are the top online fashion shoppers
- Maximise engagement with German women
- Capitalise on convenience for mothers
- Graph 1: shopping channels, by parenthood, 2025
- Gen Z like shopping online and in-store equally
- Graph 2: shopping channels for fashion items in the past 12 months, by generation, 2025
- Explore gender-based differences in online shopping for fashion
- Graph 3: who fashion was bought for online, by gender, 2025
- Parents are more likely to buy for others
- Graph 4: who fashion items were bought for online, by lifestage, 2025
- Essentials form the key categories shopped online
- Graph 5: fashion items bought online, 2025
- Tailor online fashion campaigns
- Graph 6: online fashion item buyers, by gender, 2025
- Most shop infrequently
- Graph 7: frequency of shopping for fashion items online, 2025
- Online fashion shopping frequency down from 2024
- Graph 8: frequency of shopping for fashion items online, trended, 2024-25
- Target shoppers based on frequency and generation
- Graph 9: frequency of online fashion purchases – NET, 2025
- Device use while shopping for fashion online
- Ensure a seamless online shopping experience
- Graph 10: actions done using any device when buying fashion online, 2025
- Optimise device-specific experiences for fashion shoppers
- Graph 11: actions done when shopping for fashion online, by device, 2025
- Tailor online shopping experiences to device preferences by age group
- Graph 12: devices used when shopping for fashion items online, by age, 2025
- Create seamless experiences for younger generations
- Graph 13: online fashion shoppers who have tried an item in-store before purchase online, by generation, 2025
- How to meet Gen Z demands for seamless retail
- Bershka creates a seamless online/offline experience
- Spending on fashion online
- Younger men lead fashion spending trends
- Graph 14: average monthly spending on fashion items for self, 2025
- Foster spending through gifting
- Graph 15: spending on fashion items for others, by age, 2025
- Important factors when shopping fashion online
- Prioritise convenience and variety in online fashion shopping
- Graph 16: compared to shopping in-store, shopping for fashion items online…, 2025
- Address rural shoppers with special offers
- Graph 17: compared to shopping in-store, shopping for fashion items online…, 2025
- Focus on product variety to engage high-spending women
- Graph 18: online fashion shoppers who appreciate access to a wider range of products, by gender and spending, 2025
- Emphasise international brand access for male high spenders
- Graph 19: online fashion shoppers who appreciate access to international brands, by gender and spending, 2025
- Attitudes towards sustainability
- Connect to sustainability-conscious consumers with DPPs
- Graph 20: behaviours towards buying fashion items online, 2025
- Save the duck launches DPPs
- Reshape online shopping to align with sustainability
- Graph 21: attitudes towards buying fashion items online, by generation, 2025
- Attitudes towards AI and social media
- AI tools are seen as valuable shopping companions
- Bridging enthusiasm and usage of AI in Germany’s online fashion market
- Interest in AI tools is lower compared to other European countries
- Graph 22: interest in using AI when choosing products/brands when shopping, by age and country, 2025
- Visual search tools appeal to the young
- Graph 23: consumers who used a visual search tool when shopping for fashion items online, by generation, 2025
- Convenient and intuitive technologies can bridge the gap between discovery and purchase
- Social media is especially popular among young parents
- Graph 24: attitudes towards purchasing fashion online, 2025
- Earn parents’ trust through influencers
- Graph 25: attitudes towards purchasing fashion online, 2025
- Nara Smith’s nostalgic appeal and its value for brands
- Ways to engage with fashion clients through social media
- Navigate fast fashion trends in the social media age
- Start selling through interactive streams
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MARKET
- Market drivers
- Rising inflation in clothing and footwear
- Graph 26: consumer price index for clothing and footwear, 2014-24
- Germany leads in fashion spend intent
- Graph 27: additional discretionary spending priorities, 2025
- Inflation has eased, but consumers do not yet feel the relief
- Graph 28: selected household and lifestyle issues faced in the last two months, 2024-25
- Germans’ post-pandemic intent to spend on clothing surged then declined as priorities shifted
- Graph 29: intention to spend discretionary money on clothes, 2019-25
- Tech innovations will drive fashion ecommerce
- Market size
- Shifting revenues and resilient sectors
- Graph 30: turnover fashion online, 2022-24
- Fashion ecommerce continues to recover in 2025
- Market forecast
- Online fashion sales brace for slow recovery amid inflation
- Online remains a growing sector in a troubled fashion market
- Graph 31: online retail sales of clothing (€bn, including VAT), 2015-21
- German fashion specialists grow faster than online fashion retailing
- Forecast – note on US trade disruption
- Impact of US trade disruption for the German fashion market
- Leading retailers
- Zalando acquires About You to strengthen its position against Shein
- Momox achieves revenue growth through process optimisation
- Shein’s revenues are rising
- Launch activity and innovations
- OpenAI adds personalised shopping to ChatGPT
- TikTok Shop launches in Germany
- Vinted introduces influencer curation
- Vinted launches ‘House of Vinted’
- H&M introduces AI-generated ‘digital twins’
- Stradivarius launches first Click & Collect Store in Germany
- Zalando updates returns policy and revamps loyalty programme
- Zara Streaming with mother and daughter
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APPENDIX
- Report scope and definitions
- Products covered in this Report
- Abbreviations
- Methodology – consumer research
- Consumer research methodology
- Methodology – market size and forecast
- Forecast methodology
- Market size– value – online turnover
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – value – online turnover
- A note on language
- Generations
The most pressing issue faced by German online fashion retailers is economic instability. Rising inflation and geopolitical tensions, such as US tariffs, have exacerbated supply chain issues, driving up the cost of living and dampening consumer confidence.
Online Fashion Retail Market — Current Landscape
The introduction of Digital Product Passports (DPPs) by the EU presents a unique avenue for German online fashion retailers and brands to address growing consumer demand for eco-friendly products. And many Gen Z online shoppers in Germany believe online shopping helps them make smarter purchasing decisions.
A pivotal opportunity for brands lies in leveraging technologies such as AI, AR, and QR codes to enhance the online experience. These tools can significantly enhance the consumer experience if used correctly.
The Fashion Industry in Germany — Online Market Statistics
- Online Fashion Retail Market Share: Women aged 35 to 54 are the biggest audience for the online fashion industry in Germany, with 76% having made an online purchase in the past year.
- Online Fashion Retail Trends: A significant 41% of German Gen Z online fashion aficionados believe online shopping leads to smarter purchasing decisions, further emphasising the importance of sustainability in retail strategies.
Online Fashion Retail Market Report — What’s Inside?
Key Topics Analysed in this Report
- Overview of current online fashion retail market performance and outlook for the next five years.
- Key new online fashion retail trends, particularly in product development.
- Usage trends of various shopping channels for fashion items.
- Consumer attitudes towards sustainability and digital product passports.
- Impact of technology and streaming services on consumer engagement.
- Online fashion retail market predictions and challenges due to economic factors.
- Analysis of different consumer demographics and spending habits.
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report is written by Silke Lambers, Principal Analyst. Silke joined Mintel in 2022, writing about fashion and retail trends in Germany as a Senior Research Analyst. Prior to this she has been working as a trend forecaster, journalist, and analyst for agencies and companies in the US, UK, France, and Germany. Silke has a MA in Fashion Engineering and Design.
Download Report SummaryDespite economic challenges, Germany’s online fashion retail market shows growth potential through tech integration, sustainability, and omnichannel strategies. Adapting to cautious spending is key, with digital innovation driving consumer engagement.
Silke Lambers
Principal Analyst — Fashion, Germany
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