Online fast fashion dominates Generation Z shopping habits

During the pandemic, global online fast fashion retailers dominated Generation Z's shopping, replacing traditional popular retailers such as Urban Outfitters .

That's according to a study by Gist, a social product recommendation platform that found, based on an analysis of 8,000 Gist Gen Z users and 1.5 million purchases, that these shoppers' buying habits have changed dramatically during the pandemic as they shifted from U.S. clothing stores like Urban Outfitters to overseas online shopping platforms and fast-fashion clothing retailers popular on TikTok .

The study , which analysed data between October/November 2019 and October/November 2021, found that on Gist, S HEIN ranked first among clothing stores, followed by Zara. In just one year, Australian online fast-fashion retailer Princess Polly jumped from eighth place at the end of 2020 to third place at the end of 2021 .

Data shows that fast fashion is on the rise among Gen Z consumers as department stores decline in popularity.

Urban Outfitters ranked #1 among apparel stores for Gen Z shoppers and #4 among all stores in October/November 2019. By October/November 2021, the retailer ranked #16 among Gist's top stores. That puts it behind S HEIN , Zara , and Princess Polly.

Etsy also made the list . While Gen Z loves their fast fashion, they also like to support independent businesses and artists on Etsy, especially when buying gifts. Etsy ranked eighth on Gist's list of stores for the first nine months of 2021 and rose to fifth during the holiday shopping season.

Target has seen a dramatic increase in online purchases by its Gen Z shoppers over the past two years . It soared from No. 7 on Gist’s list of stores in October/November 2019 to No. 2 in the same period this year, behind only Amazon.

Walmart is not popular among Gen Z. On Gist, Gen Z shoppers are twice as likely to shop at Target as Walmart.

“Our 2021 shopping survey revealed a striking difference in what Gen Z consumers value — a focus on local creators ( Etsy) versus a lot of TikTok-style fast fashion ( S HEIN , Princess Polly),” said Walter Haas, founder of Gist .

Fast Fashion

SHEIN

Generation Z