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GlobalData on Fashion Rental (Consumer views August 2019)

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GlobalData on Fashion Rental (Consumer views August 2019)

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The UK rental market value is expected to reach £2.3 billion by 2029, a stark increase compared to the estimated £400 million in 2019

"Only 17.6% of UK consumers are willing to rent clothing & accessories Few consumers are ready to rent fashion items yet, so the fashion rental market currently poses little threat to conventional clothing retailers. Occasionwear is the most popular type of clothing & accessories consumers would be willing to rent due to the higher price points of items and limited occasions to wear outfits to. Occasionwear is well suited to rental platforms due to the focus on designer clothes and items can be rented for a short period of time, lowering the cost."

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Pg 39 "a survey done in Britain found that one in three young women consider clothes “old” after wearing them once or twice” 

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Pg 39 "a survey done in Britain found that one in three young women consider clothes “old” after wearing them once or twice” 

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Pages 18-21 - core findings including excellent information and diagrams

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A New Textiles Economy - Full Report - Updated 1-12-17

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The early 21st century has been good to the apparel industry. Thanks to falling costs, streamlined operations, and rising consumer spending, clothing production doubled from 2000 to 2014, and the number of garments purchased each year by the average consumer increased by 60 percent. Fast fashion has been a particularly hot segment and a source of enviable growth for some clothing companies. By compressing production cycles and turning out up-to-the-minute designs, these businesses have enabled shoppers not only to expand their wardrobes but also to refresh them quickly. Across nearly every apparel category, consumers keep clothing items about half as long as they did 15 years ago. Some estimates suggest that consumers treat the lowest-priced garments as nearly disposable, discarding them after just seven or eight wears.

The fact remains, however, that innovation in the way clothes are made has not kept pace with the acceleration of how they are designed and marketed. Fast fashion is now a large, sophisticated business fed by a fragmented and relatively low-tech production system. This system has outsize environmental effects: making clothes typically requires using a lot of water and chemicals and emitting significant amounts of greenhouse gases. Reports also continue to emerge about clothing-factory workers being underpaid and exposed to unsafe-even deadly-workplace conditions, particularly when handling materials like cotton and leather that require extensive processing. Without improvements in how clothing is made, these issues will grow proportionally as more clothes are produced.

So far, sales increases suggest that most shoppers either overlook or tolerate the social and environmental costs of fast fashion. But some companies aren't waiting for a consumer backlash. They have begun to remedy the largely unseen impact of the fast-fashion business. In this article, we consider how apparel businesses can resolve challenges in two major segments of their value chain: the heavy resource demands and difficult labor issues in the production process, and the excessive waste associated with disposing of unfashionable or worn-out garments.

Fast fashion, serious consequences

Apparel sales have risen dramatically in recent years, thanks to several trends that appear likely to continue. Businesses have aggressively cut costs and streamlined their supply chains. This has caused the price of clothing to fall relative to the prices of other consumer goods (Exhibit 1). Shorter lead times for production have also allowed clothing makers to introduce new lines more frequently. Zara offers 24 new clothing collections each year; H&M offers 12 to 16 and refreshes them weekly. Among all European apparel companies, the average number of clothing collections has more than doubled, from two a year in 2000 to about five a year in 2011.

Shoppers have responded to lower prices and greater variety by buying more items of clothing. The number of garments produced annually has doubled since 2000 and exceeded 100 billion for the first time in 2014: nearly 14 items of clothing for every person on earth. While sales growth has been robust around the world, emerging economies have seen especially large rises in clothing sales, as more people in them have joined the middle class. In five large developing countries-Brazil, China, India, Mexico, and Russia-apparel sales grew eight times faster than in Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Even after this increase, the average developing-country resident purchases a fraction of the clothing that his or her developed-world counterpart buys each year. Overall clothing sales could rise significantly if developing-country consumers choose to buy more clothing as their purchasing power increases. We estimate that if 80 percent of the population of emerging economies were to achieve the same clothing-consumption levels as the Western world by 2025, and the apparel industry does not become more environmentally efficient, then the environmental footprint of the apparel industry will become much larger (Exhibit 2).

So far, clothing companies have been unable to match their sales gains with commensurate improvements in environmental and social performance. Cotton, accounting for about 30 percent of all textile fiber consumption, is usually grown using a lot of water, pesticides, and fertilizer. Since countries with large fabric- and apparel-making industries rely mainly on fossil fuels for energy production, we estimate that making 1 kilogram of fabric generates an average of 23 kilograms of greenhouse gases.

In addition, many clothing companies face problems with labor conditions throughout their supply chains, including child labor, low wages, and health and safety hazards. Rooting out these problems will require businesses to measure sustainability performance across the entire supply chain, set goals for improvements, help suppliers to reduce their impact, and hold suppliers accountable if they don't.

The sustainability impact of clothing continues to mount after consumers leave the store with newly purchased apparel. Washing and drying 1 kilogram of clothing over its entire life cycle, using typical methods, creates 11 kilograms of greenhouse gases, according to our estimates-an amount that companies could reduce by altering fabrics and clothing designs. The postpurchase choices that consumers make, such as whether to wash clothes in cold, warm, or hot water, also make a big difference.

When it comes to disposing of clothing, current technologies cannot reliably turn unwanted apparel into fibers that could be used to make new goods. Recycling methods such as shredding or chemical digestion work poorly. And there are not markets large enough to absorb the volume of material that would come from recycling clothes. As a result, nearly three-fifths of all clothing produced ends up in incinerators or landfills within years of being made. Germany outperforms most countries by collecting almost three-quarters of all used clothing, reusing half and recycling one-quarter. Elsewhere, collection rates are far lower: 15 percent in the United States, 12 percent in Japan, and 10 percent in China.

A sustainable design for the fast-fashion value chain

Mitigating the sustainability impact of the fast-fashion business will likely require action across the industry. Some apparel companies have formed coalitions to tackle environmental and social challenges together, which helps to accelerate change and to mitigate the risks of working on these challenges alone. For example, 22 apparel brands belong to a coalition called Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals to improve and expand the use of nontoxic, sustainable chemistry in the textile and footwear supply chain. The Better Cotton Initiative involves more than 50 retailers and brands and nearly 700 suppliers in setting standards for environmental, social, and economic responsibility in cotton production.

A few apparel businesses have begun tackling sustainability challenges on their own. H&M and Levi's have each partnered with I:CO to collect clothing and footwear for reuse and recycling. I:CO provides collection bins, sorts the items so anything wearable can be sold, and recycles what is left. Patagonia not only collects used clothing in its stores and through the mail but also offers repair services so its customers can extend the lives of their garments. And retail chain C&A, recognizing the environmental effects of cotton farming, has launched an effort to purchase only organic cotton by 2020.

Resource revolution

Can innovation help meet ever-growing demand for resources?

We see additional steps that companies can take to remove some of the social and environmental risks that are commonly part of the fast-fashion model:

Develop standards and practices for designing garments that can be easily reused or recycled. The Sustainable Apparel Coalition has created an index for measuring the full life-cycle impact of clothing and footwear products.

Invest in the development of new fibers that will lower the environmental effects of production and garment making. In 2016, the Walmart Foundation awarded grants of nearly $3 million to five US universities to support research on improving the sustainability and efficiency of textile manufacturing.

Encourage consumers to care for their clothes in low-impact ways. Washing garments in hot or warm water and drying at high heat or for longer than needed uses a lot of energy. Clothing makers and retailers can help steer consumers toward clothing-care practices that have a smaller environmental toll and keep garments in good shape for longer.

Support the development of mechanical- and chemical-recycling technologies. The fibers produced by mechanical recycling, for example, are shorter and lower in quality than virgin fibers and therefore less useful to apparel makers. Chemical recycling could improve on this as the technology advances.

Establish higher labor and environmental standards for suppliers and set up mechanisms to make supply chains more transparent. For example, the software company EVRYTHNG and packaging maker Avery Dennison have together launched an effort to tag clothing so consumers can trace how individual items were produced all along the supply chain.

Provide suppliers with guidance and resources for meeting new labor and environmental standards and hold them accountable for performance shortfalls. Walmart, for example, has made a public commitment that by 2017, 70 percent or more of the products it sources directly from suppliers will come from factories with energy-management plans. The company offers its suppliers software tools to help them find opportunities for using energy and other resources more efficiently.

Global demand for clothing looks set to increase significantly over the coming decade, as millions of people in developing countries enter the middle class and spend more on apparel. While this presents a tremendous opportunity for fashion companies, it may be a risky one for companies that choose not to grapple with the social and environmental risks of low-cost, resource-hungry production processes. Those risks could become even more pressing over time: as the millennial generation gains purchasing power, their high expectations that businesses will operate in a sustainable manner could have a big influence on shopping trends. Production methods that are more sustainable may cost slightly more, but they can also spur innovation and protect businesses from supply-chain shocks and reputation risks, resulting in greater resilience and profitability.

About the author(s)

Nathalie Remy is a partner in McKinsey's Paris office, Eveline Speelman is a consultant in the Amsterdam office, and Steven Swartz is a partner in the Southern California office.

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Style that’s sustainable: A new fast-fashion formula

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The early 21st century has been good to the apparel industry. Thanks to falling costs, streamlined operations, and rising consumer spending, clothing production doubled from 2000 to 2014, and the number of garments purchased each year by the average consumer increased by 60 percent.

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Explores the likelihood of people engaging in technology to perform a task. A theory which will be useful for app analysis

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A strategic digital marketing model of technology acceptance for those looking to bring about digital transformation

The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is designed to measure the adoption of new technology based on customer attitudes.

TAM is largely credited to Fred Davis in 1986, when he was part of the Computer and Information Systems, Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Michigan in the US. Although there are now many variations of the model, the original Technology Acceptance Model is agreed as the following:

This was at a time when computers were being introduced into the workplace and Davis was looking for a way to predict and explain system use both for vendors and IT managers.

TAM states that the success of the new technology adoption is based on positive attitudes towards two measures:

Perceived usefulness

Perceived ease of use

Its foundations lie further back in time when Ajzen and Fishbein (1980) developed the ‘Theory of Reasoned Action’, but Davis wanted an easier to use model, to look at technology at work.

Recognized as a leading model in explaining users’ behaviour towards technology, many researchers have subsequently developed and extended this model, creating more complicated versions, but the original model is still used and widely recognized.

This model was a forerunner of measuring user experience and the questions applied in the original study are still valid today.

Core Module

Assess audience customer journeys

Part of the Digital marketing strategy and planning Toolkit

Learn three alternative techniques for creating customer journey maps

Learn More

Adaptations of the model have also been made to address 'variance in individuals' intention use the new technology system', such as the Venkatesh and Bala, 2008 model:

"Venkatesh and Davis (2000) extended the original TAM model to explain Perceived Usefulness and usage intentions in terms of Social Influence and cognitive instrumental processes (Subjective Norm, Image, Job Relevance, Output Quality and Result Demonstrability), but they omitted ATU."

This model can be used when considering rolling out a new piece of technology to the whole business, after an initial trial. Conduct surveys of staff to ascertain the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Rating answers on the scale below, you can build a score for each value, and then use this to evaluate your staff's overall attitude towards the technology.

For example, the questions below could be used to ascertain the value of Google+ (below) or other social networks to your marketing team.

The Technology Acceptance Model is a good foundation for creating a new web portal, especially in the B2B area. Many companies organize login areas for clients to enable online order processing. Using TAM ensures you can create a more useful and easier to use system than your competitors.

Core Module

Create a digital SWOT using RACE​

Part of the Digital marketing strategy and planning Toolkit

Learn how to layout and populate an omnichannel SWOT-TOWS analysis as part of situation analysis

Learn More

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The Technology Acceptance Model | Smart Insights

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A strategic digital marketing model of technology acceptance within digital transformation: The Technology Acceptance Model

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Gives an order and framework of how to build brand equity

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Do you know what makes a brand strong? And if you had to make yours stronger, would you know how to do it?

Many factors influence the strength of a particular product or brand. If you understand these factors, you can think about how to launch a new product effectively, or work out how to turn a struggling brand into a successful one.

In this article, we'll look at Keller's Brand Equity model. This tool highlights four steps that you can follow to build and manage a brand that customers will support.

Overview

Keller's Brand Equity Model is also known as the Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE) Model. Kevin Lane Keller, a marketing professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, developed the model and published it in his widely used textbook, " Strategic Brand Management."

The concept behind the Brand Equity Model is simple: in order to build a strong brand, you must shape how customers think and feel about your product. You have to build the right type of experiences around your brand, so that customers have specific, positive thoughts, feelings, beliefs, opinions, and perceptions about it.

When you have strong brand equity, your customers will buy more from you, they'll recommend you to other people, they're more loyal, and you're less likely to lose them to competitors.

The model, seen in figure 1, illustrates the four steps that you need to follow to build strong brand equity.

Figure 1 - Keller's Brand Equity Model

KELLER, KEVIN, STRATEGIC BRAND MANAGEMENT: GLOBAL EDITION, 4th, © 1901. Reprinted by permission of Pearson Education, Inc., New York, New York.

The four steps of the pyramid represent four fundamental questions that your customers will ask - often subconsciously - about your brand.

The four steps contain six building blocks that must be in place for you to reach the top of the pyramid, and to develop a successful brand.

Applying the Model

Let's look at each step and building block in detail, and discuss how you can apply the framework and strengthen your brand.

Step 1: Brand Identity - Who Are You?

In this first step, your goal is to create "brand salience," or awareness - in other words, you need to make sure that your brand stands out, and that customers recognize it and are aware of it.

You're not just creating brand identity and awareness here; you're also trying to ensure that brand perceptions are "correct" at key stages of the buying process.

Application

To begin, you first need to know who your customers are. Research your market to gain a thorough understanding of how your customers see your brand, and explore whether there are different market segments with different needs and different relationships with your brand.

Next, identify how your customers narrow down their choices and decide between your brand and your competitors' brands. What decision-making processes do your customers go through when they choose your product? How are they classifying your product or brand? And, when you follow their decision making process, how well does your brand stand out at key stages of this process?

You are able to sell your product because it satisfies a particular set of your customers' needs; this is your unique selling proposition, or USP. You should already be familiar with these needs, but it's important to communicate to your customers how your brand fulfills these. Do your clients understand these USPs when they're making their buying decisions?

By the end of this step, you should understand whether your clients perceive your brand as you want them to, or whether there are specific perceptual problems that you need to address - either by adjusting your product or service, or by adjusting the way that you communicate your message. Identify the actions that you need to take as a result.

Step 2: Brand Meaning - What Are You?

Your goal in step two is to identify and communicate what your brand means, and what it stands for. The two building blocks in this step are: "performance" and "imagery."

"Performance" defines how well your product meets your customers' needs. According to the model, performance consists of five categories: primary characteristics and features; product reliability, durability, and serviceability; service effectiveness, efficiency, and empathy; style and design; and price.

"Imagery" refers to how well your brand meets your customers' needs on a social and psychological level. Your brand can meet these needs directly, from a customer's own experiences with a product; or indirectly, with targeted marketing, or with word of mouth.

A good example of brand meaning is Patagonia®. Patagonia makes high-quality outdoor clothing and equipment, much of which is made from recycled materials.

Patagonia's brand performance demonstrates its reliability and durability; people know that their products are well designed and stylish, and that they won't let them down. Patagonia's brand imagery is enhanced by its commitment to several environmental programs and social causes; and its strong "reduce, reuse, recycle" values make customers feel good about purchasing products from an organization with an environmental conscience.

Application

The experiences that your customers have with your brand come as a direct result of your product's performance. Your product must meet, and, ideally, exceed their expectations if you want to build loyalty. Use the Critical to Quality Tree and Kano Model Analysis models to identify your customers' needs, and then explore how you can translate these needs into a high-quality product.

Next, think carefully about the type of experience that you want your customers to have with your product. Take both performance and imagery into account, and create a "brand personality." Again, identify any gaps between where you are now and where you want to be, and look at how you can bridge these.

Step 3: Brand Response - What Do I Think, or Feel, About You?

Your customers' responses to your brand fall into two categories: "judgments" and "feelings." These are the two building blocks in this step.

Your customers constantly make judgments about your brand and these fall into four key categories:

Quality: Customers judge a product or brand based on its actual and perceived quality.

Credibility: Customers judge credibility using three dimensions - expertise (which includes innovation), trustworthiness, and likability.

Consideration: Customers judge how relevant your product is to their unique needs.

Superiority: Customers assess how superior your brand is, compared with your competitors' brands.

Customers also respond to your brand according to how it makes them feel. Your brand can evoke feelings directly, but they also respond emotionally to how a brand makes them feel about themselves. According to the model, there are six positive brand feelings: warmth, fun, excitement, security, social approval, and self-respect.

Application

First, examine the four categories of judgments listed above. Consider the following questions carefully in relation to these:

What can you do to improve the actual and perceived quality of your product or brand?

How can you enhance your brand's credibility?

How well does your marketing strategy communicate your brand's relevancy to people's needs?

How does your product or brand compare with those of your competitors?

Next, think carefully about the six brand feelings listed above. Which, if any, of these feelings does your current marketing strategy focus on? What can you do to enhance these feelings for your customers?

Identify actions that you need to take as a result of asking these questions.

Step 4: Brand Resonance - How Much of a Connection Would I Like to Have With You?

Brand "resonance" sits at the top of the brand equity pyramid because it's the most difficult - and the most desirable - level to reach. You have achieved brand resonance when your customers feel a deep, psychological bond with your brand.

Keller breaks resonance down into four categories:

Behavioral loyalty: This includes regular, repeat purchases.

Attitudinal attachment: Your customers love your brand or your product, and they see it as a special purchase.

Sense of community: Your customers feel a sense of community with people associated with the brand, including other consumers and company representatives.

Active engagement: This is the strongest example of brand loyalty. Customers are actively engaged with your brand, even when they are not purchasing it or consuming it. This could include joining a club related to the brand; participating in online chats, marketing rallies, or events; following your brand on social media; or taking part in other, outside activities.

Application

Your goal in the last stage of the pyramid is to strengthen each resonance category.

For example, what can you do to encourage behavioral loyalty? Consider gifts with purchase, or customer loyalty programs.

Ask yourself what you can do to reward customers who are champions of your brand. What events could you plan and host to increase customer involvement with your brand or product? List the actions that you could take.

Example

Julie has recently been put in charge of a project to turn around an under-performing product. The product is a high quality, fair trade, organic tea, but it's never achieved the sales and customer loyalty that the organization expected. Julie decides to use the brand equity pyramid to think about the turnaround effort.

Step 1: Brand Identity

Julie's target customers are mid to high income, socially conscious women.

After careful analysis, she knows that she is marketing in the correct category, but she realizes that her marketing efforts aren't fully addressing customer needs. She decides to change the message from "healthy, delicious tea," to "delicious tea, with a conscience," which is more relevant and meaningful to her target market.

Step 2: Brand Meaning

Next, Julie examines the product's meaning, and looks at how the company communicates that meaning to its customers.

The performance of the tea is already moderately high; it's a single-source, fair trade tea of a higher quality than the competition's product. After assessing the organization's service effectiveness, Julie is disappointed to find that many of her representatives lack empathy with customers who complain. So, she puts everyone through a comprehensive customer service class to improve responses to customer complaints and feedback.

Last, Julie decides to post to the company's website personal stories from the fair trade farmers who grow and pick the tea. By doing this, she aims to educate customers on how beneficial this practice is for people around the world.

Step 3: Brand Response

After going over the four brand response judgments, Julie realizes that perceived quality might be an issue. The tea itself is high quality, but the pack size is smaller than the ones her competitors use. Julie doesn't want to lower the price, as this might affect how customers assess quality, so she decides to offer more tea in each box in order to surpass customer expectations.

She also decides to enhance the tea's credibility by becoming fair trade certified through an independent third-party organization.

Step 4: Brand Resonance

Julie knows that her target customers care deeply about fair trade. She decides to promote the organization's efforts by participating in a number of fair trade events around the country.

She also sets up a social networking framework to involve customers in the organization's fair trade efforts, and she creates a forum on the company website where customers can discuss issues surrounding fair trade. She also commits to championing the efforts of other fair trade organizations.

Key Points

Keller's Brand Equity model is also known as the Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE) Model. Kevin Lane Keller developed the model and published it in his widely used textbook, "Strategic Brand Management."

Within a pyramid, the model highlights four key levels that you can work through to create a successful brand. These four levels are:

1. Brand identity.

2. Brand meaning.

3. Brand responses.

4. Brand relationships.

Within these four levels are six building blocks that further help with brand development. These six building blocks are salience, performance, imagery, judgments, feelings, and resonance.

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Keller's Brand Equity Model: Building a Powerful Brand

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Do you know what makes a brand strong? And if you had to make yours stronger, would you know how to do it? Many factors influence the strength of a particular product or brand. If you understand these factors, you can think about how to launch a new product effectively, or work out how to turn a struggling brand into a successful one.

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"Extending the life of clothes by an extra nine months reduces its carbon, water, and waste footprint by around 20-30% each, and cuts the cost in resources used to supply, launder and dispose of clothing by 20% (source)."

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"Social commerce industry in United Kingdom is expected to grow by 37.5% on annual basis to reach US$21, 133.9 million in 2022.
The social commerce industry is expected to grow steadily over the forecast period, recording a CAGR of 32.0% during 2022-2028. The social commerce GMV in the country will increase from US$21, 133.9 million in 2022 to reach US$1, 07, 135.6 million by 2028."

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DUBLIN--()--The "United Kingdom Social Commerce Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics Databook - 50+ KPIs on Social Commerce Trends by End-Use Sectors, Operational KPIs, Retail Product Dynamics, and Consumer Demographics - Q1 2022 Update" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Social commerce industry in United Kingdom is expected to grow by 37.5% on annual basis to reach US$21, 133.9 million in 2022.

The social commerce industry is expected to grow steadily over the forecast period, recording a CAGR of 32.0% during 2022-2028. The social commerce GMV in the country will increase from US$21, 133.9 million in 2022 to reach US$1, 07, 135.6 million by 2028.

According to the Q1 2022 Global Social Commerce Market Survey, around 80% of consumers in the United Kingdom used social media platforms for shopping in 2021, resulting from the blending of the mature e-commerce market in the country with rising social media adoption among the consumers.

Consequently, with the burgeoning social commerce market in the United Kingdom, more social media platforms will increasingly see the launch of in-app check-out options, either standalone or in collaborations. The publisher expects start-ups and retailers will inject social commerce strategy into their business models, providing impetus to the growth of the overall market in the country over the next two to three years.

Fashion retailers are entering into the social commerce space of the United Kingdom

According to publisher's recent survey, nearly 25% of the shoppers purchased apparel, 20% of shoppers purchased beauty products, and around 19.5% of shoppers bought home electronics through social commerce in the United Kingdom.

Notably, more than 50% of the population in the country depends on social commerce for buying fashion products. Consequently, more and more fashion retailers are entering this space to reach out directly to the customers and also prospective customers, where they spend maximum time.

London-based, Baukjen womenswear brand partnered with Curalate, a visual content monetization platform, to allow the 29, 0000 Instagram followers to upload their looks wearing its products with #BaukjenStyle. This enabled the shoppers to find products and styles online through intelligent image recognition technology, helping the brand engage with customers globally.

With successful customer acquisition, its sister brand, Isabella Oliver, also injected social commerce into its business model with Curalate to expand its market share in the country.

Similarly, fashion brand Isawitfirst partnered with the country's free live streaming social commerce app, OOOOO, to deliver a livestreamed interactive shopping experience for the customers.

Also, the beauty brand L'Oreal UK and Ireland partnered with TikTok to enable its customers in the United Kingdom to buy products from its beauty brands Garnier and NYX Professional Make-Up products through the TikTok app.

Startups are building innovative social commerce platforms to attract investment

With the booming social commerce market, startups are developing innovative social commerce tools to attract investors and expand their market share in the United Kingdom.

In December 2020, London-based Agora developed social commerce tool backed by £5 million seed funding from investors including Draper Esprit, Lakestar, and Angel Capital Management.

This platform was developed by Riccardo Basile and Elizabeth Craft Townsend-Rose, inspired by the wide adoption of user-generated content by Asian e-commerce platforms, such as Taobao and Little Red Book in China. The company, later in 2021, partnered with the SaaS platform, Mirakl, helping customers to shop from the array of products featured on the social and live-shopping platform.

The publisher expects more such innovative startups to turn up with innovative features of live streaming and AI-fueled personalization, which will scale up social selling and build commerce features providing momentum to the social commerce market in the United Kingdom over the next four to eight quarters.

Global e-commerce platforms are acquiring homegrown social commerce sites to increase customer base in the United Kingdom

Large young consumers aged between 18 to 28 years are the primary consumers for social commerce and driving the market in the United Kingdom. Consequently, with rising opportunities in the market, global e-commerce platforms are showing interest in entering the country's social commerce market to scale up their business.

In June 2021, New York-based Etsy announced that it was going to acquire London-based social shopping platform Depop for US$1.6 billion.

According to the company, Etsy will reach Depop's a large young consumer base from this acquisition. The publisher anticipates with the acquisition, Etsy is likely to build a marketplace to alleviate the next-generation shopping experience from the medium to long term perspective in the country.

Leading social commerce companies are integrating in-app checkout options to attract consumers in the United Kingdom

The surge in the social shopping market has attracted social media platforms to develop new tools and features in order to provide seamless checkout experiences to customers.

In June 2021, Instagram started testing the market by allowing its consumers in the country to shop for the products using Facebook Pay at the same time need not leave the app.

The company partnered with businesses, such as women's clothing shop 'Oh Polly, ' fashion brand 'In the Style, ' and sneaker shop 'size?' to understand the checkout experience for the sellers as well as consumers.

The publisher expects, with the success of the water test of the social media platform, more businesses will be onboarded to access the checkout option and help them use it with customers, thereby generating revenue from a medium to long term perspective.

Scope

United Kingdom Ecommerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2019-2028

United Kingdom Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2019-2028

United Kingdom Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Retail Product Categories, 2019-2028

Clothing & Footwear

Beauty and Personal Care

Food & Grocery

Appliances and Electronics

Home Improvement

Others

United Kingdom Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Segment, 2019-2028

United Kingdom Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Device, 2019-2028

United Kingdom Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2019-2028

United Kingdom Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2019-2028

United Kingdom Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Payment Method, 2019-2028

Credit Card

Debit Card

Bank Transfer

Prepaid Card

Digital & Mobile Wallet

Other Digital Payment

Cash

United Kingdom Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Consumer Demographics & Behaviour, 2021

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/q3hjmz.

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United Kingdom Social Commerce Market Report 2022: Market is Expected to Grow by 37.5% to Reach $21.13 Billion in 2022 - Forecast to 2028 - ResearchAndMarkets.com

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DUBLIN--()--The "United Kingdom Social Commerce Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics Databook - 50+ KPIs on Social Commerce Trends by End-Use Sectors, Operational KPIs, Retail Product Dynamics, and Consumer Demographics - Q1 2022 Update" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

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"82% of responders have discovered a product on social
media and purchased it directly on their phone"
"97% of Gen Z consumers use social media as their top
source of shopping inspiration"
"The number of US social commerce buyers accelerated
25.2% to 80.1 million in 2020 and is anticipated to
increase to 96 million in 2022"

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Christoph Kastenholz is CEO & Co-Founder of Pulse Advertising, market leading influencer marketing agency. Gen Z and Social Commerce
Gen Z refers to anyone who was born between 1997 and 2012. The oldest of this generation are now young adults in their early 20s, who are coming of age and entering the business world.

They are the first generation of true Digital Natives. They've never known a time when ordering takeout online, sending WhatsApp messages to a friend or FaceTiming their family wasn't possible. They are the first generation that is active and available for almost 24 hours a day.

Gen Z's use of devices continues to increase. Recent data revealed that 98% of them own a smartphone and that in the third quarter of last year, they averaged more than 4 hours a day on apps - and that figure doesn't include gaming time.

Their platform usage habits have, however, shifted slightly. Gen Z has moved beyond the e-commerce favored by millennials and has become at home with social commerce - the practice of purchasing wholly within a social media platform. And for good reason: the algorithm can learn their preferences to suggest relevant recommendations, provide a personalized shopping experience (which also reduces the risk of abandoned carts), reduce the friction between purchase desire and checkout, and is more engaging with the use of in-app filters, augmented reality features and live streams.

The majority ( 97%) of Gen Z consumers say they now use social media as their top source of shopping inspiration; 65% say they use social media to find entertaining content; and 61% of them are specifically interested in watching more video content. Brands that want to capture this audience's attention need to prioritize authentic, organic content rather than the more polished output they became accustomed to producing for millennials.
Gen Z and Influencers
Social commerce platforms for Gen Z include Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest. In fact, the hashtag #tiktokmademebuyit has upwards of 2.3 billion views on TikTok, and #amazonfinds has more than 6.7 billion views. According to one Gen Z report, nearly 30% of this group say an easy checkout process is important to them in making a purchase. Brands need to consider a more seamless experience - from discovery to checkout - by minimizing distractions and being careful to avoid directing consumers away from the page. It's important to develop strategies that prioritize enabling consumers to move through the funnel with as little friction as possible.

Anticipating this upcoming shift in the market, the big platforms have already evolved to ensure purchases are not only frictionless but also safe and reliable. Instagram swipe-ups that take you directly to the product are nothing new. However, Instagram's "shopping" tab - which can be found in the main navigation and was released in November 2020 - allows for more brand visibility, which means the ability to promote their products and services to a wider audience. Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest have also all recently announced or expanded their Shopify partnerships - a platform ensuring fast, secure payments that doesn't require users' financial information.

Gen Z shows strong interest in accounts that align with their interests - or that introduce them to new ones. Understanding their unique social media engagement requires identifying their primary interests.

Brands should listen to this vocal audience. While Gen Z is quick to support brands that spotlight them as individuals, their altruistic and eco-conscious views shine through too. Environmental concerns are quickly rising: 79% of Gen Z across 18 countries responded that companies behaving more sustainably is even more important to them since the Covid-19 outbreak, and there was a strong desire to "build back better" after 2020.

More broadly, content creators are consistently featured in Gen Z's social media feeds, especially those specializing in gaming. Compared to the average internet user, Gen Z are more likely to follow gaming personalities online.

Adding gamification elements to your content (the use of game elements in a non-game context) is a great way to keep Gen Z interacting with your brand. It's also a very flexible element in your marketing arsenal, as it can help you hit multiple engagement, awareness and conversion objectives. Gamification can range from advergames (games custom-built specifically to showcase your brand in an interactive game environment) on web landing pages, branded minigames on platforms like Snapchat or bitesize in-app rewards. You could encourage users to continue using your platform by offering progress reports in a fun way - for example, logging 100 hours on your mindfulness app unlocks something new. Gamification elements could also include engaging trivia quizzes, polls or Q&A sessions on your social feeds. The options are almost limitless and can be scaled according to your budget.

None of this means that branded content should take a backseat - over a third of Gen Z follow brands they like, while around 1 in 4 follow those they're considering purchasing from. The one thing they will never be is unquestioningly loyal - Gen Z are " 22% more likely to say they've stopped following a brand online in the past month." This is why brands must always prioritize authentic, high-quality, innovative content strategies to retain Gen Z's favor. This is often termed an "infotainment" strategy - a finely tuned balance of informative output that addresses Gen Z's egalitarian, environmentally conscious nature and fun escapism that drove them to social media in the first place.

Gen Z's expectations, combined with their pronounced dislike for disruptive traditional advertising - will fundamentally change the world of marketing. Influencer marketing is an effective strategy to build your brand and, along with it, brand sentiment. With up-and-coming Gen Z on your side, the long-term potential for your brand is massive.

Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?

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Council Post: Gen Z And The Rise Of Social Commerce

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Christoph Kastenholz is CEO & Co-Founder of Pulse Advertising , market leading influencer marketing agency. Gen Z and Social Commerce Gen Z refers to anyone who was born between 1997 and 2012. The oldest of this generation are now young adults in their early 20s, who are coming of age and entering the business world.

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"consumers are more likely to engage in sustainable consumption practices if barriers are perceived as being low and the relative effort of searching for these products is minimal". -p2

“To normalise fashion rental with consumers, these models must meet consumer needs.” - what are these consumer needs?

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Exploring the Spectrum of Fashion Rental

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Where would the Mooch customer fall in this framework?

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VALS segments US adults into eight distinct types-or mindsets-using a specific set of psychological traits and key demographics that drive consumer behavior. The US Framework, a graphic representation of VALS, illustrates the eight types and two critical concepts for understanding consumers: primary motivation and resources. The combination of motivations and resources determines how a person will express himself or herself in the marketplace as a consumer.

VALS assigns individuals a VALS type on the basis of their responses to questions in the VALS Survey. VALS-typing populations of interest, such as customers or constituents, is the first step in a VALS approach to achieving strategic marketing and communication goals.

Using VALS provides clients with:

A fresh perspective by effectively "putting them inside the head" of their customers

Rich, customized, consumer profiles or personas

Distinctive communication styles of their best targets.

Primary Motivation: Ideals, Achievement, and Self-Expression

The concept of primary motivation explains consumer attitudes and anticipates behavior. VALS includes three primary motivations that matter for understanding consumer behavior: ideals, achievement, and self-expression. Consumers who are primarily motivated by ideals are guided by knowledge and principles. Consumers who are primarily motivated by achievement look for products and services that demonstrate success to their peers. Consumers who are primarily motivated by self-expression desire social or physical activity, variety, and risk. These motivations provide the necessary basis for communication with the VALS types and for a variety of strategic applications.

Resources

A person's tendency to consume goods and services extends beyond age, income, and education. Energy, self-confidence, intellectualism, novelty seeking, innovativeness, impulsiveness, leadership, and vanity play a critical role. These psychological traits in conjunction with key demographics determine an individual's resources. Various levels of resources enhance or constrain a person's expression of his or her primary motivation.

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List and description of the eight US VALS types, how they differ from one another, and what we mean by 'primary motivation' and 'high/low resources'

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Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory in psychology comprising a five-tier model of human needs, often depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid.

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The Ansoff Matrix, also called the Product/Market Expansion Grid, is a tool used by firms to analyze and plan their strategies for growth. The matrix shows

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In 1996, Jean-Noël Kapferer aimed to conceptualize what he considers the six elements of a brand’s identity. The Brand Identity Prism works as a diagram to help us understand these elements and how they relate to one another. Together, Kapferer argues, the elements help businesses build strong brands, which in turn helps them communicate clearly and transparently and be easily remembered and recognized.

The key elements of Kapferer’s model are as follows:

1. Physique

2. Personality

3. Culture

4. Relationship

5. Self-image

6. Reflection

According to Kapferer: “Strong brands are capable of weaving all aspects [of the prism] into an effective whole in order to create a concise, clear, and appealing brand identity.”

The Kapferer Brand Identity Prism places these six elements in relation to each other by taking into consideration their position between the business (Sender) and client (Recipient), and vice versa. The areas defined between these points range from internal (Personality, Culture, Self-image) to external (Physique, Relationship, Reflection), and many paths can be drawn to join each area.

Kapferer’s Brand Identity Prism

Below, I’ll dig into each of these six elements a little further.

Physique

The first element refers to the physical characteristics of a brand. Namely, how we define the brand and how it will manifest, including its visual features—visual cues that help consumers identify the brand.

A good example of a brand with distinctive physical characteristics is iPhone. Some ideas that come to mind when we think of iPhone include modern, sleek, and minimalistic. Apple has succeeded in reflecting these attributes, which are its core values, throughout its products. Other common elements of physique include colors, logos, and packaging.

Personality

The second element is the brand’s personality or character—the traits of the brand in the eyes of the consumer. One way of understanding this concept would be to imagine your favorite brand as a living thing. What kind of living thing is it? How does it behave?

To convey brand personality, brands may use a specific style of writing, tone, attitude, or colors. For example, Coca-Cola uses its iconic typeface and the color red to communicate happiness and the moments of joy the brand personifies.

Culture

According to Kapferer, culture is the set of values that feed into or set a foundation for the brand. In some cases, this will include the culture and values of the brand’s country of origin (e.g., Ferrari is associated with luxury and the Italian tradition of sports cars). In other cases, Culture may have little to do with the brand’s country of origin.

Toyota used culture to establish a set of guiding principles known as “The Toyota Way.” These principles incorporate Japanese cultural concepts, such as “heijunka,” which means “work like the tortoise, not like the hare” and refers to leveling out the workload to minimize waste.

Self-image

Self-image relates to the way in which customers see themselves in a particular brand. Brands can use self-image to their advantage by incorporating it into their identities. Self-image is like a mirror the target group holds up to itself—by associating themselves with certain brands, they see themselves differently.

For example, BMW India launched a campaign for people who see themselves driving a BMW, now or in the future. The campaign was “Don’t Postpone Joy.”

Reflection

While the terms sound similar, Self-image and Reflection differ in a noteworthy way: Self-image refers to the customers’ ideas of themselves, whereas Reflection refers to how a brand portrays its target audience. Reflection is a set of stereotypical beliefs or attributes of a brand’s target market, which is often highlighted in ads and other communications.

For example, Coca-Cola and many other soft-drink companies depict their consumer base as fun, friendly teenagers, because doing so creates a desired impression of the soft-drink brand. In reality, consumers of these beverages range far more broadly in both age and personality.

Relationship

The final element of Kapferer’s Brand Identity Prism is about the nature of the relationship between the brand and its consumers, including both abstract aspects of the relationship as well as more tangible aspects, like what specific services are offered. How a brand connects with its audience and the type of relationship it wants to build is entirely up to that brand.

What are the types of services or attitude the brand wants to convey? Client-focused attention to detail? A more aloof attitude? For example, BMW has a serious-but-playful relationship with its customers, whereas Ferrari’s relationship is more serious and exclusive.

The six elements of Kapferer’s Brand Identity Prism, when working in sync, can help inform a well-defined, structured brand entity. If the identity is unique, different, and clear about what the brand is trying to communicate, it can become the foundation of a long-lasting brand.

Caileigh Lombard is a senior project lead and strategist consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her most recent work has been with Hero Digital, Sephora, and Heirloom, an independent brand strategy and identity firm in the Bay Area. Caileigh is also hoping to become an avid namer in the future.

Sources/further reading:

“Brand Identity Kapferer Identity Prism,” Sander Janssens

In terview with Jean-Noël Kapferer (video), HEC Paris

“Kapferer’s Brand Identity Prism Explained,” Inkbot Design

“What is Kapferer’s Brand Identity Prism and How is It Effective?” Tools4management

Related:

David Aaker’s Brand Vision Model and how it works, part one (and part two)

Marty Neumeier’s Brand Commitment Matrix and how it works

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The Brand Identity Prism and how it works - How Brands Are Built

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A detailed breakdown of Jean-Noël Kapferer's Brand Identity Prism and each of its key elements, from Physique to Reflection

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Do you consider yourself a trend-setter, or do you tend to go with the flow? When new technologies or trends are introduced, sometimes we can be hesitant, and other times we are jumping right on the bandwagon. Believe it or not, there is a scientific theory that classifies the types of people who are more or less likely to adopt something new.

Learn more about which consumer group you belong to, and why it matters!

What is the Innovation Adoption Curve?

The Innovation Adoption Curve is designed to classify people by their willingness to adopt new ideas, technologies, or trends. Developed in 1962 by E.M. Rogers, the Innovation Adoption is also known as the Diffusion of Innovation Theory, Consumer Adoption Curve, or The Rogers Adoption Curve.

The Consumer Adoption Curve is represented by a bell-curve graph, which is used to show deviations within a group. The highest point on a bell curve indicates the majority, so the early majority and late majority make up most of the population. An example of a common use for bell curves is when teachers curve test grades. They will take the average of the majority test scores and alter the grading scale accordingly.

For the Innovation Adoption Curve, the bell-curve is used to explain how new ideas spread, and at what rate. The theory is most popularly used in marketing, but it's also been applied to agriculture, public health, and criminal justice.

What Are the Adopter Categories?

The Innovation Adoption Curve has 5 categories: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. Each category features different characteristics about consumers to shed light on whether they'll be on board with something new like a new drink flavor or a new style of car.

Innovators

Innovators are the risk takers. They are the people who are willing to try the newest app, lifestyle habit, or fashion trend. Innovators tend to think outside-the-box, and you likely won't find them going with the flow. It's estimated that innovators make up 2.5% of the population.

Are You an Innovator?

If you possess a willingness to try just about anything, you might be an innovator. Typically, individuals in this category don't need a new idea or product to be proven, and often will come up with new ideas on their own. An innovator must be willing to take risks despite the chance of failure. If you've ever bought a unique piece of clothing or downloaded an app before your friends, you're likely an innovator.

Early Adopters

In order to be an early adopter, you also need to be somewhat of a risk taker. These people are more informed than innovators and tend to push a new trend or technology to a wider audience. Making up roughly 13.5% of the population, early adopters typically have some degree of persuasive power or leadership status.

Are You an Early Adopter?

You might be an early adopter if you consider yourself a leader. Early adopters recognize need for change and improvement, and therefore welcome new ideas and technologies. If you like to be on the frontiers of change, it is likely you are an early adopter. If you decided to check out the new restaurant you drive past every day, or you asked for the latest Bluetooth headphones for Christmas that would make you part of the early adopter crowd as well.

Early Majority

Making up about 34% of the population, the early majority needs time to pass before adopting something new. While they may have some relationships with early adopters, they take significantly longer to welcome new products or trends into their lifestyle.

Are You in the Early Majority?

The early majority still adopts ideas sooner than the average person, but they just require more evidence that something new is working. If you like to know that a new product or innovation works before giving it a shot, you might be in the early majority. For example, someone in the early majority would read lots of reviews before making an online order or ask for recommendations before deciding on a new coffee maker.

Late Majority

Those in the late majority require more extensive research and proof before adopting a new product, technology, or trend. Making up 34% of the population, this category tends to accept something new due to peer pressure because the majority has already made the change.

Are You in the Late Majority?

If you tend to be skeptical of change, you are most likely in the late majority. Individuals in this category want to know an innovation has been successful and are unlikely to take risks. Do you find yourself hating Facebook but having an account anyway because everyone else does? Consider yourself in the late majority.

Laggards

Laggards are not only the last group to adopt an innovation, they are also resistant to change and prefer tradition. Surprisingly, this group makes up 16% of the population. By the time a laggard has come around to adopting an innovation, if at all, it may be obsolete.

Are You a Laggard?

You're maybe thinking of your stubborn grandparent and classifying them as a laggard. While most laggards are in advanced age, that does not represent the entire group. If you refuse to get a smart phone because your flip-phone works just fine, or don't want an electric car because you think it's a hassle, chances are you're a laggard.

The category you fall into can change depending on the product, idea, or trend. Just because you might be in the late majority with one innovation, doesn't mean you won't be in the early majority the next.

What the Innovation Adoption Curve Means to You

The Innovation Adoption Curve affects business owners and consumers alike. As a business owner, the Innovation Adoption Curve is important to you in two ways. First, it can help you understand which adopter categories your consumers fall into. Second, it can give insight into how your new products or technology might be accepted. It is fairly accurate in determining how consumers will react to now innovations, so take this theory into consideration before marketing new products.

Consumers can change which category they fall into depending on what the product or technology is and how they feel about it. For example, someone may be willing to try new energy-saving technology in their home, but not as willing to purchase the latest smartphone.

The bottom line is, the Innovation Adoption Curve is more relevant than you might have previously thought. The theory provides beneficial insight into people's behaviors and preferences.
Boston State University of Public Health. (2018). Diffusion of Innovation Theory. Retrieved August 20, 2019, from https://sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/MPH-Modules/SB/BehavioralChangeTheories/BehavioralChangeTheories4.html The Economic Times. (2019). Definition of 'Innovation Adoption Curve'. Retrieved August 20, 2019, from https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/definition/innovation-adoption-curve Maeli, John-Pierre. (2016, May 6). The Rogers Adoption Curve and How You Spread New Ideas Throughout Culture. Retrieved August 20, 2019, from https://medium.com/the-political-informer/the-rogers-adoption-curve-how-you-spread-new-ideas-throughout-culture-d848462fcd24 On Digital Marketing. (2018). The 5 Customer Segments of Technology Adoption. Retrieved August 20, 2019, from https://ondigitalmarketing.com/learn/odm/foundations/5-customer-segments-technology-adoption/

Gianna Petan

Meet Gianna - no stranger to all things promo products. Her background in research-based writing, linguistics, and advertising gives her an edge in blogging about the marketing industry. More articles by Gianna Petan

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Which Consumer Group Do You Belong To? - The Innovation Adoption Curve

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Do you consider yourself a trend-setter, or do you tend to go with the flow? When new technologies or trends are introduced, sometimes we can be hesitant, and other times we are jumping right on the bandwagon. Believe it or not, there is a scientific theory that classifies the types of people who are more or less likely to adopt something new.

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The Engel Kollat Blackwell Model is a consumer behavior model of the cognitive process that helps to predict what customers are going to buy. The model consists of three different categories, namely: Present Situation – this is where the customer is at the current moment, Desired State – this is where the customer wants to be in the future and it will help them achieve their goals, and Pathway for Movement from one state to another – this includes various steps that may include various products or services which can help move towards their desired state.

When was the Engel Kollat Blackwell (EKB) model created?

EKB model was created in 1968. Later this model went through several revisions, updates, and improvements to become the Engel, Blackwell, and Miniard Model (EBM) in the 1990s.

Five stages of this model

The model consists of five stages namely: Information input, Information processing, Decision process stage, Decision process variables, and External influences.

EKB model of Consumer Behavior

Information Input

The input includes all kinds of stimuli that a person is exposed to. They trigger specific behavior patterns in people. The consumer is exposed to a number of things in the outside world, both marketing, and non-marketing items, to make decisions about his or her life. It may include the price or value of a product, the brand, and identity of a company, etc.

Information Processing

Information processing is made up of several different cognitive styles which are formed through experiences (learning) in life. The model uses situations to help determine the pros, cons, and potentials that are associated with this particular decision. The six cognitive styles in the model are:

Conscientious

People, who use information-based methods to help make decisions typically ask themselves questions about an issue or situation before proceeding. Example: I need to know more about ” Misconduct”, is this allowed? can work out a solution, etc.

Consultative

People who use the information to help make decisions are vaguely aware but have trouble making short-term decisions because of uncertainty or lack of experience when it comes to their situation they search for information that they believe will be useful to them in the long term. They need clarification about their decisions. Some examples are “I am now thinking of changing career paths. I don’t know what direction to take” or “This is an opportunity with financial benefits for me but I’m really unsure what to do”.

Imaginative

People who use information about solving problems and coming up with ideas in order to make decisions may actually start formulating a plan before finishing the question, Or begin spouting off solutions without even realizing it when they forget what that person is talking about or what they have been saying, speculating about potential problems.

Verbal

People who use manipulation as a way to help make decisions tend to talk themselves into thinking that this idea is good, even if it’s completely non-functional and makes no sense from a practical perspective, or they may begin with doubt and want to know if they are on the right track. “I have this feeling that it’s probably a bad idea” then they may use the pseudo justification of why It could be good before proceeding.

Visual-constructive

People who make decisions based on what they see, are very goal orientated and generate possibilities based on specifics of what is seen so it becomes more tangible for them. They need specific visual references to help them find an idea or project worth pursuing.

Logical

People who use logic as a way to make decisions would lack a vision or a direction but a heavy emphasis is put on formulating reasons why this idea could be better regardless of the negative consequences. They might say something along these lines: “I think it’ll work because I know that if we tried another way and failed, things wouldn’t go as planned” or “I think it’ll work because of this reason and that one, even though I don’t really like the idea”. Logical people would gather facts to justify their thinking.

Decision process stage

The stage focuses on the five basic decision process stages: Problem recognition, Search, Alternative evaluation, Choice, and Outcomes (Post-purchase evaluation and Behavior).

Problem Recognition

The problem recognition must happen before we can proceed with problem-solving. The brain is very good at recognizing problems but poor at finding solutions, so what will activate the problem recognition process? What could trigger your attention and make you recognize a potential problem that gets fixed during purchase selection? You may be interested in seeing how much problem recognition you’ve done prior to making your selection.

Information Search

The first thing people generally do after having recognized an issue or concern is search for solutions/options. There are many possible scenarios that may pop up in search mode; this happens to be the representative stage where possibilities bubble up based on what you’ve seen, heard, and thought. The amount of time spent searching for potential solutions depends entirely on how important/significant the issue is perceived by you (problem recognition); this is where you will most likely search for alternative solutions.

Alternatives Evaluation

It is an inter-relational stage of decision-making. This can be done by evaluating the choices through related thoughts and beliefs. Throughout the evaluation phase, several new possibilities may develop which are not necessarily thought to have already been discovered. This stage is the only opportunity for additional information gathering (research) and evaluating different alternatives.

Choice

By now there should be at least 4-5 solutions to choose from; rating, rating, and rating again will make this decision easier. The final choice normally consists of what goes against one’s values or what one feels is an obvious solution. It can be performed by either asking for help from a planned advisor/conversant, reading it over once again and writing down the choice, or choosing amongst many of them which are known as “blind taste test”.

Post Purchase Decisions

After consuming the product or service, you will be left with that experience. You may or may not continue using it or move on to the next purchase. Regardless of which, this is most likely where you will consider whether your purchase was worth your money and/or worth continuing with in the future.

Decision process variables

The model proposes that people’s opinions and choices make a difference to every stage of the decision-making process they are at. Culture, Emotional state, and environmental influences have been proven to heavily affect decision-making. There are different factors that can be altered by thought alone which helps in creating value for an individual consumer; these include attitude, learning styles (introversion vs extroversion), curvilinear models of decision making as well as dual-process models.

External influences

The external environmental influences include “Circles of Social Influence,” like culture, sub-culture, social class, and family. Social Challenges enforce influence on the consumer’s decision-making process. For instance, people feel uncomfortable purchasing alcoholic beverages from a guy other than their family. Family ties give context to product decision-making and help individuals select the products that they should buy because “family” or common interests are usually supported by those who have been buying stuff from them for years.

Limitations

As you can see, the EKB model is in many ways similar to the Howard Sheth model of consumer behavior. Therefore its limitations extend to this model as well. We suggest you check out our blog on the Howard Sheth model to compare and contrast each other.

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EKB Model (Engel Kollat Blackwell Model) of Consumer Behavior | Neostrom

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The article talks about the Engel Kollat Blackwell model aka ekb model of consumer behavior and its limitations.

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The Consumer or Buyer Decision Making Process is the method used by marketers to identify and track the decision making process of a customer journey from start to finish. It is broken down into 5 individual stages which we have decided to demonstrate with our latest decision making journey surrounding some rather sorry looking trainers.

1 - Problem Recognition (I need new trainers)

The first stage of the process is working out what exactly you or the customer needs. The customer feels like something is missing and needs to address it to get back to feeling normal. If you can determine when your target demographic develops these needs or wants, it would be an ideal time to advertise to them.

In our case we noticed our running trainers were looking a little worse for wear and we acknowledged the need for a new pair.

2 - Information search (What trainers are out there?)

This is the search stage of the process. One that is continually changing from old fashioned shopping around to the new shop front which is Google (other search engines are available - apparently). Information is not only gathered about stuff and on things but from people via recommendations and through previous experiences we may have had with various products.

In this stage a customer is beginning to think about risk management. A customer might make a pro's vs. con's list to help make their decision. People often don't want to regret making a decision so extra time being put into managing risk may be worth it.

In our case we googled trainer reviews, and searches such as "what is the best trainer for dirt running?" among other searches as well as remembering that we didn't like Gola or Dunlop shoes and had a nasty experience with a pair of Filas in the 90's.

3 - Evaluation of Alternatives (Do I need trainers and if so which ones?)

This is the time when questions start being asked. Is this really the right product for me do? Do I need a different product? If the answers are either "No it's not right" or "yes I need a different product" then stage 2 may recommence. The stage 3 to 2 transition may happen several times before stage 4 has been reached.

Once the customer has determined what will satisfy their want or need they will begin to seek out the best deal. This may be based on price, quality, or other factors that are important to them. Customers read many reviews and compare prices, ultimately choosing the one that satisfies most of their parameters.

In line with our example we started questioning if we actually needed running shoes: are there alternatives out there? Were our original trainers that bad? The answers were Yes/Yes but none I liked/Yes they really were. So the process was able to continue.

4 - Purchase (Buying the trainers)

The customer has now decided based on the knowledge gathered what to purchase and where to purchase what they desire.

At this stage a customer has either assessed all the facts and come to a logical conclusion, made a decision based on emotional connections/experiences or succumbed to advertising/marketing campaigns, or most likely a combination of all of these has occurred.

In our customer journey we purchased some rather nice Asics runners as we had a wonderful experience with them previously, they were well priced on the market and the marketing around Asics trainers has always linked them to being the best option for "real athletic trainers". The positioning of the product also lent itself to where they were purchased, a sport shop rather than a shoe shop.

5 - Post Purchase satisfaction or dissatisfaction (Were they the right trainers for us?)

The review stage is a key stage for the company and for the customer likewise. Did the product deliver on the promises of the marketing/advertising campaigns? Did the product match or exceed expectations?

If a customer finds that the product has matched or exceeded the promises made and their own expectations they will potentially become a brand ambassador influencing other potential customers in their stage 2 of their next customer journey, boosting the chances of your product being purchased again. The same can be said for negative feedback which, if inserted at stage 2, can halt a potential customer's journey towards your product.

To finish our customer journey - we very much like the trainers we have chosen - we would recommend them to a friend, and on purchasing our next set of trainers would probably make a similar brand or product choice. Our satisfaction has made us a brand ambassador for the company who created our wonderful trainers (unless they want to send us a free pair after this article....Size 9 thank you).

So there is the Consumer Decision Making Process in stages with the story of our last trainer purchase thrown in to boot (no pun intended).

For more articles on Marketing Theories you can visit our blog for articles on PESTEL, SWOT Analysis, The Marketing Mix or The Boston Consulting Group Matrix.

Want to learn more?

Check out this YouTube video below which is a recording of our Marketing Theories explained series. These are presented by Professional Academy marketing tutor and consultant, Peter Sumpton.

Alternatively you can find more information on Marketing Courses with Professional Academy by downloading our prospectus today or visiting the course information page.

If you would like help referencing this blog, check out our Harvard Referencing Blog.

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Marketing Theories - Explaining the Consumer Decision Making Process

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The customer decision making process is goes the journey someone makes when they buy a product or service - from the recognition of their need right up to purchase and review. B2C & B2B marketers use this theory to identify opportunities and challenges.

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Visit our Marketing Theories Page to see more of our marketing buzzword busting blogs.

Welcome to the Professional Academy Marketing Theories series. This post will cover The Marketing Environment. The marketing environment is considered as part of the marketing planning process and explores various internal and external forces that might affect a business and its capacity to operate. This can be anything from technological and cultural forces to influences such as suppliers, customers and competitors.

Some of these factors are manageable but others can be beyond a firm’s control (e.g. legal and political structures). Being aware of the marketing environment means companies can effectively map out their marketing activity to overcome any negative influences they might encounter.

The Model

The Internal Environment

The internal environment considers everything inside of the bounds of the company. This includes staff at all levels and from all departments, financial and management decisions / influences and more. Factors in the internal environment can be controlled by the organisation.

Examples:

Staff members – all departments e.g. management, finance, research and development, purchasing, business operations and accounting

Capital assets

Company policy

Logistics

Inventory

A change in the internal environment could include a new hire or a change in company policy.

The Micro Environment

This is everything within the firm’s immediate reach. They are forces associated with how the company operates day-to-day and the business has some control over these areas.

Examples:

Customers – consumer market, B2B, international market

Competitors

Suppliers

Distributors

Strategic partners/shareholders e.g. intermediaries, agencies, accountants

Publics – interest groups, environmental groups, the media

The Macro Environment

The macro environment refers to influences in wider society. These factors can impact the micro environment and an organisation is unable to control them. Businesses must choose areas to focus on that are most relevant to their organisation and the way they operate.

A PESTELE framework can be used to analyse the forces within the macro environment. This is an extension of the PESTEL model and includes the extra E (ethical) to take into consideration areas such as confidentiality and business ethics.

A change in the macro environment could be a new law affecting businesses, technological breakthroughs, a recession, austerity or a large spike in unemployment.

Social/Cultural: demographics, population growth/decline, age distribution, education, cultural differences, lifestyle trends, health and welfare, career attitudes

Technological: new innovation, big data, Internet of things, automation, research, tech awareness, technological growth, skilled resources, smart phones, advanced AI, tracking, location data

Economic: national and international economic growth/decline, exchange rates, interest rates, inflation, purchasing power, employment rates, income, investment opportunities

Ethical: bribery, intellectual property, reputation, business ethics/morals, confidentiality, privacy

Political: government policy, taxation, political stability, foreign trade, trade restrictions

Legal: court system, employment law, discrimination law, anti-trust law, trade unions, consumer protection, health & safety, copyright law, GDPR

Environmental: weather, climate change, emissions, environmental policies, pressure from NGO's, natural disasters

At Professional Academy The Marketing Environment is taught across all of our marketing qualifications and first included as part of the CIM Foundation Certificate in Professional Marketing. It is also featured in some way across higher level CIM marketing qualifications. It is a fundamental aspect of marketing plans, alongside the PESTEL analysis, RABOSTIC,  Stakeholder Mapping and the SWOT model, and is an incredibly useful tool to examine internal and external forces which may influence your business.

For more information on Professional Academy’s Marketing Qualifications please download a Prospectus today.

If you would like help referencing this blog, check out our Harvard Referencing Blog.

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Marketing Theories – The Marketing Environment

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The Marketing Environment model is used to explore forces that could affect marketing plans and the way a business operates. It is key to consider the internal environment, the micro environment and the external macro environment for effective planning.

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Visit our Marketing Theories Page to see more of our marketing buzzword busting blogs.

Porter's five forces is another tool belonging to the marketer's strategy toolkit. This one is used to assess the level of competitive intensity within your industry. As the name suggests, the concept was created by a fellow by the name of Michael E. Porter.

Porter believed that by understanding the level of competitive intensity, you could determine the attractiveness of that industry. When we talk about industry attractiveness we are talking about the profitability of the industry not how much we like it!

So how do we as marketers assess the level of competitive intensity in our industry? Well Porter believes there are five factors, or five forces acting upon your organisation that will determine this (hence the name!)

The Five Forces:

Competitive Rivalry:

Clearly a key factor in competitive intensity will be competitive rivalry. So what do marketers need to consider?

How many competitors do you have?

Do you have a solid competitive strategy in place?

Are you being innovative in order to give you the competitive advantage?

Do your competitors have more advertising resources?

Is there a difference in quality?

Are yours, or their customers loyal?

Threat of New Entrants:

If an industry is perceived as attractive then of course new entrants are highly likely to appear. If too many new entrants appear then profitability across the industry will be lowered and the attractiveness will decline. The threat of new entrants can be lowered or even blocked by the largest companies that have somewhat of a monopoly over the industry. Marketers will need to consider:

Are there many entry barriers? High entry and low exit barriers makes for an attractive industry. Entry barriers may include rights, patents, technology protection etc.

Do you have customer loyalty?

Do you have specialist knowledge that can be used to differentiate you?

Is there evidence of economies of scale in play in your industry?

Is there any Government policy in place to either encourage or discourage new entrants?

Threat of Substitution:

Customers may choose to substitute your product or service for another. This is not the same as switching to a different company to use the same product but switching products entirely. For example switching from a regular phone to a smartphone, or from a sugary snack to a healthy alternative snack. The more products that continue to appear, the higher the chances your customers will be drawn to an alternative from their usual choice. How can marketers confront this?

How many substitute products to your own are there?

Is there a perceived level of differentiation?

Is there a cost to the buyer for switching?

How easy is it for the buyer to switch?

Supplier Power:

We all have suppliers, whether it is raw materials, knowledge support or physical staff labour. Marketers know that a great deal of research and consultation will be done in order to attain the best suppliers at the best price. But what if there is very little choice of suppliers? The fewer suppliers there are, the more power they have over you and the prices they charge. Marketers should consider:

How many suppliers are available to you?

What are the sizes of the suppliers available to you?

What are the costs to both you and them for switching suppliers?

What is the strength of your distribution channel?

Buyer Power:

When the buyers themselves have power they can apply pressure to companies, in particular pressure to lower their prices. If the buyer has many choices of products and companies then their power is high. If buyers decide to join together so that a large portion of the market share is putting pressure on companies then they again have high power. How can marketers prepare for this?

How many buyers do you have?

How price sensitive are your buyers?

What information is available to you on your buyers?

What differentiates you from your competitors?

So you can see how this tool may prove useful for marketers and strategy consultants. It allows them to see their current strategic position and plan for the future by acting on their strengths and addressing their weaknesses. It can be especially useful when considering entering a new industry in highlighting how likely you are to succeed. Of course other tools would also be beneficial for assessing issues outside of competitive intensity when planning any kind of strategic action plan.

If you're more of a visual learner, check out this short animated video that outlines how to use Poter's Five Forces in marketing.

Porters Five Forces are taught as part of both the CIM Level 4 Certificate and Level 6 Diploma in Professional Marketing as well as throughout the ISM Sales Qualifications. To learn more about these qualifications why not get in touch today or speak to a qualification advisor using the chat function below.

If you would like help referencing this blog, check out our Harvard Referencing Blog.

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Marketing Theories - Explaining Porters Five Forces

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Visit our Marketing Theories Page to see more of our marketing buzzword busting blogs. Porter's five forces is another tool belonging to the marketer's strategy toolkit. This one is used to assess the level of competitive intensity within your industry. As the name suggests, the concept was created by a fellow by the name of Michael E.

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https://www.professionalacademy.com/blogs/stakeholder-mapping-marketing-theories/

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Visit our Marketing Theories Page to see more of our marketing buzzword busting blogs.

Stakeholder Mapping

Welcome to this week's Marketing Theory post. This week we will look at how marketers use something called a stakeholder map or stakeholder mapping. Marketers use this technique to group all the stakeholders for their organisation into three groups, Internal, Connected and External.

To understand this model we first need to look at how a stakeholder is defined. In the official CIM course book – Stakeholder Marketing, stakeholders are defined as:

'Those persons and organisations that have an interest in the strategy of the organisation. Stakeholders normally include shareholders, customers, staff and the local community.

From this definition we can see that a stakeholder is a person, persons or an organisation that have an interest, effect and can be affected by what the organisation does'.

This highlights why organisations need to be able to identify their stakeholders and also judge the level of power they hold to affect the decisions and outcomes of the organisation.

A first step for any marketer is to create a generic stakeholder map. This map will include all the stakeholders for his or her organisation with the organisation at the centre as can be seen by the image below.

Once this stage is of stakeholder mapping is done, the marketer should have a better understanding of who the stakeholders are for the organisation. This in itself can highlight the impact of certain stakeholders on the organisation that could have been overlooked in the past.

All of these stakeholders can then be placed into one of three broad categories:

Internal Stakeholders

Internal Stakeholders are usually members of the organisation. The following are some examples of who these stakeholders might be:

Directors

Managers

Employees

Connected Stakeholders

Connected stakeholders, also called primary stakeholders, are those that have an economic or contractual relationship with the organisation. Have a look at some the examples below:

Company shareholders

Customers

Distributors

External Stakeholders

External or secondary stakeholders are those who are not directly connected to the organisation. These stakeholders will have an interest in the organisations activities or they might be impacted by the organisations activities in some way. Key examples:

Governments

Interest and pressure groups

Media and news organisations

Local Communities

It has to be said at this stage that grouping stakeholders in categories is useful but it would be a mistake to think of each stakeholder as an entirely separate entity or group. There is most often overlapping with the categories. For example – The organisations customers are also part of the wider community and they might also be shareholders or even employees.

The important point to take away from this theory is that any organisation affects the environment that it operates in and at the same time is also affected by the environment.

Once you have identified all of the organisation’s stakeholders you will want to establish the level of power and interest they have in and on the organisation. The next step would be to use the Mendelow Matrix to further categorise your stakeholders.

Want to learn more?

Professional Academy's Strategic Marketing Theories Explained is a video series that explains marketing models in more detail.

Watch the recording for Stakeholder Mapping to see CIM tutor, Professional Academy trainer and all-round marketing pro Peter Sumpton talk about the importance of knowing, grouping, and analysing your stakeholders.

If you want to learn more marketing theory and gain an industry recognised marketing qualification please download a prospectus for more information.

If you would like help referencing this blog, check out our Harvard Referencing Blog.

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Stakeholder Mapping – Marketing Theories

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Mapping out your stakeholders is a visual representation of all the people connected to your business. They are categorised by interest and influence to assist with effective stakeholder communications.

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pg 22 - climate change remains the main concern for generation Z

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https://www.statista.com/statistics/1195613/rental-apparel-market-revenue-worldwide/

"The revenue of the rental apparel market worldwide was expected to increase to approximately seven and a half billion U.S. dollars by 2026."
Statista. (2019). Rental apparel revenue worldwide 2026 | Statista. [online] Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1195613/rental-apparel-market-revenue-worldwide/ [Accessed 10 Jun. 2022].

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(22.2%) of all Gen Z and millennial shoppers surveyed want more rental and resale services from fashion brands and retailers, pointing to clear opportunities for fashion companies to develop these parts of their businesses.

In 2022, 13.6% have rented and would do so again, up from 11.2% last year. The number of people who have not rented yet but would consider it has grown from 28% to 37.2% year on year.

31% of Gen Z has said they would not tried it but would like to

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"The 400 consumers we surveyed overwhelmingly use apps with the intent to shop and purchase, with 74% of respondents claiming that was the most-used feature."

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"The 400 consumers we surveyed overwhelmingly use apps with the intent to shop and purchase, with 74% of respondents claiming that was the most-used feature."

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Why are so many companies (retail, consumer goods, grocery, etc.) investing in mobile e-commerce applications?

To put it simply, they're following the money. Statista projects e-commerce sales from mobile devices will surpass $432 billion (with a "b") by 2022. That's a lot of cheddar.

Generally speaking, retailers are able to provide a more robust user experience via mobile app than mobile website and app users tend to be more valuable customers, so it naturally follows that businesses are looking to build out their mobile apps.

But if you work in mobile application development, retail, or just use your phone to buy things, you know that mobile apps are not pass/fail-just because an organization has an app doesn't mean people will like it or even use it, for that matter.

But why? What is the reason some mobile apps for retail increase conversion rate, lifetime customer value, and customer satisfaction while others... don't.

As a mobile app design and development consultancy, we feel we have a pretty good read on what makes a good app, but we wanted to be sure. So we asked.

We surveyed 400 app users to find out the details behind their mobile shopping practices to understand nuances in app design and functionality that contribute to sales, or unfortunately, contribute to app deletion.

A few questions that we were seeking to answer included:

What are the perceived benefits of using a mobile app for shopping?

What mobile app features do users like/dislike in apps designed for e-commerce?

What causes users to delete an app or leave a negative review?

What effect, if any, has the COVID-19 pandemic had on mobile app shopping?

That said, let's dive in.

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CodeWords: A Mobile Application Blog by Heady

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Why are so many companies (retail, consumer goods, grocery, etc.) investing in mobile e-commerce applications? To put it simply, they're following the money. Statista projects e-commerce sales from mobile devices will surpass $432 billion (with a "b") by 2022. That's a lot of cheddar.

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"It will usually take 3 to 4 months to successfully develop an app that is ready for public release."

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This is the second most common question after " How Much Does It Cost to Build a Mobile App."

You know what? Coding is hard, especially when building a platform.

It will usually take 3 to 4 months to successfully develop an app that is ready for public release. When I say develop, I mean the engineering part of the process. This timeframe doesn't include the product definition or design stages of building a mobile app.

Factors such as the composition of your development team and what development methodology you use will impact your timeframe.

A key assumption I'm making is that your mobile app will be integrated with a back end server through APIs. The APIs and infrastructure could already exist or could be built in parallel.

Generally, if you are building out both a back end and the front end (consumer part of the app) at the same time, you want your back end team to start first. By giving them a head start, they can firm up their endpoints and APIs in advance of the front end team starting development.

Back end engineering typically consists of the following activities:

Data storage: the building blocks of any native app's back end

User management: creating user accounts, managing authentication, security and access control

Server-side logic: how to handle requests from the app's front end

Data integration: allowing users to access information from and publish data to third party sources, including social networks

Push: maintaining engagement with users continuously

Versioning: make version 2 live...without breaking version 1

Front end engineering typically consists of the following activities:

Front end logic: detailing what activities are handled by code locally and not on the back end

Caching: storing data locally to speed load time

Synchronization: enable off-life usage and resolve data conflicts

Wireframing: blueprint for user interface and experience

UI design: pixel perfect mock-ups of user interface

UI development: translating mock-ups into functioning user interface code

UI polish: the differentiating "last mile" of the user interface, where an app truly stands out from the crowd

(Source: Kinvey)

With iterative software development and an appropriately prioritized minimal viable product, 3 to 4 months should provide sufficient time to release a product you're proud of to your community and network.

If your app is scheduled to take longer than that, you probably aren't doing a good enough job focusing development resources on building the app's core functionality.

A 3 to 4 month timeline is appealing, but not easy to pull off. Here are a few key assumptions that you need to fulfill:

Putting together a capable team

You need the right team in place for mobile app development to go smoothly. The product manager and designer(s) should be creating documentation before development begins. This is not included in the 3-4 month development timeline mentioned above. The upfront design phase could vary from a few weeks to a few months depending upon your preference of development process. You also need your product manager to be working out of a tool like Pivotal, creating specific user stories that your developers will be programming.

User stories are usually templated as follows, "As a <type of user>, I want <some goal> so that <some reason>."

You should engage a quality assurance analyst to identify bugs as you code.

Proper sequencing

If you are developing the front end of your mobile app along with the back end infrastructure, it's important that you prioritize what functionality you build. Give your back end engineer a head start so that your front end engineer can build functional code. If the back end isn't well defined and isn't functional, it'll render the efforts of your front end engineer less efficient.

Limit external dependencies

Integrating with third-party technology are always an unknown in any mobile app development cycle. Documentation will tell you how things should work; however, very often technology products don't function to spec.

You can write tester code to make calls into the 3rd party endpoints and see what data you receive. This type of testing can will give you a better understanding of whether or not the technology works properly.

But, that also will only do so much. There will always be unknowns that crop out of nowhere when integrating 3rd party technologies into your app and/or back end infrastructure. Generally, try and tackle the hard and unknown tasks first.

Filed under: Product Engineering | Topics: engineering, mobile apps

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How Long Does It Take to Build an iOS or Android Mobile App?

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This is the second most common question after " How Much Does It Cost to Build a Mobile App." You know what? Coding is hard, especially when building a platform. It will usually take 3 to 4 months to successfully develop an app that is ready for public release.

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If you're searching for a UK app developer then you've come to the right place. The UK has been referred to as a "powerhouse" of the global app development market, and for iOS, Android and Cross Platform, the data backs it all up.

In 2019, 79% of adults in UK owned a smartphone. On average brits spent 2 hours and 34 minutes interacting with their smartphones on a daily basis, spending 1 out of 5 minutes on social media. 72% of mobile connections in UK were 4G.

The app development market naturally follows, with plenty of app developers both in London and beyond, another hub being Manchester. This guide looks at the UK app development scene in detail, counting up the cost of having a mobile application developed in the country. It covers what you should think about when choosing an app developer in the UK and then lists some of the best companies who operate in the country.

We have put this list of UK app developers together based on our own research, suggestions from our network and based on rankings and data from other third party sources and sites. The list is in no particular order, rather we have tried to aggregate and curate a range of useful suggestions for UK app development shops. Whether you choose to work with them or not is up to you to decide. This guide is divided into four sections, providing background on the market, typical app development costs and the best way to make your selection before providing some more details on specific app development companies operating in the UK market.

You can jump to the start of each section using the section headings below:

We begin with an overview of the app developer market in the UK.

The app developer market in the UK

It's a strong one.

Revenues in the UK app developer market are forecast to be more than £31 billion by 2025, and according to a report by Vision Mobile, the economy will be worth more than £30 billion by 2030.

App developers can be found all over the United Kingdom, but the majority is clustered around London. Of its 8000 app-development-related companies (around a fifth of all European app development agencies), 31% are located in the capital, and about 25% of those in the south-east part of the city.
Location of app development companies in UK
It's estimated that these together employ 380,000 people (though not all of them are developers - this includes designers, admin and marketing people involved in the app industry.)

With all signs that the industry is growing, what kind of prices can you expect to develop a mobile application in the UK?

UK app development costs

How do UK app development costs measure up globally?

Globally, an iOS mobile app development price tag is in a ballpark of $28,000, for Android its $23,000 and $18,000 for a Window Phone OS.

The UK has some of the best app developers in the world, and thus costs can be close to the global average. According to this app development price calculator, a single platform app could cost £ 38,000, while a two-platform app can reach £42,000. These costs are calculated for developing an app from scratch, with a multi-lingual interface, a user account, in-app purchases and custom UI design.

The amount a developer charges per hour also comes close to global highs. Below you can find a graph for the estimated minimum and maximum you can expect to pay hourly for an app developer to work on your iOS or Android app.
Median cost of mobile app development in select regions worldwide, by platform
The reason for the high price is quality: not only are some of the best app developers in the world found here, but many US firms have offices here - while not technically from the UK, they operate on the territory and raise the average.

Having had a glimpse of the cost and skill of the developers in the UK, how do you go about choosing one?

Top UK App Development Companies:

How to choose app developers in the UK

There's a few things you should know:

Two major sections: the research you can do on your own, and the interview phase with the app developer, where you'll explore their skills and expertise while they try to understand your business and your app. The research you can do at home is as follows:

Review their portfolio: not only to see how many apps they've made and how successful they've been, but also to see which industries they've worked for. A niche social network app has vastly different characteristics and challenges to a mobile enterprise app for industry. Experience in your specific field of business is just as important as development skills.

Recommendations: ask others in your industry who have launched successful apps to recommend a developer, or find out who made the most successful apps if there's an industry benchmark.

Check out our Market Place: You'll find a wealth of information and app developer profiles in Business of App's Marketplace.

Top 5 UK App Development Companies, by Twitter Followers

Best UK App Developers

These the top app development companies with offices in the UK. They're not ranked in any order, they're just "the best." We've gone for a mix of budgets, skills and expertise as well as made sure to choose companies from all over the UK, not just in London.

List of mobile app development companies in the UK

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If you're searching for a UK app developer then you've come to the right place. The UK has been referred to as a "powerhouse" of the global app development market, and for iOS, Android and Cross Platform, the data backs it all up. In 2019, 79% of adults in UK owned a smartphone.

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Looking to build an app with great design and development, want to know more about the cost of creating an app in the UK. Keep reading to find out more.

Over the past few years, we've helped multiple clients get their products from zero to lunch. So we decided to share everything that we've learned so far. And hopefully, you'll learn something from this article.

Do you want to create a mobile app but don't know How much would it cost to develop an app UK? Almost every entrepreneur, app developer, or individual with a unique app development idea experiences the same issue.

We will need to consider multiple factors when it comes to the pricing of app development. Today, we will be discussing these factors. And at the end of this article, I will be sharing how much it costs to hire a developer to build an app with beautiful UI, good UX, and the primarily bug-free.

If you are reading here the first time, I want to tell you that we are MAKE-AN-APP, the digital product consultancy, and advisory team, where we advise companies to build impactful digital products for free.

Before we dive into a disclaimer, all the costs we are showing you here are estimates. So if you need more precise cost estimation, reach out to the development firms. If you don't have one just yet, we have sorted the list of 100 mobile app development companies worldwide. This list will help you to find the top firm for your project.

What affects app development cost and how to save on making charges?

Let's start by understanding what affects app development costs. Factors that influence app development costs in UK

Number one features and functionalities

The more complex the app you want to build, the more work will be needed to demand. So the complexity of an app is usually the most significant cost driver in app development; implementing certain features might take more effort and time. At the same time, some features might be relatively short and straightforward.

I will break down how much effort or time and, subsequently, the cost needed for specific features here.

The estimated time and cost breakdown for some of the more common features are as below

The visual and user experience design costs of app development also largely depend on the user interface and user experience design.

What kind of designs are you planning to build?

Do you want to build a modern, fast, beautiful, and intuitive app?

Or do you not care about the aesthetic of the app and just want an app that works protip always invest in good UI and UX design

UI and UX
We all add apps in our favorite category due to their beautiful UI and smoothness. What If the app constantly crashes? Will it increase the chances of business failure? So why not focus on building a world-class app and set your app up for success? We probably saw this coming. Yes, good UI and UX design do add additional investments to your project, factor, and retreat.
Platforms
Different businesses will require different app setups regarding the goals you want to create an app for. Depending on the business model, some companies might only need a web app to start, While some companies might need to start with a mobile app because that is their unique selling point. The more platforms you need to handle, the more the cost will go up. And if you're planning to support both iOS and Android, get ready to pay more money for development because you will need a separate team for each of these platforms, and the app costs would be double.

One way to reduce app costs to handle both Android and iOS will be to go with cross-platform development frameworks, like React Native or flutter, where you only need one team to work on it but get the benefits of having two native applications build factors that affect app development costs. React JS vs. React Native
List of Top 15 React Native App Development Companies Backend infrastructure.
And when it comes to building a mobile application, you will need a strong and updated back-end system with API to provide data exchange between the app and the database. The backend system is also a backbone of the whole system, where all the algorithms and processes are executed to provide excellent data for the mobile app to work.

Besides the back-end system. A lot of non-technical founders or product managers missed out on the admin panel where you can manage the app content and users. This is an essential dashboard for managing any content you need to display on the mobile app, creating, updating, or deleting users. Tracks are the metrics that are important for decision-making. And also to moderate any user-generated content you have on there.

How flexible and complex the back-end system and any panel you need will also affect the overall app development cost. The more complicated it is, the higher the price, the next factor impacts your app development costs.
Type of Development Team You're Hiring.
There are a few differences in engaging with freelancer offshore development teams or the world's best iOS and android app development companies for the context of this topic.
Let's take an eCommerce marketplace development as an example,

Freelancers and small development shops might be charging somewhere between £25,000 to £45,000

The offshore development team will cost you anywhere between £45,000 to £75,000,

While a full-cycle development agency might be charging somewhere between £70,000 to £135,000.

Now, you might be asking, what is the difference between all the above options? Why shouldn't I go with the cheaper freelance option that could save me a vast mobile app setup cost? When you should hire an offshore development team and when to set up an in-house development company.

Well, hiring a freelancer for a business project is risky. If you are hiring a developer for a small or blog-type project, choosing a freelance is a good option. But big no for larger vision projects.

Why do I say so? You might be your first time hiring a freelancer, or perhaps you're not a technical person, and you don't have anyone that understands software development to handle the project for you? How do you know if the freelancers you hired are doing a good job creating the app you want to envision?

I'm not saying Development Agency is the only way to go. You can still find route and experience freelancers or offshore development teams.

I know some friends who have successfully hired freelancers and options, better teams. There are always pros and cons to all the possibilities. So make sure you do your due diligence before engaging an app developer.

So these are some of the factors that will influence how much it costs to build an app in the UK.
As I promised at the beginning of the article.
Now I'll be sharing how much does it cost to build an app in the United Kingdom
With beautiful UI, great UX, and mostly bug-free.
Let's start calculating the price for an app that doesn't need a back-end service.

Let's say you already have someone working on the back-end development, or you plan to rely on the backend as a service provider, like Firebase costs for such an app will most probably be somewhere around £50,000 to £100,000.

As for an app that requires full-cycle development, meaning from requirements, gathering, design, development, testing, and then launches, the cost of app development can range from £100,000 to £500,000.

Depending on the complexity. Don't forget to budget for future updates, marketing, or any costs from third-party services that you'll be using as well.

To make a successful app requires a variety of skills and specializations. If you're going to give your app and yourself a chance, make sure it passes the quality test.

We have already calculated the app development cost for popular categories and apps available in the market

Let's have the look.

How to Much Does It Cost To Money Transfer Apps Like Venmo & Cashapp in the United Kingdom?

A financial project like Venmo is a peer-to-peer app. It necessitates a high level of expertise as well as extensive knowledge. The cost to make an app like Venmo will be approx £90,000 or £90,000. You must need a minimum team of 10 people.

How Much Does It Cost to Develop an App Like Uber?

The cost to build an app like Uber may range anywhere between £30,000 or £40,000 for one or two user apps (for iOS and Android), respectively.

What is the Cost to Make a Forex Trading App Like Robinhood and Webull in UK?

The estimated cost of the forex trading app and software could be between £50,000 to £150,000.

How Much Does it Cost to Make an App Like Instagram?

The estimated cost of developing a social app such as Instagram would range £50,000 to $60,000.

How Much Does it Cost To Make An App Like Lyft?

The cost of developing a Lyft-like app will be determined by a number of factors. Approx You'll need fund somewhere between £25,000 or £35,000

How Much Does It Cost To Make An App Like Cred?

The overall cost of developing a credit card bill payment app like CRED will cost you between £45,000 to £ 60,000.

How Much Does it Cost to Develop An App Like Tiktok?

The cost of developing a TikTok-like app ranges from £ 55,000 to £60,000, depending on the custom features. At the tender age of three years, it turned out to be a behemoth app.

How Much Does It Cost To Develop A Game Like PUBG in UK?

Games like Pubg will cost between £250,000 to £500,000 depending on various factors.

How To Make A Delivery App Like DoorDash in 2022?

The cost to develop a mobile app like Doordash is varying from

Cost to Develop an App for Milk Delivery?

The cost to develop a MilkBasket is varying from

How Much Does It Cost To Develop A Newspaper Mobile App?

General MVP cost estimate for newspaper app ranges between £18,000 to £20,000 for a basic app.

How Much Does it Cost to Build Communication App Like Marco Polo?

Walkie Talkie is currently the most popular application. The vast majority of individuals rely on this tool for instant communication. The cost to make an app like Marco polo is £50,000 or £60,000

Conclusion

That's all for now on the topic of app development cost. Hope We've provided some good insights into the factors affecting app development cost. We would love to hear what you think about the elements we've mentioned. And whether or not you're considering the numbers that we've shared helped? Let me know in the comments below, and I will check every word and personally reply to yours.

If you haven't bookmarked us, go ahead and do that right now. We work very hard from research to data gathering and writing to presentation with sources. It takes a lot of effort and time. Please donate us any amount.

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Mobile App Development Cost in the UK | Cost of Creating An App UK

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Looking to build an app with great design and development, want to know more about the cost of creating an app in the UK. Keep reading to find out more. Do you want to create a mobile app but don't know How much would it cost to develop an app UK?

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eBay takes 12.8% https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/fees-credits-invoices/fees-private-sellers?id=4822
Vinted takes 5% https://productmint.com/the-vinted-business-model-how-does-vinted-work-make-money/
Depop takes 10% https://selleraider.com/depop-fees/
By Rotation takes 15% https://byrotation.com/terms
HURR takes 15% https://www.hurrcollective.com/terms-of-service

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1. What is By Rotation?

1.1 By Rotation operates an app that allows:

(a) users to advertise items to rent out (the "lenders") and to rent (the "renters");

(b) lenders and renters to communicate with and enter into agreements with other users to lend or borrow such items (such users that rent being "lenders" and such users that borrow being "renters");

(c) renters to pay lenders for renting the relevant items; and

(d) users to resolve disputes concerning the hired items. We make this available through the By Rotation app, <Link href="/redirect-to-app">the “By Rotation Service”</Link>.

1.2 By Rotation Service is provided by By Rotation Ltd ("By Rotation", "we", "our", or "us").

2. Important warnings about lending and borrowing items

2.1 By Rotation only provides a platform that enables users to borrow and lend items. We do not regularly monitor the quality of the items made available for hire by lenders through the By Rotation Service.

2.2 As such, the lender is responsible for ensuring that items conform to any descriptions provided, are fit for purpose and safe to use. If you are a renter, we will not be responsible to you for any items that you hire through the By Rotation Service.

2.3 If you are a lender, you will also be responsible for complying with any obligations you may have under applicable law with respect to the items that you provide for hire, including giving effect to renters' rights under applicable consumer law and compensating any damage to the renter or any other person caused by your items.

2.4 If you are a renter, you will be responsible for any items you hire through the By Rotation Service, including compensating the lender for any loss or damage to those items. You will also be responsible for any damage you cause to other people or property when you use those items.

3. Your relationship with us

3.1 This document and any documents referred to within it (collectively, the "Terms of Service") set out the terms of your relationship with us. It is important that you read and understand these Terms of Service before using the By Rotation Service.

3.2 Additional terms will apply to you depending on whether you are a lender or renter. Please refer to paragraph 9 if you are a lender and paragraph 10 if you are a renter.

3.3 By accessing and using the By Rotation Service, you agree to these Terms of Service. If you do not agree to these Terms of Service, please do not access or use the By Rotation Service.

4. Information about us

4.1 By Rotation Service Ltd is a company registered in England, with its registered address 20-22 Wenlock Road, London, England, N1 7GU.

5. Information about you

5.1 Your privacy is important to us. You should read our <Link href="/privacy-policy">Privacy Policy</Link> to understand how we collect, use and share information about you.

6. The By Rotation Service

6.1 The By Rotation Service allows lenders to advertise items for hire and to communicate and enter into agreements with renters for the hire of those items on our app.

6.2 We may, from time to time, provide social features on the By Rotation Service which enable you to message and share information about your use of the By Rotation Service with other users. Any use of these social features should comply with our Rules of Acceptable Use below.

7. Setting up your account

7.1 To access the By Rotation Service, you must set up an account on our app using your email address (your "Account"). You will need to create a password for your Account – we encourage you to use "strong" passwords (passwords that use a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols) with your Account.

7.2 You must be 18 years or older and capable in your country of residence of entering into a legally binding agreement to use the By Rotation Service. If you are below the age of 18 we may require a parent or guardian to enter into the agreement on your behalf. In this instance, we will hold a legally binding agreement with the parent or guardian.

7.3 You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login details and for any activities that occur under your Account. If you have any concerns that your Account may have been misused, you should contact us at <a href="mailto:hello@byrotation.com?subject=Hi, my Account may have been misused">hello@byrotation.com</a> straight away to let us know.

8. Your right to use the By Rotation Service

8.1 The materials and content comprising the By Rotation Service belong to us or our third party licensors, and we give you permission to use these materials and content for the sole purpose of using the By Rotation Service in accordance with these Terms of Service.

8.2 Your right to use the By Rotation Service is personal to you and you are not allowed to give this right to any other person. Your right to use the By Rotation Service does not stop us from giving other people the right to use the By Rotation Service.

8.3 Unless allowed by these Terms of Service or as permitted by the functionality of the By Rotation Service, you agree:

(a) not to copy, or attempt to copy the By Rotation app or platform or any other portion of the By Rotation Service;

(b) not to give or sell or otherwise make available the By Rotation app or platform or any other portion of the By Rotation Service to anybody else;

(c) not to change, or attempt to change the By Rotation app or platform or any other portion of the By Rotation Service in any way;

(d) not to look for or access the code of the By Rotation app or platform or any other portion of the By Rotation Service that we have not expressly published publicly for general use.

8.4 You agree that all confidential information, copyright and other intellectual property rights in the By Rotation app or platform or any other portion of the By Rotation Service belong to us or the people who have licenced those rights to us.

8.5 You agree that you have no rights in or to the By Rotation app or platform or any other portion of the By Rotation Service other than the right to use and access them in accordance with these Terms of Service.

9. Lender Specific Terms

9.1 This paragraph 9 applies to you if you are a lender.

9.2 You are responsible for ensuring that:

(a) you have all necessary rights to rent out any items you advertise on the By Rotation Service, and that the renter's use of those items will not infringe any other party's rights;

(b) you deliver any hired items to the renter in accordance with the agreement you reach with the renter;

(c) any descriptions of the items you advertise for hire through the By Rotation Service are accurate and include all information relevant to the use of the item, including (as appropriate):

(i) notice of any defects, restrictions or other requirements that may apply to the use of the item; and

(ii) any instructions or notices that may reasonably be required to use the item safely;

(d) the items you advertise on the By Rotation Service:

(i) conform in all material respects to any pictures or descriptions that you upload to the By Rotation Service;

(ii) are safe to use in accordance with any reasonable instructions that you provide to the renter;

(iii) are fit for any purpose for which such items would normally be used, or any purpose communicated to you by the renter;

(iv) can be legally offered for hire.

9.3 You are free to agree any other terms on which you hire an item to a renter, including the price you wish to charge to the renter for hiring your item for the relevant hire period (the "Hire Fee"). When you post items for hire on the By Rotation Service, you must ensure that the Hire Fee you advertise on your listing is the total price payable for hiring your items, including any applicable taxes or costs of delivery.

9.4 Once you agree the terms on which you will lend an item to a renter, you must not try to amend those terms (including the price) unless you have a valid, justifiable reason for doing so and the renter agrees to those amended terms.

9.5 You can remove a listing or cancel your agreement to lend an item to a renter at any time up to 48 hours before the start of the relevant hire period or with subject to agreement with the renter. If you cancel an agreement to hire an item to a renter less than 48 hours before the start of the hire period, we may charge you a cancellation fee equal to 30% of the relevant Hire Fee.

10. Renter Specific Terms

10.1 This paragraph 10 applies to you if you are a renter.

10.2 When you agree to hire an item with a lender, the lender grants you a limited right to use that item for the relevant hire period. This right is personal to you and you are not allowed to give this right to any other person.

10.3 You are responsible for ensuring that:

(a) you are legally allowed to use any item that you borrow through the By Rotation Service;

(b) you comply with all applicable law when using the item;

(c) you comply with any reasonable directions provided by the lender in order to use the item safely;

(d) you return the item in the same condition as it was in when you collected or received it from the lender.

10.4 You are free to agree with the lender how you will return any items you have hired to the lender; however, you must ensure that return any items you have hired to the lender before your hire period ends unless otherwise permitted by the lender.

10.5 You will be responsible for any loss of or damage to the item you have hired. Please see paragraph 15 for more information about how we handle disputes between renters and lenders, including any if the item is damaged, lost or stolen.

10.6 You can cancel a request to borrow an item at any time before the request is accepted by the lender, or at any time up to 48 hours after the request is submitted, known as the 'cooling off period'. There is no cooling off period if the request is within 48 hours of the start date unless permitted by the lender. If you cancel before the request has been accepted, or within the cooling off period you will receive a full refund.

10.7 If you fail to return an item by the agreed deadline you must contact the lender and or By Rotation to notify them as soon as you are aware you are going to miss the deadline. You will also need to book and pay for the extended time immediately unless agreed with the lender. The lender may not be able to accommodate the extension in which case it is your responsibility to get the item(s) back to the lender within a timeframe that suits the lender. If you do not do so you will be liable to pay late fees, which will be 20% of retail value per day ("Late Fees"). You agree that By Rotation can charge this amount from your card or bank account without further permission.

10.8 If you miss the agreed deadline for return, and are uncommunicative with the lender or By Rotation, you agree that we can take a holding deposit from your account up to the full value of the items you have ("Holding Deposit"). This deposit will be fully refundable, less any fees owed to the company or lender, once the items are returned. If the items are not returned, it will not be refunded.

11. Fees and payment

11.1 If you are a lender, we will collect the Hire Fee from the renter on your behalf. Unless we are unable to obtain payment from the renter, such as where a buyer's payment method is refused or our payment services provider determines that there is a risk of fraud, we will transfer you the Hire Fee within 24 hours of the start date of the rental. We will also charge you a fee of 15% of the Hire Fee ("Lender Fee"), which we will deduct from the amount we transfer to you.

11.2 If you are a renter, once you have agreed to hire an item the lender, we will charge you the full Hire Fee on the lender's behalf. In addition to the Hire Fee, we will also charge you an additional fee for your use of the By Rotation Service equal to 21% of the price you pay to the lender to hire an item ("Renter Fee").

11.3 When you create your Account, you will need to provide us with valid, up-to-date and complete credit or debit card details. When you agree to borrow or buy an item, you authorise us to charge such credit or debit card for the relevant Hire Fee and Renter Fee and hereby confirm that the details you provide are accurate and that you have the right to use the payment method selected.

11.4 If we are unsuccessful in charging the Hire Fee, Borrower Fee, Late Fee, Settlement Fee or any other amount to your credit or debit card, and have still not received payment within 7 days after informing you, we may suspend or temporarily disable all or part of your access to the By Rotation Service (without any responsibility to you), and we shall be under no obligation to provide any or all of the By Rotation Service while the amount concerned is unpaid. This does not affect any other rights and remedies available to us or the lender. If you chargeback a payment you were obliged to pay by the terms of this agreement, your account will be immediately suspended until the payment is re-paid, or the chargeback is cancelled.

12. Your content

12.1 You confirm that any images, text or information that you upload to the By Rotation Service, including any reviews that you post about other users or items (collectively, your "User Content") will meet the Rules of Acceptable Use.

12.2 We do not claim ownership of your User Content, and ownership will remain with you and any third party whose content you include in your User Content. Instead, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free and perpetual licence to use, copy, reproduce, distribute, adapt, re-format, modify, publish, translate, license, sub-license and otherwise make available the User Content anywhere and in any form for the purposes of providing the By Rotation Service (including allowing users that you give access to any User Content to view and use your User Content).

12.3 You must ensure that you are able to grant us the above licence for any content owned by a third party that you include in your User Content.

12.4 Our right to use your User Content does not in any way affect your privacy rights. Please see our <Link href="/privacy-policy">Privacy Policy</Link> provides information on how we use your personal information.

12.5 We have the right to monitor any User Content and to reject, refuse or delete any User or User Content where we think that it breaks any of the Rules of Acceptable Use.

13. Rules of Acceptable Use

13.1 In addition to the other requirements within these Terms and Conditions, this section describes specific rules that apply to your use of the By Rotation Service (the "Rules of Acceptable Use").

13.2 When using the By Rotation Service you must not:

(a) circumvent, disable or otherwise interfere with any security related features of the By Rotation Service;

(b) give any false or misleading information, impersonate any person or permit any other person to use the By Rotation Service under your name or on your behalf unless such person is authorised by you;

(c) use the By Rotation Service if we have suspended or banned you from using it;

(d) advocate, promote or engage in any illegal or unlawful conduct or conduct that causes theft, loss, damage or injury to any person or property;

(e) promote or advertise any goods or services, other than items you, as a lender, make available for hire through the By Rotation Service;

(f) send any unsolicited marketing communications through the By Rotation Service;

(g) modify, interfere, intercept, disrupt or hack the By Rotation Service;

(h) misuse the By Rotation Service by knowingly introducing viruses, Trojans, worms, logic bombs or other material which would harm any of the By Rotation Service or any user of the By Rotation Service's own equipment;

(i) collect any data from the By Rotation Service other than in accordance with these Terms and Conditions;

(j) submit or contribute any User Content that contains nudity or violence or is abusive, threatening, obscene, misleading, untrue or offensive;

(k) submit or contribute any User Content that you do not own or have the right to use or otherwise infringe the copyright, trademark or other rights of third parties;

(l) use any User Content in violation of any licensing terms specified by the owner;

(m) other than leaving reviews about lenders or items, submit or contribute any information or commentary about another person without that person's permission;

(n) threaten, abuse or invade another's privacy, or cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety or be likely to harass, upset, embarrass, alarm or annoy any other person (including but not limited to other users, and By Rotation employees);

(o) use any automated system, including without limitation "robots", "spiders" or "offline readers" to access the By Rotation Service in a manner that send more request messages to the By Rotation Service than a human can reasonably produce in the same period of time;

(p) enter into any agreement to lend or rent any item other than through the By Rotation app or platform with any other user who you initially met through the By Rotation Service. Doing so is "Fee Avoidance" and you will be liable for double the fees avoided, or a £200 fine (whichever is more) for each instance of doing so.

13.3 Failure to comply with the Rules of Acceptable Use constitutes a serious breach of these Terms and Conditions, and may result in our taking all or any of the following actions (with or without notice):

(a) immediate, temporary or permanent withdrawal of your right to use the By Rotation app or platform or any other portion of the By Rotation Service;

(b) immediate, temporary or permanent removal of any User Content;

(c) issuing of a warning to you;

(d) legal action against you including proceedings for reimbursement of all costs (including, but not limited to, reasonable administrative and legal costs) resulting from the breach;

(e) disclosure of such information to law enforcement authorities as we reasonably feel is necessary.

13.4 The responses described in paragraph 13.3 are not limited, and we may take any other action we reasonably deem appropriate.

14. Notice and takedown policy

14.1 Any person may contact us by sending us a notice (an "Infringement Notice") if any content available through the By Rotation Service infringes their rights. The Infringement Notice should be sent by email to <a href="mailto:hello@byrotation.com?subject=Hi, my Account may have been misused">hello@byrotation.com</a>. Please provide the following information in the Infringement Notice:

(a) your name and contact details;

(b) a statement explaining in sufficient detail why you consider that the content available through the By Rotation Service infringes your rights or fails to comply with our Rules of Acceptable Use; and

(c) a link to or such other means of identifying the problematic content.

14.2 We will take the action that we believe is appropriate depending on the nature of the Infringement Notice and will aim to respond to you within a reasonable period of time on the action we propose to take.

15. Resolving disputes between lenders and renters

15.1 We encourage users to resolve any disputes directly. If, as a renter, you have lost or damaged an item, you are responsible for reimbursing the lender immediately for the full value of repairing the item (if possible) or replacing it.

15.2 If you are a lender, we may ask you to provide proof of purchase, photos of any damage caused to an item, or any other evidence to support your claim for reimbursement from a borrower. Where you claim that a borrower has damaged an item, we may also ask you to provide photos of your item taken before it was provided to a borrower, to support your claim that any damage was caused by the borrower (and was not present at the start of the hire period).

15.3 In the event that a renter and a lender are unable to resolve a dispute between them directly, they can ask us to mediate the dispute. If we do mediate a dispute, we may charge a fee of up to 30% of any amounts that we, the lender and the renter determine are payable by the renter to compensate the lender for any loss or damage to the item. We will charge this amount to the renter in addition to any amounts the renter is required to pay to the lender (together known as the "Settlement Fee"). If By Rotation mediates the dispute you agree to accept By Rotation's conclusion and pay any amount which By Rotation determines you are liable for.

15.4 If you owe By Rotation or another user money through the terms of these Terms of Service you agree to pay the sum promptly and not more than 48 hours from it being requested. In the event that you do not pay the owed money within this timeframe, By Rotation may debit this amount from your card. In agreeing to these Terms you agree to allow us to do so and waive your right to chargeback this transaction with your bank.

16. Lender Guarantee

16.1 In the event that you are unable to recover the cost of repairing or replacing an item or the estimated value of the item, we may reimburse you any such amounts on a case by case basis along with proof of purchase and photos prior to sending out the item.

16.2 If you are a renter, any payment we may make to the lender will not affect your obligation to pay for the items that have been lost, stolen or damaged, but this obligation will be owed to us, rather than the lender.

17. Ending our relationship

17.1 If at any time you do not feel that you can agree to these Terms and Conditions or any changes made to these Terms and Conditions or the By Rotation Service, you must immediately stop using the By Rotation Service.

17.2 You must notify us if you wish to close your Account by contacting us using the details and functionality at <a href="mailto:hello@byrotation.com?subject=Hi, I want delete an account">Contact us</a>, and we will end your use of the By Rotation Service.

17.3 We may immediately end your use of the By Rotation Service if you break the Rules of Acceptable Use, any other important rule(s), or terms and conditions we set for accessing and using the By Rotation Service including these Terms and Conditions.

17.4 We may also withdraw any part of the By Rotation Service at any time and will notify you if we feel it will significantly affect your usage of the By Rotation Service.

17.5 If you or we end your use of the By Rotation Service or we withdraw By Rotation Service as described in this section, we may delete your User Content, any other information that you have uploaded to the By Rotation Service or any other information we hold about you. You will also lose any rights you have to use the By Rotation Service or to access our content or your User Content. You should therefore ensure that you keep a copy of any information or content you use on the By Rotation Service, as well as your User Content, as we will not offer you compensation for any losses you might suffer if you lose your rights to access and use the By Rotation Service or any such information, content or User Content.

17.6 The termination of your use of the By Rotation Service and the cancellation of your Account shall not affect any of your obligations to pay any sums due to us.

17.7 Nothing in this paragraph 13 affects any legal rights you may have under the law of the country in which you are resident.

18. Our liability/responsibility to you

18.1 While we will do our best to ensure that the By Rotation platform or app itself is of a reasonable standard and quality and matches any descriptions we have provided you, the By Rotation platform and any other portion of the By Rotation Service may contain some content owned or developed by third parties. As we do not own or produce such third party content, we cannot be responsible for it in any way.

18.2 In addition, due to the nature of the Internet and technology, the By Rotation Service is unfortunately provided on an "as available" and "as is" basis. This means that we are unable to promise that your use of the By Rotation Service will be uninterrupted, without delays, error-free or meet your expectations and we do not give any commitment relating to the performance or availability of the By Rotation Service in these Terms and Conditions and, to the extent we are able to do so, we exclude any commitments that may be implied by law.

18.3 In the event of a claim arising out of the provision of the By Rotation Service, our responsibility to you will never be more than the amount you have paid us in the 12 months prior to the claim arising and, in the event that you have not paid us any money, we shall have no responsibility whatsoever to you.

18.4 In every case, we will never be responsible for any loss or damage that is not reasonably foreseeable.

18.5 The above does not affect your rights under the applicable law of the country in which you are resident, including our responsibility to you for any personal injury or death caused by our negligence.

19. Resolving disputes with us

19.1 If you have a dispute with us relating to the By Rotation Service, in the first instance please contact us at <a href="mailto:hello@byrotation.com?subject=Hi, I have a dispute with us relating to the By Rotation Service">hello@byrotation.com</a> and attempt to resolve the dispute with us informally.

19.2 In the unlikely event that we have not been able to resolve a dispute informally, we will discuss and agree with you the most effective way of resolving our dispute.

20. Changes to the By Rotation Service

20.1 We are constantly updating and improving the By Rotation Service to try and find ways to provide you with new and innovative features and services. Improvements and updates are also made to reflect changing technologies, tastes, behaviours and the way people use the Internet and the By Rotation Service.

20.2 In order to do this, we may need to update, reset, stop offering and/or supporting a particular part of the By Rotation Service, or feature relating to the By Rotation Service ("changes to the By Rotation Service "). These changes to the By Rotation Service may affect your past activities on the By Rotation Service, features that you use, your User Content and any other information you submit to the By Rotation Service ("Service Elements"). Any changes to the By Rotation Service could involve your Service Elements being deleted or reset.

20.3 You agree that a key characteristic of the By Rotation Service is that changes to the By Rotation Service will take place over time and this is an important basis on which we grant you access to the By Rotation Service. Once we have made changes to any part of the By Rotation Service, your continued use of the By Rotation Service will show that you have accepted any changes to the By Rotation Service. You are always free to stop using the By Rotation Service.

21. By Rotation Platform/App

21.1 This paragraph 21 applies when using the By Rotation platform or app (the "Distribution Platform "):

(a) you acknowledge that these Terms and Conditions are between you and By Rotation, and not with the provider of the Distribution Platform ("Store Provider");

(b) your use of the By Rotation platform or app must comply with the Store Provider's then-current Distribution Platform Terms of Service;

(c) the Store Provider is only a provider of the Distribution Platform where you accessed the By Rotation website;

(d) By Rotation, and not the Store Provider, is solely responsible for the By Rotation platform or app;

(e) the Store Provider has no obligation or liability to you with respect to the By Rotation platform or app or these Terms and Conditions; and

(f) you acknowledge and agree that the Store Provider is a third-party beneficiary to these Terms and Conditions as it relates to the By Rotation platform or app.

22. The By Rotation beta trial

22.1 You acknowledge that this service is being provided on a trial basis as part of The By Rotation beta trial and as such there may be times that the full service is unavailable. You accept the terms and conditions outlined in this contract.

23. Changes to the documents

23.1 We may revise these Terms and Conditions from time to time but the most current version will always be available here, in the Terms & Conditions section of the By Rotation platform or app.

23.2 Changes will usually occur because of new features being added to the By Rotation Service, changes in the law or where we need to clarify our position on something.

23.3 Normally, we will try to give you some warning before the new terms become effective. However, sometimes changes will need to be made immediately and if this happens we will not give you any notice.

24. Documents that apply to our relationship with you

24.1 The current version of these Terms and Conditions contains the only terms and conditions that apply to our relationship with you.

24.2 We intend to rely on these Terms and Conditions as setting out the written terms of our agreement with you for the provision of the By Rotation Service. If part of these Terms and Conditions cannot be enforced then the remainder of these Terms and Conditions will still apply to our relationship.

24.3 If you do not comply with these Terms and Conditions and we do not take action immediately, this does not mean we have given up any right we have and we may still take action in the future.

25. Law

25.1 English law will apply to all disputes and the interpretation of these Terms and Conditions. If we need to apply to court to enforce any part of these Terms and Conditions against you or resolve any other dispute between us arising from or related to your use of the By Rotation Service, we will initially seek to apply to the English courts. This does not affect your rights under the law of the country in which you are resident, including your right to have a dispute in relation to your use of the By Rotation Service heard in the courts of that country.

26. Contact, feedback and complaints

26.1 If you need to contact us in relation to these Terms and Conditions or any other document mentioned in them, please email us at <a href="mailto:hello@byrotation.com?subject=Hi, I've got a question">hello@byrotation.com</a>.

26.2 We value hearing from our users, and are always interested in learning about ways we can improve the By Rotation Service. By providing your feedback you agree that you are giving up any rights you have in your feedback so that we may use and allow others to use it without any restriction and without any payment to you.

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Rent Designer Dresses and Bags UK | By Rotation

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The UK’s leading peer-to-peer fashion rental app. Hire luxury designer clothes and accessories from top brands in London and the UK. No waiting list. No subscription fees.

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"Rent the Runway reported $203.3 million in sales for 2021, up 29 percent from the previous year"

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In 2020 there were roughly 12.7million generation Zs living in the UK

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In 2019, there were over 14.28 million baby boomers in the United Kingdom, making it the largest generational cohort at that time, with the millennial generation a close second at 14.22 million people. Generation X are the third-largest generation here at 13.96 million people, with their parent's generation, the Silent Generation numbering around 5.8 million people.

Post-war baby boom

The baby boomer generation is the largest due to the spike in births that happened after the Second World War. In 1947 for example, there were over 1 million births in the United Kingdom, compared with just 657 thousand thirty years later in 1977.

Largest age groups in the UK

The most common age group in the United Kingdom in 2020, were those aged between 50 and 59, with 4.66 million of them, followed by the 4.4 million people aged between 45 and 49. In this same year there were around 580 thousand people who were over the age of 90, and 3.86 million under the age of five.

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UK generation population 2019 | Statista

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In 2019, there were over 14.28 million baby boomers in the United Kingdom, making it the largest generational cohort at that time, with the millennial generation a close second at 14.22 million people. Generation X are the third-largest generation here at 13.96 million people, with their parent's generation, the Silent Generation numbering around 5.8 million people.

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"Since launching in October 2019, the platform now boasts over 150,000 users and allows the people renting to set the price of each item per day, along with the rental period"

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What they do:

By Rotation is a peer-to-peer fashion rental platform which encourages users to rent what they need and lend what they don’t use frequently at a fraction of the retail price. The company doesn’t buy any inventory and, because it aims to create an inclusive community, it doesn’t charge subscription fees. Since launching in October 2019, the platform now boasts over 150,000 users and allows the people renting to set the price of each item per day, along with the rental period. The mobile app mimics social media, allowing users to ‘like’, comment and interact with one another. They have a core focus on building a community of ‘style-aware’ and ‘environmentally aware’ individuals.

Why is it an example of the circular economy?

By Rotation effectively increases clothing use by increasing the number of users per item. It may also displace the production of new clothes if users choose to rent something for a one off event, rather than buy something that they may not wear again. If five people use one occasion dress, rather than each buying their own, the resource consumption and environmental impacts are lower. The peer-to-peer social app enables users to rotate their idle products with one another.

What are the benefits?

The app has a diverse community of users. For example, working professionals in their early 30s, who want to make the most of their wardrobes or Fashion savvy GenZs that don’t have access to designer brands. By Rotation allows them to gain access to more designer clothes than they could afford and also gives them the opportunity to monetise their own clothes. Additionally, most lenders are ‘environmentally aware’ – they tend to be aware of the environmental impact of fashion and often list their items in multiple platforms to resell and rent. By Rotation further empowers those individuals through their ‘Impact scale’ which provides users with data on the environmental impact savings they have made versus buying new.

By Rotation thrives by creating a community of like-minded individuals who engage with one another. They organise face-to-face events and curate specific content that allows users to reconnect with their clothes and local communities. As such, they effectively contribute towards normalising new ways of accessing and enjoying fashion within the society.

How it works in detail

Regardless of looking to lend or rent, all users need to download the mobile app and get their account verified.

For users looking to lend their items, the processes is as follows:

1. Users list their items in under two minutes with full flexibility on pricing and dates.

2. Users get notified every time someone is interested, they can communicate with potential renters and approve or reject requests.

3. Users can send their items in-person or via Royal Mail tracked.

4. After the rental period is over, lenders are in charge of the cleaning – there is an option to add a cleaning fee if the item is delicate. By Rotation has partnered with Clothes Doctor, clothing care providers. Lenders can go to 'eco-friendly cleaning and repairs' on their profile to be redirected to the Clothes Doctor’s web page to select a service.

5. Users get paid within five-seven business days after the rental period is complete.

For users looking to rent, the process is as follows:

1. Users browse for items in the mobile app – they can filter according to size, product type, etc.

2. Users then send rental requests and communicate with potential lenders directly via the secure messaging system. Renters are only charged when the lender accepts the request.

3. Users then select and agree on the delivery method.

4. After the rental period is over, renters can rate and review the lender, which further contributes to the community

By Rotation also offers their ‘wardrobe management’ service to their ‘time-poor and wardrobe-heavy’ users or those who require discretion. Under this service, By Rotation manages the full rental process, including: the listing, renting and cleaning of the whole rental process. Users receive a monthly income report detailing their rental earnings, provided there has been a minimum of 1 rental in the calendar month.

Next steps

In 2020, despite the pandemic and national lockdowns, By Rotation grew its user base and listings by over 350%. A major hurdle to overcome has been the logistics side and infusing trust between lenders and renters – lenders often worry about the cleaning, transportation and potential damages. Therefore, they are currently working on and investing in tech to improve the app to further mimic those of social media, allowing lenders and renters to feel more connected, and to make it as easy and convenient as possible for both lenders and renters. As part of these efforts, they also recently opened their first pop-up at Westfield, inviting a new audience into the fashion rental space while meeting like-minded people through in-person events at the same time.

With a motto of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle, rotate’, By Rotation envisions a future where people think of renting before any potential purchase.

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The social fashion rental app: By Rotation

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A peer-to-peer fashion rental platform encouraging users to rent what they need and lend what they don’t.

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"The average lifespan of a high street garment is just 7 wears" - 2017 is this worse now?

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It has become common practice to shop for clothes on a near daily basis. Whether it is a quick trip to the high street to see the latest fashion deliveries, or browsing online for the newest looks, fashion's furious pace means we can visit our favorite stores and find new merchandise at any given time.

When the cost of a new, head-to-toe look is little more then the cost of your evening meal, we can afford to shop several times a week. Perhaps we bought a dress for Tuesday's post-work office event, and a quirky new top you saw featured in the freesheets that would be perfect to wear for drinks on Friday night. Then a new pair of shoes arrives in the post from our favorite online retailer, just in time for Saturday's soirée. For the average earner in London, shopping daily for clothes and accessories is part of the millennial's lifestyle.

Of course it's hard not to be enticed, when brands are fighting to compete against each other, introducing more and more collections per year at lower costs, and social media is non-stop beaming images at us of what we should buying and wearing now.

Retailers are responding to fashion trends faster then ever before, at a rate when a dress worn by a celebrity on Monday will see the shop floor merchandised with similar possibilities the following day. It used to be that collections took six months from design phase to being available in store. This cycle has now been reduced to a relentless pace of three weeks, which is why high street brands can easily launch 18 collections per year, and cater to fast fashion's many trends,

Behind the scenes, supply chains are being pressured to produce at an ever quickening pace, but nobody is asking why the quality is so poor, or why the prices are so low. Nobody is questioning why that dress you bought for 15 pounds doesn't survive six washes, when the buttons are popping off, the hems are fraying and that print is looking dull and listless. Or that five pound t-shirt, where the neckline warped after the second wash and the sleeves began to flute. But perhaps this is irrelevant, when the cost was cheap and the garment was meant to only last one occasion. Never was there an expectation of it becoming a wardrobe staple.

Just as the food industry introduced additives, fast fashion took to cheap, blended fabrics

The average lifespan of a high street garment is just 7 wears and as a result the average wardrobe size has quadrupled since end of last century, before fast fashion became the norm. When we shop for vintage clothes, we can see the difference in quality, manufacturing standards, but most of all in the fabrics. High quality clothes are made of natural fibers, like cottons, silk, wool, linen and leather, but not the yarn medleys we see today such as polyesters, stretch, nylon and other filler fabrics. Just as the food industry introduced additives to keep food unnaturally fresh, so did the fashion industry with its blended fabrics, keeping its shop floors quantitatively fresh with a rota of fast disposable fashion, all the while keeping its costs down.

These days, clothes that are crafted with care and stitched with longevity in mind, tend to cost more. But so did clothes in our grandparent's day. Back then you couldn't buy a t-shirt for the price of a glass of wine. Buying better means buying fewer items from the disposable fashion cycle and buying with consideration. The only way to quench our appetite for fast fashion is to look beyond its short-lived satisfaction. Nobody should accept the norm that clothing is ok to unravel at the seams after a single wear. Your grandmother certainly wouldn't.

Photo credit: Coco Chanel tentoonstelling.jpg, source: Wikimedia Commons

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Loose Threads: The shrinking lifespan of high street fashion

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OPINIONIt has become common
practice to shop for clothes on a near daily basis. Whether it is a quick
trip to the high street to see the latest fashion...

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"Today we purchase over 80 billion pieces of new clothing each year. That's 400% more than the amount we bought just two decades ago." pg 29
"The average American throws away 82 pounds of textile waste each year. Adding up to more than 11 million tons of textile waste from the US alone. Most of this waste is non-biodegradable. Meaning it sits in landfills for 200 years or more, while releasing harmful gases into the air." pg 31-32
"It turns out that only about 10% of the clothes that we donate actually get sold in local thrift stores." pg 32
"Fashion today is the #2 most polluting industry on earth, second only to the oil industry." pg 42

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"Social media will account for 33% of all digital advertising spending in 2022

And annual advertising spends on social media will top $134 billion in 2022, an increase of over 17% YOY (that’s an additional $23 billion!)"

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Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard

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Here's a rundown of essential social media marketing advertising statistics that every marketer should keep in their back pocket to help inform their 2022 ads strategy.

By now, everyone doing social understands that you can't get by on organic posts alone. Brands need to tie in paid advertising to work alongside social media holistically. Each strategy positively impacts the other, so make sure you're putting aside some dollars to invest in paid social alongside organic in 2022.

With so many channels, running ads on social media can feel overwhelming at times. But don't worry. We'll guide you through vital ad stats to help you understand where you should be allocating your ad budget and resources for successful campaigns.

General social advertising statistics

Ad spending on social media is projected to reach over $173 billion in 2022

As social media platforms become highly monetized and brands move toward including social commerce as part of their conversion strategy, it's unsurprising that companies are looking to spend big on social media ads. After all, why wouldn't you advertise where over 3.6 billion people regularly hang out?

From 2020 to 2025, the number of people worldwide who use social media is expected to grow from 3.6 billion to 4.4 billion. That's over half of the entire planet's population scrolling through social feeds.

In 2022, social media video ad spending will grow by 20.1% to $24.35 billion

You heard it here first (well, in our Social Trends 2022 report) that short-form video is back en vogue. Thanks in part to the continued rise of Instagram Stories, Reels, and TikTok, snappy video content also translates to how marketers are reaching audiences with ads.

Source: eMarketer

Surprisingly, half of adult internet users say that when brands use their data in advertising, it helps them discover (50%) and find (49%) products and services that interest them.

Given that advertising has been in a bit of flux since Apple introduced additional privacy measures that allow iPhone users to opt-out of sharing trackable data, these statistics signal that all is not lost for marketers reliant on ads to grow their business.

52% of social media users say that when a platform protects their privacy and data, it's incredibly impactful on their decision to interact with the ads or sponsored content they see on the channel.

Social media advertising is the second biggest market in digital ads

Ads on social media had worldwide revenue of $153 billion in 2021, and this number is expected to grow to over $252 billion in 2026. The first biggest advertising market? Search advertising.

But if brands want to make a splash, they'll have to work harder to create ads that mirror and enrich the distinct experience each social network offers. Social media managers will need to get creative as the ad space becomes more competitive and produce high-quality content that mirrors each network's distinct experience.

And annual advertising spends on social media will top $134 billion in 2022, an increase of over 17% YOY (that's an additional $23 billion!)

In Q4, 2021, the average CPM equated to $9.13, a jump from $7.50 CPM in Q4 2020

Does this signal that brands should expect a continual increase in CPM throughout 2022?

Brands will shift their ad spend away from the more commonly used channels

This doesn't mean the end of running social ad campaigns on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. But, marketers will need to look towards modern-day favorites: TikTok, Pinterest, and Snapchat, to reallocate some of their ad budgets as these channels grow in popularity (especially TikTok).

And because these channels are less saturated, there's more chance of ads gaining traction and impressions.

Instagram ad statistics

The total potential reach of Instagram ads in 2022? 1.8 billion people

Woah! That means that ad campaigns on Instagram can reach over half of Instagram's 2 billion users in 2022.

For marketers, this is valuable information signaling the platform is where everybody seems to hang out and, more importantly, can be reached with an ad.

This figure is over a quarter of the platform's global net ad revenues. Ad spending is also growing faster for Stories than for the Instagram Feed. Markets would be foolish not to distribute their ad budget across Stories, Reels, and Feed to maximize impressions and clicks.

Source: eMarketer

Instagram's advertising reach has outpaced Facebook this past year

If paid is part of your social media strategy, it's worth noting that Instagram's ad reach is skyrocketing past Facebook's right now. Could this signal a trend that audiences are engaging more frequently on other channels?

Instagram's ad reach jumped by an impressive 21% in 2021

Insta's popularity continues to grow, and so does its ad reach. If you're looking to spend your ad budget on Instagram, it might be worth also knowing that their ad reach has grown by over 60% over the past two years.

Source: Hootsuite

For marketers, this signals that Instagram is the perfect place to run ads that target both these demographics.

Source: Hootsuite

US Instagram ad impressions are split chiefly between two formats: Feed and Stories

Will advertising on Reels take off in 2022? Or will marketers rely on Stories and Feed ads to generate impressions and clicks?

Source: eMarketer

Our advice for marketers is to test and try new ad formats and figure out what works best for you. For example, some brands may find more success on Reels for running ads in 2022, whereas others might see higher impressions and clicks through Feed, Stories, and Explore.

Facebook ad statistics

Ad impressions continue to grow across Meta's "Family of Apps"

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and Whatsapp (collectively known as Meta's Family of Apps), saw ad impressions grow by 10% in 2021. This is one to watch as this number could steadily increase if Meta introduces the capability to run ads on Whatsapp, its only unmonetized app in the family.

According to Meta, "on the impressions side, we expect continued headwinds from both increased competition for people's time and a shift of engagement within our apps towards video surfaces like Reels, which monetize at lower rates than Feed and Stories."

For social media marketers, this could mean thinking carefully about how to distribute their ad budget for maximum impact.

Given that there are 7.7 billion people globally, the volume of people who regularly use Facebook is a staggering statistic that marketers should pay attention to.

For targeting ads, the predominant group is men aged 18-34, with women in the same age group trailing slightly behind.

Put simply, if you want to get your business eyeballed by a target audience, Facebook is still proving itself to be one of the go-to channels to run an ad campaign.

If this spending pattern continues to trend upwards, Facebook could look to net over $65 billion in ad revenue by 2023.

Source: eMarketer

Yup, we love to see it! Facebook is still dominating the market as the world's most-used platform, beating out YouTube, WhatsApp, and Instagram to first place.

For marketers, this means that having a presence on Facebook is essential to help increase brand awareness, run targeted ad campaigns, and build a community.

Running ads within Marketplace might be at the top of your paid ads strategy, but ignoring the channel (especially if you're in the B2C market) could mean that you're missing out on building potential customers.

Meta reports that over 562 million people have the potential to be targeted on Marketplace. That's 26% of Facebook's total advertising reach.

Twitter ad statistics

The company will also be focusing on performance advertising to help push this number skyward in 2022.

Ad revenue on Twitter exceed $1.41 billion, an increase of 22% YOY

With more people turning to run ads on Twitter in 2021, this number is expected to continually increase in 2022. Consider whether it's worth getting in on the Twitter advertising action now, before the space becomes overly saturated.

Monetizable daily active users (mDAU) grew by 13% to 217 million in Q4 2021

Is this a signal that Twitter's mDAU will continue to trend upwards in 2022?

38 million of the mDAUs came from the US

Which isn't surprising because American's seriously love Twitter. The USA is the country where Twitter is the most popular with over 77 million users, closely followed by Japan and India with 58 and 24 million people logging into the microblogging site.

So, if your target audience for ad campaigns is the US market, Twitter is the perfect social network to run campaigns.

Twitter is more popular with millennials than Gen-Z

For marketers, this signals that Twitter is the space to craft ad campaigns that target a slightly older generation.

While this figure isn't wildly high, it's important to remember that Twitter is a relatively niche platform and that 5.8% of people could well be your engaged target audience.

People will spend 6-minutes per day on Twitter in 2022

This number has held steady since 2020, so advertisers shouldn't need to worry about their campaign not getting eyeballed. However, this does mean that with such a short amount of potential impression time, Twitter ads need to stand out and be creative and engaging.

Twitter's CPM is the lowest out of all the major platforms

Running ads on Twitter is relatively low cost. The average CPM is $6.46. That's 78% lower than Pinterest's, which is $30.00 CPM.

Snapchat ad statistics

Compared to Q4 2020, Snapchat's DAU count increased by 20% to 319 million. This trend represents a fifth consecutive quarter that the social media platform has seen increasing daily active users.

In Q4, 2021, Snapchat Discover helped brands reach over 50 million users

It looks like getting your brand featured on the Snapchat Discover segment isn't a bad call.

Also, note that 72% of Snapchat ad viewers weren't even reachable by TV ads, according to the same Neilsen study.

TikTok has officially become the video platform of choice as we see more users logging in at least once per month compared to Snapchat. But, all is not lost for advertisers!

By 2025, Snapchat will reach just under 50 million Gen-Z users, making the platform an ideal space to run ads that target that demographic.

And Gen-Z have a higher ad recall than older demographics

Gen-Z recall ads are more than double the rate of Gen-X. The kids of today have an impressive 55% recall rate, compared to boomers, who have a 26% recall rate.

Source: Snapchat

For brands advertising on Snapchat, it's essential to incorporate audio into your ads for an effective campaign.

Want more Snapchat ad goodness? Check out this complete guide on how to get the most out of your Snapchat ad strategy.

LinkedIn ad statistics

According to the most recent LinkedIn statistics, the platform is growing with 675 million users worldwide.

In America, according to Pew, the more money a person makes and the more education they have, the more likely they are to use the platform.

Whether you're looking to target groups based on experience, industry, or business size, LinkedIn provides you with over 200 targeting characteristics to help ensure your campaigns get seen by the right people.

Almost 57% of the platform's users are male, compared to 43% of female users.

India came in a close second with 81 million users on the professional social networking platform.

Because LinkedIn's advertising can target users by industry and job title, it's particularly useful in generating leads for both marketing and sales folks.

And cost per lead on LinkedIn is 28% lower than on Google AdWords, making the platform more attractive for a business's bottom line.

LinkedIn helps marketers connect with a dedicated, professional audience and TKTK.

This is the highest CPC of the major channels.

Ready to skyrocket your LinkedIn ads strategy? Our complete guide to all things LinkedIn ads will help you get ready to increase your lead generation in a heartbeat.

YouTube ad statistics

YouTube has the second-highest CPM of all the major channels

For your ad to be seen by 1,000 people on YouTube, this will set you back $9.68. This is the second-highest CPM, with Pinterest hitting the top spot with a CPM of $30.00.

This is a considerable difference from Twitter's CPC, which is a lowly $0.38.

YouTube ads targeted by intent have 100% higher lift in purchase intent than those targeted by demographics

They also have a 32% higher lift in ad recall. Combining demographics and intent only slightly increases ad performance above targeting by intent alone. People watching YouTube ads targeted by intent also skip ads less and watch ads for longer than people watching ads targeted by demographics.

YouTube's advertising revenue increased by 25% YOY

In the fourth quarter of 2021, YouTube's ad revenue totaled $8.6 billion, a huge increase from their Q4 2020 figure of $6.8 billion.

TikTok ad statistics

50. TikTok ads have the potential to reach almost 885 million people

Remember that if you decide to run an ad campaign on TikTok, you'll need to ensure that your creative matches the channel's ethos. Put simply, keep things light and on-trend.

This isn't unsurprising given the platform's favorability with Gen-Z.

52. TikTok is on a mission to triple its ad revenue in 2022

The rising social media video platform is hoping to bring home an impressive $12 billion in advertising revenue, a substantial jump from the $4 billion is made in 2021.

This is around half of Facebook's MAUs. Not bad for a social networking site that's been operating since 2016.

54. Major brands are slow to hop on the TikTok train, signaling more room for those already involved in the space

Household names including IKEA, Nestle, and Toyota are yet to unlock the power of short-form video on TikTok, making more room and less competition for brands already using the platform.

Is nowhere safe from the power of TikTok?

56. 6% of users spend more than 10 hours per week on TikTok

11% of users spend between five and ten hours a week on the app, and 30% of worldwide users spend less than one hour a week scrolling videos.

Feeling pumped to start creating thumb-stopping ad content on TikTok? Our guide to running ads on TikTok has everything you need to get started.
Use Hootsuite Social Advertising to easily keep track of all of your social media activity - including Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn ad campaigns - and get a complete view of your social ROI. Try it free today. Request a Demo

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56 Important Social Media Advertising Stats for 2022

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Here's a rundown of essential social media marketing advertising statistics that every marketer should keep in their back pocket to help inform their 2022 ads strategy. By now, everyone doing social understands that you can't get by on organic posts alone. Brands need to tie in paid advertising to work alongside social media holistically.

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"an estimated 92 million tonnes of textiles waste is created each year and the equivalent to a rubbish truck full of clothes ends up on landfill sites every second"

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The rise of fast fashion is largely behind the growing amounts of clothing we buy and throw away each year (Credit: Press Association)

Fast fashion is leading to a mountain of clothing being thrown away each year and has a huge impact on the environment, so can we turn our unwanted garments into something useful?

Open your wardrobe and be honest. How long was it since you last wore some of those clothes? Do you think it might be time for a clear out?

Languishing in the back of cupboards and bottom of drawers are outfits that don't fit any more, items that have gone out of fashion, or even clothes that have never been worn. In fact, according to research conducted by sociologist Sophie Woodward at the University of Manchester, on average 12% of clothes in the wardrobes of women she studied could be considered "inactive".

If you were brutal, you'll probably manage to fill a bin-bag or two with clothes you no longer want or need. But what then?

Around 85% of all textiles thrown away in the US - roughly 13 million tonnes in 2017 - are either dumped into landfill or burned. The average American has been estimated to throw away around 37kg of clothes every year. And globally, an estimated 92 million tonnes of textiles waste is created each year and the equivalent to a rubbish truck full of clothes ends up on landfill sites every second. By 2030, we are expected as a whole to be discarding more than 134 million tonnes of textiles a year.

Millions of tonnes of clothing, shoes and other textiles end up in landfill every year because very little is sent for recycling (Credit: Alamy)

"The current fashion system uses high volumes of non-renewable resources, including petroleum, extracted to produce clothes that are often used only for a short period of time, after which the materials are largely lost to landfill or incineration," says Chetna Prajapati, who studies ways of making sustainable textiles at Loughborough University in the UK.

"This system puts pressure on valuable resources such as water, pollutes the environment and degrades ecosystems in addition to creating societal impacts on a global scale."

There are good reasons to seek out alternatives to chucking clothes in the bin - globally the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions, with textile production alone is estimated to release 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere every year. Vast amounts of water are also needed to produce the clothes we wear too and the fashion industry is responsible for 20% of global waste water. ( Read more about the impact our fashion addiction has on the planet.)

At the same time we are buying more clothes than ever - the average consumer now buys 60% more clothing than they did 15 years ago. More than two tonnes of clothing are bought each minute in the UK, more than any other country in Europe. Globally, around 56 million tonnes of clothing are bought each year, and this is expected to rise to 93 million tonnes by 2030 and 160 million tonnes by 2050.

While most clothes with care will last many years, changing fashions mean their lifespan is artificially shortened by consumers changing tastes. Industry figures suggest modern clothing will have a lifespan of between 2-10 years - with underwear and t-shirts lasting just one to two years, while suits and coats last for around four to six years.

Would recycling our clothes help to reduce the toll our fashion addiction has on the environment?

Currently just 13.6% of clothes and shoes thrown away in the US end up being recycled - while the average American throws away 37kg of clothes every year. Globally just 12% of the material used for clothing ends up being recycled. Compare that to paper, glass and plastic PET bottles - which have recycling rates of 66%, 27% and 29% respectively in the US - and it is clear clothing lags behind.

Indeed, most of the recycled polyester being used now by leading fashion brands in fact comes from bottles rather than old clothing.

Much of the problem comes down to what our clothes are made from. The fabrics we drape over our bodies are complex combinations of fibres, fixtures and accessories. They are made from problematic blends of natural yarns, mand-made filaments, plastics and metals.

"For example, a 100% cotton t-shirt contains many other components such as labels and sewing threads which are usually made from another material like polyester," says Prajapati. "Similarly, a typical pair of jeans are made from cotton yarn which is generally blended with elastane, and other components such as zips and buttons and polyester sewing thread and dyed using a range of dyes."

Sorting clothing by hand is a time consuming task made more complicated by the many blends of man-made and natural fibres used in modern garments (Credit: Getty Images)

This makes them hard to separate so they can be effectively recycled. Sorting textiles into different fibres and material types by hand is labour intensive, slow and requires a skilled workforce. Growing use of modern fabric blends in clothing also makes it hard to do this mechanically too, although European researchers have been developing techniques that make use of hyperspectral cameras - which can see light beyond the limits of human vision - to better identify different fabric types. Once sorted, the dyes that have been applied to the fabrics need to be removed in order for yarns to be reused.

Currently, however, very few of the clothes that are sent to be recycled are actually turned into new clothing - a process known as "material to material" recycling. Old wool jumpers, for example, can be turned into carpets, cashmere can be recycled into suits. But as of 2015, less than 1% of used clothing was recycled in this way.

While of course there is a healthy market in second-hand clothes being sold online, perhaps the most popular way of disposing of old clothes is simply to give them away so they can be reused through charity shops. Increasingly, however, clothes donations are being used as a way of simply passing on the textile waste problem to others.

At Oxfam's Wastesaver clothes sorting and recycling plant in Batley, Yorkshire, UK, 80 tonnes of old clothes pass through the factory every week. Lorraine Needham Reid, Oxfam's Wastesaver manager, has worked at the plant for over 10 years. Over that time, however, she has seen a real decline in the quality of clothes that are reaching them, particularly when it comes to the materials used to make the clothes.

These days, most of what reaches Wastesaver will end up never being worn again. Over a third - 35% of the clothes - go to Oxfam's partners in Senegal to be sold. Between 1-3% go back into Oxfam shops around the UK to be re-sold.

The majority is sent for recycling in some way, but about six tonnes of the garments are of such poor quality they are simply torn up so they can be used as industrial cleaning clothes and stuffing for mattresses or car seats.

Fibre recycling technologies do exist, but they are only used on a small scale. Generally, the techniques can be separated into mechanical and chemical recycling.

"Blends are most suitable for mechanical fibre recycling, where fabrics are shredded and pulled to transform them into fibres of shorter length," says Prajapati. Shorter fibre length produces fabrics of lower quality and strength, so the results from this kind of recycling can't be used for clothing. Instead these tend to then be "downcycled" to produce other composite fibre materials such as thermal insulation or carpet for use in the building industry. Some researchers have found ways of creating noise insulation from old textile fibres.

Chemical fibre recycling for fabrics with large quantities of one type of fibre, for example polyester and nylon are well established, says Prajapati. "However, they consist of multiple processes and additional chemicals, making the process and resulting yarn or fabric costly," she says.

Treating cotton-polyester blends with enzymes from fungi can recover the man-made fibres for reuse (Credit: Getty Images)

There has been success on a smaller scale to effectively separate natural and synthetic blends and capture both types of fibres, without losing either fibre in the process. However, scaling up this technology to an industrial scale remains the challenge.

One group of researchers led by Carol Lin, a chemical engineer at the City University of Hong Kong, has developed a technique for recycling fabrics made from cotton and polyester blends by feeding them to fungi. The fungi Aspergillus niger - which typically forms a black mould on grapes - produces an enzyme that can break down the cotton into glucose that can then be used turned into syrup. The remaining pure polyester fibres can then be reused to make new clothing, they claim. Poly-cotton blends are now among the most popular fabrics for use in cheap clothing, commonly used in t-shirts, shirts and even jeans.

Lin and her team have since refined the process so it can be done on a larger scale using industrially produced cellulose enzymes, and have been working with the clothing retailer H&M to examine what impact this recycling process might have on its textile waste.

Austrian researchers have also developed techniques using enzymes that allow them to turn old wool clothing into a material that can be used as a resin or adhesive.

But if we ever hope to make our clothing sustainable, more fundamental changes to the clothing industry will need to be made. Fabrics, fibres and garments will need to be designed in ways that make them easier to recover and recycle.

"Recycling needs to be incorporated into the current system to make it more circular," says Prajapati. "Therefore, the way we design clothes needs to change, it needs to facilitate recycling."

One option is to create new types of materials altogether, from different sources, that either won't have the same impact on the environment or might be easier to recycle. Some are even looking at turning other types of waste - such as off milk - into clothing.

When milk turns sour, it separates into whey at the bottom and protein flakes on top. When you remove the whey, you are left with a kind of cottage cheese.

"This cottage cheese is put into a machine that works like a noodle machine," says Anke Domaske, founder of QMilk, a company that has been developing new types of biodegradable fibres in Hemmingen, Germany. "Together with water you create a dough. At the end there is a spinneret with holes so fine that you do not end up with noodles, but fine fibres that are thinner than hair."

The company then spins these fibres into yarns, which it says have a silk-like texture. These can then be used to make jersey or woven fabrics, or other textiles like felt. Crucially, when a garment made completely from QMilk fibres is no longer wanted, it can simply be composted at home, Domaske says.

QMilk isn't the only company creating textiles from unusual sources.

The dye that is added to clothing also needs to be removed before it the yarn can be recycled (Credit: Getty Images)

After working for years at a design company in Germany, Renana Krebs saw behind the scenes how poor the textiles and clothing industry is for the environment. She vowed to do something about it and in 2016, she started Algalife, making fibres and dyes from algae.

Algae is already widely used in the beauty industry, in certain foods and it is used to make biofuels. "After learning about all those industries, and the benefits that we get from algae, we asked 'why not to do this for textiles?'" says Krebs.

One benefit is the algae are harvested in a closed system, meaning there is no freshwater used in the process at all. All the algae need to grow is water and sunlight. By extracting natural colourings from different types of algae, Krebs and her team have been able to combine these with enzymes and fixative agents - which help to bind the pigment to a fabric - from synthetic and natural sources, including oak galls, pomegranate rind and juniper needles.

They have also been able to produce fibres that can turned into yarns by purifying proteins from the algae or even using them to produce a bio-oil that can be turned into bioplastic fibres.

Prajapati has also been working with colleagues at De Montfort University to produce enzymes that could potentially make the clothes dying process more sustainable.

Currently most textiles are coloured using synthetic dyes, which are petroleum derivatives, and patterned with complex processes. These processes can require temperatures of up to 100C for cotton, nylon and wool, but higher for polyester and other synthetic fibres. On top of this, the process requires high pressures, long processing times and the use of additional chemicals such as acids and alkalis, which are harmful towards the environment in large quantities.

Prajapati and her colleagues have been developing processes that use enzymes so that textile dyes and patterning of fabrics can be done temperatures as low as 50C, at atmospheric pressure and pH conditions around neutral without the use of additional chemicals.

"The key advantages over conventional methods include simpler processing of textiles, the elimination of pre-manufactured dyes and opportunities for multiple colours to be achieved through simple alteration of processing conditions," she says.

Pigments made by Algalife have similar benefits, plus the added benefit of being created from renewable sources, says Krebs. You can even drink the dye they produce, she says. Algalife is now working with a major retail fashion brand and hope to have clothes made from algae in stores by 2021.

Other major brands across the fashion industry are starting to pay attention to the demand for more sustainable practices. Companies like Adidas, that recently announced a range of trainers made from ocean plastic. High street retailer Zara also announced in 2019 that it would be using only sustainable materials by 2025.

The shredding process used by mechanical recycling methods leads to shorter, weaker fibres that cannot be resued to make clothes (Credit: Alamy)

"Using recycled, rather than virgin, materials offers an opportunity to drastically reduce non-renewable resource inputs and the negative impacts of the industry, like CO2 emissions, water and chemical use," says Prajapati.

But some are sceptical about how committed some large brands are to sustainability, accusing them of "greenwashing", which the companies deny.

Zara was one of the original inventors of the fast fashion system as we know it, says Clare Press, Australian Vogue's sustainability editor-at-large and author of the book Wardrobe Crisis. "Let's not pretend people shop at Zara for heirlooms to pass down through the generations," she says. "In the last 20 years the fashion system has changed completely, moving away from seasonal drops towards near-instant gratification. Waiting six months for a runway look seems crazy to a new generation of fashion fans raised on Instagram and 'see now, buy now'."

So while recycling and more sustainable fabrics will be a key part of the solution, consumers too will need to change their behaviour if we hope to lessen the impact that the fashion industry is having on our planet.

"We need to slow down, take a little time to reconnect with our clothes and appreciate them again," says Press. "Remember that whatever you are wearing, it took both physical and creative resources to make it."

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Fast fashion is leading to a mountain of clothing being thrown away each year and has a huge impact on the environment, so can we turn our unwanted garments into something useful?

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"In 2019, more than 98% of all Facebook revenue came from advertising. For the full year, it collected $69.7 billion in advertising fees, and a hefty portion of this income came directly from Instagram."

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In April 2012, Facebook (now Meta) acquired the photo-sharing app Instagram for around $1 billion in cash and stock; many Wall Streeters were puzzled. At the time, Instagram was less than two years old, boasted an employee workforce of 13, and had no revenue.

In 2019, Instagram generated $20 billion in advertising revenue, according to a Feb. 2020 Bloomberg report. About 69% of America's marketers planned to spend most of their 2020 influencer budget on Instagram.

According to a Bloomberg Intelligence report, Instagram was worth $100 billion by 2018. It had just been announced a few days earlier by Instagram they had reached the 1 billion active daily users milestone.

In other words, Facebook got a cash cow for a chicken feed price.

Instagram's Strengths

Instagram has several things going for it that are worth their weight in gold to advertisers:

It attracts a youthful audience. About 85% of teens use Instagram and 31% say it's their favorite app.

Its users click on links. About 130 million users tapped on a commercial link for more details on a product.

Its users actually want to see advertising. About 90% of shopping enthusiasts follow a business and 50% are more interested in brand after they see an ad for the product or service.

Instagram and Facebook

In 2019, more than 98% of all Facebook revenue came from advertising. For the full year, it collected $69.7 billion in advertising fees, and a hefty portion of this income came directly from Instagram. Although separate figures are not reported, analyst research suggests that advertising growth on Instagram exceeds that of its parent.

In fact, according to Merkle's Digital Marketing Report, advertising spending on Instagram grew 177% for the year ending in the second quarter of 2018, compared to only 40% growth for Facebook over the same time period.

Ad Impressions on Instagram

Furthermore, impressions for Instagram in the same quarter grew by 209% year-over-year, versus a negative 17% growth for Facebook.

An ad impression is recorded when a user of a site views a page that includes an advertisement. In the Internet marketing world, ad impressions are good, but ad clicks are better. A click on an advertisement is a positive user response directing them to the advertised product's site.

Ad impressions are seen as a leading indicator of ad hits. The more people see the ad, the more hits it is likely to achieve.

The Inexorable Growth of Mobile

Instagram thrives mainly due to its devoted and growing mobile user base, which surpassed one billion in June of 2018, at a time when Facebook's mobile phone presence was radically lower.

Since that time, mobile has been a growing segment of Facebook's advertising, accounting for 89% of its ad revenues in 2017 versus 84% in 2016.

A Visual Medium

When Facebook bought the app, Instagram was strictly about image-sharing. Within a year, video capabilities were added.

Advertising on Instagram is becoming increasingly sophisticated. One feature lets advertisers display slideshows and link to sites outside Instagram. Its carousel ads facilitate multi-page print campaigns on mobile phones. That type of brand advertising has thus far eluded some of Facebook's biggest web competitors, allowing Instagram to win a significant part of the market.

Like many big names in social media, Instagram started out as a fun idea without a clear path to profit. For Instagram and Facebook, advertising has become the monetization model.

Because it is fundamentally a visual app, Instagram is a natural platform for branded advertising. And as computing moves away from the desktop, especially among millennial users, Instagram is well-positioned to be the dominant platform for advertising in the 21st century.

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In April 2012, Facebook (now Meta) acquired the photo-sharing app Instagram for around $1 billion in cash and stock; many Wall Streeters were puzzled. At the time, Instagram was less than two years old, boasted an employee workforce of 13, and had no revenue.

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"37 per cent of young people aged 16-24 would be embarrassed to wear an outfit to a special occasion such as a wedding more than once"

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Summer is the season for occasion wear, special outfits purchased for weddings, BBQs, holidays and festivals, but wearing these new purchases once is damaging people's purses and the planet. That's why Barnardo's is encouraging shoppers to check out the gems that can be found in their local shops.

According to a new poll conducted by for Barnardo's* this year Britons potentially will spend an extraordinary £2.7 Billion on fashion that will only be worn once.

Barnardo's Chief Executive Javed Khan said: "Choosing to buy pre-loved clothes for a special occasion from a Barnardo's shop means you don't have to worry about bumping into someone wearing the same outfit.

But with more than half (51 per cent) of people say buying new clothes for a festival or holiday adds to the excitement of the build-up, Barnardo's are launching a special with tips on finding and styling occasion wear from its stores. There is also a short film with tips from sustainable fashion experts Paloma in Disguise, and Jade from NotBuyinNew.

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Barnardo's says think 'pre-loved' before buying new clothes

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Summer is the season for occasion wear, special outfits purchased for weddings, BBQs, holidays and festivals, but wearing these new purchases once is damaging people's purses and the planet. That's why Barnardo's is encouraging shoppers to check out the gems that can be found in their local shops.

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"This was reflected in a survey VICE UK conducted of our Snapchat users, who mainly fall within the 18 to 24-year-old age range. Of the 9,549 people asked, "Do you ever buy an item and wear it once before chucking it out?" 23 percent of respondents said yes, while 8 percent of 11,137 respondents said they buy more than ten items a month from online fast fashion retailers."

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Clearly, this does not bode well for the environment. The production of fast fashion now accounts for 10 percent of all carbon emissions and is the second largest consumer of water globally (one pair of jeans requires around 2,000 gallons to produce, or enough water for one person to drink eight cups a day for a decade). Cheap clothes are made from cheap materials, and - via being laundered - are responsible for an estimated 35 percent of all microplastics found in the ocean. They also take hundreds of years to decompose, which is fairly worrying when you consider the equivalent of a truck-load of clothes is burned or dumped in a landfill every second of every day.

Of course, online retailers aren't the only brands to blame here - clothing production has doubled since 2000, feeding the stock rooms of everywhere from cheap stores like Primark to those pitched at the higher end of the high street market, such as Zara and H&M. But by offering clothes at comedically low prices - the £1 Love Island bikini, for instance - and uploading literally thousands of new items every week, these websites are perhaps the most brazen offenders.

Consumers have a part to play in the problem - of 9,120 respondents to our Snapchat survey, 54 percent said they feel bad about shopping fast fashion - but the true responsibility lies with the companies pumping all of this stuff out.

Those defending the industry would argue it democratises fashion, allowing people who didn't previously have the means to properly express themselves through clothing to finally do so - and there's some truth to that. But equally, nobody needs to choose from hundreds of thousands of new garments every month to express themselves, and it's the companies manufacturing all of those garments holding the power to rein it in.

Over the next week on VICE UK, we'll be taking a closer look at fast fashion and its effects on popular culture and the environment, from the billionaire Manchester dynasty at the forefront of the industry - and the new genre of human they've helped to create - to the rank excesses at the heart of the fast fashion business and the human cost of all those £10 jumpsuits.

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How Many People Chuck an Outfit After Wearing it Once?

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Clearly, this does not bode well for the environment. The production of fast fashion now accounts for 10 percent of all carbon emissions and is the second largest consumer of water globally (one pair of jeans requires around 2,000 gallons to produce, or enough water for one person to drink eight cups a day for a decade).

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"An estimated £140m worth of clothing is sent to UK landfill each year"

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WRAP is stepping up to the challenge and taking action to transform the way that textiles and clothing are bought, used and re-used. By creating a circular economy for textiles, we are reducing GHG emissions and water use, cutting pollution and helping to end unethical labour practices.

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Useful for resources on how to reference etc

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Our study support services are available to students of Falmouth University and the University of Exeter (Cornwall Campuses)

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"75% of Gen Zers selected their smartphones as their device of choice"
"Since they consume the most online media, app designs should allow them to quickly access digital content. Apps on mobile devices should be easy to navigate even with just one hand."
"Gen Zers account for almost 40% of mobile users"

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Nik Froehlich is the CEO and Founder of Saritasa, an Information Technology and Services company, since 2005. Generation Z
People across all generations spend more time now than ever before using mobile apps, averaging roughly four hours a day. This is why brands are focusing on advertising for mobile. App Annie estimated that $290 billion would be spent on mobile advertising in 2021. Although all generations use mobile apps, they don't use them the same way.

Here are the key differences in how each generation uses mobile applications:

Under the age of 25, Generation Z - or "digital natives" - grew up with smartphones and the internet. Gen Zers account for almost 40% of mobile users, and they're the biggest consumers of video content. A report from Awesomeness found that up to 71% of Gen Zers go to YouTube for long-form content, while up to 75% use Snapchat to connect with their peers.
Millennials
Generation Z uses about five different screens: a smartphone, tablet, laptop, TV and desktop. According to an IBM study, 75% of Gen Zers selected their smartphones as their device of choice. However, 69% still own a laptop or PC.

Where does all this information lead us in terms of designing for Gen Z? Since they consume the most online media, app designs should allow them to quickly access digital content. Apps on mobile devices should be easy to navigate even with just one hand. Important buttons should be placed at the bottom so that the user can easily reach them with one thumb. Icons, rather than text, are a simple and efficient way to direct users through an app.
Generation X
Millennials are between 25 and 40 years old, and this is the most diverse generation in terms of lifestyle habits and interests. Though millennials use social media, most turn to other apps for music streaming, games and navigation. This group values information and is willing to use a variety of apps to remain up to date about current events, entertainment news and even weather information. Many millennials also use e-commerce apps, and up to 35% prefer Amazon. According to research by B2X, millennials spend at least five hours a day on their smartphones.

When designing for millennials, a separate mobile app or mobile responsive website is critical. Millennials generally respond the most to push notifications, as a 2015 Business Insider study found that 84% of millennial app users respond to push notifications they receive.
Baby Boomers
Those in Generation X are now between 41 and 56 years old and go online for a specific purpose.

According to a GlobalWebIndex report, Gen Xers spend about two and a half hours daily on their smartphones and spend about two hours a day on social media. Unlike younger generations, Gen Xers prefer personal interaction rather than visual stimulation. They comprise the largest demographic group of Facebook users; 81% of Gen Xers have a Facebook account compared to 71% of users who have a YouTube account. Since those under this category go online for a specific purpose, developers must make ease of use the priority for Gen Xers.

As noted by Marketing Dive, 65.6% of baby boomers (aged 57 to 75) own a smartphone, while around 55% have a tablet. This generation uses apps that help them maintain a better quality of life. These include apps that give information about healthy living, shopping and travel. Studies show that up to 40% of baby boomers use retail apps to buy products. However, only 32% of baby boomers use a mobile wallet.
Key Takeaways
Younger generations tend to navigate apps with more icon-driven UI because they can understand visual cues more quickly. Millennials and Gen Zers have a more intuitive understanding of common UI practices such as swiping and dragging icons. However, older users may need more text-based cues. For example, e-commerce apps should be more straightforward and spell out "Add to Cart" instead of just having a plus icon on a product page.

In addition, baby boomers are generally more used to reading long-form text and moving through pages at a slower pace in order to digest all information. Older users may also need larger text and less complex designs for easier access. App designs may also need to have enough color contrast to make the text easier to read.

Gen Zers go for apps that provide visual stimulation, and this group consumes the most video content. This is why many app designs that cater to the Gen Z market provide their users with easier access to different types of media content. Millennials, however, use a variety of apps but do so primarily to obtain information. They also respond the most to push notifications. Gen Zers and millennials primarily use their mobile phones to use apps, so developers must ensure to create mobile responsive websites. However, it may be harder for developers to compete with the slew of newer applications regularly being launched.

Gen Xers and baby boomers use apps more purposefully. Gen Xers prefer personal connections to visual stimulation, which is why many of them are on Facebook. On the other hand, baby boomers use apps to maintain a better quality of life. They may also prefer app designs that are easier to read and navigate. This means having more text-based over icon-based UI designs. Both Gen Xers and baby boomers are very purposeful when using applications, so developers must place user experience (UX) as a top priority, ensuring that the UX is seamless and easy to navigate. Developers must also take into consideration that not all baby boomers may be adept at adjusting to new interfaces, so it may be better to stick to one that works and not change the UI so much after every update.

Understanding these differences can allow developers to create apps that cater to the specific tastes of each generation. The differences may be subtle, but the impact they have on your app can be huge.

Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?

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Council Post: Understanding The Differences In Mobile App Use Across Generations

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Nik Froehlich is the CEO and Founder of Saritasa, an Information Technology and Services company, since 2005. Generation Z People across all generations spend more time now than ever before using mobile apps, averaging roughly four hours a day. This is why brands are focusing on advertising for mobile.

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In this day and age, technology is considered an important part of any successful business. Nearly every communication model, for example, relies on modern innovations in one way or another. Social media, emails, and even digital voice calls are all results of recent technological advancement.

Mobile apps are another innovation that has had a massive impact on business operations. If you still think this is solely for big-name brands, you're setting yourself up for failure. In addition to a good website, small businesses also invest in mobile apps to boost their sales.

As an entrepreneur, is this technology worth the investment? Here are some reasons why your brand can benefit from a mobile application:

1. Increase customer engagement

One of the main reasons you should consider app development for enterprise companies is to help increase customer engagement. If you've been in the industry long enough, you already know how important it is to keep your consumers engaged. For one, it plays a massive role in pushing potential customers through the funnel and turning reach into conversion. Engagement also ensures that your consumer base discovers any new product as soon as possible, hence increasing the overall number of sales.

So how does a mobile app enhance customer engagement? For one, these apps could act as gentle reminders to potential buyers through push notifications. For instance, if you have a new item in store for your consumers, you can alert those customers who have the app installed for new products or promotions.

A well-developed mobile application also allows your consumers to browse through various products and interact with your brand right at their fingertips. Such convenience puts you among their top choices whenever they need any service similar to what you're offering. Also, in case of any issues or feedback, they can do it quickly through the app, which is beneficial to you because you get to understand your customers' views.

2. Build customer loyalty

The current business environment is full of advertisements, with every business trying to market its products. As such, retaining your existing customers can become quite challenging, given the noise from other businesses' roadside banners or billboards. To overcome the competition, it'd be a good idea to go back to the basics of marketing and start building a connection with your customers. (1)

Mobile apps give you a chance to build customer loyalty and cultivate it over time. Keeping your current consumers close and alerting them whenever you have some fantastic deals is a good way of ensuring that they come back to your store despite the increasing marketing noise around them. Of course, this isn't the sole factor that's going to save your business, but it'll play a significant role in ensuring that you continue growing in the industry.

3. Enhance personalized marketing

Marketing your products is one thing, but personalizing your strategies guarantees more success. Of course, you cannot move in that direction unless you have the correct information about your target group. Going through various personal social media accounts may only work for companies with small consumer bases. However, as this group and as your business grows, it becomes a little challenging to track the needs of every single customer.

Fortunately, mobile applications have made this approach quite attainable for any business. When a customer installs your application on their smartphone, you can leverage their profile information and use it to market relevant items. Some of the data that comes in handy in this strategy include the user's age, gender, and location.

Also, when the customer uses the app several times, you can also collect their usage data and analyze it to understand where and which sites they've visited or searched more frequently. For e-commerce businesses, the app will show whatever website or term the user has visited or searched on the homepage to fit the customer's needs. This might seem like a simple move, but it's very effective.

4. Stay competitive

With ever-changing technology and consumer demands, you can expect mobile apps to become part of the basic requirements of any business in the near future. In fact, if you were to do a PESTLE analysis of almost any business environment at the moment, you'll realize that most enterprises are prioritizing technological advancements. (2)

Therefore, investing in an app for your brand today puts you one step ahead of your business rivals. By the time other entrepreneurs start investing in that area, you'll already have a strong foundation, which will definitely keep you competitive.

Conclusion

There are many positive business changes that can be attributed to modern technology, and proper marketing is one of them. Investing in a mobile app enhances your overall marketing by improving consumer engagement. This is key because it allows potential customers to explore all your products, including the newest collections. It also allows you to carry out personalized marketing, which is another crucial aspect of increasing your sales.
References

1. "The Basics Of Marketing And Its Importance", Source: https://medium.com/@confoundingsolutions/the-basics-of-marketing-and-its-importance-5d8870132afe

2. "Why Technology Needs To Be Your Top Priority", Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2018/06/28/why-technology-needs-to-be-your-top-priority/

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In this day and age, technology is considered an important part of any successful business. Nearly every communication model, for example, relies on modern innovations in one way or another. Social media, emails, and even digital voice calls are all results of recent technological advancement.

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When will inflation in the UK come down?

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We expect inflation to fall back from the middle of next year, and be close to the 2% target in two years’ time.

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Four in 10 young people around the world are hesitant to have children as a result of the climate crisis, and fear that governments are doing too little to prevent climate catastrophe, a poll in 10 countries has found.

Nearly six in 10 young people, aged 16 to 25, were very or extremely worried about climate change, according to the biggest scientific study yet on climate anxiety and young people, published on Tuesday. A similar number said governments were not protecting them, the planet, or future generations, and felt betrayed by the older generation and governments.

Three-quarters agreed with the statement "the future is frightening", and more than half felt they would have fewer opportunities than their parents. Nearly half reported feeling distressed or anxious about the climate in a way that was affecting their daily lives and functioning.

The poll of about 10,000 young people covered Australia, Brazil, Finland, France, India, Nigeria, the Philippines, Portugal, the UK and the US. It was paid for by the campaigning organisation Avaaz.

Young climate activists said feelings of anxiety over the climate were now widespread among today's youth. Mitzi Tan, 23, from the Philippines, said: "I grew up being afraid of drowning in my own bedroom. Society tells me that this anxiety is an irrational fear that needs to be overcome, one that meditation and healthy coping mechanisms will 'fix'." At its root, our climate anxiety comes from this deep-set feeling of betrayal because of government inaction. To truly address our growing climate anxiety, we need justice."

It is now common for young people to worry about having children, according to Luisa Neubauer, a 25-year-old climate activist, who is co-organiser of the school strike movement in Germany and helped achieve the court victory that has forced the German government to re-evaluate its climate policies.

She said: "I meet a lot of young girls, who ask whether it's still OK to have children. It's a simple question, yet it tells so much about the climate reality we are living in. We young people realised that just worrying about the climate crisis won't stop it. So we turned our individual anxiety into collective action. And now, we are fighting everywhere: on the streets, at the courts, in and outside institutions across the globe. Yet governments are still failing us, as emissions are rising to record levels. The appropriate answer to this study would be governments to start acting like they promised they would."

Earlier this month, Unicef found that children and young people around the world were bearing the brunt of the climate crisis, with 1 billion children at "extreme risk" from the impacts of climate breakdown.

The study, entitled Young People's Voices on Climate Anxiety, Government Betrayal and Moral Injury: A Global Phenomenon, has been released on a pre-publication basis, while it is under the peer review process, by the scientific journal Lancet Planetary Health. The survey was conducted and analysed by seven academic institutions in the UK, Europe and the US, including the University of Bath, the University of East Anglia, and the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.

The poll adds to previous surveys, which have also found high levels of anxiety about the climate crisis around the world, including fears about having children.

Caroline Hickman, from the University of Bath, Climate Psychology Alliance and co-lead author on the study, said: "This study paints a horrific picture of widespread climate anxiety in our children and young people. It suggests for the first time that high levels of psychological distress in youth is linked to government inaction. Our children's anxiety is a completely rational reaction given the inadequate responses to climate change they are seeing from governments. What more do governments need to hear to take action?"

Francois Hollande, who was president of France when the Paris agreement was forged in 2015, urged governments meeting in November in Glasgow for the Cop26 UN climate summit to take note. "Six years after the Paris agreement, we must open our eyes to the violence of climate change, to its impact on our planet, but also to the mental health of our youth, as this alarming study shows. We must act urgently and do everything we can to give younger generations a future," he said.

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Four in 10 young people fear having children due to climate crisis

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Four in 10 young people around the world are hesitant to have children as a result of the climate crisis, and fear that governments are doing too little to prevent climate catastrophe, a poll in 10 countries has found.

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Rent, Resell designer fashion dresses bags | By Rotation

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Rent designer fashion for a fraction of the retail price. Download free By Rotation app and rent your outfit from over 80,000 dresses, clothing, bags and shoes.

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HURR | Rent Designer Dresses, Bags and Clothes UK

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Rent over 10,000+ designer fashion items online from HURR. Discover luxury designer dresses, clothing, bags and accessories from the world's top brands.

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It's Chilly Out There

Stay warm and cosy this winter, with this collection from Stand Studio, Shrimps, House of Sunny, Baum und Pferdgarten, and more.

Say Hello to Resale

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Spotlight on Self Portrait

A firm Christmas Party favourite, Self Portrait is the go-to label for special yet attainable dresses for occasion dressing. Whether you're looking for an outfit for a wedding reception, party or event, this is the place to be. Fresh and feminine dresses with ruffles, lace and flattering silhouettes are created by the London-based designer Han Chong. On Rotaro you will find red lace midi dresses, Knitwear and Blue pleated dresses.

We are excited to announce our exclusive rental partnership with Jakke, an ethical fashion label born in 2015 by East London designer Nina Hopkins. Jakke is the ultimate sustainable outerwear, their collection is made of 45% recycled bottles, they are cruelty-free and work with manufacturers that are paid fairly and family-owned.

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Rotaro Fashion Rental. We offer Next day delivery across the UK and Same day delivery in London. Book your outfit up to 6 months in advance. You don't need to own your wardrobe to be known for your wardrobe. Rent your favourite brands such as Refo...

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Browse the Hirestreet website to find your favourite outfits. Once you have found something you love, select your size, rental period (choose from 4 to 16 days) and delivery date then add to bag. Where possible we recommend you book your delivery to arrive 2 days before your event.

Why not add an extra size or style if you are unsure of size and fit? We give rental credit on unworn items returned with ribbons and tags on.

You can also choose to add insurance to any of your items before proceeding to checkout, this will cover you against any accidental damages.

At checkout tell us where to ship the outfits and enter payment details. Please note, we charge a rental fee of £3 for every unique delivery date in your order. For multiple items with the same delivery date will only be charged this fee once.

When your outfits arrive please try them on - keeping the ribbon in place. Only remove the ribbon once you have decided to wear the outfit for your event.

We hope you love your outfit but if you don't and need to exchange the item or return it for rental credit then please get in touch with [email protected] within 48 hours of it being delivered. If it's your first order you are eligible to receive a refund.

We absolutely love seeing your gorgeous photos so please tag us - @hirestreetuk - to be featured on our Modelled By You page

Our usual order packaging is resealable and will contain a returns label. Once you have worn your outfits please place them inside returns bag and seal it. Orders sent in our suit carriers will contain and security tag. When you need to return your rentals, please place them back in the suit carrier, seal with the security tag and place the returns label in the front pouch on the outside of the carrier. You do not need to wash any of the clothes - we do that for you.

Please ensure that your return has been dropped off at the Post Office on or before midday on your designated return date. You can find information on your return date in the My Account section and also on your confirmation email. You must keep your proof of postage receipt - this is to ensure you are not unfairly charged in cases where Royal Mail have lost the items.

We love to hear your feedback - so we can make sure we are always improving - please do leave us a review if you have time.

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Rent Dresses, Bags & Outfits For All Occasions

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Browse the Hirestreet website to find your favourite outfits. Once you have found something you love, select your size, rental period (choose from 4 to 16 days) and delivery date then add to bag. Where possible we recommend you book your delivery to arrive 2 days before your event.

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The UK's leading fashion rental platform. Rent and buy womenswear designer clothes and accessories for 10% of their RRP. Next day delivery throughout the UK.

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Great paper on the environmental impact of fashion waste

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Great paper on the environmental impact of fashion waste

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"if the active life of clothes is extended by nine months, it would potentially result in 27 percent carbon saving, 33 percent water saving, 22 percent waste saving, and 22 percent resource cost saving (£2 billion)"
"Eco-efficiency is gained, when either the input of environmental resources results in more product-uses, or when a certain number of product used is realized with a lower environmental burden (e.g. Hinterberger et al., 1997). -

Hinterberger, F., Luks, F. and Schmidt-Bleek, F. (1997), “Material flows vs. ‘Natural capital’”, Ecological Economics, Vol. 23 No. 1, pp. 1-14."

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To read the full version of this content please select one of the options below:

Samira Iran (Institute of Vocational Education and Work Studies, TU Berlin , Berlin, Germany)

Ulf Schrader (Institute of Vocational Education and Work Studies, TU Berlin , Berlin, Germany)

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Collaborative fashion consumption and its environmental effects

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To read the full version of this content please select one of the options below: Samira Iran (Institute of Vocational Education and Work Studies, TU Berlin , Berlin, Germany) Ulf Schrader (Institute of Vocational Education and Work Studies, TU Berlin , Berlin, Germany)

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Environmental benefits of reusing clothes

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Environmental benefits of reusing clothes

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"Based on the survey result and the methodology applied, the purchase of 100 second-hand garments would save between 60 and 85 new garments dependent of the place of reuse."
"The reduction of impacts resulting from collecting 100 garments for reuse range from 14% decrease of global warming for the cotton T-shirt to 45% reduction of human toxicity for the polyester/cotton trousers."

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Environmental benefits from reusing clothes - The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment

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Background, aim, and scope Clothes are often discarded when much of their potential lifetime is left. Many charitable organizations therefore collect used clothing and resell it as second-hand clothes for example in Eastern Europe or Africa. In this connection, the question arises whether reusing cl…

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While the fashion industry is reorganizing for the next normal after the COVID-19 crisis, European consumers have become even more engaged in sustainability topics. That presents an opportunity for the fashion industry to reiterate its commitment to sustainability. Moreover, now could be the moment to drive less seasonality in the fashion system.

Our survey was conducted in April 2020 across more than 2,000 UK and German consumers. It is part of a firmwide effort to capture consumer sentiment during the COVID-19 crisis.

Sentiment toward sustainability

Amid the shock and uncertainty that the fashion sector is facing during the COVID-19 crisis, there is a silver lining for the environment: two-thirds of surveyed consumers state that it has become even more important to limit impacts on climate change. Additionally, 88 percent of respondents believe that more attention should be paid to reducing pollution.

In practice, consumers have already begun changing their behaviors accordingly. Of consumers surveyed, 57 percent have made significant changes to their lifestyles to lessen their environmental impact, and more than 60 percent report going out of their way to recycle and purchase products in environmentally friendly packaging (Exhibit 1).

Emphasis on social and environmental commitments

While the industry is reorganizing for the next normal, it should consider that consumers want fashion players to uphold their social and environmental responsibilities amid the crisis. Of surveyed consumers, 67 percent consider the use of sustainable materials to be an important purchasing factor, and 63 percent consider a brand's promotion of sustainability in the same way.

Additionally, surveyed consumers expect brands to take care of their employees, as well as workers in Asia, during the COVID-19 crisis (Exhibit 2). That highlights the need for brands to maintain ethical commitments, despite the crisis.

Overall, it is imperative to build trust and transparency with consumers, as 70 percent are sticking with brands they know and trust during the crisis. Of surveyed consumers, 75 percent consider a trusted brand to be an important purchasing factor. However, younger consumers, particularly Gen Zers and millennials, are more likely to experiment with smaller or lesser-known brands during the crisis (Exhibit 3).

Shift in purchasing behavior

With 88 percent of consumers expecting a slow recovery or a recession, general consumer confidence is low. As a result, consumer spending on fashion is also changing. More than 60 percent of consumers report spending less on fashion during the crisis, and approximately half expect that trend to continue after the crisis passes. However, consumers are likely to cut back on accessories, jewelry, and other discretionary categories before reducing their spending on apparel and footwear (Exhibit 4).

When it comes to making changes to purchasing behavior, younger consumer segments are willing to buy cheaper versions of products they normally buy-approximately 50 percent of Gen Zers and millennials in our survey report trading down (Exhibit 5).

The COVID-19 crisis has recruited new consumers to online channels: 43 percent of surveyed consumers who didn't purchase fashion online before the crisis have started using online channels. And that shift is unlikely to reverse, as nearly 28 percent of consumers expect to buy less at physical stores-a trend seen in higher shares in Generation Z and millennial respondents (Exhibit 6).

Mindset on fashion cycles and circular business models

The survey findings indicate that the consumer mindset is not strongly tied to the fashion cycle, so now could be the moment to drive less seasonality in the fashion system. Of surveyed consumers, 65 percent are supportive of fashion brands delaying the launch of new collections as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Additionally, 58 percent of respondents are less concerned about the fashion of clothing than other factors following the crisis, and consumers now cite newness as one of the least important attributes when making purchases (Exhibit 7).

As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, 65 percent of respondents are planning to purchase more durable fashion items, and 71 percent are planning to keep the items they already have for longer (Exhibit 8). Additionally, 57 percent of respondents are willing to repair items to prolong usage.

Particularly among younger European consumers, there is interest in purchasing secondhand fashion items following the COVID-19 crisis. Of surveyed consumers, around 50 percent of Gen Zers and millennials expect to purchase more items secondhand (Exhibit 9).

Overall, consumer sentiment suggests that the COVID-19 crisis could serve as a reset opportunity for players in the apparel, footwear, and luxury sectors to strengthen their sustainability commitments and accelerate industry-wide changes, such as reduced seasonality and scaling of circular business models.

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Survey: Consumer sentiment on sustainability in fashion

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Consumer engagement in sustainability has deepened during the COVID-19 crisis, as consumers demand that fashion players act responsibly, and consider the social and environmental impact of their businesses.

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Consumer perception of sustainable fashion

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Consumer perception of sustainable fashion

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"The current gap between consumer attitude and
real-life actions can be reduced if sustainable clothes fulfill the needs of consumers, as well
as by educating them on the topic of sustainability in fashion" - pg 3

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"60% of respondents said they are more likely to shop sustainably if it was the same price as fast fashion" (pg 12)

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Share

The natural world is a constant source of inspiration for textile and fashion designers. The results can be joyous, colourful and highly desirable, yet their instant appeal makes it all too easy to forget the damage the fashion industry inflicts on nature. Today the industry's processes and practices often harm environments, ecosystems and human communities around the globe.

The modern linear system of manufacturing and the promotion of fast, disposable fashion puts pressure on non-renewable and threatened resources, especially water, and produces huge quantities of waste, most of which goes to landfill or for incineration. The industry's methods and materials can also be highly polluting. Its use of fossil fuels generates carbon dioxide that contributes to global warming by trapping heat in the atmosphere. Many dyeing and finishing processes rely on toxic chemicals that affect the health of workers and leach out into rivers and ground water systems degrading the land, compromising drinking water and killing fish. Synthetic fibres in the clothes we wear every day affect our oceans, rivers and marine life. When these clothes are washed tiny plastic microfibers too small to be trapped in filters enter not only the water system but also the food chain.

I Can Only Live in a Clean Ocean, poster, 1990. Museum no. E.3062-1991. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

How has this happened?

The textile and fashion industry has always caused pollution but it increased dramatically in countries like Britain as the industry grew in scale during the 19th century. During this period, manufacturers utilised new technologies and faster manufacturing methods, particularly steam power, and retailers developed more sophisticated marketing and sales techniques. At the same time, the audience for fashion grew as the population increased, the middle class expanded, disposable incomes grew and prices fell. As the volume of manufacturing and consumption rose, so did air and water pollution.

Newspaper reports from the 19th century describe the foul conditions we now see in some developing countries. In 1833 the Manchester Times vividly evoked the stench and danger of the ‘Black Ditch’ at Pendleton which overflowed to flood the adjacent footpath with over a metre of mud contaminated with "waste dye stuff and filth" making it impassable and a public nuisance. The British government introduced legislation to control pollution from the 1860s but it was often flawed. Although government and industry recognised the link between poor health, environmental damage and pollution, these risks tended to be accepted as a necessary price of industrial development and manufacturers were reluctant to spend more than strictly necessary on pollution controls.

Nursing dress, 1825–30, England. Museum no. T.74-1988. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Manufacturing methods and the widespread use of toxic chemicals can also be hazardous. The new aniline dyes, developed in the second half of the 19th century, created bright, low cost colours but caused skin problems and, in some cases, an increased risk of cancer for those who worked with them. Some wearers suffered from sickness, swelling and rashes. The felt hatting industry was dangerous because most workshops used mercuric nitrate to speed up the felting process. Mercury can be absorbed through the lungs, skin and stomach and it stays in the body. Mercury poisoning affects the neuro-motor system, causing long-term tremors, anxiety and irritation. Our collection of hats that have been created using mercury are stored in labelled, sealed bags to contain any remaining toxic contaminants.

The environmental damage and occupational health hazards that were once common in Britain have now shifted elsewhere. The modern textile and fashion industry is global and most mass-manufacturing is outsourced to countries with low labour costs which often have weak labour and environmental laws.

The use of toxic chemicals remains a serious issue. In 2011 the environmental charity Greenpeace called the industry to account. Its Detox campaign challenges big clothing brands to take responsibility for the environmental impact of their supply chains and to commit to achieving zero discharges of hazardous chemicals by 2020. Only 80 companies signed up and progress has been made but they represent just 15% of the global industry.

Detox Catwalk, Greenpeace, 2015, Rancaekek, West Java province. © Greenpeace

What can we do to change this?

Today designers, scientists, business, government and campaigners are coming together to develop a range of high and low-tech solutions, tested and experimental, which together have the potential to create a cleaner, greener, less wasteful industry. Instead of the take, make, dispose model of the linear system of manufacturing, research is focussing on circular systems, which take, make and re-make.

Skirt and shirt made from Orange Fiber, Salvatore Ferragamo, 2017, Italy. T.1710 1&2-2018. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Other approaches include reducing waste by designing products to be more durable and offering consumers the option of customisation; using sustainable materials like linen grown in Western Europe more widely; investing in the development of commercially viable methods of recycling blended materials, and converting waste from non-textiles sources like food into materials suitable for clothing and accessories; reducing carbon emissions by employing energy sources other than fossil fuels, using local centres of production and utilizing more energy efficient methods; reducing water consumption and the use of toxins in dyeing and finishing processes by developing new technologies; and developing bio-fabricated materials and alternative processes based in synthetic biology as an alternative to synthetic materials made in the petro-chemical industry.

Jacket, jeans, shirt and ankle boots, G-Star RAW, 2018, Netherlands. Museum no. T.39:1 to 5-2018. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Given by the designer

As wearers, we can also make a difference by choosing and looking after our clothes more carefully, wearing them longer, having smaller wardrobes, re-cycling the clothes we no longer want and thinking about alternatives to buying such as swapping or renting outfits.

Mend More Jumper, Bridget Harvey, 2015, UK. © Bridget Harvey

Find out more about the Fashioned From Nature exhibition.

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Background image: Detox Catwalk, Greenpeace, 2015, Rancaekek, West Java province.

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V&A · Pollution: the dark side of fashion

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Despite repeatedly using nature for inspiration, the fashion industry’s processes and practices harm environments, ecosystems and human communities globally

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Key takeaways:

Naturally occurring fabrics like cotton and wool tend to break down quicker than manufactured fabrics like polyester.

Adjusting soil composition and temperature can significantly change the pace of biodegradability.

The vast majority of materials on earth will biodegrade. The problem is that some, like plastic, will take a millennium to disappear.

So what does it mean when a product is labelled as “biodegradable”? It suggests it biodegrades relatively quickly, but the speed depends on who is being asked. Naturally occurring fabrics like cotton and wool tend to break down quicker than manufactured fabrics like polyester, although certain polymers, like rayon, are an exception.

Fashion is starting to pay attention to what constitutes biodegradability. Around 4 per cent of worldwide waste in 2015 came from the fashion industry, according to a 2017 Global Fashion Agenda and Boston Consulting Group report, and producing more clothing with man-made fibres looks set to only add to that.

But fast fashion brands like C&A and H&M have forefronted compostable and biodegradable clothing designs in recent years as a rejoinder to this, and biodegradable synthetics are growing in popularity. There has been a 42 per cent growth in searches for Tencel during 2019, per Lyst, and since 2017, the number of products containing lyocell in the US has increased by 36 per cent.

The Hohenstein Institute awards biodegradable certification to products by evaluating how quickly they break down in soil. The German research institute tested how well textiles biodegraded over a span of four weeks (see chart above) and found that nonwoven cotton and casein samples disappeared completely. Meanwhile, woven cotton and cotton/polyester mixes proved more durable, while a 100 per cent polyester sample stayed almost completely intact.

The results don’t necessarily reflect a universal standard since soil composition and temperature both play a big role in biodegradation. Some materials break down more quickly in conditions like being placed in an industrial composting facility or when bacteria or fungi are added to the mix. The chemicals used to treat and dye materials can also last a lot longer than the fabrics — and they will all be released when the base material falls apart.

That said, some generalisations can be made about textile durability. When buried in soil, rayon and linen can degrade in just a few weeks. (This makes them more biodegradable than cotton.) Tencel, an elastane alternative, takes a bit longer — with a test showing half of the material broke down after 94 days; this is still a much shorter time than the synthetic materials it can replace.

The International Wool Textile Organisation, the industry body representing those working in the wool trade, claims most wool-only based products will almost completely biodegrade after six months in a landfill. (Nonetheless, the material can be hardy: 3,000-year-old woollen clothing was found buried in the Israeli desert in 2014.) Signs of degradation appear in silk after about four years. That is long enough that it is rarely advertised as biodegradable, but the process can be sped up, and all of the material can go in just 12 to 24 months.

The flip side of creating biodegradable apparel is that it can mean foregoing durability and therefore reuse. A material that breaks down quickly also does not necessarily biodegrade cleanly, and technically biodegradable materials could be releasing harmful chemicals as they decompose. However, some compostable standards like Cradle to Cradle certification insist that the soil is protected.

To become a Vogue Business Member and receive the Sustainability Edit newsletter, click here.

Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@voguebusiness.com.

More from this author:

The search for biodegradable lingerie

Brands are phasing out fur. Could leather be next?

Zalando is now carbon neutral. Is that a big deal?

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How quickly do fashion materials biodegrade?

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The Hohenstein Institute awards biodegradable certification to products by evaluating how quickly they break down in soil. The German research institute tested how well textiles biodegraded over a span of four weeks (see chart above) and found that nonwoven cotton and casein samples disappeared completely.

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Study shows Gen Z willingness to rent clothes

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A study by Washington State University has found that Gen Z are willing to use clothing rental services in order to reduce waste. The study, conducted by...

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Social media business benefits and legislation | nibusinessinfo.co.uk

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Different social media channels and legislation relevant to social media that employers need to be aware of

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Boris Johnson has today announced his resignation as Prime Minister. The PM was met with cheers from family and friends as he made his speech outside No 10 Downing Street today, adding that he intended to stay in office until his next successor is chosen. Boris Johnson thanked his wife Carrie and their children, and commended the staff of Downing Street, telling the crowd, "you, the British people, for the immense privilege you have given me. I know even if things can sometimes seem dark now our future together is golden." How will his resignation affect UK businesses?

Mr Johnson made it clear that he intends to stay on until autumn as a "caretaker" PM - but it is not clear whether that will be the case. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, and the Secretary of State for Health, Sajid Javid, announced their resignations on Tuesday. With a slew of ministerial resignations, business leaders have called for stability in a bid to find the next successor - with many fearing a plague of uncertainty and instability in the months to come.

Lord Rose, chair of supermarket chain Asda and a former boss of Marks & Spencer, said it was vital a new Prime Minister fill in the post, as Briton faces a perpetual cost of living crisis - citing it as a "serious" economic issue that needs to be addressed urgently. He said: "This has been too long in happening and it is unsustainable to continue with a hamstrung, lame duck prime minister into the autumn. There doesn't seem to be anybody dealing with the serious issue of the economy. This political crisis has hamstrung everything."

Millions of families across Briton are struggling to deal with rising costs of energy prices as winter approaches, with predictions of a possible recession. Tony Danker, director-general of the CBI business lobby group, said: "We now need the political vacuum to be filled at speed to protect people's living standards, through action on business confidence, investment and growth. Getting the economy growing again has got to be the number one focus for all politicians."

Meanwhile, Kitty Ussher, chief economist at the Institute of Directors, the UK employers' group, spoke from the same hymn, adding: "What business hates most is uncertainty and instability, which heightens the sense of external risk. Having said that, we recognise that this is an issue for the Conservative Party to resolve. She said that the government's priority "must be to give businesses the confidence to invest".

Mr Johnson has appointed new members of the cabinet after multiple ministers handed in their resignations in the last 48 hours. Nadhim Zahawi has been appointed as the new chancellor on Tuesday evening to replace Rishi Sunak. Meanwhile, Greg Clark, the former business minister has replaced Michael Gove who was sacked by Mr Johnson on Wednesday evening.

The Institute of Directors (IoD) called for investment tax super-deduction to be made permanent, and also urged the government to rethink the planned corporation tax. Nadhim Zahawi said he would review the corporation tax rise - and has hinted that a rise from 19p to 25p next year could be reduced or scrapped. The Chancellor said he wanted to examine the planned increases on corporation tax to allow British businesses to remain competitive. Speaking to Sky News, Nadhim said on Wednesday evening: "I will look at everything. There's nothing off the table. I want to be one of the most competitive countries in the world for investment."

Archie Norman, the chair of Marks & Spencer and a former Conservative MP, believes Mr Johnson's departure could pave the way for a stronger focus on Britain's recovery, without putting Brexit at the forefront of every conversation. He said: "I first met Boris in 1994 when he was a journalist and he was a good colleague in my time in parliament. It was sad watching his regime degenerate. But this is now a great opportunity to embark on a new post-partisan era, to stop framing every question against the context of Brexit and to reach out across the water to bring together all the talents across the Conservative party to build a proper recovery plan for the UK economy. The public are thirsting for a new civility in public discourse. That means a more grown-up tone, straight-talking and respect for the truth, however unpalatable."

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Boris Johnson resigns as Prime Minister - What does this mean for SMEs?

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Boris Johnson has today announced his resignation as Prime Minister. The PM was met with cheers from family and friends as he made his speech outside No 10 Downing Street today, adding that he intended to stay in office until his next successor is chosen.

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Eco-ansiedade: as sequelas psicológicas da crise climática

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As mudanças climáticas são uma realidade e ameaçam o futuro da Terra. Essa circunstância pode ter impactos psicológicos em algumas pessoas, um fenômeno conhecido como eco-ansiedade. A seguir, explicamos seu conceito, o que a provoca, quais são seus sintomas e o que podemos fazer para evitá-la enquanto cuidamos do planeta.

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PESTLE analysis can be an extremely effective tool in business, if used correctly. It falls under the category of 'environmental analysis' , which is to say that it revolves around identifying the various external variables that affect a business's performance. Specifically, these are the Political, Economic, Social (sometimes socio-cultural), Technological, Legal, and Environmental ones, hence the acronym 'PESTLE'.

One of the handy things about PESTLE analysis in particular (as opposed to other business management/analysis tools) is that it is very easy to conduct, as long as you are familiar with the six categories. That's why we are writing this set of articles about each of the categories, from P to E. We'll be providing definitions, in-depth explanations, and relatable examples.

In case you haven't already seen our previous articles in this series, we've already covered , and Political factors , Economic factors Environmental factors.

What Are Technological Factors?

In PESTLE analysis, technological factors are variables which relate to the existence, availability, and development of technology. This could include things from computational power to engine efficiency.

How Do Technological Factors Affect Business?

It might be unclear how technological factors can directly affect business, unless you take a step back and look at all of the technology that's used in day-to-day life. Think about the machines which are used to print on the t-shirts you buy, the computer servers which are used to keep up the website(s) you own, or the fuel used to power the car(s) you drive. Technology hugely dictates the way many things are done, in business or otherwise.

General examples of Technological Factors affecting business include:

The existence of 3D technology

Computer calculation speed/power

The ability of computers to create truly 'random' numbers

Engine efficiency

Internet connectivity

Wireless charging

Automation

Security in cryptography

Let's look at how these can affect business in some more depth:

Automation - The automation of many unskilled tasks can allow companies to replace human production lines with entirely machine ones. This can reduce costs for manufacturers, distributors, supermarkets, and many other different businesses. On the flip side, the gradual increase in job automation might not be such a great thing for job search firms.

Internet connectivity - It's undoubtable that in recent years global internet connectivity has been on the rise. This presents an even larger market for many companies who use the internet to connect with their customers. On the flip side though, a global rise in internet connectivity might mean less interest in traditional communication means, which is a negative consequence for some - telephone service providers will have to change their offerings to stay relevant, while paper-and-ink printing companies might receive less business.

Technological Factors Affecting Apple

Competitors find little struggle in recreating many of Apple's products.

Growing demand for mobile technology will make the personal computer a less attractive product.

Apple's quite restricting native Operating Systems can limit the scope of what is possible on their devices.

Growing numbers of cybercriminals could jeopardize Apple's reputation for safety and security.

Read the entire PESTLE analysis of Apple on our website .

Technological Factors Affecting Starbucks

The development and adoption of mobile technology presents many opportunities for Starbucks. They have already teamed up with Apple to use their devices as a platform for presenting ads/discounts.

The growing desire for internet connectivity has given Starbucks an opportunity to rebrand their coffeehouses and stand out from the competition by providing free WiFi.

Mobile payments are slowly being introduced, which might make a morning cup of coffee more attractive to many customers (and in doing so increase their potential market).

Conclusion

In conclusion, technological factors are one of many external factors that can affect businesses, and are an integral part of PESTLE analysis. They can be defined as factors which relate to the presence and development of technology, on either a local or global scale. There are many different examples of technological factors which affect business, visible in companies from Apple to Starbucks.

Got other good examples of technological factors which affect business? Be sure to leave them below along with your questions and comments.
Image: Sergey Nivens/Shutterstock.com

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PESTLE Analysis: Technological Factors Affecting Business

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PESTLE analysis can be an extremely effective tool in business, if used correctly. It falls under the category of 'environmental analysis' , which is to say that it revolves around identifying the various external variables that affect a business's performance. Specifically, these are the Political, Economic, Social (sometimes socio-cultural), Technological, Legal, and Environmental ones, hence the acronym 'PESTLE'.

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Brief:

Almost half (44%) of Generation Z has made a purchase decision based on a recommendation from a social influencer, compared with 26% of the general population, researcher Kantar found in a consumer study shared with Mobile Marketer. Seventy percent of Gen Zers follow at least one influencer on platforms like YouTube or Instagram, the study found.

Gen Z tends to be open-minded to a broad range of influencers, with 87% of the demographic group saying they follow at least one influencer whose race or ethnicity is different from their own, Kantar found. Gen Zers rely a wide range of social media apps, with 39% having four or more social media accounts, compared with 15% of the general population who use that many social platforms.

The most popular social media apps among the group are Facebook (62%), Instagram (55%), YouTube (54%) and Snapchat (52%), per Kantar.

Insight:

The popularity of social media among Gen Z consumers and their willingness to listen to the opinions of influencers indicate that mobile marketers should develop an influencer marketing strategy to reach the demographic group. Influencer marketing is especially important in connecting with Gen Zers, who tend to be more difficult to reach through traditional media channels like TV and print. The ability to connect with younger consumers is driving greater spending on influencer marketing, which is forecast to reach $15 billion by 2022 from $8 billion last year, Business Insider Intelligence estimates based on Mediakix data.

Kantar's research indicates that Facebook is the most popular social media app among Gen Z. Still, other research indicates that Facebook-owned Instagram is the most popular app for influencer campaigns. Almost 80% of brands using the image-sharing app most frequently for influencer campaigns, making it more popular than Facebook (46%), YouTube (36%), Twitter (24%) and LinkedIn (12%), per Influencer Marketing Hub. Instagram's role in the space has grown with its user base, which eMarketer forecasts will lift 5.4% to 112.5 million U.S. users this year.

While influencer marketing is a powerful way to reach younger demographics, brands might need to be careful about their partners. Analytics firm InfluencerDB reported last year that engagement rates for Instagram influencer content were hovering near all-time lows amid a deluge of sponsored content on the platform. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is scrutinizing the influencer marketing industry to ensure that companies comply with laws against misleading advertising. The agency last month started seeking public comment on proposals to update its rules on the use of testimonials in advertising to reflect the growing importance of social influencers. Marketers need to ensure that influencers disclose when their posts are sponsored to avoid potential legal pitfalls.

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Gen Z relies on influencers for purchase decisions, Kantar says

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Almost half (44%) of Generation Z has made a purchase decision based on a recommendation from a social influencer, compared with 26% of the general population, researcher Kantar found in a consumer study shared with Mobile Marketer. Seventy percent of Gen Zers follow at least one influencer on platforms like YouTube or Instagram, the study found.

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Self-serve platform for mobile advertising and app monetizing

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Gen Z consumers are more focused on experiences rather than materialism when it comes to which content they enjoy, according to a senior executive at MTV, the youth-oriented TV network.

Material-related desires, such as driving a nice car or having lots of money, are less important to Gen Z consumers (those born between 1996 and 2011).

On the contrary, family and friends, having fun, travelling, creating deep connections and having a more meaningful life are deemed as some of the most important things for them.

"These are the things that make this new generation happy," said Kerry Taylor, EVP of MTV International and chief marketing officer of Viacom UK, in an address at the recent All That Matters conference in Singapore. "As a brand, it's our responsibility to find ways to deliver on that happiness."

Understanding how the conversation has changed for Gen Z is crucial, so that brands can act by "celebrating young people and finding ways to enable them to grow in their careers", she said. (For more about this important group of consumers, read WARC's report: Five things MTV knows about Gen Z.)

Gen Z are more distrustful of institutions and are prepared to work hard to get what they want: this youth audience has "grown up in a world where they've seen government leaders be distrustful and CEOs - and they've gotten quite distrustful of big brands and authority".

"Unlike millennials, we know that this is a generation who are incredibly hardworking. They have seen that the millennials expect to be given things and realised that that hasn't happened, so they feel a real responsibility to work really hard," said Taylor, adding that Gen Z is particularly frugal compared to the older millennial age group.

"At the same time, they believe they deserve to live a first class life. They really believe in YOLO [you only live once], and so what brands can do to help is to deliver accessible luxury," she added.

Sourced from WARC

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Gen Z is more frugal and experience-focused than millennials | WARC

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Gen Z consumers are more focused on experiences rather than materialism when it comes to which content they enjoy, according to a senior executive at MTV, the youth-oriented TV network.Material-related desires, such as driving a nice car or having lots of money, are less important to Gen Z consumers (those

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Elliot Padfield is a Senior Partner & Marketing Strategist at Padfield Media. He specializes in assisting brands connect with Generation Z. 1. Create context-native content.
Great marketing is all about keeping up with your target customers and their communities. Social media can help you do this, but in my experience as a marketing strategist, businesses of all sizes struggle to keep up with trends and integrate seamlessly into target communities.

Targeting Generation Z, or those born after 1996, has posed its own challenges for brands. And despite some organizations making significant investments to reach this demographic, many still fail to tap into this valuable audience that gains direct purchasing power seemingly every day. As a result, I want to share five tips on how your business can successfully connect with Gen Z.
2. Prioritize authenticity.
By far the most common error I've seen brands make is viewing social media platforms as simply different channels of distribution, rather than the diverse societies they are. Each platform comes with its own customs and traditions, and fitting in is critical for the success of your paid or organic strategy.

This leads us to lesson No. 1: Always produce creative assets specifically for the platforms you are using. It's common to see content used on TV or on other social media platforms cut down and re-edited. The easy assumption to make is that content that was successful via one channel will be successful everywhere. However, that isn't always the case, and curating your content for the platform you're on is essential - no matter which generation you're trying to reach.

Authenticity is key to succeeding on social media, as it can offer a glimpse of humanity in a commercialized world. This is especially true when trying to reach Gen Z, a generation that, according to Marketing Dive, prefers brands that are authentic and fun.
3. Respect the influencer.
Rather than fighting this demand for authenticity, embrace it. Show the real people behind the logo and who you are. We often hear about brand "voice," but with Gen Z, I recommend developing a brand "personality." Focus on building long-standing relationships. For Gen Z-driven platforms such as TikTok or Snapchat, think about uploading behind-the-scenes videos, interviews with employees or a peek into when things go wrong to make a human connection with your customers. (Full disclosure: I hold SNAP nonvoting shares.) This will better serve your company well beyond the first sale.

And remember: There's no place on platforms such as TikTok for carefully designed videos or expensive equipment. Even if you're spending thousands of dollars every day on paid advertising, the need for authenticity is still there.

Many marketing executives have a love-hate relationship with influencers, but with Morning Consult showing 16% of Gen-Z men and 24% of Gen-Z women take purchasing advice from influencers, I consider them a must-have within your marketing budget.

That being said, I've found that many influencer marketing campaigns miss the benefit entirely. You need to consider influencer marketing as an entire strategy rather than a distribution channel. Paying for a post only to use it like paid media is a waste of money. What you purchase from influencers is borrowed trust and respect. Taking that opportunity and having a script read or showing some promotional graphics helps nobody.
4. Remember: Everyone is a creator.
Instead, focus on integrating your brand with theirs. If you're working with a comedy account, for example, do they have characters who would fit well into your brand's narrative? Ask yourself, "How can I dynamically introduce our brand narrative into this community?"

The full value of using influencers is the connection that can be formed with their community. When combining a respectful approach to influencer marketing with all these other lessons, building brand awareness will be a breeze.

In traditional media and even some forms of social media, there is a clear line between creator and consumer. Consider Instagram, for example: Even with most users posting, there is still a difference between a "creator" and someone who occasionally shares photos from a night out with friends.
5. Embrace user-generated content.
From my perspective, this line doesn't exist on platforms such as TikTok, which is important to keep in mind when trying to reach Gen Z. After all, content creation is more accessible to this group than ever, and as such, encouraging your audience to engage and interact with your marketing can kick-start a domino effect of brand awareness. If your brand is able to start a trend, challenge or hashtag, then the value of free exposure is limitless.

This is yet another reason to plan paid and influencer campaigns well in advance. By coordinating your efforts and saturating the platform with your brand over a short period of time, you're able to stay front of mind and create an active conversation about your brand.

Businesses of all sizes draw a strong distinction between paid and organic social media marketing. In fact, many are overseen by separate teams with no communication whatsoever. The key is to consider media buying and organic content as part of a single strategy.
Final Thoughts
Given their desire for authenticity, I've found the most successful digital ads targeting Gen Z are user-generated content (known in the industry as UGC). In fact, nearly 80% of people say UGC influences their purchasing decisions, according to a study by Stackla. Furthermore, a study by the Center for Generational Kinetics and WP Engine showed that 82% of Generation Z trusts a company more if it uses images of real customers in its advertising rather than a celebrity or paid spokesperson.

In other words, this demographic wants to connect with your brand, not just buy your products.

When looking to target Generation Z, it's important to have empathy and integrate your messaging within their communities instead of aggressively marketing to them. Consider how you can develop a brand personality that is likable, relatable and shareable. With these core tactics, you'll have a powerful message to capture the hearts and minds of Gen Z.

Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?

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Council Post: Five Lessons On Marketing To Gen Z

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Elliot Padfield is a Senior Partner & Marketing Strategist at Padfield Media . He specializes in assisting brands connect with Generation Z. 1. Create context-native content. Great marketing is all about keeping up with your target customers and their communities.

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US Gen Z social media user stats (2020-2025)

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Find out how many gen-z users are on each social media platform and how the demographic will increase for the following years.

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Given the strong reliance internet users have on search engines to find all types of content, it's important for marketers and techies to be well-versed in the search engine market's nuances. To help, we've put together all the important search engine statistics you need in 2021 for a comprehensive understanding of how this critical component of the internet functions.

These statistics cover information on everything, including the leading search engines' market shares, user behavior, and internet search trends, as well as click-through and conversion rates and search engine optimization. Since Google accounts for the greatest share of the search engine market by far, a large portion of these statistics covers aspects of the Google search ecosystem. However, as you'll realize while going through these data points, the other players in the search business shouldn't be ignored if you want to target different types of customers.

Key Search Engine Statistics (Editor's Choice)

Nearly 93% of all web traffic comes through search engines.

Globally, Google accounts for 76% and 86% of desktop and mobile search traffic, respectively.

Google accounts for 96.2% of all desktop search engine traffic in Brazil and 95.9% in India.

Google processes 2 trillion searches a year.

For every $1 that a business spends on Google Search and Ads, it makes $8 in profit.

Google's 2018 ad revenue amounted to over $116 billion.

46% of all Google searches are linked to something local.

The top million keyword queries account for 25% of all Google searches.

Only 12.6% of all Google clicks go to one of the top 100 domains.

Marketers that combine organic SEO and PPC ads see 25% more clicks and 27% greater profits.

Search Engine Ranking Statistics

1. Google accounted for 75.74% of worldwide desktop and laptop searches in August 2019.

Google's share in desktop searches globally has hovered between 74% and 78% since September 2018. In the 2018-2019 period, Bing has moved from the third to the second position, accounting for nearly 9.41% of the market. Baidu is marginally behind with 9.34%, thanks mainly to its popularity in China, where internet usage has really taken off in the last few years. Yahoo statistics show that it has moved to the fourth position, with its market share hovering around 3% in 2019. Yandex is the fifth most widely used search engine, with a share of 1.23% of the world's search traffic.

2. Google has a much higher share of mobile search traffic at 86.11%.

As per the latest mobile search figures, Baidu is in the second position with 10.86% of the worldwide traffic. The Yahoo market share in mobile search traffic is 1.19%, while the figures for Bing and Yandex are at 0.88% and 0.44%, respectively. Interestingly, over the last year, Google's share has moved up from 76%, while Baidu's has gone down from 21%.

3. Google generated 62.7% of all core desktop search queries in the US as of April 2019.

The figures for the same period for Microsoft Sites and Verizon Media (formerly Yahoo and Oath) are 24.8% and 11.6%, respectively. In terms of the actual number of queries, this translates to 9.57 billion search queries in one month for Google.

4. In 2019's second quarter, Google claimed 93% of all organic search engine visits in the US.

SEO specialists should also know that Google's share was even higher for mobile search engine traffic, at 95%. Among the other top search engines-Bing, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo-the corresponding organic search traffic shares were 4% and 2%, 3% and 2%, and 0.6% and 0.6%, for overall and mobile search respectively.

5. Google gets the largest number of its visitors-more than a quarter, total-from the US.

It's not surprising that the largest number of visitors (27%) to Google are from the United States. The next highest number comes from India, at 8.7%. Some locations like China and Russia have local players that take away a substantial chunk of the Google search engine market share. Despite that, visitors from China account for the fourth-highest proportion of all visitors (3.6%) after Japan (4.6%).

6. Google accounts for 96.2% of all desktop search engine traffic in Brazil and 95.9% in India.

While Google is certainly the primary search engine in the US, it also has a strong presence worldwide. It typically accounts for more than 80% of all desktop search traffic in most markets-for example, its market share in the US is 83.48%. On the other hand, the overall Google market share in Russia is just 42.84%, and it's even lower in China, at 8.04%.

7. Bing accounts for 33% of internet search in the US.

Bing currently occupies the second spot in the global search engine rankings. One of its more attractive features is its rewards program, which gives points to users for searching or shopping on the engine. Apart from the US, Bing is also quite popular in other locations, such as the UK (with a 23%-25% market share) and Taiwan (a 24%-26% market share).

8. Yahoo's search engine sees over 600 million users on mobile monthly.

The Yahoo search engine market share continues to have some relevance, with one billion total users still relying on this Bing-powered engine. Since 2016, its share of desktop traffic has decreased by 67%, and of mobile traffic, by 53%. Apart from the US, Yahoo's search is also popular in the UK and Taiwan.

9. Baidu accounts for over 75% of China's search market.

One of the beneficiaries of Yahoo's user base decline seems to be Baidu, China's most popular search engine-so much so that now different sets of data show either Baidu or Yahoo as the third most popular search engine worldwide. Baidu's mobile search engine market share has seen particularly strong improvement, with 31% more traffic than it had in 2016. Although more than 95% of Baidu's users are based in mainland China, it also has significant numbers of users in the US, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea.

10. Yandex has captured more than 65% of the total Russian search traffic.

If you're interested in targeting the Russian market, Yandex is the best option. The search engine is available in English and Cyrillic, and it offers a helpful cloud storage service that allows you to search for files from the Yandex search bar. While Yandex ranks at the top among Russia's most popular search engines-getting over 92% of its monthly users from Russia alone-it's also popular in Ukraine, China, Belarus, and Germany.

11. With 0.35% of global search traffic, Ask.com is the 6th most popular search engine for desktop.

Formerly known as Ask Jeeves, Ask.com is one of the oldest search engines around and has found a niche because of its unique question-answer format. Its algorithm favors expertise on a topic over popularity, making its search results significantly different from Google and Bing. Apart from the US, it also gets substantial traffic from Japan, Brazil, India, and Germany. However, it lost mobile search traffic to other search engines between 2016 and 2019, and the desktop traffic has barely managed to hold steady.

12. DuckDuckGo has seen a close to 50% rise in search traffic between August 2018 and August 2019.

The engine handled more than 31 million daily queries in August 2019. The key reason for the rapid growth in DuckDuckGo's popularity is the growing obsession with online privacy. With its privacy features, clean interface, and easy navigation, it's the player to look out for in the search engine market. DuckDuckGo is the seventh most popular search engine worldwide, followed by Naver, AOL Search, and Dogpile.

Google Search Engine Facts

13. Google processes around 70,000 search queries per second.

Google doesn't share its research volume data. However, based on internet live stats, it's estimated that it handles 70,000 search queries on average per second. This translates to 5.8 billion searches per day and nearly 2 trillion searches in a year. For comparison, this figure was a little over 1.2 trillion searches per year in 2012.

14. 15% of all searches have never been searched before on Google.

According to Google search engine stats, 15% of the searches made by users on a daily basis have never been seen before. While this ensures that the search engine keeps receiving new types of information about its users every day, it also means that there's always work to do to present people with the best, most reliable answers to their queries.

15. Google takes into account over 200 factors before delivering the best results to its users.

An additional interesting search engine fact is that all this is accomplished in a fraction of a second. The aspects considered by Google include domain factors, page-level factors, site-level factors, backlink factors, etc. Of course, since Google doesn't release detailed information regarding these factors, much of this has been figured out through third-party research and, sometimes, simple speculation.

16. 63% of Google's search engine visits in the US are on mobile.

While Google's share of organic mobile search engine traffic is the highest in the market, DuckDuckGo statistics show that this new player is only slightly behind Google in this department, at 62%. The figures from the second quarter of 2019 show that 52% of Yahoo's US organic search traffic originated from mobile devices, with the number at 23% for Bing. Google has also seen the greatest increase since the fourth quarter of 2013, when the share of mobile devices was at just 34%.

17. 69% of Google's US paid search click share in 2019's Q2 was on mobile devices.

The corresponding Bing market share was 34%. Among mobile devices, 63% of Google's paid click share was accounted for by phones, and 6% by tablets. The figures for Microsoft Advertising or Bing were 27% for phones and 7% for tablets.

18. In 2018, Google's search and advertising tools helped generate $335 billion in economic activity in the US alone.

This activity benefited millions of businesses, website publishers, and nonprofits. Each month, Google drives over a billion connections for businesses countrywide while also connecting businesses with overseas customers. In fact, search engine traffic statistics show more than 35% of clicks for US business advertising via Google in 2018 came from outside the US.

19. For every $1 that a business spends on Google Search and Ads, it makes $8 in profit.

This figure comes from a conservative calculation based on two fundamental assumptions. One, businesses generally make an average of $2 in revenue for every $1 they spend on Google Ads. Two, businesses overall receive an average of five clicks on their search results for every one click on their ads.

20. Google's market cap is nearly $850 billion.

For Google, the market cap we're talking about is of the listed parent company, Alphabet Inc. This number places it among the corporations with the largest market cap in the world, a list that includes other tech giants like Microsoft, Apple Inc., Amazon.com, and Facebook.

21. Google's 2018 ad revenue amounted to over $116 billion.

Google's dominance in internet search also means that its ad revenue has increased steadily over the years. Since 2017, Google's ad revenue jumped by more than 20%, which is line with its growth rate since its services began. Moreover, advertising was responsible for more than 85% of Google's total revenue in 2018.

Search Engine Usage Statistics

22. Around 93% of all web traffic is via a search engine.

This makes understanding how to rank well on search engines absolutely essential if you want to be relevant in the online world. It also demonstrates why search engine optimization continues to be the buzzword-it's the leading driver for organic search ranking performance on a search engine results page (SERP).

23. ComScore predicted that by 2020, half of all online searches will be voice-based queries.

This has been a widely quoted figure in the tech world over the last few years. Search engine usage stats already show that more than 20% of Google's searches come from voice, and 31% of smartphone users worldwide use voice search at least once a week. All things considered, the 50% mark doesn't seem as fantastic as it might have some time back.

24. The average person conducts between 3 and 4 searches every day.

Interestingly, another study found that only 15% of US users conduct one or more searches per day, with the overall average being brought up by some heavy users. This indicates that there's still a massive amount of search growth opportunity, not just for Google but also for the second best search engines.

25. On average, someone making a search uses about 3 words in their query.

Interestingly, the difference in the number of words used in search queries by desktop and mobile users isn't significant. Desktop users only have a slightly higher query length on average, with 16% of desktop users going for 6 words or more in their queries compared to 14% mobile users. Data also shows that 8% of all search queries are phrased as questions.

26. In 2018, 62.6% of people conducted their searches on Google, a big jump from 2015's 53%.

Search engine stats also show that Google Images made up 22.6% of all searches and Google Maps accounted for 1.3%. Given the high amount of traffic on Google Images, it's important for content creators to invest in visual content that can perform there and appear in web searches. Faced with the growth in traffic on Google and related services, YouTube (4.3%), Facebook (1.4%), Amazon (2.3%), and Twitter (0.4%) have managed to keep their shares surprisingly stable.

27. 46% of all Google searches are linked to something local.

One of the more pertinent takeaways from these Google search engine statistics is that a local SEO strategy is essential for most businesses. HubSpot also reports that 88% of customers who do a local search on their phones visit or call a store within 24 hours, meaning that the conversion rates are much higher with local searches. In fact, 18% of these local searches lead to a purchase, compared to 7% of non-local searches.

28. 56% of local retailers haven't yet claimed their listing for Google My Business.

Your Google My Business listing is one of the first things people see when they look at Google search results-not claiming it means you're losing out on substantial business. Even more surprising is the data point that 82% of businesses haven't yet claimed their Bing listing. Given the high Bing search engine market share, it's important for businesses to expand outside Google.

29. The top million keyword queries account for 25% of all Google searches.

Queries incorporating the top 10 million keywords account for 45% of all searches, and the top 1 billion keywords account for close to 90%. The distribution shows that a huge amount of search volume takes place in keywords beyond the top 10 million most-searched-for queries.

30. 18% of searches on Google result in the user changing their search terms without clicking on anything.

With search engine user statistics showing a high percentage of search queries seemingly not eliciting the needed answer, Google has made related searches a big part of its results in recent years. This kind of behavior takes place when a user searches using one particular query but doesn't find any useful results. Then they either change the terms of the original query or click on one of Google's "Searches related to..." options at the bottom of the page.

31. 21% of Google searches get multiple clicks on Google's results.

This happens either when the user opens up multiple tabs when searching or when the user clicks on one result, clicks back, and then clicks on another result. Search engine traffic stats show that the latter behavior, known as pogo-sticking, accounts for 8% of Google's search results. With time, Google is likely to use this data to reward pages that don't experience this behavior and push down those that do.

32. Only 12.6% of all clicks in Google go to one of the top 100 domains.

There's been concern among many that search and SEO are becoming winner-take-all markets, with Google possibly directing the bulk of the traffic to the top-ranked domains. The actual figures belie this concern. As many as 87.4% of the post-search clicks on non-Google properties go to domains outside the top 100.

Search Engine Marketing Statistics

33. The average click-through rate (CTR) for the first position on a Google search query is 19.3%.

The average CTR for the second position is almost half, at 10.57%. Meanwhile, 75% of all searchers don't go beyond the first page of their search results. No surprise, then, that websites try so hard to rank at the very top. For the same reason, the rank tracking software market has seen a tremendous growth. The average CTR for the first position is also higher on desktop than it is on mobile. Moreover, branded searches have higher CTRs on the first half of Google's first page.

34. According to the search engine marketing stats, 63% of users will likely click on a paid search ad on Google.

This number is four times higher than it is on any other search engine. The corresponding rates for other sites are 15% for Amazon, 9% for YouTube, and 6% for Bing. This makes it clear why Google promises a better return for businesses on searches. The same study also points out that 55% of people clicking on Google search ads prefer these ads to be text-based.

35. 66% of distinct search queries on Google lead to at least one click.

Google is trying to solve as many search queries as possible without the user having to click. Based on search engine optimization statistics, 34% of distinct search queries are not followed by clicks. However, if we look at all search queries (and not just the distinct ones), the figure moves up to 40%.

36. 62.2% of Google searches result in an organic click on desktop, with 40.9% of the same on mobile.

Stats show that for desktop devices, 2.8% of searches result in a paid click, with 35% of searches requiring no click. For mobile devices, 2% led to a paid click and 57.1% had no click. This illustrates the significant opportunity still available in SEO in comparison to PPC. SEO has nearly 20 times more traffic opportunity than PPC on both mobile and desktop.

37. Only 3.4% of the distinct search queries in Google result in the user clicking a paid ad.

When it comes to all search queries, the figure drops further to 2.6%. Thus, the search engine trends show that Google makes a massive amount of money on a small fraction of the searches that go through its engine. This may explain why they're getting creative in hiding their ad indicator in the SERPs.

38. 11.8% of distinct Google searches lead to a click on a Google property.

For all searches, this figure is slightly lower at 8.4%. Google properties in this case include YouTube (1.8%), Google Maps (0.9%), Gmail (0.16%), and Google Shopping (0.55%). Google continues to increase the amount of search traffic it takes to its own properties, but the overall click rates remain fairly low and present a significant opportunity for further growth.

39. Videos appear in 6.3% of Google search results.

While YouTube gets 1.8% of clicks, search engine statistics show that the actual share of videos in the results is much higher. YouTube still dominates the video results in Google searches, with other sources like Vimeo rarely appearing in Google's SERPs directly.

40. 3% of all Google search results lead to clicks on image blocks.

This somewhat high rate is because people are naturally drawn to images. In addition, Google specifically shows images that are likely to earn the most engagement. If your own images aren't ranking well in Google Images, the most likely reason-based on search engine usage statistics-is they aren't drawing viewers as effectively as other images in the same category.

41. In AdWords, the average click-through rate is 3.17% for search throughout all industries.

The corresponding figure for display is 0.46%. Of course, across specific industries, these figures can vary quite a bit. For example, the average CTR for Dating & Personals is quite high at 6.05%, while on the other end, we have 2.09% for Technology and 2.41% for B2B and Consumer Services.

42. As for the average cost per click in AdWords, it's $2.69 for search throughout all industries.

As per the Google search engine stats, the corresponding figure for display is $0.63. Again, the costs can vary a fair bit across industries. Legal has a CPC (for search) of $6.75, and Consumer Services is close behind at $6.40. Among the lowest costs are $1.16 for E-commerce and $1.43 for Advocacy.

43. The average conversion rate in AdWords is 3.75% across all industries for search and 0.77% for display.

The search conversion rates saw a slight increase recently, while display conversion rates have fallen slightly. For display, remember that placement and audience optimization need to be considered carefully. Once again, the highest conversion rates are seen in Dating & Personals (9.64%), while the lowest are in Advocacy (1.96%) and Real Estate (2.47%).

44. Digital marketing professionals that combine organic SEO and PPC ads see 25% more clicks and 27% greater profits when compared to results from just one technique.

Even though search engine optimization stats show that SEO techniques tend to be more profitable than PPC, it seems that relying completely on just one of these is not as beneficial as using a combination of both. As PPC ads are displayed to those who will find them the most useful, combining your investment in both should get you notably better customer interaction.

45. Having a video on your site's landing page increases your chance of showing up on Google's first page by more than 50%.

The use of video or image content continues to be a good way to optimize your site for different search engines. Of course, such heavy content shouldn't affect the loading time of your page so much that it ends up increasing the bounce rate. Similarly, marketers also need to make full use of their meta details to stand out in the crowd. And don't forget about the text, either-Google's first-page results contain an average of 1,890 words. The full character limit of your pages should be used to provide visitors with as much information as possible while making sure that the keywords are used properly.

Key Takeaways from Our Search Engine Statistics

While Google continues to lead the search market overwhelmingly, search engines like Bing, Baidu, and DuckDuckGo have maintained their relevance.

Internet search on other platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon has also maintained its growth in the face of the increasing dominance of Google's properties.

Google search trends show significant opportunities for marketers to improve their CTRs and conversion rates.

At the same time, ignoring other internet search engines can prove perilous for businesses, whether they're targeting a general customer base or niche audiences.

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Search Engine Statistics 2021 - 99firms.com

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Given the strong reliance internet users have on search engines to find all types of content, it's important for marketers and techies to be well-versed in the search engine market's nuances. To help, we've put together all the important search engine statistics you need in 2021 for a comprehensive understanding of how this critical component of the internet functions.