that trust, fit and functionality now matter more than flash, hype or trendiness. In fact, only 12 per cent of shoppers rank “trendy items” as a top priority. The days of fashion’s obsession with the latest and newest are being eclipsed by a much deeper, more personal expectation: “Get me what I need, and make it feel like it was made for me.” So it’s fit first, fashion second Confidence in the size and the fit of products turned out to be the number one driver of purchase likelihood, cited by 43 per cent of customers. That figure jumps even higher when you factor in personalised sizing tools, with 41 per cent saying this feature directly influenced their likelihood to buy. What we’re seeing here is a retail culture where confidence is beating curiosity. Shoppers aren’t chasing style like they once were, they’re chasing certainty. That’s a wake-up call. For years, personalisation was considered a real luxury and something offered only by specialist tailors or high-end digital platforms. But now, driven by experience in other sectors (like Spotify’s custom playlists or Netflix’s tailored recommendations), personalisation has become table stakes. Over 61 per cent of shoppers now see it as a baseline expectation and absolute fundamental in online fashion. Our new priorities: Trust, transparency and tools Where marketing teams may still be obsessing over seasonal palettes and influencer reach, customers are asking much simpler questions: “Will this fit me?” “Can I return it easily?” “Is the product info clear?” “Will I get charged extra at the border?” These concerns are not tactical, they’re emotional. Free returns (39 per cent), detailed product info (33 per cent), and transparent shipping (28 per cent) all rank above product desirability. This reflects a much larger growing trend. Consumer trust has become the most valuable currency in retail. And it’s earned not just through branding, but through operational clarity and seamless experience design. In other words: your UX is your brand. And it’s where most retailers are still playing catch-up. Multichannel isn’t a buzzword, it’s a buying trigger One of the most powerful findings in this report is that 72 per cent of EU5 shoppers are more likely to buy from those brands that operate across multiple channels. Maybe not a surprise but still needs to be said. That’s not just about having both a store and a website, it’s about orchestrated and curated presence. Shoppers want to discover a brand on their social media, browse it through a multi-brand marketplace, check the brand’s own site, and maybe visit a store, all of this without friction. What this shows is a fundamental shift and let me be clear. Omnichannel isn’t about distribution, it’s about reassurance and should signal legitimacy. If you’re present, consistent, and fluidly integrated across touchpoints, it makes the customer feel safe. And if you’re not, it creates doubt and they hesitate. Multi-brand marketplaces: the new search engine When it comes to fashion discovery, multi-brand retailers now dominate. Platforms like The Iconic, Asos, and others are where a lot of consumers begin their shopping journey, more so than social media, influencers, or brand-owned sites. This is true across all age brackets, especially older shoppers (43 per cent of 45-54 and 55+ say multi-brand platforms are their top source of inspiration). This marks a big shift in power when we think about this persona type. While brands have spent years investing in owned media and direct-to-consumer experiences, the trust and traffic still live in the aggregators. If your product isn’t there, it’s starting to suggest you’re not being seen. But this also creates opportunity. These platforms are fast becoming the new window front. The key is to treat them not just as sales channels, but also as branded touchpoints to help secure credibility. It means ensuring your product content is rich, your personalisation tools are integrated, and the tone of voice matches your overall narrative, even within someone else’s ecosystem. What this means for retailers You’ve no doubt heard me say before that the role of retail is no longer just to sell, it’s to remove the friction between desire and decision. These insights from BoF and Amazon confirm that the friction today isn’t style-based. It’s emotional. So finally, if you’re a brand or retailer reading this, here’s the real message: You don’t need to be the trendiest. You need to be the most trustworthy. You don’t need to have the loudest campaign, you need the clearest size guide; and you don’t need to dominate TikTok, you need to be everywhere your customer is, and feel consistent when they find you. Fashion can still be about aspiration but increasingly, it’s about alignment. Does this fit me? Does it fit my life? Does it fit what I expected? Those who can confidently answer yes across every channel, with every interaction, are the ones customers will keep coming back to time and time again.