Fashion plays an important role in Russia: It’s common knowledge that Russian women that rank among the most beautiful in the world love shopping and always stay up-do-date with the latest trends in the fashion industry. Russian men are fashion-conscious too: They try to look stylish and are fond of status symbols.
Considering the interest of Russians toward fashion that is mirrored in search queries, Yandex has published its annual review of main trends in the fashion industry in Russia.[I]
Fashion-Related Search Queries on Yandex
According to Yandex, the number of fashion-related search queries has risen in Russia by 4% in the 3d quarter of 2017 as compared to the same period in 2016. Search queries were registered from both desktop and mobile devices, whereas mobile search increased significantly. The figures show that the number of fashion search queries from desktop PCs has dropped by 6% but increased by 21% from smartphones and tablets.
Russia stretches over Europe and Asia occupying the area of 17 125 191 km2. It comprises eighty-five federal subjects of which Central Federal District with such big cities as Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Kostroma is the most interested in fashion, followed by Volga Region and Northwestern District. The biggest Russian cosmopolitan cities Moscow and St.-Petersburg (nearly 12.5m and 5m citizens accordingly) stand out from other urban centres in Russia. With their 9% of the total fashion queries they have the most active Internet users interested in the industry. The high average income along with well-developed eCommerce and delivery services in the cities make it easier for Moscow and St.-Petersburg residents not only to follow the latest fashion trends but also to order clothes and accessories online.
Fashion Purchase Statistics Mobile vs. Desktop
Not only were certain items searched for on the web, many were also purchased online. The trend here is similar – Russians tend to purchase clothes from their mobile devices: in the 3d quarter 2017 nearly 12m people ordered garments from their smartphones or tablets which is 10% as many as in the same period in 2016. The number of desktop purchases dropped by nearly 12% as compared to the previous year.
Russian users’ search and buying behaviour was also marked by numerous cross-device transactions when an item was ordered from a desktop PC after having been searched for on a smartphone or tablet. The number of such transactions rose by 58%.
Luxury Brands Are On The Rise in Russia
As general interest towards fashion industry increased, the interest towards discounts and special offers in this industry dropped. Search queries for these keywords dropped significantly by 24% on desktop PCs and by 4% on mobile devices.
This could be connected to a notable rise of interest towards luxury brands in Russia: 6% increase of desktop search queries and amazing 26% of mobile queries! Russian mindset is “to blame” for that: Spending money rather than saving it is at the heart of Russian culture. Especially those with higher income are fond of luxurious items trying to show off and demonstrate their social status.
Most Searched For Fashion Categories in Russia
Yandex data show that Russian Internet users’ behaviour is similar both on desktop and mobile devices when it comes to searching for certain fashion categories. As can be seen from the chart, clothing is the most searched category on the web and comprises 55% on desktop PCs and 56% on smartphones and tablets. This category is followed by shoes and accessories with nearly twice as few searches. Lingerie is at the bottom of the search pyramid owing 4% of all desktop and 5% of all mobile fashion queries.
Summary and Recommendations
The analysis of the online behaviour of Russian internet users has shown that most of them, especially those living in the European part of Russia, are fashion-conscious and use search engines on their desktop PCs and mobile devices to look for certain fashion items and buy them online. They are more interested in luxury goods and brands than in special offers, discounts or sales and prefer ordering clothes from their PCs after searching for them on smartphones and tablets.
According to Yandex, any fashion brand or online fashion retailer willing to offer its products on the Russian market needs several components for the successful online presence. Apart from offering high-demand goods, it’s important to have:
- a relevant website,
- a thoroughly elaborated marketing strategy,
- meticulous data processing and analysis,
- smooth communication.
We recommend that you contact a professional digital marketing agency such as ONMARUS to help you establish a solid online presence on the Russian Internet. Feel free to reach out!
[i] Yandex. Fashion Industry. Industry analysis, 2017.
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