If you had a chance to read our blog post Amazing Data About Female Shopping Patterns, you already know that there are five key factors that go into a woman making a clothing purchase (Spoiler Alert: Shockingly, NONE are “Lowest Price”!!!!):

DETAILS. Women want all the details and even more details - This is not my opinion, this is actual data from real USA statistics. A “skeleton listing” with just the very basic information is absolutely fine for a male shopper (statistics show men actually prefer the minimum amount of details and too many details is a source of frustration!), but women want to make sure the item is EXACTLY what they need prior to purchase. If you look at this eBay listing (below), even though the item is dirt cheap, there’s no details at all!:

After reading the eBay listing shown above, I have no idea if the bra is a pushup or demi, if the bra has an underwire or is wireless pushup… heck, I don’t even know if it’s cotton. Most women are semi (or VERY) picky about their bra style, so not knowing any details are an instant sale-killer, regardless of how cheap the item is!  Wouldn't it be much more important to let a woman know if the bra is padded as opposed to letting the woman know it ships First Class???  Heck, when you order a taco don't you want to know if it's beef or chicken? I sure do and I love all types of tacos!

SOLUTION: Take the time to review your listings that haven’t sold. Is there more data you can add?

FREE SHIPPING is a major, major deciding factor in womens clothing purchases. You are much better off configuring shipping into your price. We know, for a fact, that “unexpected charges” at checkout are the #1 reason for Cart Abandonment (AKA: when a buyer adds the item to Cart then changes their mind on the Checkout page). You might be thinking “The listing clearly says that shipping is $9.99. It’s not an unexpected charge! But, unfortunately, even though women want all the details, they often overlook details such as shipping charges…. OR, they just don’t comprehend what the TOTAL COST will look like when the items price and shipping price are combined. So, let’s say the item is $10; the potential buyer sees that they can get the pair of jeans for ten bucks. They add it to Cart. Then, at Checkout, the $9.99 shipping charge is added-on, bringing the total to $19.99. Now that you see $19.99 staring into your eyes, you think twice about buying. Whereas, if the jeans were $19.99 with no added fees, the buyer already knew this before they clicked “Add to Cart”. Make sense?

VALUE is so insanely important to women. People often mistake “Value” for meaning “Lowest Price” and this simply isn’t true! “Value” encompasses the overall PERCEIVED WORTH of the item; no part of the word “Value” has anything to do with “Cheapest on the Internet”. In fact, if someone wanted the cheapest price possible, they would likely buy from China, Walmart, a Counterfeit, the Dollar Store, thirft store, etc… whatever has the item for as little money as possible. Whereas VALUE can be viewed as:

• What quality materials is it made from? Is it 100% Cotton? Is it quality wool that will last a lifetime? In this instance the Value is longevity and/or comfort.
• Maybe it is made from Dri-Fit material that has the benefit of staying cool and dry while doing Yoga: In this instance, the value is comfort and usability.
• To some people “Value” may mean the garment is made from Fair Trade, Organic or Sustainable materials because they value Earth-related or Social-Justice Related issues.
• With that in mind, the issue could literally BE VALUES. Some companies donate a percentage of sales to a cause that buyers value. Many buyers choose to support a company because it aligns with their personal beliefs.
• A Brand Name usually has more Value than a non-branded item. I’m sure you have been to a thrift store and noticed that a branded shirt is usually priced higher than a no-brand-top. It’s likely safe to say that a designer piece “Holds Value” versus a generic garment.

And finally, Value can also encompass total cost-per-piece. For example, a multi-pack of socks may have more “Value” that purchasing one individual pair of the identical socks at a higher price. Alternatively, the buyer may not want 10 pairs of socks so it is of more value to them to purchase only 1 pair at a slightly higher price-per-piece and not be stuck with a big bundle.

As you can see, “Value” is exceptionally subjective; what is of-value to me may not be of-value to you, which is why it is vitally important to treat ALL listings with the same high standard, even if YOU personally dislike the item.

SALES, DISCOUNTS, COUPONS, PROMOTIONS, ETC. FACT: Women friggin love deals. I can’t tell ya how many times I have scoured the internet for a coupon code whereas my husband could truly care less. Again, this doesn’t mean you must have the lowest price. In fact, we have even provided plenty of data in past blog posts showing that Lowest Price is NOT on the list of “what women shop for (statistics)”... but, of course, price is a factor because women are savvy shoppers by nature…. Seriously! Think about your grandparents. Chances are your grandma had to stretch money to feed a LOT of mouths for a long time span. By natural instinct combined with amazing planning-skills, your grandmother was able to make it happen! So, of course, women “care” about price, but actual data proves it is NOT “THE” prime purchase factor.

With this in mind, if you are already selling items at a discount, just make sure people know how much of a discount they are getting! If the womens sweater retails for $150 and your price is $99, that is a HUGE discount! Make this information stand out! A woman doesn’t even need a coupon to get your awesome deal! Also, if you have Free Shipping, this is another form of discount (and adds to Value!).

And lastly, Lowest Price is not the end-all. A higher priced listing for an identical item as a lower-priced listing can win because the higher-priced listing has more Details. Details = Value.

Next, read our article Simple Things You Can Do to Improve Your eBay Listings (Sales)

Or, shop our awesome wholesale liquidation womens clothing and load your store with excellent, authentic designer brands!  Don't forget the details  :)