US shoppers want European fashion, but barriers curb sales

SoldThrough has published research indicating strong US consumer demand for UK and European fashion brands, but the study suggests barriers to purchase are limiting spending.

The survey found that 81% of Americans believe UK and European fashion brands offer something US brands cannot match. More than half of US consumers, 57%, said they already buy from those brands, with average annual spending of USD $219.20 each.

That equates to a USD $34.5 billion annual market among current buyers, according to SoldThrough. The company also estimated that 26% of US adults currently spend nothing on European fashion, representing a potential USD $15.7 billion opportunity if brands can convert that demand.

The data points to practical obstacles rather than a lack of interest. The research found that 78% of US consumers face at least one barrier when buying European fashion, including shipping costs, confusing sizing, returns, delivery times and customs. One in 10 also said a European fashion brand they wanted to buy from did not ship to the US.

Demand gap

The findings suggest American shoppers are drawn to European labels because of how they perceive the products. Among respondents, 25% cited higher-quality materials, 24% pointed to better craftsmanship, 24% chose better value for money, 14% selected greater longevity and 12% highlighted heritage.

Accessories and shoes emerged as the categories with the strongest consumer interest. The survey found that 27% most wanted to buy accessories from UK and European brands, while 26% pointed to shoes.

When US consumers do buy European fashion, they most often do so through established domestic shopping routes. Online retailers were the most common channel at 25%, followed by department stores at 21% and US-based brand websites at 21%.

This suggests availability through familiar local channels still matters, even where brand interest already exists. It also indicates international labels may struggle when their route to US customers depends too heavily on direct cross-border selling.

Dan Cate, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of SoldThrough, said the gap between consumer demand and brand accessibility is clear.

"American consumers are telling us they value what European fashion brands bring to the market, and millions are already spending with them. But a consumer may know the brand, want the product and believe it offers something different from what is available domestically, and still abandon the purchase if delivery is too expensive, sizing is unclear or returning an item is difficult," said Dan Cate, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of SoldThrough.

SoldThrough set the findings against the wider scale of the US apparel sector, noting that the market is worth more than USD $373 billion, making it the largest globally.

Market access

The research underlines a longstanding issue for overseas fashion brands entering the US: interest in a label does not guarantee an easy sale. Consumer expectations around delivery, returns and convenience are shaped by domestic eCommerce standards, and brands that fail to meet them risk losing customers at checkout.

Cate said many European brands are still making American shoppers work too hard to complete a purchase.

"The US is the world's biggest apparel market, worth more than $373 billion, so the opportunity is clear, but too many European brands are making customers work too hard to buy from them," he said.

He added that success in the US depends on adapting to how local consumers expect to shop, rather than assuming demand alone will be enough.

"For UK and European brands looking to enter the US market, this is about understanding that the US customer expects to shop differently. Having the right retail channels, fulfilment and customer experience in place can make the difference between someone being interested in a brand and actually buying from it," Cate said.

The survey was conducted online among 2,183 US adults by Research Without Barriers.