The “see now, buy now” consumer mindset is disrupting the traditional fashion and apparel business model and forcing the industry to look for ways to address a new on-demand world. And according to a new report, digitalisation of the fashion supply chain is key to addressing this shift and creating outstanding consumer experiences.
Today, 94% of consumers are shopping online, which often leads to overbuying and then returning many products as they lack confidence in product fit, according to a new white paper by Gerber Technology.
Yet the industry still relies on production models that depend on the ability to forecast demand months, often years, in advance – leading to misalignment with consumer trends and needs.
Long term, the lines between fashion consumer and fashion creator are blurring, as consumers are taking an active role in defining and personalising their products. Like in the music industry, individuals are looking for the tools and processes to create real products from their ideas. These trends support an on-demand, personalised marketplace as well as a fashion supply chain that brings together consumers, designers and technology providers in an efficient and collaborative way.
There are several key technologies companies should be looking at to support these seismic shifts, including cloud-enabled product lifecycle management tools to improve collaboration and more efficient development cycles and 3D visualisation platforms.
As the research points out, “3D can increase creativity, decrease cycle times, and improve conversions and consumer loyalty.”

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By GlobalDataTo find out more, click on the following link to download a copy of the free white paper: Digital transformation in today’s ‘see now, buy now’ market