The Fashion & Beauty sector confirms itself as one of the pillars of global trade, driven by increasing digitalisation, increasingly demanding consumers and the evolution towards sustainable consumption patterns. In Italy, 77.5% of the online population, equal to 33.6 million individuals, buy Fashion & Beauty products, with 70% combining online and offline purchases, demonstrating how omnichannel is the predominant consumption model today. The remaining 20% purchase exclusively online, while only 10% remain loyal to the offline channel. The physical store, although declining as an exclusive channel, strengthens its centrality as an immersive experience and logistics hub, as a place of relationship and loyalty. These are some of the main evidences that emerged during the Netcomm Focus Fashion & Beauty 2025 event, at which the NetRetail Fashion research, carried out by Netcomm in collaboration with Veepee, was presented.
Omnichannel and customer journey: the future of Fashion & Beauty is hybrid
Globally, 70% of retail sales in the Fashion & Beauty sector are now influenced by digital channels, but at the same time 78% of the sector’s growth in 2024 came from physical stores, a sign of a dynamic balance between physical and digital. As emerged from the NetRetail Fashion research, in Italy the majority of buyers alternate online and offline purchases as needed, using an average of 5.7 touchpoints before completing a purchase. The discovery and information phases are dominated by digital channels such as online shop windows, official brand sites and search engines, while the physical store remains essential for product testing and personalized consultancy.
Among the Fashion & Beauty consumer clusters, regular buyers stand out in particular, corresponding to 39.2% of any-channel consumers in the sector, followed by Convenience Seekers (25%), particularly attentive to the quality-price ratio, and Digital Power Buyers, who represent 13% of the population. The latter, often men and residents of Southern regions, use artificial intelligence to personalize their purchasing process and have a higher average expense than the other segments. For the modern consumer, the main drivers of product choice are price (55.1%), brand reliability (25.2%), fit and comfort (24.6%); the elements that determine the choice of purchase via the online channel are price, wide choice of products and time savings. At the same time, new drivers linked to inclusiveness and representation emerge: globally, for example, the plus size market exceeded 114 billion dollars in 2023 and 36% of American consumers purchased genderless collections, signs of increasingly diversified.
Sustainability and circular economy: the second-hand boom and fast fashion under pressure
The global second-hand market is growing three times faster than traditional fashion, with 58% of American shoppers purchasing used items in 2024. Generation Z shows a strong sensitivity towards these issues: 73% say they are willing to pay more for sustainable products, although the contradiction linked to the ultra-fast fashion boom remains In Europe, second hand fashion or clothing rental platforms are increasingly gaining ground and are reshaping the concept of the circular economy, while European regulations incentivize this transformation through ecodesign obligations, the ban on the destruction of unsold goods and the introduction of digital passports to track the sustainability of
products. In Italy, 95% of buyers still prefer new products, with the second-hand most appreciated for accessories and clothing. In parallel, fast fashion continues to dominate the market thanks to companies that offer competitive prices and a wide range of products.
The Beauty sector is also evolving towards the integration of well-being, health and sustainability, with a growing demand for functional and ethical products.
AI at the heart of Digital Retail
In the Fashion & Beauty sector, Artificial Intelligence is no longer just an emerging technology, but a strategic element that is redefining creative, operational and decision-making processes: 16.6% of Italian buyers, in fact, use AI tools for price comparison, personalization and choice support: in particular, these are men under 24 who fall into the category of Digital Power Buyers, informed and active.
Furthermore, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) for virtual try-on are growing at a rate of +25% worldwide, improving the conversion rate and reducing returns, while blockchain is consolidating as a tool authentication and traceability and digital passports strengthen transparency and authenticity. Here too, Generation Z leads the digital transformation, with 34% of those under 24 integrating AI into their customer journey. TikTok and Instagram then confirm themselves as the main platforms for product inspiration and discovery, with niche creators surpassing traditional celebrities in terms of trust and conversion.
