Bridal Fashion in London: Consumer Behavior Regarding Online Shopping

This business research project delves into the bridal fashion landscape in London, examining consumer behavior in relation to online versus high street shopping. It introduces the increasing trend of bridal fashion and the competition between online and traditional retail. The research explores the merits and demerits of both online and high street bridal shopping, covering aspects like convenience, product variety, pricing, and the ability to examine products physically. It also discusses current consumer buying behaviors, influenced by factors such as economic conditions and changing perceptions, and highlights emerging trends in bridal fashion. Furthermore, the study identifies opportunities and challenges within the bridal fashion market in developed and developing countries, culminating in a discussion of the gaps in existing literature and a summary of key findings. The project uses statistical data to support its analysis of consumer preferences and market dynamics.

Business Research Project

Table of Contents
Chapter 2: Literature review........................................................................................................................4
2.0 Introduction...........................................................................................................................................4
2.1 Conceptual framework...........................................................................................................................4
2.2 Online Bridal Shopping.........................................................................................................................4
2.3 High Street Bridal Shopping..................................................................................................................6
2.4 Comparison of High street and online Bridal shopping.........................................................................7
2.5 Current consumer buying behaviors towards high street shopping in London and around the world....8
2.6 Factors influencing buyer behavior towards the online bridal shopping in London and around the
world...........................................................................................................................................................9
2.7 Behaviour of woman customers towards bridal shopping....................................................................10
2.8 Behavior of men customers towards bridal shopping..........................................................................12
2.9 Discuss current and future trends of the Bridal fashion in market (Support with statistical data)........13
2.10 Opportunities related to the emerging bridal fashion trends in the developed and developing market
................................................................................................................................................................... 16
2.11 Challenges related to the emerging bridal fashion trends in the developed and developing market...16
2.12 Gap in literature review.....................................................................................................................17
2.13 Summary...........................................................................................................................................18
Reference list.............................................................................................................................................19

RESEARCH TOPIC
BRIDAL FASHION LONDON, CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR REGARDING ONLINE VS HIGH
STREET SHOPPING

Chapter 2: Literature review
2.0 Introduction
Bridal fashion is becoming a current trend in all countries. With the emergence of so many brands in the
market, now this it is becoming a fashion statement as well. Bridal fashion is all about a fashion trend
people are following. With the emergence of online shopping, now high street shopping is facing a great
hard task to survive. It is applicable for bridal dresses as well as accessories and everything related to
bridal. In London, majority people belong from Christian group, their wedding ceremony is performed in
church, and bride’s attire is always a long white gown. Analyzing customers’ preferences is not a new
thing. According to Philip kotler, who has published a lot of research on customers’ choices and behavior
has described many theories regarding this topic. With so many choices, so many ways to do shopping,
the competition between online and high street fashion is evident.
In this entire work, bridal fashion of London, factors that influence customers, consumers’ behavior
regarding online and high street shopping will be discussed in a proper way with the use of statistical data
as well.
2.1 Conceptual framework
Figure 1: Conceptual framework

(Source: Created by the learner)
2.2 Online Bridal Shopping
Bridal shopping is defined as an activity that both men as well as women perform when they shop for the
outfits and other accessories such as jewellery and footwear. In the views of Brown, (2017) online
shopping is now becoming very popular among the people in London as well around the world. It is a
platform that provides quality services and at a reasonable cost to its customers seeking beautiful bridal
outfits and accessories in along with proper convenience in London. There are different electronic
commercial websites that provide attractive bridal outfits of a wide range to its customers in London and
countries in the world. The merits and demerits of the online bridal shopping in London are as follows:
Merits
Convenience
Provision of convenience is one of the most significant advantages of the online bridal shopping in
London. Men as well as women can avail the bridal products and services without running through store
after store. By the help of online shopping the brides in London can purchase bridal products and services
any time since the online shopping sites provide 24x7 services to its customers.
Relevant information
Consumers can get relevant information in relation to the products and services purchased by them over
online commercial sites in London. The online shopping sites provide all possible information regarding
the quality, quantity and price of the products in order to protect the interests of the customers.
Products’ variety
Shopping over the online commercial sites for bridal fashion in London provides facility to the customers
to avail the broad variety of excellent quality bridal products in London. It provides increased satisfaction
to the customers purchasing the bridal fashion products in London.
Price
Reasonable monetary consideration is the most essential merit of the online bridal shopping. Online bridal
shopping sites provides attractive discount offer to the customers whether it is bride or groom. Provision
of discounts offers easily attracts the customers towards its bridal products and services. The online

commercial sites provide goods at an affordable cost since it does not involve any middlemen in
distribution of its goods to the final consumers.
Demerits
Lack of products examination
One of the various significant demerits of online shopping is customers’ inability to touch and examine
the quality of the products. Bridal fashion products play an important role in the life of brides as well as
the grooms hence it is very necessary to examine the products. Lack of examination of the products, being
a demerit of online bridal shopping can have an adverse effect on the customers.
Time consuming
As per the views of Turban et al., (2015) online commercial websites consume a lot of time in delivering
the bridal products and services in London to the customers. Additionally, in the peak season it takes time
of around one to two weeks to deliver bridal outfits and accessories to the customers.
Lack of confidentiality
Consumers are required to provide their email-Id, mobile number and other contact information for
placing order for the products and deliverer of the products at doorstep. This personal information can be
misused, which can affect the customers negatively.
2.3 High Street Bridal Shopping
High street bridal shopping stores is continued as one of the popular mediums of shopping. Though the
online shopping websites are gaining a large customers base through its innovative selling techniques,
shopping through high streets stores in London are still in demand. As stated by the Jackson, (2018) it is
very safe mode of shopping for bridal products in London. Many high street sores provide a wide variety
of products to the customers in London to increase the satisfaction of the customers by providing them
excellent quality products and at a reasonable rate. Several popular stores in London such as “Shanna
Melville”, “Fairy Tale London” and many more high street boutique that provide attractive bridal outfits
and accessories to its customers at reasonable rate.
Merits
Broad range

The high street bridal stores in London such as “Shanna Melville”, “Fairy Tale London” provide the
broad range of the bridal outfits and accessories to the customers. According Cui, (2016) further, it also
provides with the opportunity to the customers to select the products by taking proper trial of the products
as well as examine the quality of the products by touching the products.
Bargaining power
Shopping through high streets stores provides the customers the facility to bargain for the products they
are intended to buy on the price desired by them.
Safety
In the views of Burns, (2016) High streets bridal stores in London do not require much of the customers
contact information for delivery if the goods. This prevents the confidential information of the customers
from being manipulated. Customers can purchase the bridal products and take the products with them
simultaneously.
Time saving
High street bridal stores in London do not take much time in delivery of the bridal products to the
customers. This prevents the customers to wait much for the arrival of their products.
Economies of scale
Several high bridal stores produce the bridal products in a large scale, which reduces per unit cost. This
enables the stores to sell bridal products at a reduced cost.
Demerits
Lack of Convenience
One of the most considerable demerits of the shopping through high streets stores in London is lack of
convenience. According to Suel, (2017) Customers need to run stores after stores for purchasing bridal
products and services in London. They cannot purchase bridal outfits and accessories sitting at home.
Increased price
There are various high street stores dealing in bridal products in London, charge a significant amount of
price for the bridal outfits and accessories sold to the customers. This acts as an important demerit and
can reduce the purchasing powered of customers.

Lack of personal contact
The proprietors of the high street bridal stores do not maintain personal contact to their customers. This
can reduce the customers’ satisfaction and decrease customers’ value.
2.4 Comparison of High street and online Bridal shopping
As per the views of Nylén (2015), although the online shopping websites are gaining a large customers
base through its innovative selling techniques, shopping through high streets stores in London are still in
demand. Several organizations are dealing their online bridal shopping through several electronic
commercial websites whereas the high street shopping is done by approaching the real and tangible
stores. As per the views of Burnes (2016), the high street bridal stores provide the customers with the
opportunities to bargain for the price they want to pay for the bridal products purchased whereas online
commercial websites do not provide the opportunities to bargain but it provides several discount offers to
the customers to attract them towards their products. One of the significant differences of the High street
and online Bridal shopping is convenience. Men as well as women can avail the bridal products and
services without running through store after store.
In the views of Tifferet et al., (2018) By the help of online shopping the brides in London can purchase
bridal products and services any time since the online shopping sites provide 24x7 services to its
customers whereas in case of high street bridal stores, customers need to run stores after stores for
purchasing bridal products and services in London. They cannot purchase bridal outfits and accessories
sitting at home. As stated by the Chen et al., (2015) Customers can physically examine the bridal
products at high street bridal stores in London whereas online bridal stores do not provide with the
opportunity to the customers to inspect the quality of the product by touching them and making frequent
trials of the bridal products such as bridal outfits, jewellery, footwear and other bridal accessories. High
street bridal stores in London do not take much time in delivery of the bridal products to the customers
whereas online commercial websites consume a lot of time of around one to two weeks in delivering the
bridal products and services in London to the customers. Shopping through the high street bridal stores
prevents the confidential information of the customers from being manipulated because high streets bridal
stores in London do not require much of the customers contact information for delivery if the goods.

2.5 Current consumer buying behaviours towards high street shopping in London and around the
world
As per view of Oakland (2015), High street shopping is closely associated with every city or towns but it
is one of the businesses in Commonwealth of Nations and UK. High street shopping includes many things
such as fragrance shop, chocolates shop, dressing shops, accessories shop and so on. In London, high
street shopping is very famous. There are some places in UK, LONDON where people prefer to go for
shopping. High street fashion is nothing but a mix of clothes that can be bought from ordinary shops
rather buying from expensive fashion designer. According to White (2016), some famous places for high
street shopping in London are High street, Kings Street, Oxford Street, Covent Garden and many more.
Fashion is a glamour and billion-dollar industry in world. While people’s perception has changed a lot in
last few years, now people are there who are willing to go for this high street shopping rather online
shopping. As per view of Cowley and Kavanagh (2016), there are shops in UK, which has more than a 20
% of values, Bansley, Woolwich, are making these stores on value sharing ranking. Supermarket like
Tesco, Sainsbury’s revenue is facing a decline as some brand like Lidl, Aldi and many more are offering
good quality products with the cheaper rates.
After the economic crisis in UK, high street fashion has faced a decline rate, but its speedy recovery is on
the very as well. People in UK, London always prefer this high street fashion trend, which is a great,
boost for the country as well as some the economy as well. As a good rate is maintained, local market is
also increasing and local business is getting high on a continual basis. With the change of generation, the
rate of high street fashion is getting affected as well. In the fast and progressive world, where there is not
much time to waste, the teenage group prefers to go for this type of shopping. However, sometimes
online shopping gets the advantage before it (Cowley and Kavanagh, 2016).
In today’s fast world, now the trend is changing as the online shopping only is attracting people. With the
help of a basis WIFI, connection or internet people can buy any products while relaxing at home.
Therefore, the high street shopping is being effected. Nowadays people want to ease themselves and with
the minimal walk, regarding shopping issues. Customers are not willing to spend hours on shopping with
huge bags in hands.
People are still in favor of high street shopping as emotional reason or attachment is one of the reasons.
For example, if a customer is buying from a particular shop and have good products in the past time, so it
is obvious that a trust has been built (Cowley and Kavanagh, 2016). Therefore, before switching to any
online shopping, those customers will prefer to go for that particular shop or high street shopping. The

purchasing behavior of customer solely depends on the marketing strategy and the trust factor between
customers and buyers.
Therefore, it can be said that though it is quite a hard thing for high street fashion to survive in the world
of online shopping but it is still progressing with a good rate. Well-decorated showrooms, proper
advertisement via billboard, pamphlets, attractive offers and good quality products are the key things that
are affecting the existing high street shopping lovers.
2.6 Factors influencing buyer behavior towards the online bridal shopping in London and around
the world
The technology has evolved in the past years a lot. Few years back, when people wished to opt for bridal
shopping, there were no options except to roam and go for high street shopping. Now the entire concept
has changed after the introduction of online shopping. Now a number of people chose to go for online
shopping only. When it comes to online bridal shopping in India as well as around the world, there are
few factors, which greatly affect the customers. The positive factors are:
According to Hussain and Ali( 2015),First factor that greatly affects online customers is less time and
convenience. During a busy schedule, it just takes few minutes to buy via online mode. At the same time,
it helps customers in avoiding crowd and in saving time as well. In terms of bridal shopping this really
helps the customers.
Stated by Nagle and Müller(2017),Next factor, which influence online purchasers, is better price. As
there is no third party is included in this process, so people can get products with a better pocket friendly
price. In the term of bridal shopping, this is a huge reason for the increasing demand of online bridal
shopping.
Variety and fewer expenses also greatly influence the bridal online shopping. People can check various
products according to their wishes for their dream day and customers can avoid travelling expenses,
outside eating expenses and so on. Price comparison is another factor in bridal online shopping. As
people can compare all the items, can view the reviews; learn the product details and every minute things
about the product. Therefore, this will always help the customers. Stated by Agapie et.al.
(2016) ,Avoiding crowd is also a factor for which people like to go for online bridal shopping. People
who want to avoid huge crowd and prefers to done the shopping in a simple relaxing way, online bridal
shopping is definitely best for them.

According to Rouibah and Al-Qirim (2017), some negative factors which effects customers during online
bridal shopping are: Risk is the first factor that effect people decision to for bridal shopping online.
Marriage is a big ceremony for everyone. Therefore, sometimes people do not want to take any risk on
their special occasion to avoid any further problem. People sometimes get confused regarding the
products color and size as well. Stated by Ho( 2014), Anxiety is another reason. Before shopping people,
need to go through a lengthy process. To avoid those activities people tend to avoid online bridal
shopping. Quality becomes the main reason for some time to avoid bridal shopping online. Customers
sometimes cannot trust the products material or quality, which they will receive. To avoid further
disturbance and not too waste time, people sometimes avoid this process. According to Strauss and Frost,
(2016), Maximum time people do not trust or want to rely on the delivery time shown while booking. As
bridal shopping must to be finish within the time, so a delay in delivery can ruin the program. To avoid
that people avoid online bridal shopping. Taste and preferences sometimes does not allow people to go
for online shopping. In terms of bridal, worldwide people have different tastes and choices in terms of
accessories and dresses. Therefore, people tend to avoid online shopping. The above-discussed factors
influenced people in UK, LONDON as well as worldwide too. These affect people’s purchasing behavior
both in positive and negative way.
2.7 Behaviour of woman customers towards bridal shopping
It has been seen that in recent years, the designers associated with the bridal products are gaining a lot of
demand and the woman of UK have a huge contribution to the increasing demand of the markets. It has
been seen that the women are more likely to choose products that are trendier and demonstrates their
style. According to Tarrant, (2015), even the women are likely to spend a lot of money for the dresses
and the accessories for the weddings. Relatively, a wedding statistics have shown that the women of UK
are likely to buy a dress at an average cost of £913, jewelleries of about £77 and other accessories of
£200. Consequently, there have been a huge increase in the investment in this goods and has reached a
new height where 73% people directly orders the bridal companies for their products. However, as the
couples are investing their money on the products, these people also want a freedom of use of these
products and thus, these people want the goods as needed by them. As opined by Min et al., (2016), the
modern trends are normally against ready-made products of the wedding industry and these people tend to
make the dresses from the designers. Some of the social media sites have started selling gown and
jewelleries online for the brides and these sites claim these products to be designer products. The brides
are more inclined to high street bridal shopping than online products, as these people usually demand a
better product for their wedding. Whereas, in addition to the personalization, the brides are more inclined
to spend more on the jewellery products as well as the gowns that are to be worn on the wedding day.

Figure 2: Average expenditure on Hair and makeup for wedding
(Source: Otnes, 2015)
In addition to the dresses and jewelleries, a lot of money is also spent on the hair and makeup of the bride.
In context to the recent statistical data, a bride of London usually spends £177 on the make up for the
wedding day. Around 63% of the brides pay for bridal hair and makeup in UK. However, women
customers do not pay for the makeup and the expensive jewelleries. These facilities in UK are quite
expensive and the brides usually spend less so that the money saved in this attempt can be used for the
trips after marriage. Furthermore, according to Daly, and Long, (2016), it has also been seen that the
brides, to show off their class, buys a trendy and a highly expensive product for the wedding.
Figure 3: Average expenditure on bridal wear
(Source: Foster and Johnson, 2013)
While, the couples who do not have a good financial condition also buys products from the social media
sites and tends tool choose contemporary and a more sophisticated product at a much cheaper price.
Social media is one of the medium through which the brides are connecting with the different wedding