Forrester recently released its Digital Go-To-Market Review: Apparel And Footwear Brands, 2025 research. In this review, we assess 26 consumer-facing brands and a list of the most future-ready ones. The message is clear: Brands that actively own their sales, storytelling, and consumer relationships will be best positioned to compete in a fragmented, fast-moving retail landscape.
Online retail today bears little resemblance to what it looked like even a decade ago. Traditional distribution models built around wholesale partners have shifted to direct-to-consumer selling and marketplaces, especially as department stores have declined. This shift has created internal complexity for brands — but there is a silver lining in the disruption: Brands now have more power than ever to control how consumers discover, evaluate, and buy their products. The brands that thrive will be those that actively seize this control.
A brand’s website must support the full buying journey
Even when consumers don’t complete a purchase on a brand’s site, they frequently use it for research. Shoppers expect rich product detail pages with comprehensive sizing, materials, delivery timelines, and reviews. The best brand sites go further by replicating in-store experiences through virtual try-on tools, fit guidance, and comparison features. Ratings and reviews are especially critical: More than 70% of US online adults consider them an essential site feature, per Forrester’s Retail Topic Insights 1 Survey, 2025. Loyalty programs, flexible fulfillment options such as “buy online, pick up in-store” and same-day delivery, and transparent shipping information further reinforce the value of buying direct.
Brand protection and distribution control are strategic imperatives
Marketplaces have made it easy for gray market sellers and counterfeiters to reach consumers, often with stolen imagery or unauthorized inventory. Yet few brands have dedicated teams or tools for brand protection. To safeguard both brand equity and customers, companies must tighten supply chains, clearly identify authorized sellers, monitor pricing consistency, and educate consumers on how to spot counterfeits.
Findability matters across owned and unowned channels
Consumers discover products everywhere: search engines, marketplaces, social platforms, and emerging AI-driven discovery tools (aka answer engines). Brands must ensure consistent, accurate, and compelling content wherever their products appear. On marketplaces like Amazon, for instance, visibility often depends on a mix of paid media, optimized listings, and branded storefronts.
Social media fuels discovery, credibility, and commerce
Social platforms play a central role in product discovery, especially for Gen Z. Successful brands invest in charismatic, always-on social presence; experiment with social commerce features; and amplify user-generated content (UGC). UGC, in particular, brings products to life and strengthens emotional connection, turning customers into advocates.
Forrester clients can access our Digital Go-To-Market Review: Apparel And Footwear Brands, 2025 and book a guidance session or inquiry with me to discuss our findings in more detail and what they mean for your brand.
