Online Size & fit recommendation technology€¦ · increase the self- esteem of customers and larger size labels do the opposite. V. iii. Therefore, retailers have been known to

Copyright © 2018 Rakuten Fits Me. All rights reserved.

Online Size & fit recommendation technology

the Ultimate Guide to

Everything you need to know about fit technology to increase conversions andreduce online returns

WHAT’S IN THIS GUIDE?

Copyright © 2018 Fits Me. All rights reserved.

The history of size and fit 3

The size and fit challenge 7

How does size and fit tech work? 11

Size and Fit tech approaches 14

Putting size in search 24

Shopper data: small product changes, big impact 26

Key business benefits 32

Key customer benefits 40

Retail examples 43

About Rakuten Fits Me 47

CEOS, CMOS, DESIGNERS, ECOMMERCE MANAGERS, GARMENT

TECHNOLOGISTS - WHATEVER YOUR ROLE IN THE E-FASHION

WORLD, YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH SIZE

AND FIT TECHNOLOGY.

This guide has been designed to give you a

comprehensive overview of size and fit

technologies in the online fashion industry. We

want to help you improve your size and fit

strategies and offer best practice solutions from

what we’ve learned over the years.

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY SIZE AND FIT TECHNOLOGIES?

Size and fit impacts key parts of the online

shopping experience and the entire product

lifecycle: from the decision to purchase a

garment, through to it meeting customer

expectations and whether or not it gets returned.

New technologies can improve this process.

Not only is decision-making easier and more

personalised for the shopper, they also use data

and algorithms to test and understand customers’

preferences and body shapes in order to optimise

garment design, production, range planning and

even help identify gaps and test new market

opportunities.

Responsibility for customer experience spans all

teams within retailers. From eCommerce, where

it’s about optimising the customer experience

and reducing returns – to the design and garment

technology departments, who need customer

data to determine and optimise fit model specs

and know which sizes to make or buy.


Welcome to the Ultimate Guide to Size recommendation Technology

1

Although that cheeky size chart is only

taking up a small amount of estate on your

site, we believe that size and fit is a big part

of the customer journey – and it’s being

severely neglected in the fashion industry.

Retailers are also missing out on a huge

opportunity to collect biometric data that

customers are readily willing to give (in

return for a better experience, and better

fitting clothes!).

Get your online size and fit strategy right

and you turn one time buyers into loyal

brand ambassadors. Get it wrong and you

risk losing a large proportion of your

customer base and damaging your brand

reputation in the process.

We have crammed a tonne of our

knowledge, research and best practise from

our clients into this eBook to help inform

brands before making a decision on a size

and fit technology. We detail ways to help

the online apparel industry revolutionise

sizing, from the onsite experience right

through to garment development.

This eBook provides everything you need to

know about the current demand for an

online size and fit solution and a

comprehensive evaluation of approaches

that currently exist in the market - and

which ones are best suited to your brand. It

also outlines the direct benefits the right

technology can have for you and your

department.

Why we wrote this guide

2 Copyright © 2018 Fits Me. All rights reserved.

The history of size and fit

1800 – From tailoring to mass productionThe standard, non-specific size groupings (S,

M, L, XL) still used by many retailers today,

were originally created in the 1800’s in

response to uniform demand for soldiers

during the American Civil War - thus being

easier to produce en masse through

factories.

1939 – USDA StudyIn a response to U.S. manufacturers

estimating that set sizes were costing the

industry $10 million a year, the USDA (United

States Department of Agriculture)

commissioned a study into women’s

measurements for garment and pattern

construction. This would help move away

from the generic, sizing buckets used within

mass production, and save money in the

process.

The study found that just five measurements

were needed to determine the size and

shape of a woman: weight, height, bust girth,

waist girth and hip girth.


The history of size and fit

1958 – sizing standards introduced From the USDA research, the first set of

sizing standards were introduced and

published as ‘Commercial Standard (CS) 215-

58’

1970 – Commercial standards updatedIn 1970 the sizing standards were updated to

“more accurately reflect the current

population of women”

1983 – Voluntary standards withdrawnPrevious voluntary standards were

withdrawn and garments simply displayed

size numbers.

‘Vanity Sizing’ Over time, clothes sizes have increased,

though their size numbers haven’t. This has

been branded as ‘Vanity Sizing’ and exists in

order to make customers feel good.

Studies have shown that smaller size labels

increase the self-esteem of customers and

larger size labels do the opposite. Viii

Therefore, retailers have been known to grow

their sizes just as their customers do in order

to keep selling to them. Vanity sizing has its

obvious downsides too, as inconsistent sizing

across different brands can annoy and

frustrate customers.


SIZING INCONSISTENCIES ACROSS THE INDUSTRY

80% OF CUSTOMERS WOULDN’T GO BACK TO A SHOP IF THEY

RETURNED SOMETHING THE FIRST TIME. A PRIMARY REASON FOR

ONLINE RETURNS IS THAT CLOTHES DON’T FIT PROPERLY.

Until now, many shoppers have had to rely on

knowledge of the brand – or guesswork – when

making purchases online.

Metrics (S, M, L, 10, 12 etc.) have held iconic

meaning for the customer as the way to

determine fit and provide symbolic reassurance

(or not). Yet this can be quite generic and

doesn’t allow for the myriad of different body

shapes within each size bracket.

There have been attempts to re-establish a

universal metric for size ii however, in this age of

personalisation, the conventional

idea of ‘size’ is becoming less important – for the

consumer at least.

88% of consumers are frustrated by inconsistent

sizing and almost four in five prefer retailers to

only show items that will fit.

So, why are we still using sizes to find the ‘best

fit’ when this doesn’t always give the optimal

result?

It’s evident there’s need for a ‘fit filter’ to help

consumers iii.


WHY IS SIZE AND FIT TECHNOLOGY SO IMPORTANT?

SIZE AND FIT TECHNOLOGY CAN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT BOTH

THE SUCCESS AND THE PROFITS OF ONLINE RETAILERS.

Over half of all retail fashion shopping now

takes place online: in the last year alone

there was a 23% uptake in purchases of

textiles, shoes and clothing.

However, the flipside is the volume of

returns: an average of 20% of all purchases

are sent back, rising to 50% for expensive

items.

It costs retailers millions in lost revenue,

shipping and processing costs. It also has

environmental consequences. Returns-

focused logistics company Optoro state that

the 3.5 billion products US consumers return

every year, results in 4 billion pounds of

waste and 11 million tons of carbon

emissions. ¹

Items of clothing that don’t fit is a major

reason for returns. Size and fit technology is

the solution.



THE SIZE AND FIT CHALLENGE

7


Size and fit inconsistencies

Of clothes purchased online are returned often due to fit

Of consumers stay loyal to a brand due to how the products fit them

8

Online retail expenditure in the UK is

forecast to grow by 44.9% over the

coming five years, reaching £62.7bn by

2020. Potentially great news for e-

tailers.

However, online returns are a huge

expense, costing a total of £20 billion a

year v. in-store returns are considerably

lower than online returns. And

incorrect fit is one of the primary

reasons for returns.


THE TRUE COST OF RETURNS

1Fit-related returns cost fashion retailers millions in lost revenue, shipping and processing costs.

2Returns are damaging to the environment, increasing congestion and CO2 emissions.

4Lack of accuracy in fit reduces customer satisfaction and potential lifetime value of the consumer.

5Excessive returns lead to higher inventory, warehousing and delivery costs.

3“Current return rates are around 20%, but climb up to 50% for expensive items. iv

0

10

20

30

40

50

Online In branch

AVERAGE ONLINE AND IN BRANCH RETURN RATES (%)

In the first six months of 2016,

56% of UK customers returned

clothing purchased online,

which:

• wastes resources,

• impacts retailers’ bottom

line,

• incurs significant

environmental costs vi, and

• undermines the hard-

earned goodwill and trust

of customers.

Removing the physical store

element naturally reduces the

level of contact between

shopper and retailer. An increase

in the number of purchases

made online can also reduce the

understanding retail businesses

have of their customers.

Simply put: customers aren’t

able to determine which clothes

will fit them properly and e-

tailers are paying a premium for

returns.

9

WHY IS IT SO HARD TO FIND THE PERFECT FIT ONLINE?

SIZE AND FIT TECHNOLOGY CAN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT BOTH

THE SUCCESS AND THE PROFITS OF ONLINE RETAILERS.

Size is an archaic approach to distribution of

garments based on utility and not aesthetics

linked to body shape.

These days, brands depend on their own size

charts and sizing constraints - both for budgetary

reasons and to produce garments at speed in our

fast-moving fashion world. It’s an important part

of the manufacturing process.

As a result, definitions of size differ across the

industry and even within individual business

departments.

Okay, enough of the problem, lets talk about

how we solve it…

Copyright © 2018 Fits Me. All rights reserved.10


How does size and fit tech work?

11

WHAT IS SIZE AND FIT TECHNOLOGY?

We believe the fashion industry should put customer fit and body shapes at the heart of the shopping experience. That’s why we offer fit recommendation tech free for all apparel retailers.

Size and fit technology gives online shoppers

the closest experience to finding their best fit

in a real-life changing room. It allows

customers to discover best ‘fit’ across the

market, and brings the consumer and retailer

together.

Also, in some cases it provides an opportunity

for the retailer to learn more about their

customers measurements and fit preference

– powerful for many different reasons.


https://fits.me/sign-up-for-essential/?utm_source=size%20and%20fit%20ebook&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=size%20and%20fit%20ebook&utm_content=ebook%20slide%2014

SAY GOODBYE TO CONVENTIONAL SIZE CHARTS

With the average woman changing size 31

times throughout her adult life, knowing

which size to recommend every time is

becoming harder and harder for brands.

Retailers have been coming up with ever-

more inventive ways to solve the problem of

finding the best fit online.

There are now a multitude of size and fit

technologies out there: fit guides; interactive

size guides; virtual catwalks; fit comparison;

3D body scans; online avatars; brand

comparisons – the list is endless.

So, you know you need to implement a size

and fit solution on your ecommerce site, but

how are you meant to decide which

technology is best for your brand?


RESEARCH STATES AT THE AVERAGE WOMAN CHANGES SIZE 31

TIMES THROUGHOUT HER ADULT LIFE.

13

http://fits.me/whitepaper-download-5-reasons-why-size-isnt-fit?utm_source=31%20sizes%20whitepaper&utm_medium=size%20and%20fit%20ebook&utm_campaign=size%20and%20fit%20ebook


size and fit tech approaches

14


5 approaches overview

‘Body Double’ approach

Virtual fitting room

Brand comparison

approach

Measurement comparison

approach

Shopper and garment data

combined

There are a few key approaches to fit and size tech, a lot

of it comes down to levels of accuracy and how much

work the customer has to do to gain a recommendation.

We outline 5 approaches and their pros and cons.

A Bvs

15

The ‘body double’ approach


TO NOTE:

This is not the best approach to use if you are a small to mid-sized

business due to the vast amount of returns data

- Matches you with your ‘body double’

- Recommends the size they bought and didn’t return

How does it work?This approach finds a shopper’s ‘body double’

by looking at customers with similar body

measurements and classing them into

different ‘fit profiles’. It then looks at returns

data to determine how many ‘body doubles’

returned a garment of a specific size,

suggesting to the customer that a low returns

rate would mean the perfect size for them.

The Pros: FIT PREFERENCE As this approach doesn’t require garment

data, only requiring purchase and returns

data, it can be quite quick to launch.

The Cons: LOW accuracy, requires scaleRequires purchase history and significant

volume of transactions so cannot be used on

new or fast turnover products. Highly

dependent on the accuracy of this data also.

Doesn’t factor in shopper fit preferences or

intent and use of garments – a key factor in

understanding fit.

Can add confusion with statements such as

52% bought size X and 12.50% bought size Y.

Consequently, this can result in multi-size

purchase returns.

16

The virtual fitting room approach

How does it work?Virtual fitting room technology is the online

equivalent to a changing room you would

expect to find in any apparel store. It takes

customer measurements such as height,

weight and chest size to display visually how

they think the garment will look via an

avatar and also recommends which size you

should buy.

The Pros: looks great and engagingThe overall look and user experience of a

virtual fitting room can be impressive, if

engineered correctly.

The Cons: The truth hurts & resourcesThe approach uses a lot of time and resource

when it comes to photography, matching of

items and graphic design of both avatar

models and garments.

Shoppers are not always happy with the

visual representation of themselves online.

Although the technology may be suggesting

a close match to how the garment may fit, in

reality the truth hurts, and customers can be

put off by this and abandon their online

transaction.


TO NOTE:

This is best for boutique brands due to extensive time and

resources needed for graphic designs of avatars and garments

- Users get virtual insight into what garments might look like on

17

The brand comparison approach

How does it work?This approach uses an online tool to

recommend sizes based upon a comparison

between various brands. It asks the customer

which brands fit them best and cross

references size chart data to identify which

size they are. These types of applications use

vast amounts of size chart data from

thousands of different brands and also

analyse purchase and returns data.

The Pros: NO GARMENT DATA NEEDEDAs this solution doesn’t use any garment

data, it may be useful to multi- brands who

don’t have easy access to garment data.

The Cons: BRAND impact, lower accuracyBy asking the customer to think of other

brands, you run the risk of planting the idea

of shopping with another retailer in the

customer’s head. Which can lead to cart

abandonment and even brand damage.

Returns data is difficult to verify due to the

lagging effect of when garments were

returned and because of the significant

amount of garments which are never

returned at all, but still didn’t necessarily fit.


TO NOTE:

This approach relies on the customer being able to remember

their previous behaviour and the provider to have enough brands

in their library to have enough size data on this brand.

Brand A Brand B

- Recommendation based upon a comparison between different brands

- Consumer states how well other brands fit them

Q: What brand did you buy last?Q: Did you return it?

vs

18

The Measurement comparison approach


TO NOTE:

Not the best approach for ‘fast-fashion’ retailers due to the time

and effort required by the shopper

How does it work?This approach, makes a recommendation

based upon a comparison with an item of

clothing the customer already owns. The

customer is required to measure their own

garment and enter the data into the

comparison application. It then matches

those measurements with other similar size

garments.

The pros: HIGH ACCURACYAs long as customers measure their

garments correctly, the data imputed will

reflect their current size accurately, without

the need for body shape data.

The cons: CUSTOMER WORK, COMPLICATEDMeasuring garments is a very manual and

lengthy process for an end user. This

approach is completely dependent on the

assumption that customers have the

knowledge and time to correctly measure

garments – and have a measuring tape to

hand! Therefore this approach would not be

best suited for retailers catering for ‘fast

fashion’ or brands with an indecisive or fickle

customer base.

It also doesn’t factor in design, cut,

silhouette, material, stretch of garment in

recommendations, and isn’t comparing like-

for-like garments.

- Recommendations based on comparison with an item of clothing the consumer already has

- Consumers required to measure the garment themselves at home

19

The Shopper and garment data combined approach


TO NOTE:

Only an approach which combines both shopper and garment

data will result in the most accurate recommendation

How does it work?This approach combines shopper data and

garment data to create personalised

recommendations, tailored for individual

body shapes. It uses an extensive database of

garment related information including

textiles and cloth compositions.

It then combines this with customer

biometric data and garment data including

fabrics, stretch, type, cut, fit and ease and fit

model data, body shape data and live

returns data to recommend the most

accurately fitting clothes.

Customers have the option to compare sizes

depending on their fit preference.

The Cons: Data requirements- Retailers will need access to garment data

in order to implement this approach.

The pros: ACCURACY, EXPERIENCE, INSIGHTS- Extremely high accuracy of size and fit

recommendations to reduce returns.

- Less work for the customers and visual

experience.

- Deep insights into body measurements

and garments for product lifecycle

development and market opportunity.

SHOPPER DATA

GARMENT DATA

20

Other key considerations when choosing size and fit tech


The following factors should also be taken into

consideration when deciding on implementing

size and fit technology. Try and get all the

following questions answered before signing

with a particular vendor:

UX / customer journey:- How does the tool look and sit on your site? -

Is it in keeping with your brand?

- What level of customisation is your

technology supplier giving you?

Insights and reporting:- What level of customer insights do you

receive after implementing the tool?

- How do these insights then feed back into

your online architecture and how do they

benefit your product lifecycle?

Support and data requirements:- What is the ease and speed of

implementation?

- How much support does the vendor offer

during and post implementation?

- What data drives their recommendations

and how easy do you have access to it?

Pricing:- Are you optimising engagement and use of

the tool?

- Some tools use a PPC or a cost-based model

where a brand takes a percentage of every

garment sold through the tool. Alternatively, a

monthly licensing fee, if competitive, can offer

comfort in budgeting with no need to limit

transactions.

21

Potential value drivers unlocked


INCREASED CONVERSIONS

DECREASEDRETURNS

INCREASED AVERAGE TRANSACTION VALUE

INCREASED LIFE TIME VALUE

INCREASED NET PROMOTER SCORE

INCREASED CUSTOMER LOYALTY

Give your shopper

the confidence to buy their preferred

style and fit. Users of the tool convert

between 0.5 - 2.5x more than those

who don’t.

Accurate size recommendations can bring

retailers between a 20% –70% drop in fit-

based returns. Knowing which size to buy

means there’s no need to buy multiple sizes

of the same garment.

Personalised recommendations

removes the size barrier to purchase,

meaning they will buy more. Increase

your average transaction value by up to

20%.

Once consumers

enjoy a great shopping

experience with you, confidence

is higher. More trust in your brand

equals greater loyalty and repeat

purchases.

A great shopping

experience makes for

a loyal customer. A great chance to turn

one-time buyers into brand ambassadors.

Imagine your shoppers

only seeing sizes and stock

relevant to them, in styles they want, and

the fit they love. The right solution can

improve user experience and brand

loyalty.

22

Our belief: Give all your shoppers the right fit, first time.


Rakuten Fits Me believe ALL shoppers deserve

to find the right fit, first time. That’s why we

offer our best-in-class fit recommendation tool

free for all online apparel retailers.

The self-service essential edition of our tool

means apparel retailers can easily add fit

recommendations to their site and start

improving the customer experience and

reduce fit-based returns immediately.

Click here to sign up and start offering size

recommendations to your shoppers.

No matter what their body shape, ALL shoppers deserve to find the

right fit, first time.

23




Putting size in search

24

Putting size at the beginning of the customer journey


Online size and fit tech doesn’t stop at simply

recommending the perfect size on the product

page. New innovations mean the same

technology can be integrated right into a

retailers search functionality, resulting in the

ultimate search extension.

Shoppers simply enter their height, weight and

age, within the search function and the tool

provides a snapshot overview of everything

that will fit and that is currently in stock –

minimising frustration.

The tool, Fit Match, works seamlessly alongside

your existing filters without affecting site

speed.

The tool allows shoppers to search by fit and

shop with confidence, reducing the time it

takes to find exactly what you are looking for..

82% of shoppers express s sense of frustration that they can’t easily

find what they’re looking for online

25

https://fits.me/products/fit-match/


Shopper data:small product changes, big impact

26

We believe retailers could be sitting on a

wealth of garment data which isn’t being

used to its full potential.

By matching garment data with insights

from size and fit technologies, then feeding

it back into design and product

development, retailers are able to review

their sizing charts and produce better-fitting

garments that match the customers’ needs.


DATA FEEDS YOUR BUSINESS

USE DATA TO GET TO KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER

Size and fit technology not only ensures

your customers find clothes that fit, but

also feeds data about your customers

back to you.

With it, you get a far broader view of who your customer is:

• Who is shopping in your online store: demographic, gender?

• Are they who you thought they were?

• What do they look like: age, height, body shape?

• What type of clothes are they looking for: what are their fit preferences?

• Do your product ranges, styles and sizes match their needs?

Plus, you can also:

• Track returns and conversions.

• Understand their dimensions to plan stock flow.

• Identify gaps in your product range, and test new products/territories

• Give your shoppers a more targeted recommendation.

• Serve your customers a more personalised experience.

27

USE DATA TO DRIVE INNOVATION AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Until now, fashion e-tailers may only have

had access to data from separate, siloed

groups of stakeholders: creative, design,

merchandising and technical. Plus, there has

been minimal opportunity for inbound

customer size and fit data. Consequently,

research and development is often driven by

a perceived need rather than definite data

sets.

The advent of size and fit technology means

it’s now possible to marry individual garment

data with customer biometric data and fit

preference.

These insights reveal trends in consumer

profiles and consumer behaviour. This can

be used for quality assurance and testing, to

drive innovation and for future product

development.


Size and fit technology doesn’t just

improve customer confidence, it also

creates opportunities for product research

and development through inbound

insights and statistics.


THE RESULT: REPEAT PURCHASES AND A BUSINESS MODEL BASED ON REAL-TIME DATA

Know your customer and improve garment fit

29


Improve your product lifecycle

• Inbound data lets you better understand your customers’ body shapes and fit

preferences in real time.

• Analysing body data against garment data allows designers and garment

technologists to adjust fit related issues with real time feedback, and identify new

product opportunities and products for customers.

• Body data allows the marketing team to build more accurate target personas and

identifies customer pain points that aren’t being met,

• Online fit recommendations makes customers feel more confident, therefore

reducing returns, increasing conversions and boosting overall brand value.

Plus, you can also:

• Track returns and conversions.

• Understand their dimensions to plan stock flow.

• Give your shoppers a more targeted recommendation.

• Serve your customers a more personalised experience.

30

Customer data offers a myriad of insights, for

example:

• Data may suggest customers are looking

for an additional 2cm on a waist, inner leg

or bust measurement. By making minor

adjustments to existing product

specifications, garments could become

more desirable to a wider audience – and

increase profits.

• When retailers enter new geolocations,

inbound data offers insights on how to

adjust products to cater specifically for

these markets.


ONE RETAILER DISCOVERED THEY WEREN’T CATERING

TO A LARGE NUMBER OF ‘TRIANGLES’ VISITING THEIR ONLINE

STORE – AND LOSING THEIR BUSINESS – SO DEVELOPED A

CAPSULE WARDROBE SPECIALLY FOR

THIS DEMOGRAPHIC.

IDENTIFY NEW OPPORTUNITIES

31


Key BUSINESS BENEFITS

32

The data obtained by a size and fit

recommendation tool can optimise product

development and take the guesswork out of

production for garment technologists.

It helps to understand customers’ body

shapes, measurements and fit preference

trends which can then identify gaps in

product lines and cater to customers who

may have otherwise been overlooked.


2 key BENEFITS:- REDUCE LONG TERM RETURNS

- ENTER NEW MARKETS BY DESIGNING NEW FIT FOCUSED

RANGES WITH CONFIDENCE

Garment production and design:

Benefits across department

33

For the ecommerce department, the value

is clear. Ecommerce managers are able to

reduce their online return rate and

increase conversions without the need to

discount.

Differentiating by fit means brands can

stand out against competitors and

improve the overall online experience to

drive loyalty. Ecommerce managers also

see value through their enriched customer

data, allowing them to personalise more

accurately.


2 key BENEFITS:- INCREASE CONVERSIONS WITHOUT DISCOUNTING

- REDUCE THE ONLINE RETURN RATE


Ecommerce:

34

Customer data collected within the tool

means marketing managers are able to

improve customer profiling, This then allows

for more intelligent personalisation which in

turn drives customer loyalty.

If brands can position themselves as truly

personalised, they can create stories around

size and fit to generate awareness.

It also provides an added value service which

can be branded and marketed as part of

your overall brand service positioning.


2 key BENEFITS:- CREATE CUSTOMER STORIES AROUND FIT AND

PERSONALISATION TO GENERATE AWARENESS

- USE DATA TO IMPROVE CUSTOMER PROFILING TO DRIVE LOYALTY


Marketing:

35

Merchandisers need to ensure the right

products are in stock at the appropriate

times and in correct quantities, as well as

accurately forecasting trends. The correct

size and fit tool can assist with all of these.

Data obtained through the tool can look at

body shape data and fit preferences to

determine trends and get clarity of which

sizes are selling quickest in order to manage

inventory.


2 key BENEFITS:- KEEP AHEAD OF CUSTOMER TRENDS

- FORECAST AND MANAGE STOCK INVENTORY ACCURATELY


merchandising:

36

With less overall returns to manage and

enhanced customer profiles, managers

can strategically plan and optimise their

logistics strategy and transportation of

products.

Intelligent inventory ensures more efficient

storage and distribution of garments.


2 key BENEFITS:- EFFICIENT GARMENT STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION

- REDUCED TRANSPORT COSTS THROUGH A DECREASED RETURN

RATE


Logistics:

37

Fashion e-tailers need a solution to the

problem of incorrect sizing, and size and fit

technology is the answer.

Easily integrated into any eCommerce

platform, this is fundamentally changing the

relationship between consumer and retailer:

disrupting eCommerce in the retail sector,

and enabling customers to find their best fit

- wherever they shop online.

Already being used by leading UK fashion

retailers, it’s leading to fewer abandoned

carts, fewer returns, more returning

customers and higher average transaction

value.

• The result: a bigger profit margin.


ASOS SAYS A 1% FALL IN RETURNS WOULD ADD $16M

TO THE COMPANY’S BOTTOM LINE.

REDUCED RETURNS AND HIGHER PROFIT MARGINS

38


Csr & waste reduction

With shoppers now buying five times as

much clothing as they did in 1980, the waste

it generates is now a major issue when it

comes to retailers corporate social

responsibility and reducing their carbon

footprint.

When shoppers receive better fitting clothes

first time, it reduces the amount of non-

fitting clothes being returned. The impact of

this is that less garments end up in landfills,

which in turn is better for the environment,

as well as less packaging being produced for

returns.

39


Key CUSTOMER BENEFITS

40

With more people shopping online, and

more retailers entering this space every day,

finding the right fit is mutually essential for

both parties.

We already know traditional size charts

aren’t always reliable: there is no industry

standard and many people sit between two

sizes.

Added to that, within each size bracket sits a

myriad of different body shapes. Merely

guesstimating their size doesn’t give the

customer confidence the clothes will sit well.

As a result, customers will buy multiple

items and return those they don’t want. This

can lengthen the sales process, muddy

visibility of warehouse stock and decrease

customer satisfaction.

Giving all shoppers the right fit, first time can

drastically improve customer loyalty – to add

size recommendations to your website for

free click here.


CUSTOMER BENEFITS

41

http://fits.me/2016/11/03/power-perfect-fit-whitepaper/


INCREASE shopper CONFIDENCE NOW

Size and fit technology tests and records

individual garment data, then marries this

information with the customer’s biometrics.

This is done online, in real time, so the

customer immediately knows if the item will

fit.

With 85% of customers saying they return to

a brand because of fit vii, this can also offer

the e-tailer opportunities to increase loyalty.


A SEAMLESS SHOPPING EXPERIENCE IN THE FUTURE

Retailers are moving towards putting ‘fit’ at

the start of the customer’s online journey.

eCommerce sites are likely to become

personalised for the customer: only

showing clothes that fit them or match

their fit preference and are in stock – a

seamless shopping experience.

Eventually, customers will be able to

take their ‘fit print’ with them and get

recommendations site after site.

This also opens up the possibility of

increased gifting between family and

friends within the fashion sector.

85%

“85% of customers saying they return to a brand because of fit vii“

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Retailer examples

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FIT ORIGIN HAS DELIVERED +20.4% IN INCREMENTAL REVENUE TO THE RHONE WEBSITE

The challenge:Dedicated to innovation and progress,

activewear brand Rhone decided to

implement an integrated solution that

would help their shoppers make the right

decisions when choosing what products

to buy online, and in what size.

The solution:Rhone signed up to Fit Origin from

Rakuten Fits Me, the industry leading

online fit recommendation engine.


Just two weeks after going live, Fit Origin

had collected body data from over 3 million

users. When customers are interested in

exploring styles on-site and feel unsure

about how a product will fit them, they can

simply click ‘Find my Size’ on a product

page and Fit Origin guides them through a

quick and easy-to understand journey so

they can make the right purchase decision.

The result:The conversion rate of Rakuten Fits Me users on Rhone’s website was 9.8% vs.

non-users which converted at just 3.7%. A year later, Rakuten Fits Me user

conversion rates are still triple and some months even quadruple to non-user

conversions. Additionally, analytics show that Fit Origin has delivered an

impressive +20.4% in incremental revenue to Rhone’s website.

44

https://fits.me/success-stories/rhone/?utm_source=ultimate%20guide%20ebook&utm_medium=ultimate%20guide%20ebook&utm_campaign=ultimate%20guide%20ebook&utm_content=slide%2048%20cta


The challenge:

Most retailers are interested in reducing their returns

as a way of keeping down cost. Most retailers also

recognise the opportunity cost incurred when a return

is made, in between seasons for example, when the

item has to go into sale, or even landfill.

In the words of MUD: “ We don’t want you to keep

unworn jeans in your wardrobe ” Therefore, they went

on a mission to reduce their returns and save the

environment in the process.

The results:After implementing Fit origin from Rakuten Fits me, MUD Jeans saw a material reduction in size and fit related

enquiries. MUD Jeans shoppers who used Fit Origin convert over 3 times more than those who don’t use the

tool, proving that fit recommendations drive confidence.

Shoppers were also happier with the purchase, as those who used the tool returned 38.3% less than shoppers

who didn’t use the recommendation technology.

45

https://fits.me/success-stories/mud-jeans-2/?utm_source=ultimate%20guide%20ebook&utm_medium=ultimate%20guide%20ebook&utm_campaign=ultimate%20guide%20ebook&utm_content=ultimate%20guide%20ebook

https://fits.me/success-stories/mud-jeans-2/?utm_source=ultimate%20guide%20ebook&utm_medium=ultimate%20guide%20ebook&utm_campaign=ultimate%20guide%20ebook&utm_content=ultimate%20guide%20ebook


ABOUT Rakuten FITS ME

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ABOUT Rakuten FITS MERakuten Fits Me enables brands and retailers to

personalise the online customer journey by using

their size and fit recommendation tool.

Driven by years of garment testing and biometric

profiling, this give brands the power to

understand their customers’ fit preferences and

body shapes, in turn optimising product

development and reducing returns.

Known for pioneering the creation and

commercialisation of fit recommendation

solutions, Rakuten Fits Me currently works with a

range established retailers, including Rhone,

TWINSET and Henri Lloyd.

The company was acquired by Rakuten in 2015,

enabling the business to accelerate its vision of

developing a suite of products that will improve

the consumer journey, making ‘size’ ubiquitous

and ‘fit’ an invisible element of the consumer

shopping experience, ultimately driving

customer acquisition and loyalty.

We believe everyone deserves to find the right fit,

first time. That’s why we offer fit

recommendation tech free for all online apparel

retailers. Just register here to get started.

For more information, please contact

[email protected]


i Ref: http://www.optoro.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Optoro-Whitepaper6-9-2016.pdfii Rakuten Fits Me qualitative research Feb 2016

iii Rakuten Fits Me qualitative research Feb 2016iv Sucharita Mulpuru, Principal Analyst, Forrester Research, (WSJ 2015) / FitsMe-Whitepaper-

20BillionCostReturnsv30.pdf

v Ref: http://clearreturns.com/clearreturns/_ot/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Clear-Returns-Market-Report-FINAL.pdf

vi Edwards CARBON IMPLICATIONS OF RETURNING UNWANTED GOODS ORDERED ONLINE / FitsMe-Whitepaper-20BillionCostReturnsv30.pdf

vii Ed Gribbin, Edited

Viii https://www.forbes.com/sites/rogerdooley/2013/07/29/vanity-sizing/#2e81355a1e32

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Documents

Online Size & fit recommendation technology€¦ · increase the self- esteem of customers and larger size labels do the opposite. V. iii. Therefore, retailers have been known to