Fits Me – Why ‘fit’ and not just ‘size’ is essential to ecommerce retail success


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consumer, better fit is the next response our industry must embrace.


INCORRECT SIZING CAN DRAMATICALLY AFFECT A CONSUMER’S FEELINGS We have conducted extensive research to inform our own approach. Perhaps unsurprisingly, we’ve unearthed that current sizing methods are undermining consumer trust in brands. 86% believe online shopping is a ‘gamble’ when it comes to finding the correct fit. At the same time, 81% say they find the search process online frustrating. It is not of course just about selecting the


right size. It is also about ensuring that when a consumer changes size, they will be easily able to find an appropriate alternative. Fits Me research has revealed that a woman will change her dress size over 31 times during her adult life, while men typically go up and down a size 24 times. These changes in size can have a dramatic psychological effect on shoppers. It is also the time where ‘understanding’ brands can maintain relationships and a personal connection with consumers by providing easy alternatives. This is a conversation that goes beyond just the shape of the clothes themselves and can develop into a narrative with customers across digital channels – developing loyalty, increasing sales and reducing returns. Another crucial area within this debate


in the consideration phase are often let down by the time taken to try items on in-store and wait for fitting rooms. Online, the challenge can be even more tricky, with many consumers wary of trying new brands and styles due to lack of fit certainty. Although delivery times and returns policies of online retailers have improved dramatically, this challenge is now perhaps the greatest conundrum retailers face. Consumers are demanding transparency in the ethical practices of those they buy from, ‘fast fashion’ has sought to keep up with the modern


is the necessity for retailers to cope with a woman’s body shape. Women are currently left in the dark when deciding whether a dress will fit their particular shape. While the basic dimensions of shapes may be the same, a different fit for each would ensure that the woman can guarantee compliments at an all-important dinner party.


PROVIDING AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE FITTING ROOM But it doesn’t stop there. The process of tackling the issue of fit can result in new and better ways for consumers to try on clothes. Fits Me research has shown that over three quarters of shoppers still feel the only way to ensure fit is to try clothes on in a store. This is due in part to the ability to take multiple sizes


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