Taking the Guesswork Out Of Online Sizing
Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at 3:11PM 
It’s a challenge all clothing retailers have to face: excessive returns based on poor fit. According to a 2015 report by The Retail Equation and backed by NRF data, “fit” is the stated reason for nearly 11% of all merchandise returns. The associated costs include processing, sorting, repackaging and remarketing the item, and they’re a headache every apparel retailer would like to avoid.
Now there is a tool that offers help to customers looking for a perfect fit, all while creating an informational bridge between consumers and clothing manufacturers. Fittery.com offers a tool for men that finds clothes that fit them across a wide selection of brands based on their body type, fit preferences and measurements. The site has been live since September and is well positioned for growth.
Upon visiting the site for the first time shoppers are asked for basic information such as weight, height and body silhouette, plus waist and collar measurements. The process also asks them to identify their fit preference through images rather than words.
“We’ve done a lot of research, and found that different people have different concepts of what a slim or a classic fit might be,” says CEO Catherine Iger. “Pictures, as opposed to words, result in greater accuracy.”
The customer’s information is matched to the precise sizes of garments available through Fittery.com such as Thomas Pink, J.Crew, Boden and Lands’ End. Customers are shown choices that are best for their body based on exact product dimensions in the Fittery.com database. Customers can also measure themselves with a tape measure while being coached with a short tutorial video. “Either way, the process is 96.3 percent accurate,” Iger says.
The sizing technology is only currently available for dress and casual men’s shirts. Future plans include expansion into slacks, sport coats and more. Fittery.com also offers an array of accessory items, including ties, messenger bags and sunglasses, also through affiliated retailers.
Women’s clothing is planned for a future rollout. “We’re careful to expand our offerings slowly so that the data can be gathered completely and the algorithms can be adequately tested so we’re confident in their reliability,” Iger says.
Source: NRF.com