Consumers expect a catered experience when shopping online. According to a recent article, 74% of people are frustrated with content that isn’t relevant to them. The online tools available to help us choose the correct clothing size flipflop between questionnaires and body scanning apps. These tools use algorithms and garment data to provide customers with an educated guess on their best size. These tools however are not proficient at learning a persons true fit preference. Thus a new type of fit finder is emerging in eCommerce. One which allows retailers to dive into the complicated world of fit preference like never before.
Why You Should Know Your Customer’s Fit Preference
We’ve sought out bespoke clothiers to learn the specific ways they use body measurements to create custom garments. The truth is there are multiple fit phases during the bespoke process. This because body measurements aren’t a true representation of fit preference (see our article on fit preference). A recent discussion with Frank Rostron of Frank Rostron Bespoke Shirtmakers added more weight to an already proven fact. Frank explained although capturing a persons chest measurement certainly has merit in clothing construction, it will not inform him of how tight or loose the individual prefers their shirt. If this is true of bespoke clothing, it must be even more difficult for ready to wear.
Learning your customer’s fit preference early and often is more important now that ever. It’s one of the reasons Stitch Fix has been so successful. But how to do it without changing your entire business model?
An App That Measures Clothes
The most effective way to determine fit preference is by looking at the clothing we already own. Specifically the measurements. The data has always been there, though there has not been a way to put it to use. Measuring a garment by hand is impractical for most consumers. Tailored takes care of this with a new kind of fit finder called Capture.
Capture allows you to learn the physical dimensions of your customers best fitting garment. How you – the retailer – use the data is up to you. We offer a variety of integrations eCommerce. For more information reach out to us here.