Virtual Dressing Room Experience Online
One of the biggest victims of the pandemic has been the ubiquitous virtual dressing room in brick and mortar fashion stores. Strict hygiene requirements turned the shopping experience and the retail industry in 2020 on its head. But with the entry of the vaccine, brick and mortar stores are fast reopening in full swing in the US and UK. So what does this mean for shoppers who are likely to be uncomfortable about entering dressing rooms? How do eCommerce brands up their game? Can they offer a virtual dressing room for their online shoppers?
Closing the gap
The most glaring difference between physical and online shopping experiences is the inability for shoppers to determine fit. The problem of ‘touch and feel’ has been solved to an extent with product information and high quality photography. But the experience of actually checking fit as well as styling the product with other items from the store has been one of the biggest draws of the physical retail experience.
The Problem of Fit
Today, one of the top reasons for returns is that the product was not as described — or didn’t look like it did in the image.
Most female editorial models are 5 feet, 9 inches tall and quite slim. Whereas the average American woman is about 5 feet, 4 inches tall and veers between size 16 and 18. When consumers are shopping online and see these tall and thin models, one of two things happens. They may shop aspirationally, which often leads to returns because of fit problems and costs eCommerce retailers a lot in return shipping and restocking. Or, the consumer refrains from making the purchase. Had she seen the garment on a model of her size, she may have been convinced to buy it!
Case in point: The Good American does size variation well and has a more diverse range of models. Shoppers can see models of sizes 0, 8 and 16. Inclusivity has been the brand’s anchor from its inception — resulting in sales that crossed $1 million on its first day (the biggest denim launch in history!)
If a fashion eCommerce platform isn’t showcasing relatable models, it should consider the impact it could have on the bottom line.
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