Two growing retail trends have come together in the latest product launch from MySize: fit technology and gamification. The technology company, known for its e-commerce measurement tools, has now released its avatar solution that enables shoppers to visualize product on a digital version of themselves before purchase.
Size technology has been adopted by an increasing number of digital retailers, as a means to provide consumers with greater confidence before they purchase online. Particularly when shopping for footwear, a lack of universal sizing can lead consumers to purchase multiple pairs and return the ones that don’t fit; an inconvenience for both the shopper and the merchant. With the fit tool from MySize, customers can receive tailored recommendations for products from multiple brands and retailers.
Now, MySize merchants can also offer an avatar solution that displays the product on a body type that mirrors their own, in a gamification of the retail experience – another growing trend in e-commerce. Using the company’s proprietary sizing technology, MySize enables shoppers to build their individual avatar and gain an extra layer of understanding into how a product will look on them.
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“It’s one thing for customers to have the peace of mind that they’re obtaining their correct clothing size in a brand. It’s a new level entirely to be able to virtually try on the product and actually understand how it will look in real life,” said Ronen Luzon, CEO, and Founder of MySize. “We are confident that this advanced feature will increase our customers’ willingness to engage and shop online, now that they can get what is essentially a full dressing room experience at home.”
Gamification as an e-commerce trend can be seen in the growth of mobile styling games like Drest and the increasing number of collaborations between fashion brands and popular video games, such as Animal Crossing. Avatars are a common virtual tool for video games and social media, due to their ability to create a more individual experience. Now, their applications for retail are increasing alongside the growth of purely digital environments.
MySize hopes that by offering this personalized visual component to the online experience, consumers will grow more confident in their purchasing decisions, particularly in combination with improved fit data and product information. Potential benefits include higher average basket size, as well as a reduction in returns due to customers receiving more accurate insight into the product.
The company reports that up to 40% of all clothing purchased online is returned, thanks in large part to vanity sizing and a lack of standardized sizing. The reverse logistics process costs retailers millions every year in both remerchandising costs and waste, as many items simply go straight to landfill. While an avatar can’t increase confidence to 100%, it can help close the gap between the digital product page and the consumer.
