Retailers could combat changing room woes – with better sample management

According to research by fashion savings site StyleCard, 64% of the female shoppers surveyed prefer to purchase clothes in multiple styles and sizes to try on at home then return the ill-fitting items, rather than braving the queues for stifling, badly lit shop changing rooms to try clothes on in-store.

Most dress sizes vary in measurements from shop to shop and even between styles, meaning women often have to take multiple sizes into a changing room to find a good fit. A third of the women surveyed reported dumping clothes in the middle of the shop, without trying them on, because they grew weary of the changing room queue. Not to mention the potential parking costs if they have driven to the shopping centre or town – yet another deterrent to visiting shops and spending hours locating their desired item and then trying on various sizes.

StyleCard’s chief executive Paraag Amin pointed out that this dislike of changing rooms will likely lead to “increased online purchasing and a greater reluctance to try new or different brands.” So how could retailers improve this experience for shoppers?

One way would be to implement standardised sizing across all clothing lines, via stricter and more efficient sample management and grading. This way, customers can be more confident that the clothes they pick up (in your store at least) have all been cut to exactly the same measurements, therefore removing the need to try on, or return home to order multiple sizes. Innovative retailers such as our client ASOS has the tool ‘Virtusize’ on their website, which enables shoppers to input their measurements and ‘try clothes on’ virtually before purchasing, to check that it’s a style that suits them and if it’s the right fit.

Software tools such as ediTRACK’s sample management module are being used by fashion retailers to quickly check and record the fit and size of garments and share these results online with their suppliers so that they can be confident of getting accurate and consistent sizes across their clothing ranges. As a result they are confident that all of their manufacturers are providing the exact right size across the board. What’s more, the end customer will start to feel more reassured and won’t need to spend endless hours in changing rooms or buy clothes in multiple sizes to take home and return. Working smarter when it comes to sample management and grading helps to shortens time to market and the lifecycle of your stock, and reduces costs.