Commentary

Body-Measuring App Puts Right-sizing Onboard The Sustainability Train

An Israeli company using AI to power its body-measurement app is banking on the sustainability aspect of its technology to power it into a more environmentally friendly future.

Sizer Technologies' self-scanning technology generates exact body measurements so that people can shop online, get the clothing and avoid having to send it back if it doesn't fit.

The company has been rebuilding its product for the fashion and unified marketing industry over the past three years, slowly rolling out in Europe, the U.S. and Australia.

We zoomed with Nicole Levitt, Sizer’s vice president of marketing, last week to talk about it.

Inside Performance: How is it a game changer for the industry?

Nicole Levitt: "Sizer set out to help right-size clothing, allowing fewer returns, and fewer items shipped back. It speaks to sustainability -- a hot topic right now, especially with [COP26] taking place in Glasgow.

The fashion industry has to do something. Instead of people buying five of the same item in different sizes, they can order just one, which helps relieve the supply-chain crisis.

Also, most retailers’ chart sizes are based on women’s bodies from the 50s and 60s. We’re replacing that -- measuring each person’s body and getting retailers to match measurements to garments.”

Inside Performance: How will the company advertise this product in paid or organic search? Are you doing any social?

Levitt: "We’re marketing to companies on the retail side -- H&M, American Apparel -- and on the uniform side with Landau Uniforms. We're not doing direct online marketing but instead building clients such as Wacoal, a retailer for ladies' lingerie, which launched their bra-sizing app in April. It’s getting a lot of traction. We’re helping businesses like Wacoal to bring in better conversion."

“Our social is focused on LinkedIn. We’re in the early stages of building the business that way. And we’ll be going more into Facebook, using more paid advertising as well, building our pipeline of leads.”

Inside Performance: What type of algorithms are involved for it to work properly?

Levitt: "Deep-learning algorithms, 12 main measurements of the body. Chest, hips, weight, inseam. For every single measurement, we have developed a specific algorithm. One of the unique things about Sizer is the user’s application -- facing the phone, a few poses, 360-degree turn -- giving us a view of the whole body."

Inside Performance:How does it raise conversion rates?

Levitt: "The figures we’ve got from Wacoal show it’s giving people more confidence that they’re getting the right size. They’re not returning items. Especially in a woman’s bra, where we were able to measure [breast] volume. It has created such confidence with the consumer that they buy just the one item."

Meanwhile, Miryha Fantegrossi, vice president of merchandising and design at Wacoal America, tells us that app users spend about $12 more on purchases and that about 8% of its e-commerce sales are coming from users who have engaged with its “Find Your Fit” page.

Adds Kristin M. DiCunzolo, Wacoal vice president of marketing and direct: “The net-net is those that convert via the app are spending more and are more inclined to shop and try new products from the personalized recommendation, which gives recommendations within all of our solution categories, i.e., lift, minimizer, sport, etc.”

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