Makip has announced a significant update to its Unisize clothing size recommendation engine. The update lets online shoppers see clothes on a 3D avatar of themselves, which is specific to their body shape. Already available in Japan, it is now available in the UK and the US.
A demonstration of the new feature is available on YouTube. The 3D avatar engine has been available in Japan for some time. Unisize is used by a large number of fashion sites in its home nation, and the 3D version is starting to roll out.
Several sites, including Mimatsu Group, Sea Room Lynn, NY—online, and Tokyo Shirts, are already live with the new features.
A recent survey of the new system among existing customers who have updated their platform to Avatar 3D showed an increase in purchases from 1.3% (using Avatar 2D) to 1.5% with the 3D avatar.
An existing client commented, “I feel that the 3D silhouette makes it much easier to see how loose the garment is. Furthermore, if colors and patterns are reflected in the silhouette, it will be easier to see how full or thin the garment is, so I am looking forward to future updates.” (Honeys EC staff member)
Why a 3D Avatar Matters
The recommendation engine should not only increase customer satisfaction but also reduce the volume of returns that retailers have to deal with. Research by RetailEconomics in 2024 revealed that 27% of shoppers overorder on size and colour. In the UK alone, the cost of returns was forecast to reach £27.3 billion in 2024, with 17% of items sold being returned later.
Sizing is one of the key reasons for returns in the fashion industry. Return rates can reach as high as 30% because of incorrect sizing. The problem is exacerbated by the customers adopting bracketing strategies, where they select multiple sizes to ensure they purchase one that fits. Research has shown that size variation across different retailers and brands causes 34% of shoppers to bracket. Unisize’s new 3D avatar aims to alleviate this issue.
eCommerce sites can match the clothing size against the appropriate body shape.
Shingo Tsukamoto, CEO and President of Makip, said, “The average return rate for the UK fashion industry is 26%. One in every four items purchased online is returned, usually at the expense of the retailer, we feel that this cannot continue.
“In recent years, some retailers have taken a stand and started charging customers for returning items, however, we approach this from the view of customer experience. If we can provide customers with more accurate sizing options at the time of purchase, this leads to a reduction in returns. This has been proven across our Japan-based fashion clients with the average return rate dropping by 20%.”
How Unisize works
The new 3D engine collects data about height, weight, age and body measurements. The tool then delivers a recommended size based on those measurements. Shoppers are able to switch sizes and see how the clothes fit on their personalised avatar.
Body shape data includes arm length, shoulder width, bust size and waist. These do not appear to be precise measurements yet, but are split across three options each. It then asks the shopper to reveal a brand they commonly purchase and the correct size within that brand. However, the comparison options allow the shopper to enter exact lengths for shoulder width and sleeve length and width, also helping to make the correct decision.
Also, because Unisize is embedded into the fashion site, it remembers sizing information as shoppers switch between different sites. This means they do not have to enter the same data for every shopping site they visit.
Unisize 3D also allows people to view the silhouette with different types of footwear, including trainers, shoes or heels. This feature is only available for certain avatars. It enables shoppers to see how the hemline of trousers, and presumably dresses, falls.
Once their data is uploaded, customers can view any piece of clothing from four angles: front, back, left, and right. This allows them to see how the clothing fits their body shape. This 3D view point is useful, and certainly, switching quickly between the different sizes gives shoppers a good indication of how the different garments will fit.
Sizing Engines are the future
Sizing technology is becoming commonplace. Unisize launched in the UK in April 2023 with a 2D representation. This version helped over 300 Japanese retailers reduce returns by 20% on average. The size recommendation engine also helped increase the decision to buy by 2.5 times. The future looks bright for personalised shopping.
Tsukamoto added, “In recent years, platforms like TikTok and YouTube have normalised individually tailored content, influencing all generations. Similarly, personalisation in apparel e-commerce is expected to become an essential element of the online fashion industry. We will continue to expand our services with a focus on Personalisation.
“We already have the FaceChange feature within Unisize, which allows users to upload an image of their face onto the model used for the fashion item. Our personalisation database allows returning users to compare previously purchased items with new items to see how the fit matches or differs.”
Enterprise Times: What does this mean?
Makip continues to expand internationally, and the launch of Avatar 3D to the US and UK markets is just the latest step in a strategy that is gathering pace. In January, it established a subsidiary in London, Makip London Limited, formalising its presence in the UK, where it had already gathered momentum.
This latest announcement follows the launch of Unisize 3D in Japan in February. In 2024, it launched several new features related to its technology. Including the removal of gender discrimination from its platform and the launch of Unisize Kids.
With more updates promised, Makip is changing the way that all online stores operate. If it can continue to develop the platform and decrease returns for eCommerce sites, the platform will significantly impact their profitability for years to come. It will also transform the shopping experience.
