With COVID-19 hitting us in 2020, it’s now nearly two years of lockdowns and closed retail stores; customers are forced to shop online only. Businesses return to their normal sales but unfortunately when people can’t try the garments they are buying; they end up returning them. It has become agonizing for brands to deal with the order returns since they keep increasing with time.

The inability to try the product prior to buying has increased the returns for online sales to over 20%. Companies around the world are experiencing the loss of billions of dollars due to these order returns. The problem needs to be tackled timely in order to save the online brands.

The Reason Why Customers Pick the Wrong Sizes

Before we delve into solving the issue, it is important to take note of the causes of why is it happening in the first place.

Varying Sizes Across Brands: A size ‘Large’ does not have similar measurements on countless brands available across the internet. If a customer knows they fit into a large, they will automatically opt for that size without looking at the size chart. In many cases, the size chart isn’t even available with the available sizes which later causes inconveniences. Another factor adding to this is the style of the garment which varies frequently.

Lack of Reference: The garments shown on the site or on the product catalog are of models with 5’11 height and unrealistic body features. Most of the customers are neither 5’11 nor have similar features which is why customers have no point of reference that can guide them. Hence, customers end up buying the wrong sizes.

Preferences: The sizes also get wrong because some people want tighter clothes while some prefer a little looser fit. Therefore, they might end up getting a size too small or a bigger one than required which adds to the issues for the online retail brands.

Tips to Reduce Order Returns

Provide Accurate Representation of the Products: It does not seem like a big deal but the right representation of the product helps the customers a lot in picturing if the garment is the right fit and style for them. Provide images of the product from multiple angles so that the buyer is sure of what he is investing in and reduce the chance of return.

A 360-degree view of the product will have a great impact on the customer, making their decision much easier. If you cannot invest in the 360-degree view, provide a zoom-in view of the product from multiple angles.

Provide detailed Product Descriptions: Detailed product descriptions are not only beneficial from the SEO point of view but also greatly help customers make better and informed decisions. Explain the features, fabric, and measurements in detail as if you are describing to a person who has never seen the product.

Review the Sizing Information: Sizing is the major issue for customers who return their purchases, brands with an online presence need to provide accurate measurements of every garment. Brands make a huge mistake of making a generic sizing chart of similar category products that do not have correct measurements and customers have to keep guessing if that’s the right fit for them or not.

Make sure the size chart present below the product only tells the measurements of the same garment. Don’t mention only size numbers as it gets frustrating. A size 6 in one brand may be a size 8 in another brand. Measurements in such cases avoid confusion.

Provide Clothing’s Size Conversion Charts: Every country has different sizing charts and uses various measuring units. If you are targeting multiple countries and selling clothes for both genders, provide the customers with men's as well as women’s size chart conversion for the countries you are selling in. This way customers will be more confident when purchasing from your brand because you have given them the size chart that they easily understand.

Offer Live Chat Option: If something is confusing the customer on the product display page or in the measurements, mostly they don’t buy it. In case they buy it and end up getting the product they don’t like, they return it. To avoid all the fuss, brands need to have live chat support. Whenever the customer may need some extra information about a product, they can get it right on the spot. This will not only decrease the bounce rate but also show an immense decline in returns.

Bottom Line

We hope the information and tips we gave you in the article prove to be helpful. Happy customers who keep their purchases and are delighted about them are always a plus for the brand. They will also tell people around them, how helpful your online store is and you may also attract more customers.