Japanese sizing technology provider Makip is presenting online shoppers with a 3D avatar of their unique body shape to see how their next fashion item purchase will fit them.

This is an upgrade to its Unisize sizing recommendation engine.

Now offered as a standard feature of Unisize (unisize.net), consumers can check their 3D avatar from four angles – front, back, left and right – and see how a clothing item will fit their body shape before buying.

“One in every four items purchased online is returned, usually at the expense of the retailer,” said Shingo Tsukamoto, CEO of Makip (makip.co.jp). “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%.”

A 3D avatar is generated based on the dimensions of the clothing and the user’s body shape information. The avatar allows users to check the looseness and fit of the clothing item before making a purchase.

The 3D model can be rotated to provide a 360-degree view of the silhouette. Users can check key aspects such as how the item fits across the chest or arms when viewed from the side or how it hangs from the hips down to the ankles.

With 2D online sizing, user images were displayed barefoot, but with the 3D function, users can now view the silhouette while wearing shoes. The 3D model’s footwear can be changed from trainers, shoes or heels, allowing users to check how the hemline of trousers falls when wearing different footwear, making it easier to see different styling scenarios. This function is currently available for select avatars only.

“In recent years, platforms like TikTok and YouTube have normalised individually tailored content, influencing all generations,” Tsukamoto said. “Similarly, personalisation in apparel ecommerce 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, and our personalisation database allows returning users to compare previously purchased items with new items to see how the fit matches or differs.”