Thin models remain the norm in (online) fashion retail, despite the increasing demand for more diversity in body sizes. New research now shows that more variety means more sales and fewer returns.
The online fitting risk
Showing clothes on models of just one body type deters consumers with different clothing sizes from buying online. They cannot identify with the models shown, fearing that the garment will not look good or even fit them, according to new scientific research published in The Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science.
From eight experiments, the researchers deduced that there is such a thing as the “Dissimilarity-Risk Deterrence Effect”, i.e. a dissuasive effect due to the risk of (physical) disparity. This effect is reduced when clothing is shown on models with similar body sizes to the consumer. Fortunately, the research provides some strategic recommendations.
