Amazon rolls out an AI fit tool to reduce returns

According to the company, 90 per cent of customers who buy the recommended size are happy with their purchase. Amazon also analyses reviews to provide a personalised summary related to size accuracy, garment fit on specific body areas and fabric stretch; for example, it can recommend if the shopper should size up or down based on reviews from similar customers. (This is an extension of its new AI-generated customer review summaries, which were introduced last August and are already gaining positive feedback from customers and sellers.)

Old-school size charts — the tables designed to translate body measurements into a corresponding size — also received the AI treatment. Amazon developed tech that is able to extract and clean size chart data from multiple sources and then convert it into standardised sizes. This includes removing duplicate info and auto-correcting missing or incorrect measurements. Amazon is experimenting with other ways to show relevant size and measurement details, different from the traditional, full measurement table (such as grouping measurements for a shopper’s recommended size).

Combining reviews submitted by customers that address sizing with sophisticated AI is the approach used by reverse-logistics experts Stitch Fix (on personal styling) and Rent the Runway (designer rental). Both are dependent on shipping items that are likely to fit, and rely heavily on customer feedback to become smarter over time. Rent the Runway gets size and fit information from nearly every person who rents from them, this data then informs its algorithm, according to the company. When people pick styles that Rent the Runway’s model recommends, the risk of fit issues decreases by 45 per cent. Stitch Fix gathers nuanced details, including how people like their jeans to fit and if certain fabrics are too tight in certain areas. A client might say they’re a US size 6 or 8, but Stitch Fix’s AI can assign a more specific size, for example 6.4 or 8.3.

This data visibility translates into a business opportunity. Both Stitch Fix and Rent the Runway now work directly with brands to create new items that incorporate recommendations on fit and style, as well as using this data to inform their own house brands. Rent the Runway has manufactured exclusive designs with those including Jason Wu, Rosie Assoulin and Derek Lam using this data, which have resulted in high fit and “love” rates, according to the company. Denim brand Pistola developed a denim line exclusively to sell via Stitch Fix and found that the fit of certain styles varied based on fabrics and wash; it then expanded the available sizes and saw a 60 per cent increase in trouser sales in 2022.

Any insights Amazon gains on fit are likely to have an impact not only on its sellers, but also on its own house brands. For now, expect more AI-driven personalisation, Freshwater says. “We will continue to leverage AI to further personalise the shopping experience, making it easier and more enjoyable for our customers.”

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