Check it Out: Will Fits.me Fit Me?

Returns are a big issue for any retailer, and virtual fitting rooms are likely to decrease returns. In fact, Quelle, an online retailer in Germany, did a trial run with Fits.me and saw its returns decrease by 28 percent — on top of the increase it saw in sales. Retailers that use virtual fitting rooms will most likely see their return rates improve during the upcoming holiday season as well. With measurements in hand, for example, Mom can pick out a shirt for you and know it fits. (Chances are, Mom knows your measurements.) One thing you still can't measure with a virtual fitting room, unfortunately, is good taste. Or the quality of the material being purchased. I bought a bathing suit online last September, and it fit me fine without using a virtual fitting room. The lining, however, wasn't what I expected. Differences in product materials and other details like that can and probably will be overlooked with virtual fitting rooms.

The other problem with Fits.me is that it's still relatively new. I was at the National Retail Federation's BIG Show in January, and I saw quite a few companies touting augmented reality tools. The buzz was that while virtual fitting rooms are a great idea, they aren't yet ready for mass adoption. And that's kind of true. Fits.me currently has only one version of its product, and it's targeted to men (a women's version is being tested). I have a suspicious feeling that mostly women will be using a service like this.

There are still a lot of kinks to work out with virtual fitting rooms in general. Having exact measurements, for example, doesn't necessarily mean a perfect fit. But it does equal a better one. Hey, once the kinks in virtual fitting rooms get worked out, I may never be bothered in a real fitting room ever again!