Discussing The New Realities of Fashion Retail – A Perspective from the Frontline

Stores are opening up, but consumers have fast adapted to shop online from the comfort of their home. This trend, accelerated by the pandemic, is pushing retailers to think about new methods to reach and service customers in a better way. We took time out to talk with Style.me Sales Director, Derek Fox about how companies are adapting to this situation and the opportunities we see.

As retailers grapple with the realities of the ongoing pandemic, what are you finding are their top priorities when it comes to digital?

From our experience, retailers are looking for new and innovative ways to connect with their customer base through digital. Retailers are looking for engaging solutions that provide real measurable value for both the customer as well as their bottom line.

How is the shopper adapting to this new environment and what challenges and opportunities does this create?

The shopper now more than ever wants a fully immersive digital experience that goes beyond scrolling through product pages. With the Style.me fitting room, we have been able to unlock the ability for the shopper to interact with garments, try them on, and create looks, all through a digital fitting room that replicates the in-store experience. At the same time with fitting rooms out of bounds, shoppers are seeking other alternatives to see how clothes will look on them.

Our clients have witnessed increased engagement from their shoppers through the fitting room tool. This in turn has driven a rise in conversion and a steep reduction in returns.

Using Style.me, how can retailers help their customers maximize the online experience?

By taking the physical try and buy online, we not only provide an accurate visualization of the garments on your body, but we also add a new experiential retail experience. Style.me makes the e-commerce journey more efficient, fun and exciting.

Does Style.me cater for all retailers, large and small?

We are in a unique position where we are able to have separate offerings that cater to both ends of the market. On the SME side, we offer a plugin that seamlessly integrates with the most popular platforms, such as Shopify, Magento and Wix, and is able to have our customers see real-time results and benefits immediately upon activating. On the enterprise side, we are able to scale up with, both on and off-site, digitization of our customers’ garments and have the capacity to host the world’s top retailers.