There are many reasons why I think fit is important. It is certainly important for your customers. It is important to me as a patternmaker, too, as I care about making quality and well-thought-out clothing. Fit is even important when you look at the business side of running your brand. Today, let’s talk about three ways fit makes a difference to your bottom line.
If it doesn’t fit; it doesn’t sell
Fit is a key factor in making a sale of a clothing item. Customers may be attracted to the unique design or fun color of your design, but what makes fashion so interesting (and challenging) is that it isn’t just for admiring from afar. We all want our clothes to look good, but we want them to look good on us. It is not enough that the idea of the design is attractive. If the garment doesn’t actually fit and look flattering on a real woman, then most likely no one is going to buy it.
If no one is going to actually buy it, then your brand won’t be in business for long. Fit has an impact on your bottom line right from the beginning, but it doesn’t stop there.
Good fit reduces returns
One of the top reasons for returns of clothing purchases is fit. Sometimes this is just that the size wasn’t quite right (which might warrant some updates to the fit of your sizing), but sometimes the customer just decides that item is not for them based on how it fit once they tried it on. Understanding who your customer is and what her body shape is will help you develop designs that fit her like a glove. The goal is to have your garment show up at her door and be exactly (or better) than she expected it to be. The way to do that is to focus on fitting your target customer.
It pays to have thoughtful fit and clear sizing for your products, too. Even if the sale does result in an exchange for a different size instead of a full return, that still costs your business time and money. Sizing is another area of fit that can impact your return rates and profitability. Fit is not just about fitting your sample size model. It is about getting that same balance of fit and proportion in each size.
Good fit builds trust with your customers
Not only does good fit help make the initial sale, but it helps to make future sales. By providing a quality product with good fit in your first interaction with that customer, you are building trust with them. If your customer has a positive experience with your brand and products, it makes sense that they would come back again for more pieces either right away or in the future.
This trust keeps on building. The more you prove that you have clothes that fit that customer, the more she will make you her go-to. None of us like to shop endlessly for something that fits, so when we find a brand that dependably makes shopping easy for us, it is easy to become loyal to it. Developing good fit builds trust and revenue for the future.
Spending the time and money to develop well-fitting clothing for your customer is not only good for your customer, but it is good for your business. The investment upfront pays off when you can make more sales, reduce returns, and establish loyal, repeat customers for the long term.