There are three ways to help a shopper choose a size online: a size chart, a size suggestion calculated from a few details, or an actual body measurement, by smartphone or in a booth. They are not alternatives to one another: they solve different problems and often live side by side in the same store.
In this guide we look at what each approach does, where it works and what it takes to use it.
1. The size chart
It is the foundation of everything: for each size it lists the body measurements it is designed for, and sometimes the garment measurements. The shopper measures themselves, compares the numbers and chooses.
- Strengths: you need one anyway, it costs little, and it is the source the other tools start from.
- Limits: shoppers have to measure themselves and make the comparison on their own; body measurements and garment measurements are easily confused.
- When it is enough: small catalogues, regular fits, shoppers who already know the brand.
If you do not have a chart yet, you can build one with the size chart generator; the rules for building it well are in the guide on how to build a size chart.
2. The size suggestion
The shopper enters a few details, for example height, weight, age and gender, and gets the recommended size for the garment they are viewing. The calculation estimates their body measurements and compares them with that garment's measurement chart.
- Strengths: no tape measure, an answer on the product page, a different size for garments with different fits.
- Limits: it works as well as the garment measurement charts do; the estimate starts from the details the shopper enters.
- When it pays off: large catalogues, fits that vary between lines, a high share of size-related returns.
3. Body measurement
Here measurements are not estimated: they are taken. With a smartphone, the person follows a guided procedure and an operator checks the values; in a store or showroom, a scanning booth produces a 3D body model and anthropometric measurements.
- Strengths: complete body data, useful for made-to-measure production and for developing garments on real people.
- Limits: it takes more time from the person being measured; a booth needs dedicated space.
- When you need it: made-to-measure, corporate and work uniforms, team kits, tailoring, showrooms.
The comparison at a glance
| Criterion | Size chart | Size suggestion | Body measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it asks of the shopper | Measure and compare | A few details, for example height, weight, age and gender | A guided scan or a booth session |
| For a specific garment | Depends on how the shopper reads the chart | Compared with each garment's measurement chart | Real measurements, usable for any garment |
| Where it is used | Product page and size guide | Product page | Smartphone, store, showroom, production floor |
| What the brand needs | The measurements of each size | Garment measurement charts | A collection process and, for a booth, space |
| Best for | Everyone, as a foundation | Fashion e-commerce with many items | Made-to-measure, uniforms, teams, tailoring |
The table compares approaches, not vendors: to assess a specific product, see the questions in the guide size recommendation: 10 questions to ask the vendor.
How to combine them
The most common combination is simple: the size chart is always available, the size suggestion works on the product page for shoppers who do not want to measure themselves, and body measurement comes in where you need precision on the person, as in made-to-measure or uniforms. The effect of each tool is checked with an A/B test on your store; to estimate how much size-related returns weigh today there is the return cost calculator.
How We Wear modules help
SizeFlow is the size suggestion: from height, weight, age and gender it derives body measurements with a mathematical algorithm and compares them with each garment's measurement chart. ScanFlow takes body measurements by smartphone, with no app, checked by an operator. The 3D Body Scanner is the booth for stores, showrooms and production departments.
Frequently asked questions
Does a size suggestion replace the size chart?
No. The suggestion relies on garment measurement charts, and the chart stays useful for shoppers who prefer to measure themselves: the two tools live on the same product page.
When should you measure the body instead of estimating it?
When precision on the individual person matters: made-to-measure garments, corporate and work uniforms, team kits, tailoring.
Do you need artificial intelligence to suggest a size?
No. A size suggestion can rely on a mathematical algorithm: SizeFlow estimates body measurements from height, weight, age and gender and compares them with each garment's measurement chart.