What is fitting room frustration? 


In one of the rare interviews that the Olsen twins have given in recent years, Mary-Kate reveals that she has “never bought anything online”, a tendency supported by her sister Ashley. “I agree. I prefer to see, touch, feel, and experience things.” For the most famous twins in the fashion industry, shopping in person is always the better option compared to opening a computer and endlessly scrolling. However, a new study shows that for many other consumers, this is not the case. A survey conducted by Zalando in collaboration with YouGov analyzed people’s relationship with physical stores, involving over 14,000 adults across Europe. The research revealed that fitting rooms are becoming a growing “source of dissatisfaction” among consumers, quoting Zalando’s report, due to the “lack of flexibility in sizes and the frequency of returns.” The study also uncovered the main emotions felt in Italian store fitting rooms, including excitement and fun (29% and 27%) but also insecurity (18%). On reflection, perhaps one of the main reasons why the Olsen twins love shopping in person so much is that they have the entire store at their disposal, including the sales staff, whereas most people, when shopping, have to elbow their way through the crowd from the entrance to the checkout.

The study by Zalando and YouGov offers an in-depth view of consumers' perception of physical stores: after all, we often decide to shop in-store precisely because we want to try on an item to be sure of our purchase. The main reasons customers find themselves dissatisfied with their fitting room experience are lack of space (43%) and unpleasant smells (25%) – 39% of respondents said that experiencing one of these negative emotions discourages them from purchasing. Moreover, as might be expected, one of the main reasons consumers leave a store feeling down is trying on clothes of the wrong size (48%). Online shopping also presents several challenges, such as uncertainty about fit (49%), unclear size descriptions (37%), and inadequate size guides (36%). The survey reveals that an average of 45% of online shoppers have returned at least one item a year due to sizing issues – with all the waste that entails, especially as more and more brands are removing free returns.

The research by Zalando and YouGov supports online retail platforms (including Zalando) that have decided to launch projects such as Body Measurement, a tool that allows customers to try on clothes on their 3D avatar, a sort of “virtual fitting room” that eliminates the stress associated with in-store fitting room discomfort. While Body Measurement’s technological innovation represents a significant step forward in the world of shopping, it’s important to remember that the shopping experience should be enjoyable both online and offline: it may be hard to live like the Olsen twins, but if a brand doesn’t make you feel comfortable, maybe it doesn’t deserve your money.