Want to Reduce Returns? Avatars Might Be the Answer
By Flawless Magazine
In the age of e-commerce, buying a dress is just one click away—but sending it back is just as easy. And that’s a problem. Returns are costing fashion retailers billions annually. In the U.S. alone, over $100 billion worth of apparel was returned in 2023, with over 30% of online fashion purchases ending up back at the warehouse. The reasons? Poor fit, unmet expectations, and an over-reliance on guesswork sizing.
But a quiet revolution is reshaping this costly cycle—and it begins with a new mirror image: you, in avatar form.
The Rise of the Digital Double
Recent advances in artificial intelligence, computer vision, and 3D scanning have made it possible for consumers to create ultra-realistic digital avatars—body doubles that replicate exact measurements, proportions, and even posture. These avatars aren’t just novelty; they’re working tools. By “trying on” clothes virtually using this hyper-personalized data, shoppers can finally see how garments will fit their bodies before hitting ‘Buy Now.’
And the results speak volumes.
Retailers Leading the Avatar Revolution
In 2024, Walmart made headlines with its expanded rollout of a virtual try-on tool powered by AI and computer vision. Its system, developed through the acquisition of Zeekit, allows customers to upload a photo or choose a model with a similar body type. The garments are then simulated in lifelike detail—draping, wrinkling, stretching—on the shopper’s avatar.
Levi’s, too, has joined the avatar movement. In partnership with 3DLOOK, the denim brand is piloting a fitting tool that generates custom avatars based on just two smartphone photos. The result: a lifelike simulation that shows how each pair of jeans will conform to hips, thighs, and waist in real life—not in an abstract size chart.
Emerging tech companies like Bold Metrics, True Fit, and Metail are fueling this surge. Bold Metrics, for example, works with major brands like Canada Goose and Tailored Brands, using machine learning to predict exact body measurements from a few basic questions. Their system has led to 32% fewer returns for partner retailers.
According to Morgan Linton, co-founder of Bold Metrics, “Every shopper deserves clothes that fit them—not an average body type from a decades-old chart. Avatars make it possible.”
How It Works: The Fit Technology Behind the Scenes
So what’s powering these digital clones?
Most avatar-based fitting systems use one of three methods:
- Photogrammetry – Like 3DLOOK’s system, this method generates a 3D model of a user’s body from just two smartphone photos. AI fills in volumetric data with remarkable precision, factoring in height, weight, and proportion.
- Body scanning – This is typically used in-store, employing 360-degree scanners that map a shopper’s shape in minutes. Amazon and Adidas have tested variations of this approach in limited markets.
- Predictive AI models – Companies like Bold Metrics go one step further, using survey-style questions (height, weight, fit preferences) and layering AI-powered pattern recognition over millions of prior user data points to deliver predictive sizing accuracy.
Once the avatar is created, garments are simulated using physics engines that mimic how fabric behaves. “It’s not just about stretching a dress over a 3D model,” explains Lisa Thompson, a lead engineer at Metail. “We simulate how silk clings to the waist, how cotton creases at the elbow, how denim hugs the thighs. The experience is visual, yes—but it’s also tactile.”
The result is an eerily accurate try-on experience—no fitting room required.
The Return Epidemic: Why Fit Matters More Than Ever
Fashion returns are more than just a financial nuisance—they’re a sustainability crisis in the making.
Each returned item often means:
- Duplicated shipping emissions.
- Packaging waste.
- Unsellable goods that end up in landfill.
- Increased labor and fuel costs in reverse logistics.
According to the National Retail Federation, return-related emissions in fashion equal 5 million metric tons of CO₂ each year—equivalent to the annual emissions of over one million cars.
What’s worse, 70% of returns are due to fit issues. As brands race to offer free shipping and lenient return policies to stay competitive, the cycle deepens: try, return, repeat.
That’s what makes avatar tech so disruptive.
Early trials show that avatar-based tools can slash return rates by up to 40%. For example:
- Levi’s saw a 22% drop in return requests in its test markets using avatar-based sizing.
- A luxury e-commerce brand working with 3DLOOK reported a 94% customer satisfaction rate among avatar tool users.
- Walmart’s Zeekit platform boosted “fit confidence” by over 50%, according to internal surveys.
The Consumer Experience: Confidence, Convenience, Customization
Beyond the back-end savings, there’s the real reason avatar tech matters: shoppers feel better when they know it fits.
For Gen Z and millennial consumers—digital natives used to Snapchat filters and Face ID—creating an avatar isn’t alien. In fact, it’s expected. Many younger shoppers prefer a virtual try-on to a crowded fitting room, especially in the post-pandemic era.
Shoppers can now:
- Preview outfits on their digital twin.
- See how different sizes affect fit.
- Get recommendations tailored to their actual body shape—not just general size categories.
- Create wardrobes with smarter, more sustainable purchases.
“Fit prediction is the holy grail of online fashion,” says Dr. Harpreet Kaur, a retail innovation researcher at NYU. “With avatars, brands aren’t just guessing anymore—they’re getting it right, the first time.”
AI + Fashion: A New Era of Personalization
What’s revolutionary is how this tech doesn’t just serve logistics—it enhances identity.
Fashion has always been a tool of self-expression. Now, digital avatars act as creative canvases. Platforms like DressX and The Fabricant even allow users to style their avatars in virtual-only clothes—an emerging market blending fashion and the metaverse.
Even social media platforms like Snapchat and Meta are building virtual closets and AI fashion advisors directly into smart glasses and AR tools.
What started as a tool to reduce returns is evolving into a new layer of fashion engagement—where identity, data, and design meet in the cloud.
The Future: From Fitting Tools to Digital Wardrobes
Where does this technology go next?
Experts predict:
- Standardized digital IDs for sizing, so avatars can be used across multiple retailers.
- Dynamic size recommendations that adjust based on brand fit differences.
- Integration with AR mirrors in-store and at home.
- On-demand tailoring recommendations based on your avatar’s measurements.
- Sustainability scores tied to purchase behavior, encouraging eco-conscious decisions.
Major industry players are already investing. Amazon has filed patents for body-scanning technology. Zalando, ASOS, and Nordstrom are all testing avatar-enabled fitting solutions. Meta has hinted at fashion integrations with its Ray-Ban smart glasses, blending physical and digital shopping experiences.
Meanwhile, consumers are warming to the shift. A 2024 survey by Shopify found that 68% of Gen Z shoppers are “very interested” in using virtual avatars for trying on clothing. Among them, 43% said they would trust sizing more if based on an avatar, not a chart.
Final Thoughts: From Guesswork to Precision
As the fashion industry pivots toward sustainability, personalization, and immersive tech, avatar-based fit solutions are no longer fringe—they’re foundational.
They reduce returns, yes. But more importantly, they create a smarter, more ethical shopping experience. One where fewer garments are wasted. One where bodies of all shapes are celebrated. One where consumers feel empowered—because their fashion is designed for them.
And perhaps most importantly, they remind us that the future of fashion isn’t about abandoning the body. It’s about embracing it—digitally, inclusively, and precisely.
