Fitting room frustration: New research reveals low confidence among fashion shoppers
Fitting room frustration: New research reveals low confidence among fashion shoppers
- High street changing rooms leave shoppers often frustrated and low in confidence, with 39% of participants selecting at least one of the following emotions, such as insecurity, frustration, and disappointment.
- Data shows in-store retail experience can negatively impact customers, with 36% of adults put off from making purchases due to their experiences, highlighting the need for a retail transformation.
- Meanwhile, data reveals that 40.3% of online shoppers cite poor-quality size guides as a major barrier to purchasing.
- Zalando’s innovations such as size recommendations based on the customers’ body measurements and its Virtual Fitting Room support customers in having a better experience when buying fashion.
Berlin, October 8, 2024 // Zalando, a leading European online platform for fashion and lifestyle, has partnered with YouGov to understand emotions connected to purchasing fashion online and offline and how their experiences impact consumers' shopping habits. The online survey included 14,609 adults from across the United Kingdom and Europe1.
Once considered an essential part of the shopping experience, the research shows a growing dissatisfaction with changing rooms, poor size guides, and frequent returns. Respondents report experiencing emotions such as insecurity (19%), frustration (19%), and disappointment (16%) when trying on clothes in-store, with cisgender women (49%) and transgender women (57%) selecting at least one of these negative emotions.
Dissatisfaction with high street shopping is not just a minor inconvenience; it has real implications for retailers, with 36% of adults stating that a negative shopping experience would stop them from making a purchase—a number that peaks at 41% in the UK. Additionally, 46% of respondents report their mental health is negatively impacted when their clothing fits incorrectly, with almost one-fifth (19%) of shoppers surveyed feeling always or often affected.
Specific complaints about traditional changing rooms include a lack of space (41.1%), worries about how the clothing fits (23.6%), and feeling rushed (23.1%). These issues are consistent across markets, from Spain to the UK, demonstrating that traditional changing rooms often fail to meet the needs of modern consumers. The phenomenon has been coined Fitting Room Anxiety by psychologists and media over the past years2.
However, experiences do vary. For instance, while 34% of respondents in Austria report enjoying their changing room experience, only 9% in Denmark feel the same. In contrast, 26% of respondents in Sweden report feeling frustrated compared to only 12% in France.
Respondents in Germany (37%) and the UK (39%) highlight privacy as a key factor, preferring trying clothes at home. These numbers are significantly higher than the average (29%) of all respondents in the countries surveyed. This contrast highlights shoppers' diverse needs and preferences, underscoring the importance of innovative solutions.
To uncover these evolving consumer needs, emotions connected to purchasing fashion and their impact on consumers' shopping habits, Zalando has conducted extensive research in partnership with YouGov Analysis Institute. This research supports the development of Zalando’s size and fit solutions, such as the Virtual Fitting Room, where customers can try different sizes of an item on a 3D avatar that represents their bodies, and the Body Measurement tool, which offers size recommendations based on unique body measurements. These tools provide a personalised, stress-free shopping experience that addresses fit and comfort, empowering shoppers to feel confident in the clothes they wear. This technological advancement not only reduces the anxiety of finding the right size but also promotes a positive and satisfying shopping experience.
Following various pilots and tests, Zalando introduces its ‘Virtual Fitting Room’ and Body Measurement tool, transforming the shopping experience and supporting Zalando-stocked brands. Using human insights, Zalando’s innovations are helping redefine the shopping landscape, making it more inclusive, accurate, and enjoyable.
YouGov Survey:
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 14,609 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 11th - 18th June 2024. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all Europe* and UK adults (aged 18+).
1 European countries surveyed: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, Spain
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About Zalando
Founded in Berlin in 2008, Zalando is Europe’s leading online multi-brand fashion destination. We are building a pan-European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce, along two growth vectors: Business-to-Consumer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B). In B2C, we provide an inspiring, high-quality multi-brand shopping experience for fashion and lifestyle products to nearly 50 million active customers across 25 markets. In B2B, we leverage our logistics infrastructure, software, and service capabilities to support brands and retailers in managing and scaling their entire e-commerce business, both on and off the Zalando platform. Through our ecosystem vision, Zalando aims to enable positive change in the fashion and lifestyle industry.
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