Executive Summary

Our Innovator Intelligence series looks at emerging companies disrupting traditional retail and fueling innovation across the retail value chain. This report focuses on how the introduction of 3D body scanning may disrupt the retail market as we know it.

• Incorrect size and fit are the primary reasons for apparel returns. One reason is the industry does not use a standardized sizing system. Even standard fits established by individual retailers are not based on empirical knowledge of what the customer really looks like.
• As online purchases rise, so do returns. Customers who can’t try on clothes often buy several sizes, try them on to find the right fit and return the rest – a great convenience for the shopper but a challenge for retailers.
• 3D body scanning technology may hold the solution – while also disrupting traditional manufacturing methods. The technology can help brands and retailers deliver better products and more deeply personalized shopping experiences.
• The underlying technology continues to develop, but the implications for online retail could be enormous.
• One startup in this space, 3DLOOK, offers a deeper level of personalization based on actual body data to make connections between people and products. This allows customers to purchase clothing that fits while delivering body data and insights to retailers to help them create better fitting garments.