Asian online retailer Pomelo is trailblazing men’s fashion with new technology that allows customers to find their perfect fit without traditional sizing.
The brand, backed by retail giant JD.com, recently launched a male fashion label known as PM Man which is trailblazing the concept of sizeless fashion.
The retailer lets customers find what they call their ‘Perfect Fit’ in all fashion from t-shirts to chino pants, through technology that omits the need for sizing.
The concept sees the brand building a fit profile of customers by taking specialised in-store measurements in signature pop-ups, after which consumers can automatically make any purchases online without the need to add in sizing.
PM also has a custom app for men lets customers get measured at a PM location to find their perfect fit, and order custom-fit clothing delivered direct to their location.
David Jou, co-founder and CEO of Pomelo told Retailbiz that the concept came about when he realised that sizing continues to be a massive barrier to online sales for retailers.
“Where it all started was with the realisation that the biggest barrier to making a purchase is the fact that standard sizing doesn’t always work. We wanted to create a fashion brand that uses big data and tech to help guys shop online without having to worry about whether an item will fit them,” he said.
The retailer now has pop-ups all over Thailand where customers can get measured and learn more about the brand’s products.
Mr Jou says that while retailers often allow customers to undertake self-measurement, undertaking measurements in person is much more precise, whilst also giving customers a more memorable experience.
“Customers can actually touch and feel products to get a sense for what the brand is all about. In some ways you can achieve two things at same time by getting an accurate size profile and introducing folks to the brand and concept,” he said.
The tailored, sizeless model not only boosts customer satisfaction, but also has the added perk of less returns, he says.
The news comes after the retailer recently launched an innovative roving retail concept, which saw them launch concept pop-up stores.
The new retail concept is a low-risk, high-yield option for new brands who want to establish themselves in new markets, allowing the retailer to engage with a new customer base and showcase their innovative products, the brand says.
But it’s the concept of sizeless fashion that is really where the future of retail lies, Mr Jou says.
“Fit is going to be one of the issues we’re tackling head on and I do think it’s a viable solution to an issue that can take us into the future,” he said.
“Once we have a size profile you can also add colour and style preferences,so we’re really starting on a journey of figuring out how we can provide a perfectly personalised fashion experience for our customers.”