Consumers' priority while purchasing fashion products, according to Reza Ashari Nasution, Ph.D., a lecturer at School of Business and Management (SBM) ITB, is still trying them on. As a result, when it comes to purchasing fashion products, consumers continue to choose the traditional approach.

Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, purchases of fashion products via e-commerce did not increase significantly, and were even lower than purchases of electronic devices. Reza referenced the findings of a Delloite survey, which indicated that purchases of fashion products grew by 2%, while purchases of electrical devices increased by 4%.

Therefore, sellers must improve the shopping experience for consumers to increase sales of fashion products in e-commerce. "There needs to be digital innovation in buying fashion products, such as virtual technology that allows people to try clothes on online," Reza said on Tuesday (2/11/2021) at the SBM ITB release.

One technology that can be used is the development of a three-dimensional avatar. To estimate their body size, consumers first utilize a scanning device, such as a smartphone camera. This data is then converted into a three-dimensional avatar which can be used to try on clothes online.

Augmented Reality (AR) is another technology which can be used. This technology allows you to try on clothes online in a way that is like trying them on in person. Instead of having a three-dimensional avatar, customers can use a smartphone camera to capture their actual image and then put on clothes that have been turned into an AR product.

E-commerce shops must also consider other aspects of their customers' online buying experiences. As a result of these challenges, consumers' enjoyment of online shopping may decrease. "Transaction security, delays in processing orders, mismatches between photos and actual products, difficulty in returning items, and inappropriate payment methods can all detract from a pleasant online purchasing experience," Reza explained.

Because they manage a huge number of shop accounts with various quality standards, these aspects must be observed not only by sellers, but also by providers of e-commerce platforms. To address this, the marketplace includes a review column where customers can rate the shop's services and products, as well as a rating for the shop to show its level of quality.

E-commerce sellers must also consider the consumer's online information-searching experience. Sellers can help customers improve knowledge by making product recommendations and providing professional reviews.

Source: SBM ITB Release
Translator: Sekar Dianwidi Bisowarno (Bioengineering, 2019)