In the competitive world of ecommerce, providing a seamless and informative shopping experience is crucial for converting visitors into loyal customers.
One often overlooked yet essential feature is the size guide. Adding a size guide to your Shopify store can significantly enhance customer satisfaction, reduce return rates, and boost overall sales.
This post will explore the benefits of size guides and recommend the best tools and practices for implementing them effectively, using examples from our clients berneurope.com and walkinwardrobeonline.com.
Why Adding a Size Guide is Important
To begin – why is a size guide so important?
Typically, sizing can vary from store to store, even in standard units like dress and shoe sizes, because of brand-specific measurements, and so a customer should be well-informed about your particular product prior to purchase.
This includes benefits like:
- Enhancing Customer Confidence: A well-detailed size guide helps customers make informed decisions, reducing the uncertainty that often accompanies online shopping. When customers are confident that they are selecting the right size, they are more likely to complete their purchase.
- Reducing Return Rates: Incorrect sizing is one of the primary reasons for product returns in ecommerce. By providing a comprehensive size guide, you can minimise the chances of customers ordering the wrong size, thereby reducing the return rates and associated costs.
- Improving Customer Satisfaction: A size guide demonstrates that you care about your customers’ shopping experience. When customers receive items that fit perfectly, their satisfaction increases, leading to positive reviews and repeat business.
- Boosting Sales: When customers are confident in their purchase decisions, they are more likely to buy multiple items or higher-value products. A size guide can thus directly contribute to increased sales and revenue.
Best Options for Implementing a Size Guide
1. Standard Size Charts
Standard size charts are the most common type of size guide. They provide measurements for different sizes (e.g., small, medium, large) and can be tailored to specific product categories such as clothing, shoes, or accessories. These charts are easy to create and can be displayed on product pages or as a pop-up. Make sure to include international sizing, not just local sizing.
2. Interactive Size Guides
Interactive size guides take the standard size chart a step further by allowing customers to input their measurements and receive personalised size recommendations. This type of guide can be particularly useful for products that require precise fitting, such as tailored clothing or footwear.
3. Visual Fit Guides
Visual fit guides use images or videos to show how a product fits on different body types. This approach can be very effective for clothing and accessories, as it provides a visual reference that helps customers understand how the item will look on them.
Examples
Bern Europe – Helmet Size Guide
Our company Bern Europe provides an excellent example of a detailed size guide for helmets. Helmets require a precise fit for safety and comfort, and their size guide includes comprehensive instructions on how to measure head circumference accurately. By offering this detailed information, Bern Europe ensures that customers can select the right helmet size, enhancing both safety and satisfaction. We also have been able to keep our return rate below 10%. We also include a circumference to help show people how to measure correctly.
The Walk in Wardrobe – Slider Scale for Fit
For the Walk in Wardrobe we implemented an innovative slider scale from 1-10 to indicate how an item fit, the client can choose using a metafield in Shopify a number, this then correlates on screen. This feature allows customers to see at a glance whether a product runs small, true to size, or large. By providing this additional layer of information, the walk in wardrobe helps customers make more informed decisions, reducing the likelihood of returns and increasing overall satisfaction.
Recommended Shopify Apps for Size Guides
Clean Size Charts: Size Guide
Clean Size Charts: Size Guide is a Shopify app that allows you to create beautiful and customisable size charts for your products. With 18 preset styles and the ability to create your own from scratch, you can match the branding of your store. The size guide tabs are easy to view on product pages, providing a seamless user experience. The app also offers on-page size chart placement options such as fixed to the right, inline-table, and embedded content. Additionally, it integrates with Google Analytics, allowing you to track size chart impressions and opens in GA
View it here https://apps.shopify.com/size-charts-by-clean-canvas
ESC – Size Charts & Size Guide
ESC – Size Charts & Size Guide is another excellent Shopify app that makes creating size guides quick and easy. You can start with one of their templates or create your own guide. The app allows you to add the guide to a product page using product tags or instantly display it on all products. It supports customisation to match your store’s look and is compatible with Shopify 2.0 themes. The app also facilitates size comparisons to other brands, aiding in customer purchasing decisions.
View it here: https://apps.shopify.com/sizeguide
Conclusion
Incorporating a size guide into your Shopify ecommerce store is a simple yet powerful way to enhance the shopping experience for your customers. Whether you opt for a standard size chart, an interactive guide, or a visual fit guide, providing clear and accurate sizing information can lead to higher customer confidence, reduced return rates, and increased sales.
By following the examples set by Bern Europe and The Walk in Wardrobe, and utilising apps like Clean Size Charts and ESC – Size Charts & Size Guide, you can implement effective size guides that meet the needs of your customers and drive your business forward.
For queries about Shopify sizing – or building your own e-commerce store – please contact us. We’re happy to help, so contact us today.
If you are interested in further news and information about Shopify, consider signing up for our email newsletter, Shopify Insider.
