Fitsearch

Launching an e-commerce search engine in 6 months

COMPANY

TrueToForm

ROLE

Product Designer

YEAR

2023 - 2024

Project overview

Project overview

Project overview

While many of TrueToForm's solutions are B2B, Fitsearch is TrueToForm's consumer solution. Fitsearch is a search engine that pairs with TrueToForm's mobile scan app to find clothing that fits, by collecting garment design files across apparel merchant sites to return highly accurate fit recommendations for shoppers.

Timeline

From explorations to launch in 6 months while working on multiple projects at the same time.

Impact

Fitsearch has signed 33 affiliate contracts since launching and gained 500+ immediate signups following a feature in the Hustle.

Role

I was one of three designers on the team, contributing to:

  • Early-stage discovery and user research

  • Design sprints

  • User flows

  • Low fidelity design explorations

  • Instagram and Tiktok content creation

  • Rolling usability testing for Fitsearch

Team

  • CEO & Co-Founder

  • CTO & Co-Founder

  • Developer

  • Lead product designer

  • Product designer

  • add an avatar or complete a fit survey

    Find clothes that fit your unique measurements by either adding your TrueToForm avatar or filling out a simple Fitsearch survey.

  • add a new avatar

    Click use your unique body scan if you wish to add your TrueToForm avatar.

  • complete a new body scan

    Scan the QR code to redirect to TrueToForm's mobile scan app to complete a quick body scan.

  • add existing scanned avatar

    If you have already completed an avatar scan before, you can sign in and add one via your saved avatar library.

  • search with your avatar

    Once your avatar is connected to Fitsearch, you can begin searching for clothes that fit you! Fitsearch will filter for clothing items that best fit your measurements.

  • avatar fit evaluation

    Every item comes with a fit evaluation that provides garment fit predictions in inches or centimeters. With pants it provides fit predictions for waist, length, and leg opening.

  • purchase item on retail site

    If you want to purchase a garment, just purchase it directly from the retailer website.

  • fit survey

    Alternatively, you can fill out a quick fit survey. While this method may be quicker, the results are not as accurate as a body scan avatar.

  • fit survey avatar

    Fitsearch will provide recommendations based on the measurements provided for the fit survey. Although, fit evaluations are provided for fit survey results, they may not be as accurate.

Impact

Impact

Impact

33

Sign affiliate contracts since going live

Chances of increased traffic, reduced return rates, and customer trust have gained the interest of brands and merchants

500+

Immediate signups after being featured in The Hustle

Interest in Fitsearch landed us a feature in the Hustle: Using AI for the perfect fit

  • add an avatar or complete a fit survey

    Find clothes that fit your unique measurements by either adding your TrueToForm avatar or filling out a simple Fitsearch survey.

  • add a new avatar

    Click use your unique body scan if you wish to add your TrueToForm avatar.

  • complete a new body scan

    Scan the QR code to redirect to TrueToForm's mobile scan app to complete a quick body scan.

  • add existing scanned avatar

    If you have already completed an avatar scan before, you can sign in and add one via your saved avatar library.

  • search with your avatar

    Once your avatar is connected to Fitsearch, you can begin searching for clothes that fit you! Fitsearch will filter for clothing items that best fit your measurements.

  • avatar fit evaluation

    Every item comes with a fit evaluation that provides garment fit predictions in inches or centimeters. With pants it provides fit predictions for waist, length, and leg opening.

  • purchase item on retail site

    If you want to purchase a garment, just purchase it directly from the retailer website.

  • fit survey

    Alternatively, you can fill out a quick fit survey. While this method may be quicker, the results are not as accurate as a body scan avatar.

  • fit survey avatar

    Fitsearch will provide recommendations based on the measurements provided for the fit survey. Although, fit evaluations are provided for fit survey results, they may not be as accurate.

Building a search engine from scratch

Building a search engine from scratch

Building a search engine from scratch

TrueToForm recognized that its scan app technology had the potential to help everyday shoppers and online retailers find clothes that fit, expanding beyond its current B2B products, which primarily catered to made-to-measure brands.

For the beta launch, Fitsearch planned to filter only through women's denim from one clothing resale platform and to test it with a select number of users. Fitsearch would suggest to the shopper what size to order for a garment (using garment specs provided by the platform) once the shopper plugged in their TrueToForm body avatar.

TrueToForm recognized that its scan app technology had the potential to help everyday shoppers and online retailers find clothes that fit, expanding beyond its current B2B products, which primarily catered to made-to-measure brands. On a business side, Fitsearch is free for brands to post their clothing on, which is a great opportunity to acquire new customers and raise conversions. Not to mention drastically reduce waste and return costs.

For the beta launch, Fitsearch planned to filter only through women's denim from one clothing resale platform and to test it with a select number of users. Fitsearch would suggest to the shopper what size to order for a garment (using garment specs provided by the platform) once the shopper plugged in their TrueToForm body avatar.

Measures of success for Beta & V1

  • Validate if shoppers would be willing to scan their avatar

  • Test that Fitsearch could get accurate garment specs

  • Test that shoppers can scan and connect their avatars to Fitsearch

  • Reformation

    "The styles are great but don't work for petite women. Even petite sizing is so off and fit just like regular styles.

    I have been struggling to find the right fit and while I have invested thousands of dollars, there is always something wrong and it's not the type of feeling you want when you spend $300-400 on a dress. Please design your dresses to be more inclusive for all body types."

  • Zara

    "I visited your Bristol branch with my daughter and could not believe that you did not stock size 16 in your stores. Only available on line.

    Do you not want people of this size visiting your stores? What has happened to inclusivity!"

  • Urban Outfitters

    "Sizing is inconsistent and terrible to figure out. No free returns so can't even do trial and error. Also, returns are store credit so literally I have to keep ordering from this terrible site.

    They could do better overall with their offerings. This is my third time around figuring out my size lol and I contacted customer service and they basically said I was out of luck."

  • Fashion Nova

    "The sizes of the clothes are not really compatible for all body types. They offer plus size clothing but it skips from 10/L to 2X or bigger in certain clothes which is weird.

    What happened to the in between sizes?"

  • Everlane

    ""The jeans I purchased were too large and I've returned using their shipping label. No response from Everlane. It's been about a month and typically a return has at least been received/accepted by the seller at this point.

    The clothes looked nice but make sure its something you know will fit or really want because returns are a hit or miss."

  • Zara

    "Lovely, stylish products and always on trend. However, their sizing is broken.Usually have to order 3 sizes which is expensive to do. They really really need to work on this.

    Their delivery and returns are so efficient though and so quick. Really impressive."

Discovery research

Discovery research

Discovery research

As a starting point, I conducted discovery research to learn what specific challenges shoppers struggled with when shopping for clothing that fits. I began my research by combing through dozens of reviews for popular clothing brands on trustpilot.com. I found this method helpful for finding honest and unfiltered feedback from shoppers.

Reformation

"The styles are great but don't work for petite women. Even petite sizing is so off and fit just like regular styles.


I have been struggling to find the right fit and while I have invested thousands of dollars, there is always something wrong and it's not the type of feeling you want when you spend $300-400 on a dress. Please design your dresses to be more inclusive for all body types."

Zara

"I visited your Bristol branch with my daughter and could not believe that you did not stock size 16 in your stores. Only available on line.


Do you not want people of this size visiting your stores? What has happened to inclusivity!"

Urban Outfitters

"Sizing is inconsistent and terrible to figure out. No free returns so can't even do trial and error. Also, returns are store credit so literally I have to keep ordering from this terrible site.


They could do better overall with their offerings. This is my third time around figuring out my size lol and I contacted customer service and they basically said I was out of luck."

Fashion Nova

"The sizes of the clothes are not really compatible for all body types. They offer plus size clothing but it skips from 10/L to 2X or bigger in certain clothes which is weird.


What happened to the in between sizes?"

Everlane

"The jeans I purchased were too large and I've returned using their shipping label. No response from Everlane. It's been about a month and typically a return has at least been received/accepted by the seller at this point.


The clothes looked nice but make sure its something you know will fit or really want because returns are a hit or miss."

Zara

"Lovely, stylish products and always on trend. However, their sizing is broken.Usually have to order 3 sizes which is expensive to do. They really really need to work on this.


Their delivery and returns are so efficient though and so quick. Really impressive."

Why are clothing styles so confusing?

Why are clothing styles so confusing?

Why are clothing styles so confusing?

I noticed several themes after reviewing shoppers reviews and conducting white paper research online that places increased burdens on both shoppers and retailers.

Confusing size charts and increased burdens on shoppers

Fit and size continue to be the primary reason for online returns, accounting for 42% of returns. There are no universal size charts used by clothing brands which makes it difficult to shop online. In consequence, some shoppers hesitate to shop from new brands or decide to risk ordering the wrong size.

Bracketing

Some shoppers resort to 'bracketing' which refers to buying multiple sizes of one item at one time. This places a burden on both shoppers to return items that don't fit which can drive traffic away from retailers who don't offer free shipping and returns. Retailers also bear the burden for shipping, inspection, and repair costs.

Lack of diversity and inclusion for different body types

Many shoppers find that many existing size charts do not accommodate for the full range of body types. 67% of American women wear a size 14 or above, and most retailers don't carry these sizes.

Gen-Z and millennial shoppers

Gen-Z and millennial shoppers

Gen-Z and millennial shoppers

In addition to reviewing user painpoints online, I also conducted white paper research on our core target audience - Gen-Z and Millennial shoppers. I researched economic, cultural, and technological events that shaped their motivations and spending habits to make sure I was framing for problems experienced by these groups.

The convenience seeker

Shoppers who prioritize convenience only shop online with websites that offer generous return policies, as they often struggle to find the right clothing size. Otherwise, they tend to prefer thrifting or shopping in person to avoid the hassle of paying for return shipping or dealing with time-consuming, complicated return processes.

Social media motivated

Many Gen-Z shoppers and some Millinneal shoppers rely on social media platforms for inspiration when shopping for clothing. Some shoppers struggle to fit within the sizing charts offered by many brands and thus will turn to social media outlets that appeal to their specific body type such as petite or plus size.

Brand loyal

Many shoppers—especially millennials—are often hesitant to try new brands, preferring to remain loyal to those they already know. However, because bodies change over time or through life events such as pregnancy, this loyalty can present new challenges when shopping with the same brands.

How might we questions & lightning demos

How might we questions & lightning demos

How might we questions & lightning demos

I collaborated with two of my design colleagues to map out all the user problems and potential blockers identified during our discovery research. Together, we used the these painpoints to guide our how might we questions to reframe these challenges into opportunity areas. I brainstormed solutions in the group session and afterwards conducted lightning demos to draw more solutions and visual inspiration from a range of web products.

Building trust

How Might Wes
  • How might we instill trust in our avatar scan process?

  • How might we increase customer trust and confidence in our fit predictions?

The TrueToForm avatar would be the key to powering fit recommendations but without the willingness of shoppers to scan the search engine would lose it's competitive edge. Would shoppers be willing to go through the effort of downloading the scan app and scanning their body? And what would encourage them to do so?

From my lightning demo research, I found that many websites build trust through social proof by sharing customer testimonials, product reviews, or influencer endorsements.

Educating shoppers

How Might Wes
  • How might we educate new users on how to scan and connect to the search engine?

For first time visitors of Fitsearch, shoppers would need to understand how to connect their avatar to view their fit predictions. Furthermore, since we would be asking shoppers to use a mobile app outside of Fitsearch we needed to educate users on why they were doing so and how it was tied into their fit predictions.

For lightning demos, I shared snapshots from websites such as Honey, Stich Fix and Short Story, where I found helpful step by step instructions on how to use the services.

Value of scanning an avatar

How Might Wes
  • How might we communicate the value of making a personalized avatar?

  • How might we communicate that our fit predictions sometimes may be inaccurate if retailers provide inaccurate garment specs?

For most shoppers, this would be their first time encountering scan app technology. Downloading a new app outside of Fitsearch and learning to scan their body would be a barrier to entry. How could we convince users to scan and create a personalized avatar?

Communicating fit

How Might Wes
  • How might we communicate how something will fit (loose or tight)?

  • How might we communicate how something will fit while considering styles of clothing (boyfriend jeans vs. skinny jeans).

What further complicates clothing fit are the nuances in style. For instance, shoppers often search for specific styles of jeans such as boyfriend jeans that tend to have a baggier fit or skinny jeans that have a tighter fit. How would we provide an accurate fit recommendations for the same person for these two styles of jeans?

  • Connecting avatar to fitsearch as a new user

    As a new user, I need to be able to scan a new avatar so that I can search for clothing that fits my specific measurements.

  • Connecting avatar to fitsearch as an existing user

    As an existing user, I need to be able to login so that I can search with an existing avatar.

    As an existing user, I need to be able to remove an existing avatar so that I can add a new avatar scan for when my body weight changes.

  • adding a fit survey as a new user

    As a new user, I need to be able to create a fit survey, so that I can quickly browse for clothing without needing to scan an avatar.

  • search & view fit evaluation using fit survey

    As a user using a fit survey, I need to be able to see a fit evaluation for a item of clothing so that I can understand how well the garment fits my personal measurements.

  • search & view fit evaluation using body scan avatar

    As a user using a body scan avatar, I need to be able to see a fit evaluation for a item of clothing so that I can understand how well the garment fits my personal measurements.

User flows & user stories

User flows & user stories

User flows & user stories

I developed user flows based on how might we questions and lightning demo research to identify the features and screens required for implementation.

Low fidelity wireframes

Low fidelity wireframes

Low fidelity wireframes

I participated in a design sprint for Fitsearch, brainstorming low-fidelity concepts that informed the product vision. While the lead designer owned the design system and high-fidelity work, she reviewed my explorations, provided feedback, and encouraged “pie-in-the-sky” ideas even as we prepared for the beta launch.

She asked me to brainstorm the following flows:

  • Avatar scan flow

  • Fit survey flow

  • Search & browsing flow

Fit survey & scanning an avatar flow

Since shoppers frequently browse on their phones, I started by exploring design solutions from a mobile-first breakpoint. The essential features for the landing page included:

  • Option to fill out a fit survey

  • Option to scan an avatar

  • A way to run a search

Search Results Flow

The must haves for the search and browsing flow included:

  • Option to alter the search

  • Image of garment (pulled from the retailer selling the garment)

  • Fit score - the CEO and CTO indicated that Fitsearch would recommend items with a 98% Fit score

  • Price of garment

  • Name of retailer

Usability testing

Usability testing

Usability testing

The engineering team implemented the MVP designs created by our senior designer and password-protected the website. I worked with my design colleague to test and interview 16 users, conducting rolling usability sessions on Fitsearch and TestFlight during the MVP release and subsequent feature updates. These sessions uncovered usability issues and bugs in real time while capturing both qualitative and quantitative feedback from participants.

In our usability tests, I wanted to validate two objectives that we were using to measure success:

  1. Are shoppers willing to scan their avatars?

  2. Are shoppers able to successfully scan and connect their avatar to Fitsearch?

Reflection and next steps

Reflection and next steps

Reflection and next steps

Being part of this amazing project was an incredible experience. I learned so much from contributing to the development of an end-to-end product. One of the key takeaways was recognizing how valuable and essential it is to engage with users throughout the design process. My skills in conducting interviews and usability testing improved significantly as a result.

After implementing updates based on multiple rounds of usability testing, the product was officially launched to the public by removing the password-protected homepage. Since going live, the project has secured 33 affiliate contracts, which has been exciting and rewarding to witness. Although there is still much work to be done, Fitsearch's next steps are to expand into additional clothing categories and strive for a better product-market fit.