Reporting from TheIndustry.fashion LIVE! ‘Gain a return on returns’ in partnership with Bleckmann, Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McCloskey joined TheIndustry.fashion's Editor In Chief Lauretta Roberts to discuss how to perfect customer knowledge on sizing and fit to 'reduce' returns.

About 30% of ecommerce fashion orders are returned, according to global strategists Roland Berger, and in 2022 some £7bn worth of online-purchased fashion was returned by UK consumers. With the true cost of returns estimated to be around £20 for a £30 item, and many returned items ending up in landfill, this is a problem that cannot be ignored. But it’s also a problem that can be turned into a huge growth and efficiency opportunity.

Today's event is broken down into three topics: Reduce, Reuse and Renew. Rixo commenced a day of talk panels with 'Reduce' as the focal point.

How to 'Reduce' Returns

Sat among a crowd of fashion insiders and industry professionals – in one of The Hoxton's trendy rooms decked out in mid-century decor - the trailblazers in the contemporary-turned-vintage space, discussed the inception of the brand and how they were inspired by 1820s silk gowns.

Rixo began back in 2015 with organic-only marketing, which meant handling returns was manageable. However, since the pandemic, as events are back in full swing, the number of returns has slowly crept up – especially when it comes to occasionwear.

Two years ago, after sourcing external marketing, Rixo noted the lack of customer loyalty translated to an increase in returns from first-time shoppers. The trio discussed the importance of getting the fit right in order to reduce the number of returned goods.

Orlagh McCloskey said: “If you’ve acquired customers through a channel where they don’t have an emotional connection to the brand, you’ve lost them if the fit isn’t right… So, how can we do a better job of educating them about the brand?”

Size and Fit

As a brand that caters to a multitude of sizing, ages and styles, Rixo has focused its efforts on a comprehensive size guide on its website.

“When we launched, we had our online site that was a transactional website, but we also had stores. So, especially at the beginning, we saw the customer every day, when they’re trying things on and had access to feedback, which we could then implement”, the Co-founder added.

From women in their 70s, to mothers of the bride, to prom-going teens, Rixo appeals to a whole host of clientele. Rix noted: “Mother and daughter shopping is very big for us and it is important that we cater to various fits.”

As the company grows – particularly in the past year with new store openings in Carnaby Street and The King’s Road – the co-founders have had to implement “golden rules to the factories” in order to ensure all 10 manufacturers were producing standardised sizing and fits.

Over time, the brand is finding new ways to control inconsistencies in manufacturing. As these implementations are new, the products remaining in stores and online will slowly filter out those created before standardisation. Commenting on this, McCloskey told Roberts: “We’ve been setting the standards and hopefully we see that impacting our returns”.

“Not everyone of our dresses online has been affected by the new rules but it will filter out”.

Educating the Customer

As expected, the brand is seeing “high conversions where the customer can try on in-store, especially in the flagship where we have an array of styles and sizes to try on”. But in-person retail feedback filters back into the website. For example, customers in different age ranges have different preferences for V neck depths.

On Rixo’s site, its in-depth sizing chart includes granular and meticulous measurements including features such as V neck depths, which aren’t usually included in size charts. For Rixo’s clientele, that and the length is what they want to know and directly reduces returns.

The site also describes the quality of the fabric and its stretch, whether it’s bias cut or tight in certain areas.

To ensure these are accurate and up to date, everything is re-fit per season, even those reoccurring silhouettes in the ‘Staples’ collection. The Rixo duo, therefore, advise the crowd to conduct focus groups, adding: “We did that when we introduced our extended sizing. We had a group dinner, but before that, we made everyone in the store try on the pieces and noted down the sizing and measurements.”

The retailer also introduced online reviews and real-life imagery, in order for shoppers – in particular to older clientele who don’t use social media – to receive advice on sizing and fit from other customers.

As the company continues to strategise ways to “educate their customer”, staff from each department come together once a month to share customer feedback and analyse the returns rate. For example, a store manager could advise feedback on a particular product and the buying team and garment tech team can put these changes immediately into action.

Returns are Inevitable

At the moment, Rixo offers free e-commerce returns in partnership with ZigZag. This is all managed at the brand's warehouse, and runs “quickly and smoothly”, according to its Co-founders.

The company is also committed to democratising fashion by providing a ‘try now and pay later’ option. Taking this one step further, in London, they have a concierge service that hand-delivers products prior to payment.

Looking to the future, the company continues to re-strategise to reduce return rates, particularly with its monthly returns rate meeting. They have also looked into adding ribbons to occasionwear to prevent customers from attempting to return products after use. This ensures they don’t receive returns that aren’t resellable. Rix added: “it’s the nature of the game… everything is an individual case”.