The final frontier for online shopping: Fashion that fits

As more consumers embrace the convenience of online shopping for books, music, electronics and all manner of merchandise, one category is not growing as fast as the others: clothing.

Many shoppers believe there's just too big a risk that the garment won't fit or won't look good on them.

That's the case for Amit Sood, who recently spoke to CBC while strolling through a Toronto mall.

"I'm more comfortable visiting the shop because you can try the clothes and see if it fits you well," says Sood.

Shopper Hilary Doyle says she's had some success buying fashion online, but it's hit or miss. "It works out well except when it's not the right size, in which case it's such a hassle to return," she complains.

Unwanted items bought online typically have to be repackaged and shipped back.
Fit is a massive challenge for e-commerce, and there's a belief in the industry that if the problem could be solved, the profits would roll in.
"It's really the last, most exciting part of the consumer web where we are still working on organizing it and presenting it to the consumer, so that it explodes with growth," proclaims CEO William R. Adler in a corporate video for his company True Fit. The Bay licenses True Fit technology for its e-commerce site.