Munich-based Sizekick has just bagged €1.3 million for its SaaS solution that promises to cut down on returns in the fashion e-commerce space. The startup is now gearing up for a 2023 launch to solve one of retail’s biggest problems
We’ve all ordered a new outfit, new shoes, or a new piece of clothing online and ended up finding that it just doesn’t fit right. The beauty of online shopping is the ease of finding new things, but on the flip side, things on the screen tend to be a little different to how they fit in person.
The purchase and subsequent return of clothes, because they’re not the right size or fit, is an everyday headache for fashion e-retailers. Not only that, but it entails a massive carbon footprint and is hindering the industry’s efforts to become more sustainable.
Founded in 2022, Sizekick is aiming to cut down on the problem. The startup has just picked up €1.3 million in new funding as it prepares to launch. Hohenstein leads the funding and has been onboarded as strategic partner of choice. The firm has been providing accredited and independent services such as testing, certification, research and development of textile products, and training for more than 75 years.
Jake Lydon, CTO at Sizekick: “As a new AI solution, our strategic partnership with Hohenstein enables us to meet the market’s high demand right from the start, and to take on the role of technology leader. Thanks to Hohenstein, our artificial intelligence is already learning from one of the world’s largest and highest-quality databases of 3D body scans. The gigantic advantage this provides our AI cannot be overstated.”
Founded by Jake Lydon and David Oldeen, Sizekick was developed to solve online fashion retailers’ biggest problem – unnecessary returns and consumer size uncertainty
The Munich-based company uses artificial intelligence and computer vision technology to recommend the right clothing size to customers in online partner stores. With the “Sizekick Button“, online shoppers receive their accurate clothing size in just a few seconds, using only a smartphone.
Sizekick CEO David Oldeen: “Feedback from the market and future partners in the fashion and sports industries was crystal clear – people are looking to solve a real problem when it comes to sizing. They need a size recommendation solution that takes into account the fact that users have different body shapes as well as the inherent differences between individual styles and brands. This is exactly what we are offering at Sizekick, and we are taking e-commerce sizing to a new level.”
Sizekick, therefore, alleviates the personal size frustration often experienced after online shopping, while also reducing unnecessary returns and the associated carbon emissions. The button can be easily integrated into online brands’ webpages.
Prof. Dr. Stefan Mecheels, owner and CEO of Hohenstein: “With the Sizekick team, we finally found the match we had been looking for. Brands and retailers now have the ability to offer confident and informed apparel sizing decisions to their online customers. This is an important step for the entire fashion industry towards making online retail more sustainable, with fewer size-related returns.”
