Photo Reviews Gaining Clout: 5 Reasons Why They Work

The idea of photo reviews isn’t something new to the marketplace. Matter of fact it was made popular by Rent The Runway back in 2012. The online retail giant encouraged customers to post photos of themselves in the dresses to help other shoppers get a real sense of the dress. From there, the company built out photo walls that helped shoppers pick dresses and catered to different body types. This concept of social listening has turned into a major tool for fashion retailers to boost sales and also cut down on the calls coming through their customer service centers with questions from customers. 

Are photo reviews a hype worth considering? Does it even have clout? Here are the 5 reasons why they do. 

1. Data Collection

Today businesses are always on the pry for data with the sole purpose of getting to know their customers better. In turn, driving more sales. Rent The Runway has 17 million data points that they collect from photo reviews. If you’re wondering what they can do with it, well here it is. 

• They use it to understand which items are popular and not among their customer base. 

• Quality control if customers are saying things about the fit of the outfit or if the garment doesn’t hold up through dry cleaning. These are all concerns they bring back to the designers to let them know. 

2. Inclusivity 

Our bodies come in all different sizes and shapes. Photo reviews help customers visualize how an outfit could potentially look before they purchase. If a customer had a curvy or pear-shaped body they can see how it would look and how it could be styled. 

3. Cuts Down on Returns 

When customers get to visually see an outfit before they purchase it cuts down on the returns. They can virtually experience the outfit see how it would look from different angles and how it would fit them before they make a final decision. 

4. Styling Inspiration 

It’s a great add on value for your customers when they can get inspired to see how others have been styling your clothing. This will be an attractive selling point for many for Gen Z’s since they are the most creative generation to date. 

5. Getting Your Customers Involved 

We’ve said this over and over again that customers want to be part of your brand journey. This is another great way to get them involved and build a community around your brand. Glossier is an example that does this well. They are heavily involved with customers and are constantly employing social listening.