What Happens If Virtual Try-On Doesn't Match My Actual Size?

No technology is perfect. VTS achieves 96% accuracy on size recommendations — which means that in 4% of cases, the recommendation may not perfectly match the shopper's experience when the item arrives.

Understanding why mismatches happen and what to do when they do is important for setting realistic expectations about virtual try-on technology.

Why the 96% Accuracy Threshold Exists

VTS extracts 20+ body measurements from two photos — front and side — and matches them against the product's size chart. The 96% accuracy figure reflects results when shoppers follow the photo guidelines correctly.

The remaining 4% of cases where recommendations may be less accurate typically fall into one of these categories:

Photo quality issues. Baggy clothing, poor lighting, or photos taken at the wrong distance reduce the AI's ability to extract accurate measurements. The clearer and more fitted the clothing in the photo, the more accurate the measurement extraction.

Unusual garment construction. Some garments have non-standard sizing — a size Medium from one brand may fit like a Large from another, or a vintage garment may have different measurements than its label suggests. VTS matches against the size chart provided by the merchant, which may not always perfectly reflect the garment's actual fit.

Body proportion edge cases. Most bodies fit standard measurement patterns well. For shoppers with unusual proportions — very long torso with short legs, or wide shoulders with a narrow waist — the recommendation may prioritise one dimension over another.

What to Do If the Size Is Wrong

Check the fit heatmap first. Before concluding the recommendation is wrong, review the fit heatmap. If the heatmap showed yellow or red in the area that feels tight, the AI identified the issue — you may have chosen to proceed despite the warning.

Retake your photos. If you receive an item that does not fit as expected, try rescanning with better photo conditions — more fitted clothing, better lighting, the correct distance from the camera. A new scan may give a more accurate recommendation for your next purchase.

Follow the merchant's return policy. The merchant's standard return policy applies regardless of whether VTS was used. VTS significantly reduces returns but does not override the merchant's own processes.

Contact the merchant. If you believe the VTS recommendation was materially incorrect, contact the merchant. Many VTS merchants track return reasons in their analytics dashboard, and this feedback helps improve size chart accuracy.

Why 96% Is Still the Industry Leader

To contextualise 96% accuracy: without virtual try-on, shoppers are essentially guessing their size from a chart. Research suggests that shopper size self-assessment from charts is accurate approximately 60 to 70% of the time — which is why 52% of fashion returns cite wrong size as the reason.

Going from 60-70% accuracy to 96% accuracy is a transformational improvement. It means returns from sizing errors drop from roughly 1 in 3 orders to roughly 1 in 25.

How Merchants Handle the Remaining 4%

VTS merchants use the analytics dashboard to track return reasons. When returns do occur despite VTS usage, the dashboard helps identify patterns — is a specific product's size chart inaccurate? Is a particular garment running small across multiple shoppers?

This data allows merchants to adjust their size charts, update product descriptions, and add notes like "runs small — we recommend sizing up" based on real fitting data from their customer base. Over time, this feedback loop makes the recommendations increasingly accurate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will VTS refund me if the size recommendation is wrong?

VTS is an app sold to Shopify merchants, not directly to shoppers. Refund and return policies are set by the individual merchant. VTS provides the size recommendation technology; the merchant handles fulfilment and returns.

Can I dispute a VTS recommendation?

The recommendation is generated by AI based on your photos and the merchant's size chart. If you feel the recommendation is wrong, you can rescan or contact the merchant with your feedback.

Does VTS improve over time?

Yes. The AI models underlying VTS continue to be trained and improved. Accuracy is expected to increase as more data is processed and edge cases are addressed.

What if I followed all the guidelines and the size was still wrong?

This happens in rare cases. Follow the merchant's return process and consider rescanning for future purchases. If you experience consistent inaccuracies, contact VTS support at the merchant's help page — this feedback helps improve the system.