Change Model
As online shopping evolves, customers increasingly seek representations that mirror their own body shapes and sizes, enabling them to evaluate fit and feel included. In response, we introduced “Change Model” feature on product detail pages that meets this need by allowing customers to choose models that reflect their physical attributes.
Clientlululemon
Year2023
Duration4 months
StatusShipped
RoleUI/UX Design, Competitive Audit, User Research, Product Roadmap
Problem
“There’s a sense I don’t belong here…”
-- Guest quote
Despite the average clothing size for women in the United States being between sizes 16 and 18, the models featured on the lululemon website have predominantly been size 6. Our guests have repeatedly shared that they do not feel represented on the website.
The Solution
The "Change Model" feature aims to bring representation across the full range of sizes that lululemon offers, from 0 to 20. Recognizing the need for diversity and inclusivity, this feature allows users to select from four typical sizes that they feel most closely match their own body type. Once a size is chosen, the product detail page dynamically updates to display all product shot packs featuring models in the selected size. This ensures that customers can see how the clothing fits and looks on a body type similar to their own, enhancing their online shopping experience by providing a more personalized and inclusive view of our products.
Impact
The "Change Model" feature has demonstrated strong engagement, with 10% of visitors on product detail pages interacting with it, indicating significant interest. Users who engage with this feature are twice as likely to add items to their cart compared to those who do not use it. Additionally, the feature has generated considerable activity and excitement on social media platforms such as Reddit and TikTok, where users have praised the increased representation and inclusivity it brings to their shopping experience.
Discovery
Through multiple user studies, we learned that customers love our products but often don’t feel included by the brand. Many customers feel they do not fit the brand image. They seek diversity in body shape, age, and workout activity in model imagery.
In the meantime, many brands have entered this space by showcasing multiple body types across the digital experience. We tested a few experiences with general online shoppers as well as size-focused shoppers (size L-4XL). The size-focused group was particularly positive about these features. Representation, even without utility, is seen as a valuable addition to the browsing experience.
Imagery Options
Imagery of various model sizes is the key to this feature. Although in a perfectly ideal world, we would have imagery of every size for every product, this is not immediately available and is very costly to produce. There are a few options we could look into. The question lies in where we want to achieve a balance of user experience and business investment, AND how might we bring in value step by step?
Explorations
In the initial design explorations, I set aside constraints related to existing assets and technical feasibility to fully explore a range of creative solutions. This approach allowed me to consider different types of assets and various touch points throughout the user journey.
Launching MVP with Existing Assets
While we were in the process of requesting new assets to support the ideal state experience, we aimed to provide immediate value by delivering an MVP using existing PDP assets. This approach allowed us to quickly implement the "Change Model" feature and begin collecting valuable user insights without waiting for new content creation.
In the MVP version, users could select from four typical sizes (e.g., 6, 10, 14, 16) to view product images featuring models in the selected size. This feature was integrated directly into the product detail pages, making it easily accessible to users.
Iterations
The MVP gained lots of engagement, confirming strong interest in the "Change Model" feature. However, there was no significant change in the size added to the cart based on the model size displayed. Through testing, I identified several pain points with the design:
- Unclear Tile Functionality:
- Users found it unclear what would happen when they selected a tile.
- Unmet Expectations:
- Guests expected to see the same color and style on different models. The existing implementation showed models in alternate colors, causing confusion and frustration.
- Scanning Issues on Mobile:
- On mobile devices, the modal was typically cut off, making it difficult for users to scan and select their desired model size.
With these insights, I made iterations to the design to address the identified issues
Looking forward
We are actively collaborating with an AI studio to produce new assets that will ensure consistent colorways, aligning with user expectations. Additionally, I began exploring other touchpoints where we can enhance representation using these new assets, further broadening the impact of the "Change Model" feature across the user journey.
Inclusivity is now the standard, and this feature is just the beginning.