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Fashion ecommerce is under pressure from slower growth, high return rates, rising acquisition costs, and low online conversion, according to a 2026 intelligence report by DRESSX. The report examines AI try-on ecommerce conversion as online apparel return rates remain at 30% to 40% and average ecommerce conversion rates sit at 1.65%.
Online fashion conversion remains below physical retail. The report lists fashion ecommerce conversion at around 1% to 2%, compared with 23% to 30% for physical retail, where shoppers can try products before buying.
The report identifies fit, silhouette, fabric, and styling as areas where static product images provide limited information.
The report describes AI-powered virtual try-on as a tool that lets shoppers evaluate how a product looks on their own body before purchase, rather than relying only on model images, product photography, videos, or size guides.
DRESSX’s 2026 study examined AI Try-On use across luxury fashion ecommerce platforms, including Victoria Beckham, Loulou de Saison, TTSWTR, Pascal, and others. The analysis covered 1.2 million shoppers across 216 countries and interactions in 83 languages.
The report compares shoppers who used DRESSX AI Try-On with those who did not. DRESSX describes the findings as directional and says the data shows a positive correlation between try-on engagement and product exploration, cart conversion, purchase conversion, repeat visits, and retention.
DRESSX said its AI Try-On system uses silhouette mapping, fabric modelling, and generative AI to render garments on shoppers. The report lists product detail, fabric behaviour, and representation across different body types, genders, skin tones, and aesthetics as requirements for luxury try-on tools.
Try-on users show higher conversion and retention
The report’s conversion data showed higher cart and purchase conversion among try-on users. DRESSX said try-on users converted from product view to cart at about 11%, compared with 4% for shoppers who did not use the feature. View-to-purchase conversion was 3% for try-on users, compared with 2% for non-users, representing a 50% higher purchase conversion rate.
In the luxury ecommerce segment measured by the report, shoppers using try-on recorded a 10% view-to-cart conversion rate, compared with 2% for those who did not use it. View-to-purchase conversion reached 2.8% for try-on users, compared with 0.3% for non-users.
Try-on engagement also rose with product price. Engagement was 4% for products under $50, 19% for products priced between $100 and $249, 23% for $250 to $499, 22% for $500 to $999, and 27% for products above $1,000.
DRESSX attributed the higher use of try-on for higher-priced products to purchase risk and shopper validation.
The report also said the pattern was not limited to apparel. DRESSX said try-on users recorded higher purchase conversion across apparel, footwear, accessories, and eyewear, with accessories showing the largest absolute increase, from 6% without try-on to 9% with try-on.
Retention also differed between the two groups. By Day 1, 49% of try-on users were still active, compared with 6% of shoppers who did not use try-on. By Day 30, retention stood at 44% for try-on users, while non-users fell to 1%.
The report also measured repeat shopping behaviour. Eleven per cent of try-on users returned more than once, compared with 7% of non-users. Eight per cent returned more than three times, compared with 4% of non-users, while 5% returned more than 10 times, compared with 0.4% among shoppers who did not use try-on.
DRESSX also said try-on users browsed more collections, searched for products, selected sizes, and remained active week to week at higher rates than non-users.
The report said try-on users viewed seven times as many product listings as shoppers who did not engage with the feature. It also said try-on users completed 25% more searches per user and averaged four visits per user, compared with one visit among non-users.
Repeat use of the try-on feature increased after launch. DRESSX said the share of users engaging with try-on more than once grew 8% month over month.
Among users who selected a try-on style, 80% chose Full-Body Try-On, while 20% chose AI Twin.
Mobile accounted for most of the activity measured in the study. DRESSX said about 70% of shoppers engaged with try-on on mobile, while more than four out of five attributed revenue dollars came from mobile. The report also said mobile shoppers purchased 12% more often.
The report said loading time and the photo upload flow affect try-on completions and revenue on mobile.
Shopper data adds another layer
The report also covers first-party shopper data from virtual try-on. DRESSX said try-on interactions can show what customers try, which styles they prefer, which fits they consider, and which actions happen before purchase.
DRESSX said this data can support product matching, recommendations, merchandising, and personalisation. The report recommends that brands track try-on users and non-users separately across product views, carts, purchases, and return visits over 30-, 60-, and 90-day periods.
(Photo by Vitaly Gariev)
See also: Gap uses AI to modernise marketing across retail brands
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