In a world where almost everyone is connected to the internet almost all of the time, retailers are recognising the importance of streamlining their online and in-store shopping experiences. Hybrid shopping is fast becoming the "new normal" and retailers need to adapt.

Consumers want convenience. For some that means being able to see items in store before buying, for others that means ordering online and having their purchases delivered. The former will want to know that their desired item is in stock at the relevant store and the latter will want to be able to trust that the item will be suitable when it arrives.

Zalando's new virtual fitting room, which it is currently trialling, seems a fairly big leap in the right direction. As reported by Retail Gazette, customers will be able to create an avatar of themselves by inputting their height, weight, and gender details. They can then see how clothes are likely to fit by trying them on the avatar. This means that online customers can buy with confidence that they are getting the right size. For those who like to shop in-store, if their size is out of stock they can still check the quality of an item, the material etc in store and again order with confidence that the selected size will fit. It is hoped that this will reduce the amount of items returned, benefiting customers, retailers and the environment.