ABSTRACT

This master thesis is about the garment jeans, as well as longevity and consumer thoughts and opinions about this. More specifically, this thesis will address consumers’ behavior and experiences towards this garment during the purchase of a new pair, during the use process, as well as at the end of life. The overall research question of this thesis is as follows; “How can a digital service help increase the lifespan of jeans?”

To answer this research question a number of methods have been applied - such as qualitative interviews, web survey, as well as other design methods and tools. A digital workshop, user journeys, user scenarios, different types of analysis, testing of 3D-scan of a human body and context of experience are some of the creative methods that has been applied throughout this thesis.

The findings show that the sizing of jeans is a significant problem area, and the purchase of the wrong size and fit is one of the reasons why the lifespan of jeans is cut short. For many, shopping for jeans can be a challenging and difficult process, and online-shopping for jeans, makes everything a bit harder. The pandemic has forced the world to digitalize, and after talking to consumers, the process of purchasing jeans online, has become a “shot in the dark” -experience. They choose the size they think fits, and betting that it is the right size. Many items must be returned because of the ordering of the wrong size and fit, which has led to a large increase in the fashion industry.

AVA-Shop is an imagined concept for a service, that offers a new shopping experience. This service offers customers the opportunity to choose a model they prefer to see the products on, as well as a live-chat, where customers can reach out to employees, if they desire some help or guidance. AVA-Shop is a service that will be used in existing online stores, as an additional service. The idea is that this service can be used in several online stores, and that the customer can use the same avatar in every store. Think of a virtual shopping mall where your avatar is a digital mannequin who goes from store to store to try out garments.

AVA-Shop offers the customers to make their own avatar, or a digital mannequin, that they can use to get a visual representation on how that specific jeans may look on them. The measurements on the avatar can calculate and estimate a size and notifies the user if the jeans may fit or not. In addition, the customer can filter out any desired aesthetical or material details and elements and share their avatar with the employee in the live-chat to get the help they need.