Picture the scene: Your customer falls in love with a pair of jeans on your site. They swiftly place their order and can’t wait to get their delivery. The easiest sale you ever made.
But when it comes, they can barely squeeze into the jeans.
They’re mad. They send you a frustrated email and blast you on Twitter.
This kind of situation is a lot more common than you might think. The fact is that refunds, returns, and complaints are inevitable when you’re dropshipping clothes online. Any successful ecommerce business owner can tell you that.
But you know what is avoidable? The simple oversight of failing to convert foreign clothing sizes to US sizes. It’s a small task with a big outcome.
If you have a supplier from another region (especially Asia) or you’re planning to source your products from another region, this article is for you.
You’ll find all the knowledge you need to successfully convert clothing from Asian sizes to US sizes.
What is size conversion?
As an ecommerce entrepreneur who’s selling clothing online, you can’t afford to overlook size conversion and its impact on your business.
Conversion is essential because there aren’t any universal sizing guidelines that apply to every region of the world. This means you may need to convert the sizing of your products into the measurements that your customers will expect, depending on where they live.
For example, Asian clothing is generally smaller fitting than what you’ll find from American or European retailers. That’s why it’s especially important to make sure you won’t encounter a too-small issue with your customers.
Why is size conversion important for online store owners?
Here are some reasons why size conversion matters:
- Managing customer expectations: When a customer purchases a product from your ecommerce store, they have certain expectations. They expect that you’ll deliver a high-quality product to them, that the product will arrive in a timely manner, and most importantly, that the product meets the description you’ve listed on your website.
- Streamlining your operations: Nobody likes to deal with returns. If you fail to make sure that every customer’s order meets their expectations, you’ll find yourself racking up returns and spending extra hours on customer service messages. Avoid all this by getting it right the first time.
- Better business growth: If you can minimize all the hiccups and inconveniences in the buying process, you’ll have happier customers. Business research consistently shows that happy customers become loyal customers, meaning that they’ll keep coming back for more. They’ll also be more likely to tell their friends and leave you positive reviews online.
How to Convert Asian Sizes to US Sizes
If you’re an ecommerce entrepreneur who’s sourcing your store’s products from Asian countries and selling them to American customers, you’ll need to know how to convert Asian sizes to US sizes.
As I mentioned earlier, Asian clothes generally fit smaller than American clothing. Let’s take a look at how to convert Asian sizes to American sizes.
1. Converting Asian sizes to US sizes with your suppliers
When converting your store’s products from Asian sizes to US sizes, you should first get in contact with your suppliers.
Your suppliers will likely have a size conversion chart for all the products they manufacture and distribute, so try asking for an Asian-to-American sizing chart. If they can provide you with the sizing chart, you’ll find that converting your products from Asian sizes to US sizes is simple.
If you’re using AliExpress to source products for your ecommerce store, you’ll find that the majority of sellers are happy to provide you with a sizing guide. Most AliExpress sellers will already have a sizing guide in their product descriptions, which makes life a whole lot easier.
If you can’t find an Asian sizing to US sizing chart easily, try searching for the products on other ecommerce platforms, like Amazon. You’ll likely find other ecommerce entrepreneurs who are selling similar products and have the right sizing charts you can use as a reference point.
2. Converting Asian sizes to US sizes in your store
Once you have the right info, make sure it’s easy for your customers to find on your website.
A simple way to do this is to include a sizing chart for each of the product listings on your store. Size conversion apps like Size Chart – Clothes Fit Guide make it easy to display sizing charts.
3. Make sure your size charts are clear
It’s up to you to make sure that your sizing charts are clear and easy-to-use.
This is especially true for customers who are traveling abroad. Take US-to-UK sizing, for example. A woman who’s a size 12 in the US will be a size 14 in the UK. This is often a cause of frustration—and one that you can easily avoid.
We’ve created a couple of size chart examples to make size conversion easier for you:
Men
| Standard EU Sizing | 2XS 44 |
XS 46 |
S 48 |
M 50 |
L 52 |
XL 54 |
2XL 56 |
3XL 58 |
4XL 60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 46 | 48 | 50 | 52 | 54 | 56 | 58 | 60 | 62 |
| Italy | 46 | 48 | 50 | 52 | 54 | 56 | 58 | 60 | 62 |
| UK | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 48 | 50 |
| USA | 34/27 | 38/28-29 | 39/30-31 | 40/32-33 | 42/34-35 | 44/36-37 | 46/38-39 | 48/40-41 | 50/42-43 |
| Asia | XS | S | M | L | XL | 2XL | 3XL | 4XL | 5XL |
Women
| Standard EU Sizing | 2XS 32 |
XS 34 |
S 36 |
M 38 |
L 40 |
XL 42 |
2XL 44 |
3XL 46 |
4XL 48 |
5XL 50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 48 | 50 | 52 |
| Italy | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 48 | 50 | 52 | 54 | 56 |
| UK | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 |
| USA | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 |
| Asia | XS | S | M | L | XL | 2XL | 3XL | 4XL | 5XL | 6XL |
Boys
| Age Size EU |
4-6 116 |
6-8 128 |
8-10 140 |
10-12 152 |
12-14 164 |
14-16 176 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 114 | 126 | 138 | 150 | 162 | 174 |
| Italy | 114 | 126 | 138 | 150 | 162 | 174 |
| UK | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 |
| USA | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 |
Girls
| Age Size EU |
4-6 116 |
6-8 128 |
8-10 140 |
10-12 152 |
12-14 164 |
14-16 176 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 114 | 126 | 138 | 150 | 162 | 174 |
| Italy | 114 | 126 | 138 | 150 | 162 | 174 |
| UK | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 |
| USA | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 |
Gloves
| Size | 4.5 | 5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CM Inch |
15.5 6.1 |
16 6.1 |
16.5 6.3 |
17 6.5 |
18 7.1 |
19 7.5 |
20.5 8.1 |
22 8.7 |
23 9.1 |
24 9.4 |
26 10.2 |
27 10.6 |
| Ladies | XS | S | M | L | XL | |||||||
| Men | S | M | L | XL | 2XL | |||||||
| Juniors | XS | S | M | L | XL |
Shoe size conversion
Women’s shoe size conversion
| Standard EU Sizing | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | 2.5 | 3.5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 |
| USA | 5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 |
| China | 35.5 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 |
| Japan | 21 | 22 | 22.5 | 23.5 | 24.5 | 25 | 25.5 | 26 | 27 |
Men’s shoe size conversion
| Standard EU Sizing | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | 5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| USA | 6 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 10.5 | 11.5 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| China | 39 | 41 | – | 42 | 43 | 43.5 | 44.5 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 |
| Japan | 23.5 | 24.5 | 25 | 25.5 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 |
Delight customers with accurate sizing information
It’ll take a bit of extra time upfront to find the right sizing charts and make them easily accessible to your customers. But in the long run, it’s well worth it.
This seemingly small process can be a huge help in boosting your customer satisfaction and reducing your time and resources spent on returns and complaints, and help you keep rockin’ while you grow a successful ecommerce business.
Now you’re armed with everything that you need to convert Asian sizes to US sizes. If you have any further questions regarding size conversions, let us know in the comments section—we’re happy to help!
Clothing sizes FAQ
What do clothing sizes typically include?
Clothing sizes include bust, waist, and leg circumference, while shoe sizes include width and length. Make sure to obtain samples from your suppliers so you can measure the products’ sizes yourself and provide customers with accurate reference information.
Should I go for free size or one size clothing?
If your supplier is based in China, their “free size” and “one size” clothing is probably suitable for the domestic buyer. Since Asians are naturally more petite than Westerners, the items are unlikely to fit most US and European consumers. So, it’s best to avoid items marked as one size fits all or free size.
How does Asian size compare to US size?
Asian sizes are significantly smaller than American sizes. For example, waist measurements and sleeves are often narrower than in US and UK sizing. To prevent a bad shopping experience, offer a size conversion chart so customers know which items to order.