Build a size guide customers actually use
Most fashion exchanges start with a question the product page did not answer: will this fit me? A generic S, M, L chart copied from a supplier rarely answers it. Measure your own stock and publish the numbers.
Lay three pieces from each batch flat on a table and measure them in centimetres: chest or bust width, waist, hip, length and sleeve. If the factory or supplier changes, measure again, because the same label size can change between batches. Place the chart directly under the size selector so nobody has to search for it.
Add the model’s height and the size they are wearing to every photo set, and write a one-line fit note per product. When a customer asks on WhatsApp which size to take, ask for height and weight, answer from your chart, and save that answer as a reply template for the next person.
- Flat measurements in centimetres for every size
- Fit note: runs small, true to size, or oversized
- Model height and the size worn in the photos
- Fabric and stretch level: none, light, or high
- Washing instructions, especially for fabrics that shrink
Product photos that answer fit and colour questions
Photos do the job a fitting room does in a shop. Shoot every product on a person and laid flat, front and back, with close-ups of the fabric, print, buttons and stitching.
Colour mismatch is a common reason customers refuse a parcel at the door. Shoot in daylight or under one consistent light, skip heavy filters, and use the same colour name in the title that you use on WhatsApp. If a colour looks different on phone screens, say so in the description.
Add a short video of the piece in motion: walking, turning, sitting. It shows drape and length better than a still photo, and you can reuse it on Instagram and TikTok without extra work.
Cut COD refusals before the courier leaves
Many fashion buyers in Egypt still prefer cash on delivery, and refusal at the door is the cost of offering it. Reliable public data is limited, but industry estimates put COD refusal around 12–18%, with fashion and cosmetics often cited above 15%. One agency estimates return-to-origin at 15–30% when it is not managed, and another estimate puts returns at 15–25% of COD orders against 5–8% for prepaid orders.
Each refused parcel costs you the outbound delivery, often the return leg, and a piece that sits out of stock for days. The most common fix is a confirmation step between the order and the courier.
- Send a WhatsApp confirmation within the hour with item, size, colour, total including shipping, and the delivery window
- Ship only confirmed orders; call once if there is no reply, then cancel politely
- Repeat size and colour in the message so mistakes are caught before dispatch
- Track refusals by governorate and by ad campaign, and pause the ones that keep refusing
- For repeat refusers or large baskets, ask for a small deposit by wallet or InstaPay before shipping
Exchanges, returns and the 14-day rule
Consumer Protection Law No. 181 of 2018 lets buyers return or exchange goods within 14 days of receipt, and Article 40 covers online and other remote purchases. Defective goods have a 30-day window. Custom-made goods, such as pieces tailored to a customer’s measurements, are among the exclusions. Read the law text or ask a lawyer before you finalise your policy, because the conditions matter.
In practice most fashion customers want a different size, not their money back. Make the exchange the easy path: the courier delivers the new size and collects the old one in the same visit. Keep the refund route clearly available too, because under the law the choice between return and exchange belongs to the customer.
Write the policy in plain Arabic on the product page and repeat it in the confirmation message: the number of days, who pays shipping in each direction, the condition the item must be in, such as unworn with tags attached, and how and when refunds are paid.
Plan seasonal drops backwards from delivery
Fashion demand in Egypt follows Ramadan and the two Eids, back to school, and the summer and winter seasons. Alexandria’s strong summer season makes it a natural test market for summer lines. Plan each drop from the date customers need the piece in their hands, not the date you want to post about it.
Count backwards: production or restocking time, a photo shoot, your courier’s delivery time to each governorate, and a buffer for confirmation calls. Announce a clear last order date for Eid delivery and stop promising it once that date passes.
Keep drops small enough to sell through. Restocking a proven style is safer than launching ten new ones before a peak week. After each season, check which sizes were exchanged most and adjust the size ratios in your next order.
Running a fashion store on Vondera
Vondera’s store builder supports products with size and colour variants, so each size keeps its own stock count. VInbox puts WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook messages in one inbox, and your team can create the order from the same chat where the customer asked about sizing.
VShip connects to 50+ couriers, including Bosta, Aramex, Mylerz and J&T. Couriers update order status directly and COD collection is tracked and reconciled. VPay supports mobile wallets, cards, COD and deposit or partial payments, which is useful when you want a deposit before shipping a large or repeat-refuser order.