The nagging frustrations of ill-fitting shoes could soon be a thing of the past thanks to technology developed by Swedish company Volumental. New Balance has partnered with Volumental to install 3-D foot scanners in select stores worldwide that use foot measurements such as width, height and girth to determine a customer's ideal shoe model and shoe size. Although the technology behind Volumental's scanners may be complex, the process is simple: Customers step into the 3-D foot scanner, which transfers information from their feet to a tablet within seconds. The data is then matched with the proper shoes and size for a perfect fit. "Volumental's product has created a completely new way of interacting with our customers. It brings New Balance's unique fit story to life in a personal & relevant way for each of them. Customers love it and our staff love it," said New Balance international retail director Jonathan Clark.

During the dot-com boom, online clothing sales were predicted to grow to 40% -50% of total sales. Although online sales of some other kinds of merchandise, such as books, have reached 50% of the market in the past 15 years, the percentage of online clothing sales hovers around 20%. The difficulty in finding the correct size and fit is one of the primary reasons that consumers are reluctant to buy clothes online. And their concern is not groundless; sizing varies among clothing manufacturers, and it is difficult to ascertain fit from online images. Consequently, 30%-40% of online clothing purchases are returned.

During the dot-com boom, online clothing sales were predicted to grow to 40% -50% of total sales. Although online sales of some other kinds of merchandise, such as books, have reached 50% of the market in the past 15 years, the percentage of online clothing sales hovers around 20%. The difficulty in finding the correct size and fit is one of the primary reasons that consumers are reluctant to buy clothes online. And their concern is not groundless; sizing varies among clothing manufacturers, and it is difficult to ascertain fit from online images. Consequently, 30%-40% of online clothing purchases are returned.