While fashion is one of the biggest growth areas for safe shopping online, there is still a lot of guesswork and luck involved in picking items that will actually fit. Previous reports have shown that Brits have got into the habit of ordering the same product in more than one size and then returning whichever item does not fit, which is obviously not an ideal solution to this issue.

However, a new product developed by a company called XYZE is gearing up to offer a much better way of buying clothing online. The device in question is a measuring tape that has smartphone functionality, allowing users to glean accurate measurements of their body and then use this data to automatically search for fashion items that will fit them.

The tape itself measures 63 inches long and by synchronising with a smartphone and using an app developed by XYZE, it can make it much easier to carry out safe shopping online with a variety of fashion sites.

The product has been in development for the past year and a half, with an official release date pencilled in for July of 2015.

The smart measuring tape has a built-in battery which should last for at least 24 months without needing to be replaced. iPhone and Android users will be getting their own measurement apps to operate alongside the device, according to the Daily Mail.

More and more products like this are being developed to feed into the smartphone ecosystem, benefitting from readily available connectivity, to make e-commerce that little bit easier. And if it means that people can buy clothes that fit them every time, then there are obvious benefits.

Of course, the only thing that the smart measuring tape does not have is the ability to predict whether or not an item of clothing will actually look good, once it is being worn.