What Is Virtual Try-On?
Virtual try-on (VTO) technology allows customers to test products before purchasing, typically in an online or mobile shopping environment. However, brands like MAC and H&M also use virtual try-on in physical stores via smart mirrors and devices with a camera.
A VTO tool utilizes augmented reality (AR), computer vision, and image processing techniques to overlay digital representations of products onto real-time images or videos of the user. Such software is often powered by Artificial Intelligence and machine learning to offer immersive personalization and product interaction.
This technology also simulates product sizing and fit, allowing users to interact with and provide feedback on virtual products. Integration may involve APIs or SDKs that enable communication between the virtual try-on system and the e-commerce platform's product catalog and checkout process.
Why Does Virtual Try-On Draw More Online Shoppers?
One of the primary reasons virtual try-on attracts more online shoppers is its ability to address the longstanding challenge of uncertainty associated with purchasing items online, particularly in terms of fit, style, and appearance. By allowing customers to test AR products before making a purchase, a virtual try-on tool bridges the gap between the online and offline shopping experiences, offering a level of confidence and assurance that was previously only possible in physical stores. No wonder that 61% of consumers would rather buy from brands offering an AR experience.
Moreover, virtual try-on technology enhances the overall shopping experience by providing customers with a more personalized and engaging journey in a virtual dressing room. The interactive nature of these tools allows users to actively participate in the shopping process, experimenting with different products, styles and looks in real-time. This hands-on approach fosters a sense of empowerment and control, empowering customers to make informed decisions based on their individual preferences and tastes.
How Can Businesses Leverage the Virtual Try-On Technology?
The smart augmented reality partnered with machine learning hides more than revolutionary shopping opportunities and an attractive image for shoppers. Often, the impact of virtual fitting on business metrics and profitability increases exponentially. Let's explore what you can expect.
Enhanced Customer Experience
Virtual try-on technology offers customers an immersive and interactive shopping experience, diversifying the buyer journey with the try-before-you-buy feature from the comfort of their location. With advanced algorithms and machine learning, a VTO tool offers hyper-personalization and customization. According to statistics, AR boosts the engagement by 200%.
Higher Conversion Rates and Sales
By providing customers with the ability to virtually try on products, businesses can alleviate doubts and uncertainties associated with online shopping, leading to higher conversion rates. Shopify indicates a 94% growth. The confidence gained from trying on products virtually often translates into increased sales as customers are more likely to make a purchase.
Reduced Returns
Reducing return rates became one of the top priorities among mid and large US retailers in 2022. Buying makeup, glasses, or clothes online can turn into a blindfolded adventure with failed expectations resulting in high return rates. A virtual dressing room helps customers make more informed purchasing decisions and cut return rates by 64%.
Cost Savings and Sustainability
Implementing virtual try-on technology can lead to cost savings for businesses by reducing the need for physical samples, inventory holding costs, and showroom expenses. Additionally, these cutting-edge tools contribute to a more sustainable business model by minimizing waste and environmental impact associated with traditional retail practices.
Competitive Advantage
Businesses that adopt virtual try-on technology differentiate themselves from competitors by offering a cutting-edge and innovative shopping experience. Today, only 1% of retailers use AR in their business. By staying ahead of the curve and embracing emerging technologies, businesses can attract new online shoppers, retain existing ones, and position themselves as leaders in the industry.
Reach Wider Audience
Virtual try-on technology enables businesses to reach a wider audience by eliminating geographical barriers and time constraints associated with traditional in-store shopping. Customers can try on products anytime, anywhere, using their mobile devices or computers, resulting in a more convenient and accessible shopping experience.
Increased Brand Loyalty
By providing customers with a personalized and engaging shopping experience through virtual try-on technology, businesses can increase brand loyalty. Customers who have positive experiences with virtual try-ons are more likely to return to the brand for future purchases and recommend it to others, leading to long-term relationships and repeat business.
4 Examples Of Virtual Try-On Tool Usage in Business
The virtual try-on software was first used by a fashion brand back in 2012. Converse Footwear developed an app powered by augmented reality, which allowed shoppers to find that perfect pair of sneakers and check them out on their feet. Nowadays, the technology has stepped way further — from a full-scale virtual fitting room to virtual skincare try-ons. Let's check out the top brands that leverage the technology.
Virtual Try-On for Glasses and Sunglasses
Shopping for glasses online is almost impossible unless consumers already know the frame style that matches their face shape. We at Banuba developed an SDK not only for trying eyewear virtually but also for trying contact lenses before purchasing. The solutions are easy to integrate on all platforms, making them available for shoppers on all devices with a camera.
The unmistakable face tracking algorithms allow precise glasses placement for choosing the frames and style that match shoppers best. The contact lens can be applied to the desired part of the eye — pupil, sclera, iris, or altogether. Our augmented reality and rendering engine allow realistic product representation. According to our analytics, its usage can increase sales by 300%.
Ray-Ban
Ray-Ban, with its Frame Advisor Technology, can recommend frames depending on the face shape and size. Customers can also share their characteristic features like eye and hair color for a precise selection process. Based on the input data, the advisor will suggest glasses and frames to try on. Once there is a match, a user can proceed to the checkout.
Warby Parker
Warby Parker not only lets customers try on glasses and test frames but also sends up to five glasses with free shipping for a test at home. The web-based app allows wearing accessories with various frame widths to see how they fit the face shape and experiment with various frame colors.
Virtual Try-On for Clothes and Accessories
As the fashion industry is on top of the return rates statistics, virtually wearing clothes and jewelry before purchasing can eliminate the expectations vs. reality factor. TINT from Banuba is an innovative AI-powered tool that features jewelry and headwear virtual try-on within one app.
Our patented facial recognition and hand tracking technology is perfectly combined with a powerful rendering engine, and augmented reality projects a product indistinguishable from the real clothing item onto the desired area.
The integration process takes up to two weeks, and all the clothing items can turn into virtual ones within an app in up to 48 hours.
Zalando
The European fashion online store Zalando offers a wide selection of clothing. Yet, like other retailers, it faces high return rates. The company developed a virtual fitting room to help customers try on clothes online. What distinguishes it from others? Consumers create an avatar based on their parameters — gender, height, and weight. The company has started with the most problematic type of clothing — pants and jeans. After the feature was introduced, the shop saw a 10%-decrease in returns connected to the wrong size.
Baume & Mercier
The Swiss luxury watch brand is a great example of introducing AR into the buyer's journey. Consumers can access the virtual try-on feature via a website on their mobile devices and see how an accessory will look on their wrists. In some cases, they can create a custom watch design.
Pandora
Jewelry can make a perfect present. However, buying one without trying can lead to returns. Pandora's online shop allows wearing their products to find the perfect fit. Users can either grant access to the camera and take a photo or stick to uploading an image or checking out the jewelry on a model. It's extremely convenient as you can pick up a present without ruining the surprise.
Virtual Try-On for Makeup
Wounded by the global Covid pandemic in 2019, the beauty industry has risen like Phoenix, implementing virtual try-on features in its online shops. Having evolved from a fun method to try on ready-made looks, the use of this technology in the beauty industry is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 25% by 2027, offering more ways to interact between consumers and brands.
TINT from Banuba is powered by AI and allows not only trying on makeup online but also analyzing the user's individual features to offer the best match to their age, gender, skin tone, hair and eye colors, and more. By granting access to a camera, a consumer can wear up to 9 beauty products simultaneously. The patented technologies with 3.308 vertices in face tracking create a seamless and true-to-life makeup application.
Personalized recommendations from TINT boost sales by 300% and reduce returns by 60%. Brands can integrate the solution in up to two weeks and receive an off-the-shelf collection with 22.000 digital makeup products. Further digitalization of new items can take up to 48 hours.
In addition to cosmetics, TINT also allows the demonstration of skincare applications and offers estimated results from using various self-care products on different skin types.
Fenty Beauty
Rihanna became a trendsetter in the beauty industry that everyone followed. Its online store, powered by a smart online try-on tool, is a bright example of communicating the company's values to customers through technology.
Known for its wide selection of foundations and concealers for different skin tones, Fenty Beauty utilizes digital try-on technology to allow anyone to find the perfect makeup match straight in the first order.
Sephora
As a giant retailer, Sephora couldn't have missed the trend and developed its app for digital try-ons. In addition to finding the best-matching products for various skin tones, it also creates total looks with a selection of available products. Users can share the results with friends via social media or continue shopping, adding the chosen items to the cart.
Virtual Try-On for Footwear
Some might say that this technology does not apply to footwear, and they could never be more wrong.
Nike
Nike is one of the leading sports brands that leverages cutting-edge technologies for marketing and enhancing customer experience. First, they developed the Nike Fit feature in their app to simplify the size-choosing process. Unfortunately, the feature was then disabled, but Nike's constant link with AR was not. It utilizes digital items in social media filters, allowing consumers to try on as many pairs as they desire.
Amazon Fashion
Amazon is a definite leader in e-commerce, selling everything from clothing to bookmarks. The famous retailer leverages AR in its mobile shopping app to allow customers to wear digital copies of glasses and footwear from famous brands. Finding that perfect pair has never been easier!
Whether you sell glasses online or want to enhance your beauty store to turn the customer experience into a fascinating journey, this cutting-edge technology is the key to boosting sales and attracting more customers in e-commerce. Cooperation with a reliable tech expert will help you create the future of online retail today.
