Fashion retailers are rethinking their marketing strategies. The pandemic hastened the shift from brick-and-mortar to click-and-order, forcing brands to address consumers’ preference for eCommerce and openness to social media marketing.
The most prominent application of AR in fashion retailing is virtual try-on technology. At-home try-on technology has been utilized to market and retail eyewear, jewelry, watches, and bracelets, among many other fashion accessories. Sizing solutions are also available for shoppers to reduce returns and make shopping easier.
However, the most significant application of virtual try-on technology to date would be for primary articles of clothing such as shirts, sweaters, and coats.
Customers can virtually “try on” clothing before purchasing it using virtual try-on technology, which allows them to see how the clothes fit themselves or an avatar. This method assists in avoiding issues associated with traditional e-commerce retail channels, such as fit problems and financial and environmental return costs.
What is a virtual try-on, exactly?
Trying on digitally enhanced garments and accessories in a virtual environment is referred to as a virtual try-on. You can see how those items appear on you or an avatar, allowing you to determine if something is a good match without having to physically try it on. As a result, virtual try-on technology may allow you to try on clothing without needing it shipped to you or even leaving your house.
To provide an immersive user experience, virtual try-on for clothing and accessories integrates computer vision, artificial intelligence, recommendation algorithms, virtual and augmented (AR), or virtual reality (VR).
Customers can try on items from the comfort of their homes using 3D virtual fitting advanced technologies and a camera-equipped device. As the camera-equipped device captures the customer, the underlying AR technology superimposes a realistic version of the product over their real-world image to show how the object would appear on the customer’s body.
Another option for a virtual try-on is to dress in an avatar. Customers can use technology such as body scanners to quickly build accurate 3D avatars so that they can dress in the apparel they want to buy. This solution is appealing because virtual clothing on avatar findings fits more exactly than video.
Customers can virtually try on garments without undressing in stores by using magic mirrors distributed across the retail floor and fitting rooms.
The stores can also provide inventive mirror technology that lets customers quickly and easily change their outfits, colors, and patterns.
The virtual fitting room is a VR-designed fitting room for eCommerce retailers that has become a necessity if they want to thrive in a post-pandemic World.
Buyers can virtually try on items without putting them on and taking them off. Retailers can gather valuable information about their customers’ interests and purchasing habits.
Conclusion
AR and VR technology have a bright future, but how well they will be accepted remains to be seen. Some people may dismiss this new technology as a fad.
As consumers require more personalized shopping experiences, the fashion industry will invest heavily in these technologies to provide them with an immersive buying experience.