From the early days of helping consumers to gather information about products – to the later years of providing comparisons and ratings of products based on buyers’ experiences, the digital medium has been continuously disrupting the shopping journey. Lately, it has made a huge leap in supporting decision making for purchase: through try-ons.
From eyewear to engagement rings
Virtual try-on supported by AI is now enabling consumers to experience the products virtually before the purchase decision could be made. Not only are the consumers getting personalised experience, it is reducing uncertainties by addressing their questions and concerns ahead of the purchase. The coming together of computer vision, 3D modelling, augmented reality and generative AI are enabling consumers to visualise products on themselves without the need for physical trials in many cases, thus creating yet another unique opportunity to build intimacy with the consumers even before the purchase decision is made.
Virtual try-on is being experimented by leading players in fashion, jewellery, eyewear, shoes and fitness products to name a few. Houzz and Williams-Sonoma helps customers visualise furniture and home décor in their own space to determine the right choice of products. L’Oreal encourages customers to virtually try on cosmetics and makeup. Tiffany & Co’s engagement ring experience and De Beers Diamond Experience are aimed at interactive storytelling, leading to enhanced customer experience. Louis Vuitton hosts AR fashion shows, which offer immersive fashion experiences. Automobile manufacturers such as Audi, BMW and Tesla help customers to visualise cars in 3D formats and explore car features and designs. Influencers use Sephora’s Virtual Artist or Ulta Beauty’s Virtual Try-On to showcase makeup looks.
Nykaa also offers virtual try on of their cosmetics products to check out the match for their skin tone. Lenskart is enabling customers to upload their selfies using a phone camera and try on different frames for eyeglasses or sunglasses at different angles. The tool suggests frames based on face-shape analysis and style preferences and makes online eyewear shopping close to in-store experience.
Fashion brands such as Myntra and Tata Cliq are replicating the fitting room experience for consumers through AR by helping consumers visualise outfits on their body type before buying. It is anticipated that AR-powered virtual try-on capabilities will soon become more widely used.
Smart mirrors can transform the retail business with innovative AI and AR applications. While they are currently being deployed to enable customers to try on fashion and convenience-related products, in due course of time, AI algorithms would personalise recommendations based on the analysis of customer preferences and purchase patterns. Some examples of businesses that are using smart mirror technology include H&M, which has installed smart mirrors with Microsoft Azure-powered voice assistants at its New York Times Square store, and Adidas and Tommy Hilfiger, which encourage customers to try various options virtually and thus reduce the return rates.
The trends in using AR to enhance the shopping experience will grow significantly in the coming years. The combination of AR and AI technologies would bring XR into the mainstream, enabling further personalised experiences and interactive applications. For instance, we would be experiencing generative AR glasses that are able to identify objects and enrich them with AR information generated on demand, offering real-time and personalised experiences. Immersive customer experiences would become more enriching.
With the integrated applications combining AR, spatial computing, Web3 and non-fungible tokens, customer engagement would be enhanced, linking products with immersive experiences. Gen AI avatars would act as virtual shopping assistants and suggest styles, colours and fits based on the user behaviour patterns. Yet, concerns related to privacy, fit accuracy and high cost of technology adoption would be the challenges that could be the show stoppers. The potential for further transformation in digital shopping being significant for both consumers and sellers, innovators of technology and consumer experience would have to work together to find solutions.
