Virtual try-ons allow customers to try on various products, like clothes, jewellery, or makeup virtually through the camera of their digital devices. This technology not only personalizes users’ experience but also lets brands meet their customers’ greatest expectations.
1. Virtual Makeup Try-on
Virtual try-on has already got into various business sectors. But the one which comes to mind first is the cosmetics and makeup area. Such companies as NYX, Maybelline New York, and L’Oreal Paris have already integrated virtual makeup tools into their websites. With them, users have a chance to see how different lipstick tones, eyeshadows, and other cosmetics will look on their faces. In this way, before making the online order, clients can make sure they won’t regret their purchase later.
There are many companies that offer guided virtual try-on solutions, which can be easily and quickly integrated into your app or website. One of the brightest examples of such solutions may be Guided Virtual Try-On and AR Try-On developed by Banuba. With their Virtual Try-On, you can provide your clients with the most realistic cosmetic shopping experience and showcase your product to the fullest. It includes a smart AI-Adviser and a huge makeup database that is constantly expanding.
Banuba also offers several off-the-shelf solutions with AR technologies that will leverage your business. They have Video Editor SDK and Face AR SDK that give users a chance to try new beauty effects and enhance your go-to-market strategy.
2. Jewellery and eyewear
Jewellery and eyewear sectors are also well-known for using virtual try-ons. For example, Michael Kors’ virtual try-on of glasses lets clients see how they will look in their new glasses with the help of their camera. Actually, this world-known fashion brand was the first one to collaborate with Facebook to test its AR ads in the news feed.
3. Furniture industry
Plus, the furniture industry is also stepping on the toes of the sectors mentioned above. Their virtual try-ons will let you visualize how a piece of furniture will fit your space and design before you actually buy it. And it is good not only for online shopping. Even when a person buys a sofa in brick-and-mortar stores, they can bring it home and see that it doesn’t look good in their living room completely. But luckily, with the help of virtual furniture try-ons, customers have an opportunity to see the general picture in a snap. No wonder the popularity of this technology in the furniture sector is booming with each passing day. IKEA, Houzz, and Wayfair have already developed apps that have the virtual try-on function.
4. Clothing industry
Strangely enough, the clothing industry is lagging a bit behind. The reason is that each person’s body is unique. So, virtual clothes try-ons should take all body peculiarities into account. Also, in an ideal scenario, virtual clothes should move together with a person, allowing them to see how it will look in real life. This way, creating a worthy virtual clothes try-on is a much more complicated task. However, with the development of body tracking and body segmentation technologies, AR virtual clothes try-ons have started to pop up more and more often. For example, Prada has experimented with Snapchat’s try-on tools. Right now, users can try on different Prada bags to see how they will fit their general looks.
The Notion of E-Commerce
E-commerce (electronic commerce or Internet commerce) is the process of buying and selling products and services via the Internet. It also includes all financial operations performed online. So, not only electronic trading is an integral component of e-commerce. Electronic money, banking, marketing, and even insurance are part and parcel of this huge process.
Its main advantage is that it allows companies and brands to run their business worldwide and significantly reduce many costs, while customers get a wider choice of products and the possibility to compare prices with the aim of finding the most lucrative offer from the comfort of their homes.
Top 3 E-Commerce Trends
The industry of E-commerce is constantly changing. One thing is certain: if you want to stay competitive, keeping up with the latest E-commerce trends is essential.
1. Online Shopping
The pandemic times became the turning point which made online shopping people’s most popular online activity. Initially, consumers were reluctant to buy goods online, but later, brands and companies managed to improve websites’ customer friendliness. This way, online shopping gained trust across the globe. By the way, online shopping doesn’t necessarily mean using a computer. Mobile devices are always at hand, and practically every brand has its app or mobile version of its website which facilitates the shopping process greatly. So, e-commerce (mobile commerce) has already become the preferred channel for online purchases.
2. Social Commerce
Social commerce is the use of social media platforms (e.g.TikTok, Instagram, Facebook) to drive e-commerce sales. The truth is that customers prefer using their social feeds to find shopping suggestions, alternatives, and discounts. So, social commerce can help your brand find potential buyers and expand your audience. For example, you may promote your brand with the help of Instagram influencers. Also, TikTok has introduced Shopping Ads, which assist brands in reaching this platform’s audience.
3. Extended Reality (XR)
Extended reality includes augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). AR and VR help brands bridge the gap between customers’ uncertainty about buying a product online and their brave decision to purchase it. This technology may be called a real game changer in the world of E-commerce. Using augmented and virtual reality, consumers have a perfect chance to test and see the products in the same way as they would in a real store. And here, virtual try-ons have already come to the forefront. Some people say that they are likely to be the future of E-commerce. But is it really so?
Conclusion
But as you see, virtual try-ons have already started to take E-commerce to the next level. For now, most customers see AR as a sort of luxury, but shortly, they are likely to get used to it and perceive it as the basic necessity. So, virtual try-ons are definitely the future of E-commerce. And if you want your brand to achieve great heights, you should definitely use this tool to surpass your competitors.