Virtual Fitting Rooms - A Glimps into the Store of the Future

It is no longer a secret that e-commerce has fundamentally changed the way retailers operate. Customers are becoming more demanding and expect more flexibility and convenience. For many customers, the question is whether they still want to wait in long queues at the checkout when they can easily order products online and have them delivered to their home. This is a challenge for brick-and-mortar retailers. To remain competitive, retailers need to adapt to the digital age and create new customer experiences in order to encourage shoppers to make more purchases in-store.

What will the store of the future look like?
It is likely that the store of the future will include a virtual fitting tool, also known as Virtual Try-On (VTO),and that this will one day become part of the everyday shopping experience.

But how do virtual try-ons work?
Retailers can use various technologies such as augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI) or 3D body scanners to create virtual try-ons. Specifically, virtual try-on refers to trying on clothes on a smart screen, often using a camera function on a smartphone or tablet. AR technologies allow customers to view garments as a digital overlay on a real-time video of themselves.

What are the benefits?
It allows customers to try on clothes virtually. This also allows for a more hygienic shopping experience, as the items are not tried on by different people. It is also more convenient for customers as they can try on a variety of clothes in quick succession without having to change clothes all the time. To improve the customer experience, AI-based algorithms can also be used to make better product recommendations based on the customer’s individual style preferences.

What is the level of interest in virtual fitting?
According to a study by Bitkom, 45 per cent of online shoppers are interested in trying on products in a virtual environment. In addition, 9 per cent of those surveyed have already used virtual try-ons and 36 per cent would like to do so in the future. Many customers are also interested in other digital applications. All-round views or 3D models are in demand by 68 per cent, 30 per cent already use them and 38 per cent would like to use them. These views make it possible, for example, to examine a new handbag online from all angles. Some retailers around the world, such as H&M, have already started testing virtual try-ons. In 2021, H&M introduced virtual fitting rooms in some of its stores in Germany. During the test phase, customers were able to create a personal avatar with their exact body measurements free of charge using the body scanners in the participating H&M stores. The app allowed customers to quickly and digitally try on clothes and immediately see how they fit on their own bodies. The avatar can be rotated 360 degrees so that the clothes can be viewed from all angles. In addition, the app offers size recommendations based on the recorded body measurements.

Conclusion: A better shopping experience and more sustainability
Accurate body size measurement offers many benefits to customers, such as the assurance that clothing will fit, eliminating the need to order multiple sizes. This is particularly important as accurately fitting garments can help retailers reduce the number of costly returns. Fewer returns also means less waste, which helps to address the pressing sustainability issue in the fashion industry. In summary, virtual try-ons bring significant benefits to both retailers and customers. They are the next logical evolution of the physical shopping experience in bricks-and-mortar retail, and it won’t be long before they become commonplace.

Sources: K3, Bitkom, Fashion Network, Fashion United