Virtual try-ons revolutionize online shopping

Virtual try-ons can reduce the problem of returns when shopping online.Online shopping is more popular than ever. Whether fashion, flowers, books or food - almost everything can now be ordered online. You can shop at any time of day, research and compare prices and products worldwide with just a few clicks, and online orders are delivered directly to your home. This is practical and convenient, especially as digital clothes shopping eliminates the need to squeeze into cramped, stuffy and poorly lit changing rooms. If something doesn't fit or you don't like it, you can easily return it thanks to the generous right of withdrawal under the Distance Selling Act. Nevertheless, some customers find sending items back and forth when shopping online in the event of an exchange or complaint quite time-consuming. But what may "only" be annoying for online customers can sometimes be a real headache for online retailers, because: Too many returned goods depress sales.IT-supported fit simulation for fewer returnsEven if the haptic experience cannot be simulated online, it is now possible to try on and try out clothes while shopping online, almost exactly as you would in a store in the city. In virtual try-ons, customers can examine the desired outfit on the screen with their individual fit. In Metail's virtual fitting room, for example, customers enter their height, weight, chest circumference and cup size, and the software then matches the contours of the garment to the customer. With the "MeModel" created in this way, which can also be adapted to the customer's own appearance in terms of hair and skin types, the online customer can then see in 3D how the selected clothing combinations fit them or where something might pinch, just like in a "real" fitting. The algorithms stored in the software guarantee this realistic image. And if there are still any doubts, you can even send the dressed MeModel to your best friends via social media sharing and ask for advice. This in turn means more reach for the online fashion retailer. The solution can be quickly implemented in any eCommerce platform used by the retailer and does not require any complex IT integration thanks to the cloud technology used. The templates in the store system used are simply adapted. The investment in such a case is comparatively low due to the low implementation effort, but the effect speaks for itself. "Tests have shown that retailers can expect up to eleven percent fewer returns and a simultaneous increase in the conversion rate of twelve percent or a six percent larger shopping cart with the virtual fitting room," says Andreas Christiani, Managing Director of nubizz GmbH, which distributes Metail's fitting room software exclusively in the DACH region.Virtual fitting room as a sales acceleratorIn order to stay ahead of the competition, it is essential for online retailers to design their product range as precisely and target group-oriented as possible. As an online consultation component, the virtual fitting room not only helps the customer interactively to find the right fit, but also the retailer: the tool provides valuable feedback on whether the size and fit variants selected when purchasing the collection actually correspond to the characteristics of the target group customer profiles, so that they can then be optimized for the next range orders. The retailer's precise knowledge of their customers' size and figure characteristics as well as their taste preferences not only enables them to address customers more precisely, but also gives them a decisive competitive advantage! Innovative software solutions such as the virtual fitting room thus become sales accelerators because they increase the time customers spend in the online store, which in turn has a positive effect on the conversion rate. They enable online fashion retailers to offer their customers not only an inspiring and individualized online store, but also, for the first time, the ability to combine the various collections as desired. At the same time, solutions such as a virtual fitting room significantly enhance the customer's shopping experience. The implementation of a virtual fitting room is attractive for all online fashion retailers, but especially for those who sell high-quality brand or designer items: An interactive fitting consultation is associated with a considerable advertising effect that reflects or even potentiates the value of the merchandise world. This is because a virtual fitting room signals innovation, value, a high degree of service orientation through online consultation components and also creates lasting online shopping satisfaction. In short: it fits. For both the retailer and the customer.Author: Eva Günzler, Wordfinder PR