Fashion tech firm Vyking has launched a new in-store augmented reality (AR) solution, ‘Magic Mirror’, that will enable consumers to easily visualise footwear through an in-store smart mirror.
Activated by walking up to a full length digitally connected mirror, customers can ‘try virtually before they buy’ dozens of pairs of trainers and other footwear quickly and conveniently.
The Magic Mirror enhances the customer experience by providing a fun, interactive and immersive buying experience, and solves a number of pain points for retailers themselves.
The solution also has the potential to drastically decrease waiting times for customers and reduce pressure on staff in physical stores as they have the opportunity to see how a pair of trainers look before retrieving them from the stockroom.
The customer chooses the pair they’d like to try via an in-store display on a tablet, before the 3D model is ‘beamed’ into the mirror for them to see how it looks on their own feet.
For stores with a smaller footprint, the technology offers the chance for retailers to display an infinite product catalogue for customers, with order-to-ship capability, and allows buying and merchandising teams to better understand which lines are most popular in real-time.
The solution also offers real omnichannel marketing possibilities as the technology can be deployed in other physical locations such as billboards, bus stops or window displays – enabling retailers to capture casual browsers as well as those entering their physical locations.
Matthew Klimpke, CEO and co-founder of Vyking, said: “The pandemic put a lot of pressure on brands to innovate their online platforms. We saw many investing in AR to create a more immersive and engaging experience for their customers – and with good reason, as we have seen virtual try-on solutions contribute to up to a 50 per cent increase in conversions and 7 per cent reduction in returns.
“2022 saw us pass over 30 million annual uses of our VTO solution: a clear indication of the utility and engagement 3D and AR provide.
“Now, as shoppers are returning to the high street, it makes sense to bring the best of that online experience into physical stores. Our Magic Mirror allows retailers to enable both proximity and personalisation for their customers and their products.
“It also makes more efficient use of store footprints and opens up the potential for a real omnichannel experience that goes to where their customers are.”