Transform Your Online Store with a Virtual Fitting Room

Online shopping for clothes is frustrating. You find something good, order it, and then it arrives looking nothing like the photos. Or it fits weird. Or the color is completely different than what you expected on your screen.

Everyone's been there ordering multiple sizes of the same shirt because you have no idea which one will actually fit. Half the stuff gets returned, which is annoying for everyone involved.

But things are changing. Virtual fitting room technology is starting to fix this mess, and it's getting pretty decent at predicting how clothes will actually look on real people.

Instead of guessing whether that dress will fit right, you can see a version of yourself wearing it before you buy. The technology builds a digital you and shows how different clothes would look.

It's not magic, but it beats staring at a model who's six inches taller and wondering how that blazer would work on your body.

How the Whole Thing Works

The basic idea is pretty simple, even though the technology behind it gets complicated fast.

You start by uploading a photo and figure things out from there. Some solutions will want a couple of pictures, while others might ask for a short video or basic measurements.

Once it has your info, the 3d virtual fitting room creates a digital version of you. Then it takes whatever clothing item you're looking at and basically wraps it around your avatar. The system figures out how the fabric would hang, where it might be tight or baggy, what the overall look would be.

You can usually spin the avatar around to see different angles, try different sizes, and switch between colors. Some systems even let you mix and match pieces to see whole outfits.

The whole process takes 10-15 seconds once you're set up. Not bad considering it used to take days to order something, wait for it to arrive, try it on, and send it back if it didn't work.

Read Also: Google Virtual Try-On: The Future of Online Shopping With AI

Why Stores Actually Care About This

Virtual fitting room for e-commerce is solving expensive problems for retailers.

Returns kill profits. When someone buys clothes online and they don't fit, the store has to pay for return shipping, process everything, and then try to resell items that might be wrinkled or slightly worn. Clothing return rates online can hit 40% sometimes, mostly because people can't figure out sizing and fit from pictures alone.

Virtual fitting rooms cut returns way down. When people can see how something will fit beforehand, they make smarter choices about size and style. Less returns mean stores keep more money and customers deal with less hassle.

Virtual fitting rooms also help reduce cart abandonments by and increase the amount of time spent on your site.

Where This Is All Heading

Virtual fitting room technology changes fast. Right now it handles basic fit and appearance decently. Future versions might factor in how stretchy fabric is, how clothes look layered together, or even how they'll fit after a few washes.

Virtual fitting rooms for e-commerce​ are also getting more accessible with integrated plug-and-play solutions being offered by companies like KiXR.

What are virtual fitting rooms?

They're basically digital changing rooms for online shopping. You give the system your measurements or a photo, it creates an avatar that looks like you, and then shows how different clothes would fit and look on that avatar.

How does virtual try on clothes work?

The system builds a 3D model of your body from the information you provide. Then it takes the clothing item and digitally puts it on your model, trying to simulate how the real garment would fit, hang, and look from different angles.

Is there any app to try clothes on your avatar?

Most of this technology lives on retailer websites rather than separate apps. Makes more sense that way since you want to try on the actual clothes that store sells, not just random generic items.

How to digitally try on clothes?

Find an online clothing store that has virtual fitting room features built in. Enter your measurements or upload photos when it asks. Then browse their clothes and click the "try on" or "virtual fitting" option to see items on your avatar.