Virtual Try-Ons Will Change the Fashion Industry Forever

By Kui Kamau

Online shopping has made it easier for people to buy whatever they want. With fewer workers needed in physical stores, almost 600,000 Retail jobs disappeared in the United States between 2018 and 2022. E-commerce is taking over, with data showing that employment in the sector grew by nearly 64% between 2007 and 2020. e-commerce sales increase to $1 trillion In 2023, the sector's workforce is expected to reach 450,000 people by 2026.

“We have already seen a decline in retail jobs due to AI and this trend will continue,” said Taiwo Meghoma, a leading fashion expert. “Jobs in fashion that we thought would never disappear because of technology are already facing job losses. Even sewing.”

Around 20.5% of global fashion retail sales are e-commerce transactions, for a total global turnover of around $357.4 billionDespite the positive outlook, returns remain a persistent challenge for consumers and retailers. For shoppers, the process of returning an item typically involves packaging it, printing a shipping label and dropping it off at a delivery point, which 66% of people consider to be the worst part of the shopping experience.

Retailers also have reason to complain, 30% returned online purchases. As the cost of a return can be anywhere between 20% and 70% of the initial selling price, retailers' margins can suffer considerably.

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For a long time, luxury goods in particular thought they were immune to trends. A decade ago, it was impossible to find some major luxury brands online. Even today, brands like Paris’ Louis Vuitton have barely taken their first steps into e-commerce and do not allow third-party brands to sell their items.

The future of work in the fashion industry, as in other sectors, will be driven by data. Designers of the future will need to be as comfortable with spreadsheets as they are with sheets of fabric, Meghoma said.

This shift toward data-driven decision-making is revolutionizing the fashion industry. By integrating data analytics, designers can predict trends, optimize supply chains, and more effectively personalize the customer experience. The intersection of creativity and technology is fostering a new generation of designers who master both artistic and analytical skills.

AI offers huge potential for entry-level talent, without the barriers and biases of the past, said Professor Layton Reid, you need to be involved in it in order to impact the data sets that determine whether you are truly relevant.

Reid is a visiting professor at the University of West London and co-founder of Ikengaan organisation working with Soho House in the UK and seeking to support underrepresented groups in the creative industry, including fashion.

However, online retailers continue to bridge the gap between digital and virtual spaces. Glam Laboratories addresses this challenge by making the virtual shopping experience as similar as possible to the real shopping experience.

Its mobile app, which has over 180,000 monthly active users, offers real-time try-on and photo try-on features accessible via mobile device cameras. Using neural networks, Glam Labs’ Virtual Try On technology allows users to virtually try on clothes before purchasing them, with a realistic rendering of what they would look like in real life.

The technology is extremely accurate, reflecting every detail of the item as it is transferred to the buyer, said Glam Labs CEO Pavel Shaburov.

In addition to providing an engaging experience for customers, making the shopping process more enjoyable, Glam Labs' technology can bridge the gap between online shopping and traditional retail by addressing one of the major drawbacks of online shopping: the inability to physically try on products before purchasing them.

Virtual try-on solutions can increase conversion rates by providing a more interactive and engaging shopping experience. Customers are more likely to make a purchase when they can see what a product looks like on them in real-time, leading to higher conversion rates and increased revenue. Studies have shown that virtual try-on technology can increase sales by up to 30% and reduce returns by 20%, improving retailer margins. Cosmetics giant Avon Products saw A 320% increased conversions and increased average order value by 33% thanks to its own virtual try-on technology.

Glam Labs' technology is designed to meet the desires of Millennial and Gen Z consumers, who are a growing segment of the market and are comfortable with these technologies.

With virtual try-ons, shoppers can share their experiences and looks on social media, allowing for organic marketing and increased brand visibility. Additionally, customers can personalize their shopping experience based on their own style preferences. These are key benefits, considering that 83% of Gen Z customers view online shopping as more of an experience than a transaction. These shifts in consumer behavior will also have a promising future for retail professionals.

These digital solutions will allow retail professionals to access a wealth of data collected on customer preferences and behaviors. This data can be analyzed to better understand fashion trends and adapt marketing strategies more effectively. As physical retail shrinks, online retailers will have more financial capacity to expand their operations and workforce.

It's an ideal way for e-commerce businesses to increase revenue, reduce inventory and increase the size of their workforce, Shaburov said.

With average net margins of just 4-7% in e-commerce, every dollar can make a difference. Online retailers are seeing the virtual try-on market grow fourfold to more than $25 billion by 2032.

In the future, Glam Labs plans to enhance its Try On technology with more AI and augmented reality features.

We are only just beginning to harness the power of retailers’ virtual try-on solutions, Shaburov said. We are a generation of experimenters: clothing shopping will continue to evolve in the digital world and will never be the same again.