Amazon customers can now see how shoes might look on them prior to buying after the e-comm giant launched a virtual-try on experience Thursday.
Consumers who have Amazon’s iOS app can try the new experience with shoes from New Balance, Adidas, Reebok, Puma, Saucony, Lacoste, Asics, Superga and other brands. A version for Android will be available “soon.”
The move comes three years after Gucci treated hypebeasts to the AR experience with a similar offering letting sneakerheads digitally model its Ace sneaker collection. And it comes after Amazon in 2018 brought augmented reality to its Android app, letting customers visualize digital goods like furniture in their real-world environment.
Amazon shoppers will find a “virtual try-on button” below the main image on participating product pages for thousands of styles. Tapping the button launches the experience and pointing the smartphone’s camera at their feet will show shoppers digitally “wearing” their selected footwear. They can even switch up the available colorways without clicking out of the try-on feature. And for consumers who need feedback from their inner circle, there’s an option to capture a photo of the virtual try-on for sharing on social channels.
Amazon Fashion president Muge Erdirik Dogan said the launch illustrates the company’s commitment to creating “innovative experiences” focused on “convenience.”
“We look forward to listening and learning from customer feedback as we continue to enhance the experience and expand to more brands and styles,” she said.
Amazon Fashion tapped internal resources to build the computer vision and machine learning models behind the virtual try-on’s augmented reality experience that lets consumers see how shoes look on them from every angle.
The launch could help Amazon reduce the volume of shoes that consumers send back. Data from Volumental, the foot-scanning company, pegs footwear’s e-commerce rates at two to three times higher than what physical stores encounter.
And it’s another way Amazon is working to serve online fashion shoppers, with previous efforts including Prime Wardrobe, the program allowing shoppers to select pieces to try on at home before committing to buying any of them.