eBay Looks To Usher In Virtual Dressing Rooms

By Anna Rose Welch, Editorial & Community Director, Advancing RNA

Company’s acquisition of PhiSix provides the technology to clarify fit, reduce customer returns

Customers shopping for clothing on eBay just might find that the process of deciding which size and style to buy will be getting a lot easier in the future. Last week, eBay announced its acquisition of PhiSix, a company that develops 3-D visualization and simulation technologies for clothing, Tech Crunch reports. PhiSix’s technology simulates the behavior of the different garments, enabling customers to see how the clothing looks when being worn and how it fits. With this acquisition, eBay could eventually provide its customers with a virtual fitting room that will not only show customers how the clothing behaves on the body, but can also provide sizing recommendations depending on the user’s body measurements.

Another exciting possibility for this technology, eBay VP of Innovation and New Ventures Steve Yankovich told Tech Crunch, is the way the virtual fitting room could allow shoppers to see how an outfit would behave in various scenarios. While most sites show the clothing on a standard model figure and allow rotating or close-up views, they don’t allow viewers to see how the clothing fits into various settings or during certain activities, like walking down the street or hitting a golf club.

Though it’s important to note that this technology is in no way new; virtual try-on features have been in existence for a while, but haven’t quite caught on. Yankovich remains optimistic that the success of the virtual dressing room depends on how successfully the company integrates the technology.

As the company says, “PhiSix’s innovative technology can help solve one of the common problems online shoppers face — fit and look. With a virtual fitting room enabled by PhiSix technology, shoppers can determine fit with physically accurate simulations of the garments... All of this points to an immersive shopping experience that enables consumers to try on clothes virtually before buying online, which the company believes will reduce returns and enhance the overall shopping experience.”

The company also emphasizes how this new technology will cater to the omni-channel shopper. Following the acquisition, eBay plans to integrate the technology into several key parts of its marketplace, including its mobile apps and third-party retailers using eBay enterprise. The company plans to implement this solution both online and in-stores by the end of 2014. In doing so, this technology should be available on any device so users can complete their shopping anywhere and at any time. This move could also be an important step in drawing more customers to the eBay marketplace. Not only will it provide a better experience as customers will be able to interact more closely with the products, but it could be one of the first places to usher in a future where virtual-dressing rooms are a key part of omni-channel commerce.