What you need to know
- Amazon has introduced a new AR-based shopping feature that allows you to virtually try on a pair of shoes before buying them.
- The "Virtual Try-On" feature is also available for eyewear and T-shirts, allowing you to see how a product will look on you from every angle.
- The virtual shopping tool is currently only available to iOS users in the United States and Canada, with an Android version coming soon.
Amazon's newest virtual shopping tool is making it easier to see how a pair of shoes will look on your feet from all angles before buying them. The online retail giant has added a new interactive experience called "Virtual Try-On" to its mobile shopping app on iOS.
The feature uses augmented reality to let shoppers try on a pair of sneakers virtually. In addition to shoes, the AR shopping feature is also available for eyewear and T-shirts. Amazon says the goal is to inform consumers' buying decisions while also helping brands showcase their products.
You'll see the AR feature in a wide variety of brands, including New Balance, Adidas, Reebok, Puma, Superga, Lacoste, Asics, and Saucony. When you use the Amazon app for shopping, the Virtual Try-On button will appear on the detail page beneath eligible products. When you tap on the button, you'll be asked to point your smartphone's camera at your feet.
"Amazon Fashion’s goal is to create innovative experiences that make shopping for fashion online easier and more delightful for customers," said Muge Erdirik Dogan, president of Amazon Fashion. "We’re excited to introduce Virtual Try-On for Shoes, so customers can try on thousands of styles from brands they know and love at their convenience, wherever they are."
To make the experience more interactive, the tool lets you view multiple angles of the virtual shoes by moving your feet. You can also swipe through different colors of the same style without leaving the virtual experience.
However, you shouldn't rely on the feature to determine the right size for your feet. Amazon makes it clear that the feature is not a sizing tool, although there is a size guide section on the product detail page.
This is not Amazon's first foray into AR shopping, though. In 2020, the company launched "Made for You," a custom clothing service that allows users to customize and purchase T-shirts. The service is available in Amazon's iOS and Android app, where you can submit your body measurements and two photos of yourselves in order to create your perfect fit.
At the moment, the new AR shopping experience is available only to iOS users in the United States and Canada. Amazon says it will soon be available on many of the best Android phones.
It remains to be seen how the new tool will increase consumers' appetite to make a purchase after virtually trying on a product.
