Snapchat’s AR Shopping Lenses Makes Online Shopping Even Better
Online shopping has really transformed the lives of many. What previously entailed a person going down to the physical store and browsing through racks of clothing has now become as easy as scrolling through a webpage in the comfort of your own bed.
But along with that convenience and ease comes a new set of problems. Clothes that might not entirely fit your aesthetic, makeup shades that look great in the photos but don't match your skin tone, sunglasses that might be a bit too big for your face, these are but a few problems that arise from not being able to see the products in real life. Well, Snapchat's AR shopping lenses solve those issues somewhat.
While you might not be able to get a sense of the actual fabric used, these lenses do help in terms of showing the fit, as seen with this Dior sunglasses lens. The size of the AR sunglasses on the face is very close to the size of the actual, physical sunglasses, which definitely will help consumers to make a more informed judgement on whether something actually fits them.
There are other lenses, like this one by Piaget that allows for a virtual watch to be superimposed over a wrist, showing exactly how large a watch will look on your wrist. Of course, there are also plenty of others for clothes, makeup, shoes and more.
Kathryn Carter, General Manager, APAC at Snap Inc said: "Augmented reality experiences are personal, immersive, and interactive in a way that other brand activations simply can’t be. For brands, it is the most personalized, immersive way to engage consumers and let them try their variety of products, at their convenience. What’s even better is that our AR Lenses reduce returns, which is a huge benefit in terms of cost savings and the environment.”
With studies showing that AR-guided purchases have seen a decrease in returns, it's certainly encouraging not only for a more positive e-commerce experience but also in terms of sustainability and reducing the carbon footprint that's generated from wasted packaging and shipping.