AR Magic Mirror launches for UK footwear stores

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Feb 15, 2023

Virtual try-on start-up Vyking.io has unveiled its new in-store augmented reality (AR) solution ‘Magic Mirror’ for UK footwear retailers. The system which “will enable consumers to easily visualise footwear through an in-store smart mirror” is set to launch to the retail market in Q2.

Activated by walking up to a full-length digitally connected mirror, customers can “try virtually before they buy” dozens of pairs of trainers and other footwear “quickly and conveniently”.
 
“The Magic Mirror enhances the customer experience by providing a fun, interactive and immersive buying experience, and solves a number of pain points for retailers themselves”, Vyking said.

The solution “also has the potential to drastically decrease waiting times for customers and reduce pressure on staff in physical stores as they have the opportunity to see how a pair of trainers look before retrieving them from the stockroom”.

It works by the customer choosing the pair they’d like to try via an in-store display on a tablet before the 3D model is ‘beamed’ into the mirror to see how it looks on the customer’s feet.

For stores with a smaller footprint, the technology also offers the chance for retailers to display an infinite product catalogue for customers, with order-to-ship capability, and allows buying and merchandising teams to better understand which lines are most popular in real-time, noted Vyking.

Further, the solution also offers “real omnichannel marketing possibilities” as the technology can be deployed in other physical locations such as billboards, bus stops or window displays – “enabling retailers to capture casual browsers as well as those entering their physical locations”.

Matthew Klimpke, CEO and co-founder of Vyking (which has offices in Germany and the UK), said: “The pandemic put a lot of pressure on brands to innovate their online platforms. We saw many investing in AR to create a more immersive and engaging experience for their customers — and with good reason, as we have seen virtual try-on solutions contribute to up to a 50% increase in conversions and 7% reduction in returns. 2022 saw us pass over 30 million annual uses of our VTO solution: a clear indication of the utility and engagement 3D and AR provide.”

He added: “Now, as shoppers are returning to the high street, it makes sense to bring the best of that online experience into physical stores. Our Magic Mirror allows retailers to enable both proximity and personalisation for their customers and their products. It also makes more efficient use of store footprints and opens up the potential for a real omnichannel experience that goes to where their customers are.”