In an ambitious move of integrating virtual and physical experiences, Zero10, an augmented reality (AR) try-on store, recently joined hands with JD Sports. The partnership came into being to animate the all-new Need It Now collection, a vibrant product of the Nike and JD Sports collaboration. Zero10 will install its AR mirrors in JD Sports stores at Time Square, New York and State Street, Chicago. These mirrors offer customers the unique opportunity of virtually trying on the outfits.
The partnership is indicative of a promising symbiosis between technology and fashion. Zero10’s AR mirrors boasting high-tech features bring out subtle effects like water droplets in the products of the new collection. The use of a supercomputer ensures a perfect 4K resolution, providing users with an exciting taste of the future of retail.
In the view of Zero10’s CEO, George Yashin, the technology offers a solution to a major problem in the fashion industry – availability. The firm revealed a new point-of-sale tool enabling customers to make online purchases for out-of-stock items. Users can check for product availability, place orders, or pre-orders by simply scanning the QR code and finalizing the purchase online.
This powerful combination of the virtual and physical seems to already be bringing tangible benefits. Increased user engagement, time spent in-store, and lasting impressions are some of the positive outcomes seen so far. Yashin also pointed out that this was the initial partnership with a sports brand, thus creating an ideal synergy between sports and fashion.
However, a lingering skepticism remains – it’s still early days and the jury is still out on how technology will fully reshape the retail landscape. While the Need It Now campaign’s conversion rates met success, the same can’t be said for Zero10’s partnership with Coach. Despite the lack of conversion data, impressive user engagement was noted, with around 75,000 try-ons recorded.
Another cause of uncertainty lies with the new program Zero10 announced in June – the mobile version of the AR Mirror store. With the setup only requiring two square meters of space, it clearly shows the potential of technology in retail. However, its real-world feasibility and customer adoption remain variables yet to be fully determined.
Combining an article of faith in technology with a healthy dose of realism, the Zero10 and JD Sports partnership could test the limits of how we shop and interact with clothing brands. Whether this heralds a new era of experiential retail or turns out to be just a passing trend, only time will tell. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and eyes on the screen, or rather, mirror!
Source: Cryptonews
