Introduction
AR technology is getting more advanced and powerful each day and one latest advancement in this regard is the use of AR mirrors. These smart mirrors are the most practical and amazing use of augmented reality in retail and e-commerce. They are a fresh approach to customer interaction that goes beyond traditional boring shopping methods.
With the increasing trend of e-commerce, brick-and-mortar stores need interactive solutions to attract more foot traffic. AR mirrors do that by providing immersive experiences like virtual try-ons for clothes, make-up, and other fashion accessories. These interactive experiences encourage users to spend more time in stores, try on more products, and make more purchases.
What are AR mirrors?
AR mirrors combine traditional functioning of mirrors with augmented reality technology. Imagine looking into a mirror and you not only see your reflection but can also apply digital projections on yourself. Using AR mirrors, customers can try on clothes, accessories, or even makeup without physically touching them. Moreover, combining AR technology with 3D body tracking, these mirrors can detect a person’s hand gestures and facial characteristics to make their shopping experience more personalized and fun.
Importance of AR mirrors in modern fashion applications
The adoption of AR mirror technology is increasing in all e-commerce sectors but fashion industry is gaining most from it. Modern marketers know that interactive and engaging content is the key to attract customers and capture their minds. Therefore, they are tending towards AR mirrors and virtual fitting rooms where buyers can virtually try on all fashion products in an immersive space.
According to a Shopify study:
“ It’s predicted that the global virtual fitting room market will grow from $4.03 billion in 2022 to $14.87 billion by 2029. That’s a compound annual growth rate of 13.44%”.
This shows that market is ripe and AR mirrors have a huge potential in the future of fashion marketing. Brands and e-commerce retailers can use AR mirrors to create memorable shopping experiences for buyers and build brand loyalty for long-term gains.
Practical applications of augmented reality mirrors
Here are some top practical applications of AR mirrors:
Fashion and retail
In offline retail stores, AR mirrors can be very helpful for marketers to provide interactive try-on experiences to their customers. These mirrors apply digital visuals of clothes and other fashion related products to the reflections of users in mirrors. Customers can see themselves virtually wearing those items without actually wearing them.
Pomellato Boutique, in collaboration with Kivisense, has created an interesting AR try-on experience that involves AR mirrors. Users can visit the store to virtually ‘’wear’’ their beautiful necklaces, rings, and other jewelry products. The high performance 3D rendering technology can restore the shine of its hand-polished jewelry pieces and gemstones. Moreover, AR body tracking and AI finger circumference measurement technologies make the real-time try-on process very accurate. Visitors can use these AR mirrors through their smartphones at their boutiques.
Retail applications of AR mirrors include:
Flagship stores: Flagship stores of many famous brands like Tommy Hilfiger are using AR mirrors to display their products in an interactive way.
Boutiques: Fashion boutiques can use these mirrors to offer their customers something more extraordinary than others in market. This helps them advertise their products better and attract more customers.
Pop-Up stores: At pop-up stores, brands can show off their products and services in gamified environments. Users can not only virtually use their products but also take part in playful activities that increase the engagement of store.
Store Openings: AR mirrors can create exciting environments at opening ceremonies of stores. When users see something extraordinary, they want to experience it first. This attracts more visitors and leads to more engagement and sales.
Museum Interactions
AR mirrors make museum visits more interactive by overlaying digital information on museum displays. This can help visitors understand the history and importance of museum objects. Moreover, through these mirrors, visitors can see themselves wearing historical and old-style clothes and accessories. They can also interact with virtual elements and objects, play games, and make their visits more memorable. All these experiences make their visit not only engaging but also more informative.
How do AR mirrors work?
Behind the augmented visuals of AR mirrors, many technical components and user interaction mechanisms work together. Let’s have a look at them:
Technical components
Sensors and cameras
AR mirrors have depth sensors that measure the distance between users and mirrors. This helps them place virtual overlays on user’s face and body accurately. Smart cameras can track body movements and facial features of users to improve the interaction and visualization of fashion products.
Display technology
AR mirrors use high-quality displays like LCD or OLED screens to apply augmented effects and visuals over real-life reflections of buyers. Users can visualize themselves in various outfits and make-up styles just like they do in reality but without actually wearing them.
Software algorithms
Powerful software algorithms analyze data of users and detect their movements and gestures to make their try-on experience more personalized. Kivisense is a pioneer in this regard and our innovative AR and VR tools use advanced algorithms to smoothly project digital visuals on a person’s reflection through AR mirrors.
We also support gesture recognition, so customers can change their clothes and accessories with just one simple gesture. If you want to adopt interactive AR mirror technology in your retail store, Kivisense is here to help you do that without much hassle.
Mechanisms for user interaction
Touch and gesture recognition technology
By using this cutting-edge technology, people can interact with AR mirrors by touching the screens and using hand gestures. This makes it easy for them to select products, change, and experiment with them through simple hand movements.
Voice recognition technology
Many AR mirrors also support voice recognition technology to promote hands-free interaction. Users can control the mirrors with their voices and give commands according to their requirements. This increases the convenience of offline shopping through touchless interaction.
Benefits of augmented reality mirrors
Improve user experience
AR mirrors have many benefits that enhance user experience. One of them is the convenience that these mirrors offer. With AR mirrors, they do not need to change clothes again and again. Moreover, they do not need to touch any unhygienic or used products to check how they will look on them. Secondly, changing clothes with hand gestures saves time and makes the shopping experience more personalized and fun.
Better engagement and interactivity
AR mirrors offer unique experiences that invite visitors to come and explore your products virtually. Users can not only try on the products, but they can also interact with virtual elements. They can experiment with different combinations of make-up products, clothes, and jewelry items. Moreover, they can get AI-based tips and ideas to select products that will suit them better. These interesting experiences stimulate their curiosity and encourage them to visit your store.
Attract more foot traffic
As online shopping provides a convenient alternative to physical shopping, retail stores need to do more to attract foot traffic. AR mirrors can help them do so by offering unique and exciting experiences that make them different from others in market. When people see something new and trendy, they want to try it first and come to your store. In this way, AR mirrors attract more foot traffic which leads to more sales and conversions.
Inspiring Use Cases of Augmented Reality Mirrors
Hearts On Fire’s AR Magic Mirrors
Hearts On Fire is a famous diamond jewelry brand and it has introduced an innovative way to advertise its jewelry pieces. The brand uses AR magic mirrors to provide a virtual try-on experience to its customers. So, customers can virtually ‘’wear’’ the exquisite jewelry items before deciding whether they should buy them or not. AR mirrors help them visualize necklaces, earrings, and bracelets on themselves. This way, buyers can get a realistic preview of how the jewelry items will look on them in real life.
Viktor&Rolf ‘’Flowerbomb’’ Campaign
Viktor&Rolf collaborated with Kivisense to create a lovely ‘’Flowerbomb’’ campaign for its customers using augmented reality mirrors. Users can go to their popup store in Hainan and visualize themselves dressed up in white gowns and fairy wings. They can swipe with hand gestures to change the dress and view themselves in a completely new look. This not only saves time but also makes the whole interaction touchless and hygienic.
Tommy Hilfiger’s AR Mirror Experience
Tommy Hilfiger launched an innovative AR try-on campaign to market its Tommy X Shawn Classics Reborn line. The campaign used augmented reality mirrors that let users view themselves donning Tommy Hilfiger’s latest collection items in real time. The campaign was a big hit among young customers, specially Gen-Z buyers who love interactive experiences. The feature was available in London, Berlin, and Milan for specific time periods last year and drove significant foot traffic to the store.
Future aspects of augmented reality mirrors: what to expect?
The use of augmented reality mirrors is expanding its roots in many other sectors besides offline retailing. As time passes by, its integration with advanced Metaverse technologies like XR, VR, and artificial intelligence will lead human interaction with digital elements to the next level. One anticipation in this regard can be the use of AI magic mirrors that use cutting-edge AI algorithms and software to analyze a user’s body movements, understand its voice commands, and perform functions accordingly. This immersive and touchless interaction will completely change the dynamics of e-commerce shopping and marketing.
Conclusion
Augmented reality mirrors are not just a hot trend in market, they are an effective way to attract more foot traffic. For offline retail stores, these smart mirrors can be the ultimate marketing tool. They can use these mirrors to offer highly immersive and realistic try-on experiences to customers like never before. Therefore, many famous brands are installing them in their stores. If you want to integrate augmented reality mirrors into your brick-and-mortar retail store, feel free to contact us. Kivisense is a sino-french venture that provides ultimate marketing solutions for all e-commerce brands. Get in touch with us and start your journey to more sales and ROIs right away.
