BreakingModern — As online shopping grows in popularity, consumers are expanding their list of items they’re willing to buy online. Some products like books and household goods may be easy to purchase over the Internet, other items remain a challenge. Many consumers still feel the need to try certain items on before buying.
Technology has an answer for that. Try-on technology lets customers get a view of how something will look before making a commitment. This also makes it easier for fashion brands to reach online customers in new ways. Here are five try-on apps that demonstrate innovation in online retail.
Glasses.com
In the summer of 2014, Glasses.com’s try-on app won the Cannes Lions Bronze Award for Creative Use of Technology. After snapping a photo of a user with the device’s camera, the app blends that picture with selected frames from its site. Luxxotica noted that the rendered photo is so accurate, it looks like an actual photo of the user. The 3-D photo can be viewed from any angle to give you a true-to-life depiction of how the glasses will look. The Glasses.com try-on app is available free for Apple iOS (sorry Android users!).
Makeup Genius
This makeup try-on app walks you through uploading a usable photo of yourself. Once your photo is in place, you can browse products in L’Oreal‘s catalog and try on eye shadow, eyeliner, lipstick and other cosmetics. You can also take the app to the store the next time you’re shopping and scan L’Oréal‘s products to see them on you. The app is available free for Apple iOS and “late 2014″ for Android at the time of writing … though we’re in 2015 now, so it’s unclear when that will come through.
Wedding Dress Studio
Trying on wedding dresses can be an exhausting experience. This app uses patented technology to allow brides to design and try on their own wedding dresses with more than 300 different customization options. Once you’ve created your look, you can save it to share with others. While this app won’t let you try on actual wedding dresses for sale, it can give you a sense of the type of neckline, silhouette, fabrics and detail you prefer as you begin shopping for a dress. It’s available free for Apple iOS.
Modiface
Modiface powers skincare, makeup and hairstyle try-on apps for a variety of businesses. Choose from several dedicated mobile apps that let you try on different makeup, hair colors, color contact lenses, nail polish shades and dental work. It also lets you learn more about your own skin tones and edit selfies. There are a number of apps for Android on Google Play and Apple iOS.
InStyle Hairstyle Try-On App
Celebrities have long inspired popular hairstyles. With InStyle magazine’s try-on app, users can upload a photo and try on more than 500 celebrity hairstyles. Instead of taking a picture of a celebrity to your next hair appointment, you can take a photo of yourself already wearing it. This app is available for the iPad only.
As apps continue to refine try-on technology, more online retailers will begin offering the service. Whether you’re interested in trying these items on before buying or you simply want to have a little fun, each of these apps would be a great addition to your mobile device’s app collection.
For BMod, I’m Stephanie Faris.
Eyeglasses image credit: © naka / Dollar Photo Club
Makeup image credit: © Igor Mojzes / Dollar Photo Club
Hairstyle image credit: © Warren Goldswain / Dollar Photo Club