• by Ray Schultz , June 21, 2021

Here's something ecommerce brands can offer to apparel shoppers via email: Virtual try-on. Of consumers who have tried it, 69% went on to buy the product, according to a study by Vertebrae, a firm that specializes in 3D and augmented reality tools for retail.

Of the consumers polled, 44% have used virtual try-on, and 75% of those have done so in the past year. 

Moreover, 77% of those who have not experienced would try if it were easily available, and 49% would be likely to buy. 

We’re not talking about apparel try-ons: Eyewear and sunglasses dominate, with 70% of shoppers believing VR would be most useful when making a purchase decision in these areas. And, 79% say they would use it when it is easily available on web or mobile. 

The company surveyed 346 consumers from May 31 to June 2 of this year. 

How cool it would be if the customer could initiate the try-on in the email without jumping to another site. 

When it comes to trust, 47% trust eyewear brands themselves, not Amazon (15%) or big-box retailers (29%).  

But be warned: 43% of shoppers are unlikely to use virtual try-on if it requires extra steps like uploading a photo or entering measurements.  

Despite that, 63% agree the most helpful uses for it are: 

• I can see if the style is right for me — 63% 
• I can see whether the color is right for me — 51% 
• I get an accurate sense of the size of the item — 46%

“Virtual try-on is transforming shopping for entire categories like eyewear, hats, footwear, and soon clothing,” said Vince Cacace, founder and CEO of Vertebrae.

What business is Vertebrae in? Augmented reality and 3D.