Amazon Enters AR Shopping with Virtual Try-On for Shoes

E-commerce giant Amazon is entering the augmented reality (AR) field with the introduction of Virtual Try-On for Shoes, an interactive experience that allows customers to use their mobile phone’s camera to visualize how a pair of shoes will look while worn, informed the company.

“Amazon Fashion’s goal is to create innovative experiences that make shopping for fashion online easier and more delightful for customers,” said Muge Erdirik Dogan, President, Amazon Fashion. “We are excited to introduce Virtual Try-On for Shoes, so customers can try on thousands of styles from brands they know and love at their convenience, wherever they are. We look forward to listening and learning from customer feedback as we continue to enhance the experience and expand to more brands and styles.”

The AR feature will help brands to better showcase their products while also empowering customers’ purchasing decisions, said Amazon. In April 2022, the company launched a virtual try-on technology for athletic shirts. However, the technology does not use AR but renders the shirt on an avatar that represents the customer’s body, according to their actual measurements.

To try on the shoes, customers will tap the “Virtual Try-On” button below the selected shoes and point the camera of their mobile device at their feet and the AR shoes will appear. Customers can move their feet to see how the shoes look from every angle, said Amazon. In addition, users can change colors of the selected footwear by scrolling through the options without leaving the experience. Customers can also take a photo of the AR shoe they are trying and share it through social media.

The tool will initially launch in the US and Canada in Amazon’s shopping app on iOS. At the moment, there is no announced date for its launch within the Mexican marketplace. At launch, the AR tool will be available for thousands of shoes from brands including New Balance, Adidas, Reebok, Puma, Saucony, Lacoste and Asics, among others.

“Innovation and elevating consumer experiences are at the core of New Balance. We are excited to showcase our footwear selection in Amazon Fashion’s Virtual Try-On for Shoes as we continue to look for immersive ways to engage our shared customer base,” said Melissa Worth, Senior Vice President of North America, New Balance.

Earlier this year, Amazon announced Amazon Style, its first-ever physical apparel store, which will open in Los Angeles to create a convenient shopping experience by combining the company’s technology and in-person shopping.