AR try-on platforms for eyewear brands: features, benefits, challenges & real-life examples
Nowadays, consumers are suffering from uncertainty in online shopping. When they shop for eyewear products, they often hesitate to click the ’Buy Now’ button. This is because they can realize the pain of getting misfit products and standing in a return line. It makes them still miss the in-store shopping experiences where they can touch, feel, or try before buying any products.
As a result, cart abandonment may occur frequently. It will drive down conversion rates and impact the revenues of your eyewear brand. So, eyewear brand owners, including you, are struggling to combine the ease of online shopping with in-store ‘try before you buy’ experiences.
Here, AR try-on solutions enter to convert browsers into paying customers.
The global virtual try-on market size is growing at a CAGR of 26.4% from 2024 to 2030. Therefore, eyewear brands are taking advantage of this booming situation. They have started adopting AR try-ons to ensure customer satisfaction with interactive purchasing experiences. Now, AR try-on technology is not just an option for eyewear retailers. Instead, it can be their game-changer for reducing return rates and increasing conversions.
I research and represent AR try-ons as a boon to resolve consumers’ long-held concerns over online eyewear shopping. Read on to learn how AR try-on reduces returns and increases conversions for eyewear brands:
What is the AR try-on technology for eyewear brands?
The AR try-on technology works as a tool in digital retailing. Here, eyewear products are projected onto live videos of your customers on their phones, tablets, personal computers, or your in-store AR mirrors. It allows them to try on eyewear products before making a purchase. Thus, it provides solutions if your customers are unsure about how an eyewear product might fit or look on them.
AR try-ons can create a simulated environment for consumers. It enables them to experience the eyewear product in a manner that can resemble physical try-ons. Using AR and AI, it is transforming the landscape of online shopping. The best part is that eyewear brands can free their customers from location and time constraints. They can try on eyeglasses wherever and whenever they want.
Benefits of AR try-ons for eyewear brands
AR try-on technology helps your customers experience your eyewear products in real time. It can transform the way they shop online. Here are the advantages of using and implementing virtual try-ons for your eyewear brand:
1. Enhancing customer engagement
AR try-ons will add an interactive and fun feature to your e-commerce platform. It can keep your customers on your website longer. In this manner, you can increase your customer engagement with your eyewear products and brand.
2. Empowering purchasing decisions
Your customers can visualize how the eyewear products will look or fit before making a purchase with the help of the AR try-ons. The technology can eliminate the gap between physical and digital shopping. So, they can purchase their favorite eyeglasses without any guesswork.
3. Boosting conversions & minimizing returns
AR try-on technology can remove the purchase barrier, as it allows your customers to try on your eyewear products in real time. It will help consumers overcome the sizing challenge and save their time. This, in turn, results in fewer returns and exchanges. It will facilitate both of you and your customers.
4. Creating unique brand experience
If you are finding innovative solutions to make your brand stand out, integrating AR try-ons will help you offer confident buying experiences. Tech-savvy consumers always prefer brands using AR features. Thus, you can build brand loyalty and a lasting impression on consumers.
5. Data analytics
AR try-on platforms can provide user-friendly analytics dashboards that can showcase client preferences and behaviors. The information will help you determine which products are popular, which styles are in trend, and identify potential holes in your inventory. Using the data-driven insights, you can improve your marketing strategies and tailor your product experiences to meet your customers’ expectations.
Challenges of implementing AR try-on solutions for eyewear brands
Apart from benefits, AR try-on solutions for eyewear brands have some limitations. If you want to integrate this technology into your platform, you may come across some challenges:
1. Technological barriers
The performance of AR try-on technology may vary based on your software and hardware. Also, your customers might struggle for a smooth virtual try-on experience due to their devices and lighting conditions. It will deteriorate your eyewear shopping experiences.
2. Minimal sensory input
In a virtual try-on shopping session, your customers can’t touch or feel your products. So, it becomes difficult for them to understand its texture and fit. They can’t be sure about how comfortable the products will be while wearing them. Thus, it can create a purchasing barrier for consumers.
3. Time-consuming implementation
When you are uploading products to the AR try-on software, it will take extensive time and hassle. It involves asset creation or 3D model development. For this: you need to capture the photos of your products from different angles. It needs a balance of detail and a small file size to avoid lag.
How to develop an AR try-on solution for your eyewear brand?
For integrating AR try-ons into your eyewear brand’s platform: you will need a range of technologies and approaches. Here are the steps to build and add eyewear try-on features to your online or in-store platforms:
1. Define your objectives
First, you need to determine what you want to achieve with AR try-on technology. It will guide you through the entire developmental process. You can set your goals, like increasing conversions, reducing return rates, creating brand awareness, etc. Then, it’s time to select product categories that you want to show through the AR mode.
2. Pick the right AR platform
You should choose an appropriate AR technology, such as web-based or app-based AR solutions, for your eyewear brand. According to your target audience and the complexity of AR offerings, you can decide on any of the options. Next, you need to select a reliable AR try-on provider for your e-commerce or offline platform. For example, GlamAR’s virtual try-on solutions for eyewear products.
3. Design an interactive & engaging UX
Now, you need to focus on the user experience for your brand’s success. So, you should create a simple and intuitive interface. It can help your customers interact with your eyewear products in real time. They can zoom, adjust, and rotate the product with ease to get a prominent view.
Plus, you should allow them to change sizes, colors, or styles while trying on eyeglasses. You can ensure accurate sizing and fit for eyewear products with the face tracking technology. It will result in minimal return rates and an enhanced customer experience.
4. Integrate AR into your brand’s platform
After developing, you can integrate the AR try-on feature into your eyewear brand's website or app. Most importantly, you should make it perfect for desktop browsers and mobile applications.
5. Test & launch the AR try-on experience
Now the time arrives that you need to test the performance, device compatibility, and usability of the AR experience. Then, you can finally launch it. Thorough testing is essential so that lag or delays can’t discourage consumers from using this feature. Most importantly, you should keep updating to make it relevant.
Best AR try-on platforms for eyewear brands
I have played around on many AR try-on platforms for eyewear brands. After examining and evaluating their features, you can choose the right one for your brand. Explore some of them that can enhance conversions and reduce returns:
1. GlamAR eyewear try on
GlamAR offers 3D and AR solutions for eyewear brands that can improve their online shopping experiences. It allows your customers to try and test multiple pairs of eyeglasses without visiting offline stores. If you run an eyeglasses brand, integrating real-time AR try-ons will help your online shoppers get personalized purchasing options. It may result in increasing conversions and reducing returns.
I have tried eyeglasses and sunglasses of various styles, shapes, colors, etc., on GlamAR’s platform. To my surprise, its comparing, positioning, and scaling tools enabled me to make a perfect fit for the pair of eyeglasses. I find its customization features really amazing. It can really enhance your customers’ shopping experiences.
Features:
- Compatibility: GlamAR’s virtual try-on solutions are accessible through websites and Android and iOS devices. You can easily add AR VTO solutions, such as eyewear try-ons, to their brand’s website or other e-commerce platforms.
- Face detection tools: The GlamAR’s real-time face-detection technology can analyze your customer’s face. It can provide the PD number, including PD measurements and width. It ensures proper eyeglass fitting. As a result, you can give your customers ultimate satisfaction and less tendency to return.
- User-friendly platform: Your customers can try on your eyewear products through the live camera or photo mode. After picking the right one, they can save the image for future use and share it on social media.
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2. Perfect Corp
Perfect Corp offers AI-powered virtual try-on for glasses. It can help your customers experience a realistic eyeglasses try-on shopping experience. You can introduce virtual eyeglass try-ons on your online websites, following the step-by-step guide available in Perfect Corp’s AR try-on platform. I tried wearing virtual glasses, sunglasses, and goggles with a live camera or in photo mode.
There are different frames, lenses, and tints that I experimented with. Thus, you can offer your customers an accurate fitting experience within a virtual window. They can try on glasses from their mobile or desktop browsers. It will help them make confident purchases. As a result, you can reduce return rates and improve conversions.
Features:
- PD measurement: Your customers can get automatic, accurate, and instant PD measurements based on their face shape. It automatically measures the distance between pupils to offer a precise frame size for trying on glasses. Its accurate face tracking can ensure a fast and easy online glasses try-on experience for consumers.
- Customizable AI glasses: Your customers can receive customization options to adjust the attributes of AI glasses. While trying on virtual eyeglasses, they can adjust the frame color, frame size, frame reflection, lens tint & density, and lens reflection.
- Realistic 3D view: Your shoppers will require no expensive or time-consuming 3D product scanning or modeling to try on eyeglasses online. On this platform, you can easily create lifelike 3D virtual AI glasses with 2D images.
3. MirrAR
As an eyewear brand owner, you can provide virtual eyewear try-on solutions for your customers with MirrAR. It delivers advanced AI and AR solutions for enhanced shopping experiences. Consumers can try different glasses frames, lenses and tints on mobile and desktop browsers.
After digitizing and uploading your product inventory, you can allow your customers to hit the ‘try on’ button. They can try on both prescription glasses and sunglasses in real time. On the top, they are able to compare one frame to another, side by side, in the same virtual try-on window. Then, they can add their best products to the cart directly.
Features:
- AI-powered PD measurement: It can measure the binocular PD: the distance between the center of your customer’s pupil on one eye and the center of the pupil of the other eye. It calculates from the size of your customer’s pupil to the camera lens captured for further measurement optimization. The relative dimensions are automatically aligned with the 3D product visual parameters. The best part is: it enables the realistic-size display of your eyewear products.
- Product recommendations: The plugin allows suggestions of similar items based on product properties or consumer behavior within the try-on window. In this manner, you can improve sales on desired products.
- AR glasses try-on: You can add this try-on solution to your brand’s website, app or social media platform. Plus, you can introduce it to your brick-and-mortar stores. The good news is: your customers can try on glasses wearing their prescription glasses if they have them. It will help them have a clear view of the virtual try-on experience.
4. DeepAR
DeepAR offers AR shopping for glasses. You can create realistic AR glasses try-on experiences for your customers. I explored it and experimented with a range of eyewear products from renowned brands. As a brand owner, you can enhance your product offerings on your e-commerce website or app with its AR try-on solutions.
You can improve your e-commerce website with DeepAR’s 3D and AR features. Your customers can achieve an engaging and interactive shopping experience. DeepAR SDK allows them to try on every type of eyeglasses, from prescription glasses to sunglasses.
Features:
- AR glasses try-on: DeepAR.ai has AR tools and solutions. It gives your consumers an instant experience of glasses and sunglasses anywhere, anytime. Your online shoppers can pick from more color options, zoom in on frame details in 3D, and try them on using AR.
- Easy integration: You can add DeepAR’s 3D and AR solutions to your website or app with just 6 lines of code. Plus, you can get the flexibility to customize the integration. It allows you to represent your eyewear products in the 3D AR mode.
- Data-driven insights: Once the plug-in is ready, you will start to see analytics in your ShopAR dashboard. It will help you get insights, compare them to industry benchmarks, and make any necessary adjustments. You can track how your customers are using 3D and AR solutions in real time. Thus, you can monitor engagement, average order value, your brand’s most popular products, and conversions.
5. TINT by Banuba
Banuba is a face software company that works with AR, computer vision, and machine learning. has introduced the ‘TINT’ platform for AR try-on. Its virtual try-on technology for eyewear helps many brands expand their business and enhance customer engagement. It is a web-based solution that you can easily integrate into your brand's website.
As a result, your online shoppers will obtain perfect-fitting convenience, lifelike product looks, easy selection, and a smooth checkout. I tested and tried on different pairs of eyeglasses to see which one suits me best. The best part is that I got an option to remove the glasses. Also, your customers can customize their chosen eyeglasses' frames, lenses, and other features.
Features:
- Cross-platform support: Banuba SDK supports Web, iOS, Android, Mac and Unity. Your customers can access TINT’s virtual glasses try-on from various platforms, such as desktop, mobile, and in-store smart mirrors. Apart from this, its in-store AR mirror combines a physical and digital shopping experience where they can try on multiple eyewear products without any help.
- Glasses virtual try-on: Banuba’s advanced face tracking solution provides the accurate placement of your eyewear products. It allows your customers to try on eyeglasses as well as prescription lenses. Its camera-based virtual try-on experience can simulate realistic looks, gravity, lighting, and motion.
- Easy-to-use solution: Consumers will not require special devices or reference items to measure PD (pupillary distance) on TINT's virtual try-on platform. So, it is a safe, convenient, and accessible platform.
Popular eyewear brands that are using AR try-on solutions
Now, eyewear brands are looking for innovative and trendy ways to enhance their customers' shopping experience. Virtual glasses try-ons are providing convenience and innovation, making it possible. With the help of AR and AI solutions, famous brands are now expanding their market. Let’s have a look at some of the brands:
1. Lenskart
As an eyewear brand, Lenskart uses AR try-on technology on its platform. Most importantly, it focuses on 3D virtual eyewear try-ons. It allows consumers to try different prescription glasses or sunglasses online.
Its AR solution overlays virtual eyeglasses on their face in real time. Without any physical touch, they can browse through multiple frames from the comfort of their own home at their pace. Thus, Lenskart offers an interactive and convenient way to shop for eyewear.
2. Warby Parker
Warby Parker has introduced a virtual try-on tool for eyewear to increase sales. So, their customers can find their favorite frames and all eye care solutions. They can explore their extensive collection of glasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses. Plus, they can save their best styles, see recommended frames, and track orders.
Apart from this, it offers PD measurement tools if you don’t have a prescription. In this way, it enables consumers to have a perfect-fitting experience. Warby Parker aims to make their shoppers’ journey “even more intuitive and engaging,” according to its Co-Founder and Co-CEO Neil Blumenthal.
3. Ray-Ban
Ray-Ban provides their customers with a virtual try-on solution for a variety of sunglasses. Consumers can customize their eyeglasses using the ‘get face shape’ and ‘improve fit’ (with PD) options.
They can try on glasses online and select a perfect pair that suits their face shape and style preferences through Using photo or live camera mode. Then, they can add to their favorite eyewear products for future purchase.
4. Zenni Optical
Zenni Optical offers an instant tool for trying on eyeglasses and sunglasses. So, their customers can easily switch between different frame styles and achieve a real-time experience. The inconvenient part is that accurate biometric scaling and easy PD measurement ensure the perfect fit along with flawless lens alignment.
Consumers need to upload their prescriptions for prescription glasses, then customize and order. Plus, they can take a snap after trying on eyeglasses. Then, they can share it with their friends and family.
5. Prada
Prada has introduced virtual try-ons on its website via AR and computer vision technologies. The AR try-on solution can measure their consumer’s face or body. It can ensure the accurate positioning of the eyewear product.
Consumers can use the VTO solution to try on different sunglasses and accessories before making a final purchase. Following the instructions for face positioning and removing prescription glasses, they can experiment with Prada’s sunglasses. Also, they can customize their fitting through a live camera or photo mode.
How to choose the best AR try-on platform for your eyewear brand?
For a good reason: to get everything you want out of an AR try-on tool right now, you may need to use more than one. If you are willing to invest the top dollar, providing a smooth virtual try-on experience is still a daunting task. Therefore, I am trying to play around with some AR try-on platforms for your eyewear brand that can reduce returns and increase conversions.
I have recommended here GlamAR and some AR try-on tools that hit on a lot of the important features and almost made the list. Apart from them, there are a few platforms, such as Auglio, Fittingbox, Camweara, etc. They are emerging ones that can help your eyewear brand enhance the customer experience and boost sales.
You should select the best platform for your brand based on your specific needs and budget. Also, you need to keep an eye on every reliable AR try-on platform and how they are updating themselves to be relevant. Yes, it’s a little messy. But as a forward-thinking brand owner, you can’t afford to take the risk of finding a platform that resonates with your brand.
Conclusion
The need is rising for eyewear brands to reduce return rates and increase conversions, with changing expectations of consumers. So, AR try-on tools are not just a trend now. It becomes essential to satisfy your customers and help them make a confident purchase. Integrating it into your platform may enable you to stay competitive in the present world of e-commerce.
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AR try-on technology uses your customers’ devices’ cameras. It will show the products on their faces in real time. The system detects their facial features, follows their movements, and adjusts the virtual item. Thus, it looks real and fits naturally. It helps them see how a product would look on them in a simple, quick, and interactive way.
AR try-on helps your customers see how the eyeglass frames look on their faces before buying. It builds confidence because they know what to expect. It means fewer surprises when the product arrives. With a realistic preview, AR allows consumers to choose the right size and style. As a result, customers are happier and return fewer items.
AR try-on gives your customers a clear and realistic preview before they buy products. It can reduce uncertainty in online shopping and help them feel confident about their choice. Your customers can try on different frames in real time. It makes shopping fun and engaging. Also, it makes the buying process fast and easy. Thus, AR try-on solutions can create a convenient and personalized experience. Consumers feel like trying products in a real store.
AR try-on makes eyewear shopping easier and more confident for customers. It helps them see how frames will look and fit. Thus, it reduces doubt and leads to more purchases. As people choose better, fewer products are returned. The experience is more fun and interactive. It can help build trust in the brand. Also, it can save companies money with minimal return costs.
Yes, AR try-on works for both eyeglasses and sunglasses. It uses your customers’ devices’ cameras to show their faces on the screen. Then, it places virtual 3D frames on their face in real time. It allows your customers to see how eyeglasses or sunglasses would look on them before purchasing. So, it can make the process of selecting the right pair of eyewear products easy.
AR try-ons cannot replace physical try-ons in a complete manner. Its accuracy depends on the product and the quality of the technology. It works well for items: glasses and makeup. But it has trouble showing the real fit and movement of some clothing items. AR is best used as a helpful tool, not a complete replacement. It may work better if you combine it with size charts, reviews, and real photos.
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