A review on potential technological advances for fashion retail

Abstract

This technical paper will assess new technological advances that could change the way we buy clothes, exploring existing solutions that are still commonly confused with each other: Smart fitting rooms (SFR), interactive mirrors (IM), Virtual Reality (VR), and Augmented Reality (AR). The methodological approach based on an exploratory research will start with a literature review on SFR and IM, comparing the main differences between these two technologies and addressing their unsuccessful attempts in retail. Our research will also assess daily technologies, which could possibly improve the customer’s experience with online shopping, as well as customers with reduced mobility.
 With smart gadgets in every corner, consumers are more difficult to convince with innovative products. We will propose future possibilities for fashion retail, where results will be presented as a first approach, in hopes of creating innovative solutions for the future. Moreover, sustainable implications related with this approach will be addressed in our additional considerations. This technical study considers only two basic solutions that were eventually too complicated to fit into fashion retail, exploring additional solutions that could change these limitations.
 Although explored and researched in the last years, solutions like IM and SFR were once part of what was considered the future of fashion retail. However, poor business models and lack of technological advances at the time limited these solutions. New technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed-Reality (MR), combined with the latest smartphone evolution could relaunch solutions like these.

Virtual Fitting Rooms for Online Apparel Shopping: An Exploration of Consumer Perceptions

“…Virtual fitting room refers to a technology that provides virtual try‐on experiences to consumers for online or in‐store shopping (Alfredo & Rodriguez, 2016). VFRs have been continuously updated with new features since their introduction (Fernandes & Morais, 2021; Lee, 2021; Liu et al., 2020). There are seven different VFR technologies, and these vary by their mechanisms for capturing body measurements (body scanning, photos, manual entry of body matrix), visualization technology (AR, VR), and interactive technology (Lee & Xu, 2019; Merle et al., 2012).…”

Consumers’ Experience and Satisfaction Using Augmented Reality Apps in E-Shopping: New Empirical Evidence

“…Most existing studies have focused on online service experiences, leaving a gap in understanding how technology can improve in-store service quality. Innovative technologies, specifically Smart Mirror Fashion Technology (SMFT), can enhance the service quality of clothing retail stores [18][19][20]. AR-based try-on provides a better and more realistic garment visualization than VR-based try-on [21].…”

Mixed reality in U.S. retail: A review: Analyzing the immersive shopping experiences, customer engagement, and potential economic implications

“…However, the emergence of Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed-Reality (MR), coupled with advancements in smartphone technology, has revitalized these solutions, offering new possibilities for fashion retail. This shift underscores the evolving nature of retail, where technology plays a pivotal role in enhancing the shopping experience and meeting the changing demands of consumers (Fernandes & Morais, 2021).…”